msliwerski1 's review for:

The Circus Train by Amita Parikh
4.0

What a wonderful debut! I read a LOT of WWII fiction, and this was a unique storyline that brought something new to the table. It’s easy to root for Lena and feel invested in her life.

This book tells the story of Lena, a little girl who survived polio and as a result is wheelchair bound, as well as her father, a talented illusionist named Theo, a Jewish orphan named Alexandre, and a whole cast of circus train characters. It spans two decades of war, love and loss, secrets and perseverance. I read the entire book in one sitting!