Super Short Summary

Set across Europe during World War II, Pam Jenoff’s novel The Orphan’s Tale centers on 16-year-old Noa, who rescues a Jewish baby from a train car and joins the Circus Neuhoff to protect him. There, she trains as an aerialist, builds relationships, and navigates the challenges posed by the German occupation. The story is loosely based on true events, including a boxcar of “Unknown Children” and the Circus Althoff hiding Jewish refugees. The book includes distressing scenes related to World War II atrocities and the persecution of Jewish people.