![The Circus Train cover art](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/518kxHlH7lL._SL500_.jpg)
The Circus Train
A Novel
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $37.28
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Silvana Kane
-
Written by:
-
Amita Parikh
About this listen
A NATIONAL BESTSELLER
At the World of Wonders, Europe’s most magnificent travelling circus, every moment is full of magic, and nothing is as it seems—especially for the people who put on the show
Lena Papadopoulos has never quite found her place within the circus, even as the daughter of the extraordinary headlining illusionist, Theo. Brilliant and curious, Lena yearns for the real-world magic of science and medicine, despite her father’s overprotectiveness and the limitations of her wheelchair.
Lena’s unconventional life takes an exciting turn when she rescues Alexandre, an orphan with his own secrets and a mysterious past. Over several years, as their friendship flourishes and Alexandre trains as the illusionist’s apprentice, World War II escalates around them. When Theo and Alexandre are contracted to work and perform in a model town for Jews set up by the Nazis, Lena becomes separated from everything she knows. Forced to make her own way, she must confront her doubts and dare to believe in the impossible—herself.
A must-read for fans of The Night Circus and Water for Elephants, The Circus Train will take readers on a heart-rending and spectacular two-decade journey across Europe. When all is lost, how do you find the courage to keep moving forward?
©2022 Amita Parikh (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.You may also enjoy...
-
The Secret Letter
- Written by: Debbie Rix
- Narrated by: Jacqueline King
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Germany, 1939. A tumbledown farmhouse, on the outskirts of a close-knit village in the heart of the rolling hills of Bavaria. A once happy family home torn apart by Nazi rule. And one young girl who refuses to give up on what she believes in...London, 2018: When 94-year-old Imogen receives a letter addressed to her in neat, unfamiliar handwriting, she notices the postmark is stamped from Germany - and it sends shivers down her spine....
-
-
Engaging story, fantastic narration
- By A.B on 2020-08-06
Written by: Debbie Rix
-
The Call of the Wrens
- Written by: Jenni L Walsh
- Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Amanda Sanfilippo
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An orphan who spent her youth without a true home, Marion Hoxton found in the Great War something other than destruction. She discovered a chance to belong. As a member of the Women’s Royal Naval Service—the Wrens—Marion gained sisters. She found purpose in her work as a motorcycle dispatch rider assigned to train and deliver carrier pigeons to the front line. And despite the constant threat of danger, she and her childhood friend Eddie began to dream of a future together. Until the battle that changed everything.
Written by: Jenni L Walsh
-
The Complete Jaipur Trilogy
- The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris
- Written by: Alka Joshi
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan, Ariyan Kassam, Deepa Samuel
- Length: 33 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vivid and compelling, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel. Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Years later, she is confronted by her husband who has tracked her down.
-
-
Loved this trilogy
- By Marilyn J Kaufman on 2024-02-01
Written by: Alka Joshi
-
A Woman of Endurance
- A Novel
- Written by: Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
- Narrated by: Tracey Leigh
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Woman of Endurance, set in nineteenth-century Puerto Rican plantation society, follows Pola, a deeply spiritual African woman who is captured and later sold for the purpose of breeding future slaves. The resulting babies are taken from her as soon as they are born. Pola loses the faith that has guided her and becomes embittered and defensive. The dehumanizing violence of her life almost destroys her. But this is not a novel of defeat but rather one of survival, regeneration, and reclamation of common humanity.
-
-
RIVETING
- By Nano on 2023-03-16
Written by: Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
-
The Once and Future Witches
- Written by: Alix E. Harrow
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters - James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna - join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement.
-
-
It’s An Amazing Book!
- By MoonShyne on 2020-12-03
Written by: Alix E. Harrow
-
Switchboard Soldiers
- A Novel
- Written by: Jennifer Chiaverini
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini, a bold, revelatory novel about one of the great untold stories of World War I—the women of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, who broke down gender barriers in the military and battled a pandemic as they helped lead the Allies to victory.
-
-
History Told
- By Anonymous User on 2024-01-31
Written by: Jennifer Chiaverini
-
The Secret Letter
- Written by: Debbie Rix
- Narrated by: Jacqueline King
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Germany, 1939. A tumbledown farmhouse, on the outskirts of a close-knit village in the heart of the rolling hills of Bavaria. A once happy family home torn apart by Nazi rule. And one young girl who refuses to give up on what she believes in...London, 2018: When 94-year-old Imogen receives a letter addressed to her in neat, unfamiliar handwriting, she notices the postmark is stamped from Germany - and it sends shivers down her spine....
