Set in Europe during WWII, Lena lives in a train associated with a traveling circus that her father is the star illusionist in. Lena, who suffered polio, as an infant is confined to a wheelchair on board this train. Though there are other children her age on the train, she feels incredibly lonely and ostracized due to her physical condition.

It isn’t until an orphan boy, Alexandre, a Jewish boy running for his life from the SS aboards the train that Lena makes the best friend she has ever had. Though always smart and motivated, having a friend believe in her gives her all the more willpower to stretch her physical and mental capabilities.

WWII historical fiction is my favorite genre to read. This book is different than most of the others I have previously read due to its distinct viewpoints - from a circus train, from a young Greek girl confined to a wheelchair. Parikh weaves together a beautiful story with strong character development and a beautiful story that contains secrets, love, loss, and life.

Lena is a young girl in the 1940s navigating not only life with a disability but growing up with her dad in a circus troupe. Upon befriending a young boy, Alexandre, her world begins to open up beyond the constraints of circus life as her overprotective father struggles to reign her back in to the safe bubble he’s created for her.

The father daughter relationship is beautiful and reflective of when a young girl is becoming a young woman while a dad must also grow in allowing her to become more independent.

Lena has supportive people in her life, thankfully, who give her courage and help her take opportunities, especially in a time period where opportunities for women, especially a disabled person, are slim.

Alexandre’s presence in Lena’s life is another source of joy and comfort but the question remains, is that enough to carry them both?

I found this book’s time and place to be intriguing and loved following the characters through their trials and seeing where they would end up.

I loved The Circus Train for the ways that Amita Parikh brings to life all these beautiful characters as well as placing you into the time period and being able to envision the settings and events that occur for Alexander and Lena.

I have always loved the WW2 period as a history major and I love how Parikh brings this period to life and shows us places such as Greece and their reaction to the war as well as bringing to life the impact of polio on the population of the world.

I was enraptured by the circus and the descriptions of the acts and illusions that were involved and this book is like a Circus act: beautiful, mysterious and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I loved this book and look forward to reading more from Amita Parkih!

I just finished the Circus Train by Amita Parikh.
Can I say how much I loved this book?
The story was compelling and beautifully written.
It quickly drew me in and kept my interest throughout the whole book.

The story of Lena, Theo, and Alexandre was entrancing.
I could really see all the action described by the author in my minds eye.
This book would make an amazing movie or mini-series - so visual

Some of the things I liked best were how the author represented the heroine's disability.
How the author treated the topic of anti-semitism.
The wonderful descriptions of the circus itself and all the magic!

Do yourself a favor and read this book!

I am so thankful to have received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and independent opinion and review.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏
𝙰𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚊 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚔𝚑
World War II Historical Fiction
384 Pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs

Lena lives on a circus train with her talented illusionist father during most of her childhood. Living in a wheelchair, she doesn’t have friends until a new boy boards the train.

They become fast friends until the inevitable happens; the Nazi soldiers come looking for Jews or those hiding them. Lena leaves to make a new life for herself until the past returns. Now, what will she do?

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs

The Circus Train revolves around the Holocaust, but it includes so much more.

The Circus Train brings the traveling trains of the late 30s and the Holocaust together. Not only does the reader learn about some of the facets of the circus, but we get a bird’s eye view of Lena’s life during this challenging time.

Lena is a central character who grows tremendously in spirit, willpower, and academic status throughout this story of love and loss.

She is a girl who loves to learn and has a fierce need to challenge herself. She doesn’t let her wheelchair keep her from her goals but does become frustrated with her father’s protective nature.

She blossoms once she finds a friend in Alexandre. Their bond is strong, and he helps her move forward with her life goals. Both of them are tough and easy to like.

The Night Train gave me a glimpse of the Holocaust from another angle. Two of the characters from the train were removed forcefully and taken to Theresienstadt in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. This was known as a “spa town,” which couldn’t have been further from the truth. It was basically a concentration camp with slightly better living conditions for privileged and famous Jews from specific areas, as well as being used as a holding camp before sending people to extermination camps. This was new to me.

The Circus Train is different from other historical fiction I’ve read about this subject. It is a look at Lena’s life before and after the Holocaust. It is definitely an interesting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of The Circus Train. Candidly, I was drawn to the book's cover and the fact it was historical fiction. I didn't know much by way of plot, and I'm glad I kept it that way. This was a sweeping novel spanning several decades with its origins on a magical circus train navigating through Europe pre-WW2. The main characters are rich and well developed throughout the story, and I found myself racing through the last quarter of the novel to see how things concluded. I would recommend this book to a historical fiction and romance lover.

A beautiful piece of literature deeply entrenched in history while still feeling fantastical and alluring. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of The Circus Train.

