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boba_nbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️
The Circus Train takes readers on a decades-long journey across WWII Europe through the eyes of a disabled young girl, her father, and a young boy.
Lena lives a very abnormal life on the circus train. As a baby, Lena almost died from Polio, but she miraculously survived and is told she probably won't ever walk. But living around people who can do all sorts of tricks makes her feel out of place. Lena's father, Theo is a circus' star illusionist and quite overprotective of Lena's physical limitations but encourages her to continue her education. Lena and her father's unconventional life takes an even more unexpected turn when they bring in an orphan named Alexandre to their crew. Over the years, Lena and Alexandre form a lovely friendship despite all of their differences. But World War II is escalating, and soon Theo and Alexandre are separated from Lena. Will they be able to find their way back to each other after years apart?
I wasn't expecting this novel to make me feel so much. I became quite attached to Lena, Theo, and Alexandre. The Circus Train didn't feel like just another WWII novel--it felt like so much more due to the strong character development.
The Circus Train takes readers on a decades-long journey across WWII Europe through the eyes of a disabled young girl, her father, and a young boy.
Lena lives a very abnormal life on the circus train. As a baby, Lena almost died from Polio, but she miraculously survived and is told she probably won't ever walk. But living around people who can do all sorts of tricks makes her feel out of place. Lena's father, Theo is a circus' star illusionist and quite overprotective of Lena's physical limitations but encourages her to continue her education. Lena and her father's unconventional life takes an even more unexpected turn when they bring in an orphan named Alexandre to their crew. Over the years, Lena and Alexandre form a lovely friendship despite all of their differences. But World War II is escalating, and soon Theo and Alexandre are separated from Lena. Will they be able to find their way back to each other after years apart?
I wasn't expecting this novel to make me feel so much. I became quite attached to Lena, Theo, and Alexandre. The Circus Train didn't feel like just another WWII novel--it felt like so much more due to the strong character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Antisemitism, and War
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Medical content, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Forced institutionalization
lovelymisanthrope's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I selected this as a Book of the Month pick, and my first read of 2023, and I was elated by how much I enjoyed this story!
"The Circus Train" follows a young girl named Lena throughout her late childhood, teenage, and early adult life. She has always struggled to fit in, in part because she was made disabled following an illness during her childhood. She lives with her single father on a Circus train that travels all of Europe. Her father is a master illusionist and the star of the production. One evening she stumbles across an unconscious boy, Alexandre, and the pair strike up an unlikely friendship. Spanning over decades, and taking place during World War II, this story is a heartbreaking tale of love, triumph, and perseverance.
My favorite aspect of the entire story was all of the discussion and commentary that surrounded having a disabled main character. The author did an amazing job at crafting a story that was both sensitive to the differently abled community, but maintaining the historical accuracy of verbiage that was used to describe someone like Lena during that time. World War II is a horrid time in human history, and we often get stories about how terrifying it was to be Jewish, but other communities were targeted by Nazis as well. I really enjoying getting a new story from an unrepresented community. Lena's father is terrified for her to go out into the world, and he keeps her very sheltered so nothing ill will come of her. He also is supportive of her trying different treatments and therapies to improve her life, but he accepts and loves her as she is.
Lena is a powerful and inspiring character to read from. She is so driven to succeed, and she does not doubt herself and her capabilities. Intelligent is an understatement to describe Lena. She studies so incredibly hard and is rewarded with amazing opportunities that were difficult to come by, especially for women of the time. Despite facing immense heartbreak and overwhelming grief, she remains a rock and never loses sight of who she is and what she wants from life.
I really enjoyed Lena and Alexandre's friendship. The pair have a strong bond that keeps them going through the hardest of times. I was always rooting for them, but I was happy to see them develop into their own people independent of each other.
I was absolutely blown away by this story, and I cannot wait to indulge in more from this author in the future!
"The Circus Train" follows a young girl named Lena throughout her late childhood, teenage, and early adult life. She has always struggled to fit in, in part because she was made disabled following an illness during her childhood. She lives with her single father on a Circus train that travels all of Europe. Her father is a master illusionist and the star of the production. One evening she stumbles across an unconscious boy, Alexandre, and the pair strike up an unlikely friendship. Spanning over decades, and taking place during World War II, this story is a heartbreaking tale of love, triumph, and perseverance.
My favorite aspect of the entire story was all of the discussion and commentary that surrounded having a disabled main character. The author did an amazing job at crafting a story that was both sensitive to the differently abled community, but maintaining the historical accuracy of verbiage that was used to describe someone like Lena during that time. World War II is a horrid time in human history, and we often get stories about how terrifying it was to be Jewish, but other communities were targeted by Nazis as well. I really enjoying getting a new story from an unrepresented community. Lena's father is terrified for her to go out into the world, and he keeps her very sheltered so nothing ill will come of her. He also is supportive of her trying different treatments and therapies to improve her life, but he accepts and loves her as she is.
Lena is a powerful and inspiring character to read from. She is so driven to succeed, and she does not doubt herself and her capabilities. Intelligent is an understatement to describe Lena. She studies so incredibly hard and is rewarded with amazing opportunities that were difficult to come by, especially for women of the time. Despite facing immense heartbreak and overwhelming grief, she remains a rock and never loses sight of who she is and what she wants from life.
I was absolutely blown away by this story, and I cannot wait to indulge in more from this author in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, Classism, and Deportation
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