The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff is set against the backdrop of World War II. The novel weaves together the lives of Noa, a young Dutch girl cast out by her family for becoming pregnant by a German soldier, and Astrid, a Jewish trapeze artist who is also grappling with her own tragic past. Another WWII story that manages to be completely unique in its plot, which always amazes me.

Too hard to read - understanding of the holocaust is a bit missed. Not what I was expecting. The holocaust is a delicate topic when reading fiction and non-fiction. This was difficult to get through.

(10/30/22: I am updating this review today to update the website link. When I initially uploaded this review I did not have to have a star rating so I only added that today and it may not necessarily be accurate to my initial feelings of this book.)

The Need to Know: I stayed up until 1:06 this morning reading this book and wiping tears from my cheeks. So yeah, I really liked this book.


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​The first sentence of The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff is “They will be looking for me by now.” Immediately I was hooked.

In the opening pages of this thrilling story, an unnamed narrator has snuck away to an exhibit called “Two Hundred Years of Circus Magic.” The narrator glances at the exhibit’s photographs before locating a railcar, where she opens up a compartment in the back, hoping to find something which is not fully revealed to the reader. But there’s nothing there, “and the dream I had that it might hold the answers evaporates like cool mist.”

This kind of narrative is one of my favorites: a frame story told from the perspective of an elderly person, about to reveal her life’s greatest secrets—if only to the reader—and a passionate, tender inner story that is slowly built on until the book’s last revelations.

After the prologue, The Orphan’s Tale is told from two different perspectives, Noa’s and Astrid’s, both of which are rooted in the WWII period. Noa is a young Dutch woman who was thrown out of her parents’ home after she became pregnant with a German soldier’s baby. She ends up in Germany, alone, until in an impulsive moment she takes a Jewish baby from a railcar which the Germans are sending east.

A series of events lead her and the baby to a famous circus, where she meets Astrid.

Astrid’s husband, a member of the Reich, cast her aside because she is Jewish, and she returns to the winter quarters of her family’s circus, the only home she has ever known. Her family’s circus is no longer in operation because her Jewish parents and siblings are gone, but Herr Neuhoff, their former circus rival, offers her a job as an aerialist--her previous role in her family's circus--and she accepts.

After Noa and the baby, Theo, arrive at Neuhoff's circus, Herr Neuhoff tasks Astrid with making Noa an aerialist within a 6-week time period—a task which Astrid resents for multiple reasons, not least because she thinks it is impossible. Will Noa become an aerialist? Will she and Astrid ever trust one another?

But the captivating circus and the performers’ dynamics are only part of the story here. After all the story is set in World War II; two of its main characters are Jewish, and many of the other characters are accomplices to sheltering them, whether they wish to be or not.

This beautiful story moved me in deep ways, and in the final pages, I wiped tears off of my cheeks as I read in bed. Now, hours later, I still feel immersed in the world of The Orphan’s Tale, and I’m also still processing what happened to the nuanced, imperfect, and also noble characters Jenoff created.

I have read comparisons of The Orphan’s Tale to Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants and Christina Baker Kline’s Orphan Train. I would also add Natasha Solomons’ The House at Tyneford, and Kate Morton’s books, which use the same type of frame structure.

In one way this thrilling, lovely book was easy to read. I raced through its pages. But on the other, there were sections of this book which were truly difficult to read and come to terms with, particularly after I read the “Author’s Note” and learned that a couple of the main plot-points are inspired by real-life events.

The Orphan’s Tale offers the reader a chance to mourn and to celebrate, to become invested in the lives of the characters and to be reminded of our history.

I’m so glad that I found this book.

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I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley but all opinions provided in this review are my own.

Posted on "The Naptime Writer" blog on 02/22/2017. http://www.jessicashuck.com/blog/review-the-orphans-tale-pam-jenoff.

