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A review by jenbsbooks
The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff
2.5
I grabbed a paperback copy of this ... big, deckled edges. The audio and Kindle copy were available from my library. I went primarily with the audio. The music at the start/end was AWFUL. Luckily it didn't last long and wasn't throughout. Honestly, just 2.5 stars for me, as so much felt improbable, and the entire time I wondered why this title was chosen (as I had it stacked next to The Orphan Keeper and The Orphan Train in my personal library). This was much more about the circus, and the two women, than "the orphan" ... there are already SO many books out there with such a similar title.
Told in first person, present tense, alternating between two POVs ... Astrid and Noa. There is a prologue, it's one of those "mysterious" ones ... we don't know when or WHO it is (we are told it's "Paris" ) but this intro didn't add anything (but annoyance) for me. Chapter 1 is Noa/Germany 1944. Chapter 2 is Astrid/Germany 1942 ... I can't remember if the POVs stayed alternating consistently (while the POV is marked at the beginning of each chapter, it was not included on the Table of Contents in either Kindle or Audio, the physical copy doesn't even offer a TOC). It must have doubled up somewhere, as spot checking didn't always have Astrid only on even chapters.
Overall - it wasn't bad, it's just not a story where I really connected with the characters, enough to be emotionally involved. I didn't feel like I learned that much. I didn't have any passages I wanted to note/highlight/discuss, although I did appreciate the included discussion questions, author's notes and Q&A with the author (included in the Kindle/physical copy, not audio).
Quick mention of the Lebensborn program ... I just read The Sunflower House.
Just a few things, possible SPOILERS just the coincidence of this young girl, forced to give up her baby, happening to find a baby about the same age. Happening upon a circus and being taken in, and without any discussion, said they'd teach her to be an aerialist. Sure. Of course, she happens to have a history of gymnastics. That's convenient. The Visa and the money ... the "you go" "no you go" ... the fire, the deaths ...
I didn't really care for the ending.
No proFanity, one sex scene that while not really explicit, was more than seemed to fit with the rest of the story.
Told in first person, present tense, alternating between two POVs ... Astrid and Noa. There is a prologue, it's one of those "mysterious" ones ... we don't know when or WHO it is (we are told it's "Paris" ) but this intro didn't add anything (but annoyance) for me. Chapter 1 is Noa/Germany 1944. Chapter 2 is Astrid/Germany 1942 ... I can't remember if the POVs stayed alternating consistently (while the POV is marked at the beginning of each chapter, it was not included on the Table of Contents in either Kindle or Audio, the physical copy doesn't even offer a TOC). It must have doubled up somewhere, as spot checking didn't always have Astrid only on even chapters.
Overall - it wasn't bad, it's just not a story where I really connected with the characters, enough to be emotionally involved. I didn't feel like I learned that much. I didn't have any passages I wanted to note/highlight/discuss, although I did appreciate the included discussion questions, author's notes and Q&A with the author (included in the Kindle/physical copy, not audio).
Quick mention of the Lebensborn program ... I just read The Sunflower House.
Just a few things, possible SPOILERS
I didn't really care for the ending.
No proFanity, one sex scene that while not really explicit, was more than seemed to fit with the rest of the story.