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
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
Win an Escape Challenge and a copy of The Spy and the Snake by M J Robotham
Closing date: 02/08/2026
In Nazi-occupied Holland, seventeen-year-old Noa snatches a baby from a train bound for the concentration camps, fleeing with him into the snowy wilderness surrounding the train tracks. Passing through the woods is a German circus - a troupe of waifs and strays, led by the infamous Herr Neuroff. They agree to take in Noa and the baby, on one condition: to earn her keep, Noa must master the flying trapeze - under the tutorage of mysterious aerialist, Astrid. Soaring high above the crowds, Noa and Astrid must learn to trust one another...or plummet. But with the threat of war closing in, loyalty can become the most dangerous trait of all.
The Orphan's Tale features in the following genres: Historical Fiction, Family Drama, eBooks of the Month, Fiction, Recommendations
The Orphan's Tale is available in Paperback
The Orphan's Tale was written by Pam Jenoff and published by HQ an imprint of Harlequin (UK)
The Orphan's Tale has 342 pages
Yes it is part of MIRA series
£11.69