The Orphan's Tale is wonderful historical fiction based on a true account. I’m always appreciative of learning more truth of the horrors of the Nazis and the strength and endurance of the Jewish people. Strongly recommended.

This book was stunning. It was both devastating and hopeful. The pacing worked wonderfully to carry the reader through the story at just the right rate. I will definitely be reading more Pam Jenoff books.

This story was a very emotional one. It's sad to know that kids on a train with nobody was a real thing. Pam Jenoff does a wonderful job with writing historical books.

I love historical fiction set in the World War II, as it will be a means to display either man’s greatness or man’s monstrosity. It’s the time that reveals the best and worse in people, war, showing who they truly are! I always hope for the best, for the kindness and the bravery and altruism, but many a time I get the ugliness of this world, the greediness, the cheer that some people find in other people’s pain.

Noa is a sixteen year old girl that has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier. She is now living and working in a train station, after her born baby has been taken away from her and she has nowhere to turn. She is the only one of the train station employees that is living there. Everyone else has a home to return too, after the work is done. One day, during work, Noa discovers a boxcar full of infants. The guards that would normally be around cars carrying war prisoners are nowhere to be seen. The infants are left there all alone, some on top of others, only a few of them maybe still breathing. She cannot just leave them there, but she cannot save them all. She makes her mind in a second, snatches one of the babies and flees the scene. She hopes the snow will covers her tracks.

Noa finds unexpected shelter in a German circus. She is afraid of what might happen to her and the baby, especially since the baby is circumcised and there is no way to hide that he’s a Jew. Thankfully, the circus owner is a man of good heart and he will provide her the cover she needs. But she has to train herself on the flying trapeze and become part of the show. It’s the only way she can blend in with the circus folks and pass undetected. Her trainer is the lead aerialist of the circus. Astrid was born in the circus. She has been training on the trapeze since she was four years old. She does not think that Noa can succeed with only six weeks training. That’s the time they have until the first show of the season. But she must!

The trainer to trainee relationship between the two women starts as a rival competition. There is no trust in the beginning but it is being built as time goes by. Without trust, there is no way an aerialist to fly from the trapeze. Given the circumstances they meet each other and the things they have in common, the two women begin to bond and to understand each other more than they could ever imagine. They even confide to each other and this is what brings them closer. A friendship is being born in the middle of the war, between two women that are so different from one another.

It’s not so out of the blue that Noa manages it as an aerialist. She was training on gymnastics before she got pregnant so it all came back to her. She was accustomed to the discipline that is required. She just had to learn how to fly! Given her young age and the fact that her son was taken from her, it comes easily for her to try and save that baby and love it as her own, not giving a lot of thought to the consequences her action would have. Her kindness is one of the values very few people had in those times. Hers and the owner of the circus. He was brave and he was doing all in his power to protect his people! Skepticism was also found in large amounts, especially from those that were in danger. This is also visible in the book, in a way that fits in the story evenly.

I really like this book and I can’t wait to read more Pam Jenoff books!

I have resisted reading “The Orphan’s Tale” by Pam Jenoff even though she is one of my favorite authors. The idea of a circus performing in German-occupied France during WW II was inconceivable to me. However, I was worn down by the constant references to this book. I am very grateful for that.

I found this book to be as interesting and addicting as all of her other novels that I have read. The premise of this book is, in fact, part of history. There actually were circuses around Europe playing around the continent. Some Jewish circuses, of course, did not survive the occupation, but in this case, a German circus hid Jews during their tours.

This novel is written about that very idea. Also involved was a train boxcar filled with dead and dying Jewish infants probably taken from their mothers’ arms and destined for death themselves. This was a book filled with harrowing experiences of the circus performers or non-performers who had to learn to perform on the trapeze or high wire or other circus acts in order to hide them from the Gestapo. As always, Ms. Jenoff can leave the reader breathless and begging for more. I will never again resist a Jenoff book because of a misconception.

Quick thoughts...


