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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Short synopsis: Set in Europe before the start of WWII, young Lena Papadopoulos who was born with polio and can’t walk, lives with her father on a traveling circus train. One day she finds Alexandre a young Jewish stowaway boy on board, and their friendship blossoms.
My thoughts: This was a mesmerizing story set in the backdrop of a developing war and anti-semitism on the rise. It had some great topics, but my favorite part was watching Lena learn to love herself despite the Rocky hand she was dealt. She persevered through some vert difficult situations and learned to find her own happiness.
I really liked traveling with the circus throughout Europe and seeing little tidbits into some of the culture. I also really liked the behind the scenes look Into the circus and entertainment aspect of the book.
There are definitely some heavy moments sprinkled throughout. But honestly I wouldn’t have appreciated the book as much if we didn’t hear about the struggles faced during the War. So be prepared for some emotional moments.
Read if you love:
- Historical fiction
- Circus acts and illusions
- Found family
- Coming of age
This book was odd to me. I liked the characters but I felt that more could've been done with them. I was interested in a WWII book told from the viewpoint of Greek characters but that really wasn't explored. And the dialogue was a little too on-the-nose with the author telling us things instead of showing them. There were a few times when that was particularly jarring. However, I'm always a sucker for WWII historical fiction and the circus part was interesting so I'm rounding up to three stars.
This book will go down as one of my favorites. I loved the characters, the setting, the story. It was historical fiction involving circus life, a young girl with polio, and an enduring sense of love and family. I enjoyed this book very much. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is not a book that kept me enthralled the entire time. There are sections I definitely skimmed. The story just didn’t seem to go deep enough, it floats along the topics and years are skipped and wrapped up tidily within a couple of chapters. I’m sure some will enjoy it but this one just didn’t capture me.
#thecircustrain #amitaparikh #WWII #circuslife #lovestory #bookreview #bookrecommendations #canyourecommendagoodbook #bookstagram #europe
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Circus fiction set during WW2...yes please! I enjoyed this book overall but definitely enjoyed the latter half better than the first half as it was more riveting.
A wonderful debut and can't wait to read her future novels!
A wonderful debut and can't wait to read her future novels!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No