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The Orphan Tale A Novel Pam Jenoff Books

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The Orphan Tale A Novel Pam Jenoff Books

I'm an avid reader of Historical Fiction, especially books that focus on WWII. So, I eagerly jumped at the chance to read this book.

The premise was enticing but overall my feeling about the book could be summed up as 'interested by not invested'. The book is narrated by Astrid and Noa whose personalities and life experiences are quite different. Astrid was a strong main character. She's lived through a lot, she's broken and tough nut to crack. This is in complete contrast to teenage Noa who was overly naive to the point that it was grating. She never thinks things through, claims to love baby Theo yet pawns him off at every opportunity and never seems to struggle with his care even though she has no prior experience and has a new job as a trapeze artist. I just didn't connect with her on any level.

This book features a group of people who are trying to escape the Nazis' wrath. This was a dangerous, turbulent time but the war seemed to be just a backdrop to the drama between the characters. Besides the moment when the babies are found in the boxcar (an emotional moment for me - which is described in the book summary), it wasn't as gritty, emotional or tension-filled as I had expected for a book set during WWII. Instead the focus was on the romantic entanglements (one of which came about too quickly to be believable) and melodrama between the characters.

And yet this book continued to hold my interest enough for me to continue and find out how things end for this band of misfits. I think the premise was unique and thought the epilogue was quite interesting as Jenoff explains how she came up with the premise of her book based on historical details.

The secondary characters were a unique bunch but I wish that they had been used more within the story. For example, the circus master's son was written as a potential bad guy but barely used; the older Jewish man's perspective would have been a benefit to the plot but his story wasn't explored, and the Circus Master's life, as he struggles to keep his circus afloat and help those running from the Nazis, was only hinted at. With the secondary characters' minimal lines and involvement, it was hard for readers to get to know them well enough to care about them.

This book had great promise and was touted as a mixture of “The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah and "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen. Those are some big shoes to fill and while I think the premise was solid, I found the execution weaker than expected. It started off as a vivid, emotional Historical Fiction read but as the book progressed it became more about the relationships of Astrid and Noa giving the book a lighter Historical Romance feel that happened to be set during WWII. A good read just not as gritty as I had expected. This is a story about survival and family in various forms. With more tension and connection to the characters I would have given this book a higher rating. For people looking for a lighter Historical Fiction read this book is right up your alley.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


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The Orphan Tale A Novel Pam Jenoff Books Reviews

Based on the glowing reviews, I read this novel as I am a fan of WW II historical fiction. The story managed to capture me but by no means would I call it riveting or written with deep emotion. It's all fairly tenable how the relations come about, how Noa meets Astrid, the circus being the catalyst. Other charcters (Luc, Herr Neuhoff, Gerda, Emmet) play roles that help the story and the conclusion (no spoilers) does account for the fate of all the characters. That all said, I found the writing choppy, lacking a deep felt emotion of the characters (even the main ones) and thought the second half was a bit over-romanticized. Would I recommend it? Yes. Many may find a stronger emotional connection. I did not. So 3 stars for what I thought might be a 4.5 - 5 star going in.
I go through several books a week. As soon as I finish one, I am ready with the next. The Orphan's Tale made me stop, wait, think and want to absorb it before I went on to the next book. I'll admit I am interested in books about WWII and oddly, about historic circus life. This was a fascinating blend of the two, so I was in heaven! This is a book I wish I'd written...the writing, the plot, the characters...I didn't want it to end. Do yourself a favor and read this one.
I just finished this book, and as I wipe away my tears I have to tell you that this is an original, riveting story about courage, love, friendship, and family. A while back, someone asked if there were too many books written about WWII, and my answer was no....there are millions of stories to tell. The Orphan's Tale is a great example of this, telling a story about events and acts of bravery that I knew nothing about. In this masterful tale, Astrid is an aerialist whose family had owned a circus in Germany; but her family was Jewish, and had disappeared when she returned home after being cast aside by her husband, a German officer. Noa is a young girl whose single act of bravery leads her to the circus, an uncommon but welcome refuge for her. This story is told with such passion and enormous heart, with pulse-pounding suspense as Astrid, Noa, and the rest of their circus friends are under constant threat of the Nazis. I highly recommend this book to all book lovers; it is sure to enthrall everyone.
I'm an avid reader of Historical Fiction, especially books that focus on WWII. So, I eagerly jumped at the chance to read this book.

The premise was enticing but overall my feeling about the book could be summed up as 'interested by not invested'. The book is narrated by Astrid and Noa whose personalities and life experiences are quite different. Astrid was a strong main character. She's lived through a lot, she's broken and tough nut to crack. This is in complete contrast to teenage Noa who was overly naive to the point that it was grating. She never thinks things through, claims to love baby Theo yet pawns him off at every opportunity and never seems to struggle with his care even though she has no prior experience and has a new job as a trapeze artist. I just didn't connect with her on any level.

This book features a group of people who are trying to escape the Nazis' wrath. This was a dangerous, turbulent time but the war seemed to be just a backdrop to the drama between the characters. Besides the moment when the babies are found in the boxcar (an emotional moment for me - which is described in the book summary), it wasn't as gritty, emotional or tension-filled as I had expected for a book set during WWII. Instead the focus was on the romantic entanglements (one of which came about too quickly to be believable) and melodrama between the characters.

And yet this book continued to hold my interest enough for me to continue and find out how things end for this band of misfits. I think the premise was unique and thought the epilogue was quite interesting as Jenoff explains how she came up with the premise of her book based on historical details.

The secondary characters were a unique bunch but I wish that they had been used more within the story. For example, the circus master's son was written as a potential bad guy but barely used; the older Jewish man's perspective would have been a benefit to the plot but his story wasn't explored, and the Circus Master's life, as he struggles to keep his circus afloat and help those running from the Nazis, was only hinted at. With the secondary characters' minimal lines and involvement, it was hard for readers to get to know them well enough to care about them.

This book had great promise and was touted as a mixture of “The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah and "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen. Those are some big shoes to fill and while I think the premise was solid, I found the execution weaker than expected. It started off as a vivid, emotional Historical Fiction read but as the book progressed it became more about the relationships of Astrid and Noa giving the book a lighter Historical Romance feel that happened to be set during WWII. A good read just not as gritty as I had expected. This is a story about survival and family in various forms. With more tension and connection to the characters I would have given this book a higher rating. For people looking for a lighter Historical Fiction read this book is right up your alley.

Disclaimer My sincere thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.