The audio was fantastic. I listened while unpacking and organizing my books. It's a hopeful and sad tale. I really enjoyed it. Loved the friendship that grew between Noah and Astrid. From annoyance and distrust came fierce loyalty and love.


Thank you to Mira via Netgalley for the egalley.

A mesmerizing story that brings you right to that time in our history and highlights how difficult it really was

I loved everything about The Orphan's Tale. WWII historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I believe these books are desperately needed so that time does not erase such a pivotal and tragic time in the world's history.

This book is a beautifully written story that both inspires readers over the power of friendship and breaks our hearts over the unimaginable tragedies faced by people of the time. If you have any interest in WWII historical fiction this book should be on your must-read list.

Wonderful historical fiction about a woman that saves a baby from a train heading to a concentration camp. Reading about how the characters evolved was wonderful.

I enjoy stories set in WWII and particularly those that are based on real events. Pam Jenoff’s “The Orphan’s Tale” immediately tempted me for the same reasons when Lisa offered it to me for a book review. There was friendship, romance, history. It couldn’t go that wrong, I thought.

The story revolves around Noa and Astrid, two women who are on the run from the Germans for different reasons. Noa is a Dutch girl who got pregnant by a German soldier and was cast off from her house. She gets a job as a cleaner at a railway station and one day she chances upon a railcar filled with babies. She escapes with one of them, whom she later names Theo, and is found by an itinerant circus troupe when was near death, trudging through snow. The circus takes them in and here she meets Astrid who is Jewish. Needless to say, the circus is a great cover for her. The novel follows the lives of these two women and the people they are associated with.

I loved how Jenoff has managed to create a lingering atmosphere of fear and worry. Two feelings that everyone is always clouded with despite the rare moments of happiness. The rebuilding and reimagination of history is a tough task and it’s very easy to get lost in dry details without giving colour to the story. Jenoff has managed to strike that balance in many parts. She shows that even during the hard times there is space for relationships. Astrid and Noa start off on a rough note but then end up developing a tender and affectionate friendship where they have each other’s backs (literally as well). I liked that the story was set against the backdrop of a circus (reminded me of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants in many ways), giving a somewhat unique perspective on the war.

“The circus is a great equalizer… no matter class or race or background, we are all the same here…” muses Astrid at some point. Circuses across Europe like Circus Williams and Spanischer National Circus sheltered and provided employment to Jews during the war. Jenoff’s story reimagines their world, a mix of gentiles and Jews, conflicts and friendships, bringing it alive through her descriptive writing. Although the characters could have been developed further, given more shades and depth, it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this book. I would recommend this as a quick read.

Thank you to Harlequin for forwarding me this ARC!

Rating: 3.2/5

I absolutely adored the characters in this rich, unique, heartbreaking novel. The setting brings such a unique perspective on Nazi Germany and the novel walks through the gamut of human experience that happened within that terrifying season. I felt like the reader is carried through the coming of age and maturing of Noa, and the ways friendship may be forged despite challenge and mistrust. I feel Jenoff does an incredible job of developing the characters and plot. I'd highly recommend this one!

Such a touching, beautifully written story!

Like every WWII story it’s powerful and full of feels but it’s very character oriented and it revolves around the lives of the two MCs.

Since I don;t like circus stories I was very surprised to enjoy the descriptions of the circus life as much as I did!

The plot moves at a very slow pace but there is always an underlining tension of people traveling with the circus and hiding from the nazis and you think they'll be discovered at any moment!

But omg! The last third of the book is so worth all the wait. It’s so wrenching and powerful and I cried rivers!

THE END!!! It will stay with me for ever!