I loved this book. It was interesting that the heroine had polio and her insular life in the circus that her master illusionist dad providence her. It wasn't enough to protect those she joined as WWII hit. Loved it!

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of The Circus Train.

I was very excited to read this book based on the synopsis and the fact it was historical fiction (one of my favorite genres). I enjoyed The Circus Train, a historical novel by Amitra Parikh, a first-time novelist from Canada. The story completely captivated me within the first five pages and it didn't stop through the whole book. . Its enchantment never waned or disappeared. Lena, is so endearing and such a pure heart. It was heartwarming to read about her perseverance towards her goals despite all the obstacles she faced.

Would recommend for sure!

A lovely and different twist on WWII. Although I felt like the end was predictable, the storytelling in the twists and turns to get there was nothing short of magnificent. The characters were easy to like.

If you loved Water for Elephants and you love WWII stories, then you will be enthralled with The Circus Train! I was captivated by this book. I found life to be very interfering when I had to put this great story down for another day.
Set against the colorful and inventive backdrop of a traveling circus during World War II Europe, The Circus Train is the story of Lena, a young woman struggling to overcome the effects of polio which made for a character you will cheer for all the way through. She meets handsome Alexandre, the illusionist’s apprentice with a dark past of his own. Together she and her father and the members of the circus must fight the ravages the Nazi’s evil plans to veil Europe in their extermination plans. Lena and the others strive to survive as they are separated, neither knowing what has happened to the other. Will family and love survive? What an amazing debut story. Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and Amita Parikh for this advanced reader copy. My opinions were not influenced by this.

The Circus Train is a perfect novel for book clubs; almost begging to be the subject of discussion between friends with a shared love of reading.

I loved so many things about this book! I loved that it discusses the definition of "family", that it examines how individual growth doesn't happen overnight, and that you see loads of examples of continual endurance in the face of obstacles physically, emotionally, and mentally. This book was compelling and satisfying to read with an ending [spoiler!] that didn't feel like a cheap romance or silly Hallmark movie that is immediately forgotten once it's finished. Instead, at its conclusion, you could be left with a smile and renewed hope that is beautifully echoed in the line,

"I know everything feels a bit hopeless right now, but don't lose faith. Your greatest achievements often grow out of the worst circumstances."

That's the type of quote you put on a post-it on your mirror and refer back to and that's the type of novel Amita Parikh has written with the Circus Train.

The Circus Train was a bit of a mixed book for me, but I liked it overall. Let’s start at the beginning.

I loved the first part of this book. The World of Wonders circus was amazing, and the descriptions of the acts, the costumes, and the carriages of the circus train brought the whole spectacle to life. And right in the middle of all the glitz and glamor, you have Lena. Lena is such a sweet main character. She’s limited by her physical disabilities, but she makes up for it with her mental brilliance! It’s fun to see Lena grow as a student, and eventually, use her love of science to run her own life-changing experiment.

I think the relationships between Lena and the other characters, particularly Theo, Alexandre, and Clara, really brought this story to life. Each relationship is unique, and although each person has their owns talents and flaws, they all would give anything for Lena. The childhood romance between Lena and Alexandre was so adorable, and I was rooting for them throughout the book.

The second part of the book was where I found myself losing a bit of interest. I appreciated the inclusion of Theo and Alexandre’s time in Theresienstadt and learning about this “model Jewish town,” but it felt like a strange break in the story and slowed down the plot. The same could be said of Lena’s time in England as she recovers and attends school. There was nothing wrong with these plot points, they just felt dark and sad compared with the wonder of the circus. That was probably the point, but I preferred the circus life.

Nonetheless, the ending was sweet. I didn’t care for how all the characters were treated in the end, but I liked the conclusion overall. I liked that a bit of the magic from the circus was brought back through the Count de Beistegui and his lavish parties and that Lena was able to once again associate some happy memories with illusions. All the reunions were lovely, and the love story felt complete.

All in all, The Circus Train did have some of the magic of The Night Circus (my all-time favorite book), and although the inclusion of true history slowed the plot a bit, it was educational and provided realistic conflict. I would easily recommend this to fans of other circus reads. A solid debut for this author!

This is a beautiful spellbinding story that takes you through the life of a girl growing up on an enchanting circus train traveling through Europe while facing many obstacles in life including being stricken with polio at age one causing her to be wheelchair bound, the hardships of WWW II, finding and losing friendships and love, losing loved ones, and her amazing resolve to pursue and thrive, not letting anything hold her back from what she wants in life as she is forced to find her own way. It is a well written and alluring story of a strong and brilliant female with all the elements including war, love, life long friendships, secrets, betrayal, and magic. A must read combining historical fiction with a coming of age love story written with such dazzling descriptive words that conjure up the most wonderful imagery.

