A heartbreaking tale echoing with intensity and hope, set during World War Two and based on real events. Seventeen year old Noa and the Jewish baby she managed to rescue from a train, flee through the snow from soldiers. Astrid’s German officer husband followed orders to divorce her as she is Jewish, and she attempts to return home to her family. A travelling German circus acts as a save haven for these two women, and they tell their own tales, on the edge of friendship, on the edge of survival. Pam Jenoff excells at telling stories set in this time period, she has an ability to make history feel so very real and almost touchable. Her characters come to life, Noa and Astrid, their thoughts, feelings, and their actions allow a glimpse into the past. The circus is a vibrant, complicated, hectic backdrop to this tale of friendship and survival. The writing is so intimate yet the harrowing stamp of Nazi occupied Europe a constant reminder, as it storms through the pages. ‘The Orphan’s Tale’ is a heart in mouth, emotional, and compelling read. ~ Liz Robinson
| Genres: |
Modern and Contemporary Fiction Second World War fiction Historical adventure fiction Narrative theme: Coming of age Fiction based on or inspired by true events Historical Fiction |