The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff is a tale of survival for two women, each with something to hide from the Nazis. Noa at sixteen has been seduced by a leering eye and long after the German Soldier is gone she finds herself pregnant and homeless when her unforgiving father shows her the door. Her Dutch heritage, blond hair and blue eyes, allows her asylum in a home which nurtures unwed mothers, the right sort who can contribute their offspring to the utopia fostered by the motherland. Now Noa, once again homeless, finds employment at the local train station, earning a meager keep by cleaning the grounds. It is in this capacity that she discovers a train car full of screaming infants, taken from their mothers and in danger of dying from neglect and the cold elements. Not thinking, she grabs one and runs off through the bitter winter night, collapsing somewhere in the woods from exhaustion. Luckily she is found by some circus folk, whose performers are at their winter quarters preparing for the spring season. The kind hearted ringmaster takes her in along with her (circumcised) "brother" on the condition that she learns to become an aerialist for the trapeze act. Her teacher, Astrid, has her own sad saga. Born into a circus family, she fell in love and married a high ranking German Soldier. Unfortunately her Jewish faith eventually caused a problem for her husband with him being asked to "divorce" his wife. Returning home she discovers that her entire family has disappeared and the circus disbanded. Her carney neighbor, Herr Neuhoff, is still allowed to perform, providing entertainment in selected locations throughout Europe, and she is invited to stay. Adopting a stage name, she continues the career which she had followed since birth, hiding her Jewish heritage within the big top. At first Astrid resents the younger Noa, reluctantly teaching her the ins and outs of an act which normally takes years to develop. Eventually though they form a bond, protecting one another from an outside world which threatens harm on a regular basis.

Don't expect a feel good story, this is, after all, the era of Nazi Germany where everybody's life is in danger for one reason or another. However, the trappings of the circus make this tale somewhat unique and anyone who has been lucky enough to attend such a performance will be fascinated by the particulars of the daily doings necessary to run the show. The tale is alternately told from the viewpoint of the two female characters, but despite the interesting setting and some details based on true events, I felt the plot dragged at times with too many repetitive reflections of the angst facing the two women. While there is a lot of movement, especially towards the end of the book, there are also long drawn out passages where nothing important seems to be happening. This is a 300+ page book which could have been edited down and tightened up to make for a fast paced more enjoyable read. Three and a half stars

A thank you to Netgalley and Mira Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the first I have read by Pam Jenoff, and it won't be my last. This book had me mesmerized from the first page to the last. I read about things I never knew so it was not only a good story but it was also part of WWII events, like travelling with a train to get away from Nazis.

Noa is a 17 year old girl when this story begins, and she has been kicked out of her family home for sleeping with a German Officer. She has to leave her home in Holland. This book tells of her struggles during that time, and also of what happens to her later. Forced to give up her baby, she works at a German train station where she also sleeps upstairs.

Noa meets up with a woman named Astrid who brings her to the circus she is a part of with the insistence that Noa has to fit in so she won't attract attention from the Nazis, so she becomes an aerialist like Astrid. Although at first they do not seem to mesh they eventually become great friends. Astrid used to belong to her family circus, however she is Jewish and so they have to leave Germany.

There are so many heart stopping events that take place while the circus and all it's members try to hide in circus to try to escape the Nazi's. These people are so brave and there is a lot of heartbreak and sadness but there is also the common bond they share that makes it a very good read.

I gave this book 5*****stars and it really touched my heart, and made me realize how there are so many stories and acts of heroism none of us even know about.

I plan on recommending this book over and over since I work in a library. I usually enjoy historical fiction in this time period. I thought that nothing could compare to "Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah but I was wrong. This book isn't just about the war, it's about family and trust. It shows you don't have to be related to be family. Also how hard it is to trust people after being hurt. I must admit that this one made me cry, always a sign of a great book!

This was a wonderful book about what happened during WWII. I was really drawn in by the characters, particularly Noa. This book was engrossing and heartfelt. I couldn't stop the tears from falling. This is an absolute must read.

This is a novel about love and friendship during the harshest of times and shows that family is not just who you are related to but true family is made up of those that you love the most.

I loved this book and predict that it will be one of the major books of the winter.