The Circus Train
The World of Wonders circus and the train that carries it through Europe is the only world Lena has known. Raised by her illusionist father, Lena has spent her childhood constrained both by the wheelchair she uses, since polio took her ability to walk, and her father’s overly protective nature. Never able to find a way to fit in with the other performers, Lena retreats into her books and her governess’s company, dreaming of going to a normal school and working in medicine.
When she discovers Alexandre, an orphan boy who manages to gain her trust, her world opens in ways she could never have imagined. Alexandre is apprenticed to her father and in turn, he and Lena develop a friendship that blossoms into something more as they grow. That is, until the secrets of everyone around her start to unravel the carefully constructed World of Wonders alongside the mounting chaos of WWII. Despite the challenges she faces, once Lena is set free of her confines, her world expands in ways she never thought possible.
This novel is full of secrets, heartbreaking choices, and human longing. The passionate human relationships will stay with you for a long time. The writing is rich and layered where the characters’ emotional landscape mirrors the illusions and glittery façade of the circus world they create. Highly recommended.