A beautiful story filled with history, adventure, perseverance and the human spirit. A different kind of circus and lovely relationships between father and daughter, and childhood friends. Family secrets revealed. Both interesting and scary in parts. Definitely one for history lovers with a touch of magic.

I always like stories that deal with the circus and I am also drawn to books that are set during WWII so this was right up my alley and it did not disappoint. The book always kept you guessing about what was going to happen next, which I liked. I was glad that the author put true information at the end that explained where she got her information from, it helped to better understand the story.

An enchanting debut! This story follows Lena Papadopoulis from childhood to young adulthood, with the majority of the novel taking place in 1940s Europe. Lena spends her early years with her magician father on a traveling circus train, working to overcome the limitations placed on her by Polio and an overprotective father. Inevitably, the war forces its way onto the train and disrupts the lives of this unique circus family, triggering a series of heartbreaking events.

I really enjoyed the story of Lena, Theo, and Alexandre. A few other circus-based novels I’ve read spend a ton of time on the details of the show itself and the visual elements, which I find distracting and sort of tedious. Amita Parikh focuses more on the people and relationships. I know others really enjoy the visual elements, so this is a very subjective point I’m making, but I prefer the focus to be on the characters and their development.

I found all of the characters to be extremely relatable, especially in their flawed characteristics. Lena and Alexandre’s relationship is magical, made even more so by the youthful arguments and issues they overcome. Theo doesn’t always make the best decisions for Lena, but he does so out of a place of love and concern for her well-being. Horace acts despicably, but we see the human side of him as well, shifting a black and white world to grayscale. Harry is the most heartbreaking character in the whole novel, in my opinion. And I just adore Clara and Fitz!

This is a work of fiction, but it incorporates real events, real situations, and characters based on real people. I found it to be a very enjoyable piece of historical fiction, set in a time extremely familiar to the genre, yet somehow set apart. The Circus Train has a publishing date of December 6, 2022.

Thank you to Amita Parikh, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Heartbreakingly beautiful! I was hooked from the beginning. I do not typically enjoy historical fiction but Amita created a world that was so intriguing and spread the story over a length of time roughly 20 years I couldn’t help but wonder what happens next. There are some tough issues addressed but it was done masterfully and I can honestly say I will read the next release from Amita Parikh and will 100% be recommending this to friends and family.

The Circus Train refers to the transportation winding throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. Practically magical in its own right this luxury train houses all of the acts and materials for when the circus comes to town. Theo is the star attraction and a master illusionist. When Horace discovers him on the coast of Greece he makes no time offering everything under the sun to make sure Theo was his, including, offering the best schooling for his daughter and the best doctors. Lena contracted Polio as a baby and has since been confined to her wheelchair. While she is an uncommonly bright child and indulged by all including her overprotective father, what she really desires is a friend, a true friend. Then one day her wish is granted when she discovers a dirty boy collapsed from malnourishment in the kitchen carriage. Alexandre has his own past that he is grappling with, but once he is recovered Theo requests that Horace bring him on as Theo's apprentice and Horace happily agrees.

Now one big happy family the circus continues its extraordinary performances to sold-out crowds all over the continent, but things are changing. World War II is mounting and not even the circus can remain separate for long.

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While I understand the natural comparison of The Night Circus and Water for Elephants, The Circus Train stands on its own. Yes, The Circus Train has seemingly magical elements, but there is no actual magic occurring here. As for Water for Elephants, I can see that a bit more, where the circus is really tied to who the people are in terms of purpose and occupation. But again I say, The Circus Train stands on its own. A well-written story about characters that feel like they truly existed in this world with real struggles and real secrets. Although there were times that I was really frustrated by Lena and her entitlement I also can understand it. Did Theo do everything right? Of course not. But he is human, as is Lena. Humans make mistakes, they learn, they grow, and they forgive.

This is one that will absolutely be talked about and I look forward to its release and when we can do that.

Well done, Amita Parikh! An incredible job on your debut, thank you.

5 enormous stars! The Circus Train is a moving historical fiction, set during WWII, with the unique twist of centering around a traveling circus. Amita Parikh does a wonderful job with creating a unique storyline that kept me invested from start to finish. The characters are so incredibly well-developed, honestly I can’t express how in awe I am by the brilliance of the character development! I finished reading this 5 star gem a few days ago and the entire cast of characters are still bouncing around in my mind! If you are looking for a fantastic book club selection, I highly recommend TheCircus Train! This is Amita Parikh’s debut novel and she definitely knocked it out of the park, I am thrilled to read whatever she comes out with next!