-
-
Engaging story, fantastic narration
- By A.B on 2020-08-06
Written by: Debbie Rix
-
The Call of the Wrens
- Written by: Jenni L Walsh
- Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Amanda Sanfilippo
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An orphan who spent her youth without a true home, Marion Hoxton found in the Great War something other than destruction. She discovered a chance to belong. As a member of the Women’s Royal Naval Service—the Wrens—Marion gained sisters. She found purpose in her work as a motorcycle dispatch rider assigned to train and deliver carrier pigeons to the front line. And despite the constant threat of danger, she and her childhood friend Eddie began to dream of a future together. Until the battle that changed everything.
Written by: Jenni L Walsh
-
The Complete Jaipur Trilogy
- The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris
- Written by: Alka Joshi
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan, Ariyan Kassam, Deepa Samuel
- Length: 33 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vivid and compelling, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel. Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Years later, she is confronted by her husband who has tracked her down.
-
-
Loved this trilogy
- By Marilyn J Kaufman on 2024-02-01
Written by: Alka Joshi
-
A Woman of Endurance
- A Novel
- Written by: Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
- Narrated by: Tracey Leigh
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Woman of Endurance, set in nineteenth-century Puerto Rican plantation society, follows Pola, a deeply spiritual African woman who is captured and later sold for the purpose of breeding future slaves. The resulting babies are taken from her as soon as they are born. Pola loses the faith that has guided her and becomes embittered and defensive. The dehumanizing violence of her life almost destroys her. But this is not a novel of defeat but rather one of survival, regeneration, and reclamation of common humanity.
-
-
RIVETING
- By Nano on 2023-03-16
Written by: Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
-
The Once and Future Witches
- Written by: Alix E. Harrow
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the Eastwood sisters - James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna - join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement.
-
-
It’s An Amazing Book!
- By MoonShyne on 2020-12-03
Written by: Alix E. Harrow
-
Switchboard Soldiers
- A Novel
- Written by: Jennifer Chiaverini
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini, a bold, revelatory novel about one of the great untold stories of World War I—the women of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, who broke down gender barriers in the military and battled a pandemic as they helped lead the Allies to victory.
-
-
History Told
- By Anonymous User on 2024-01-31
Written by: Jennifer Chiaverini
What listeners say about The Circus Train
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brandia
- 2023-10-31
Great story
Narrator reads super slow so I sped speed to 1.35 and it was perfect. Lovely story and very enjoyable
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Michael W.
- 2023-02-25
It’s a very different take on the steps up to WWII
A very interesting story about the lives of a few people before and after WWII. Lots of twists and turns right up to the very end.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephanie Madsen
- 2023-03-17
Loved it!
I heard Amita’s interview on Shit No One Tells You About Writing and knew I needed to read it! I decided to get it on audible to relax after a daunting NF book and it was so worth it. Great writing, great performance by Silvia. 10/10 recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ralf Zimmermann
- 2023-05-31
Interesting Topics Covered
I listened to this book over the period of a couple of weeks during my commute. Not many authors pick the topics of polio or the circus theme, and having had an aunt who lost a leg & spent time in an iron lung due to polio during the same time frame, found the story line very interesting. I found the narration quite dry and almost gave up a couple of times, but the story compelled me to finish.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-02-07
okay book.
I struggled to finish the book. at one point there's a bit of magic? then nothing for the whole book. Plot was okay.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lidy Fraser
- 2023-05-28
Captivating Magic
I liked this book because the way they did magic and illusion and the descriptions of the costumes was so detailed it made it very visual for me.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Steven LEITH
- 2023-04-22
Weak story and blah performance
I tried so hard to like this book. I tried audiobook and paperback. In theory, I should love it - a circus trying to stay afloat during WWII under the direction of a shady ringleader while a devoted father does everything he can to protect his precocious but sickly daughter. But it is just poorly written with flat, boring characters who have over-the-top, unrealistic emotions.
It tries too hard to be a mystery, a coming of age story, a romance, and a historical fiction novel... and I only got halfway through the book so for all I know the author tried to throw in thriller and fantasy in the second half. It should have been narrowed down to just a couple of genres instead of 4 (or more).
It also tries to be an epic story, covering a couple of decades. But the author is so busy trying to force relevant historical facts, some irrelevant cultural references about the place the circus is currently in, and a solid dollop of "mystery/romance/teenage angst that you end up flying through the years without getting any solid character development. I honestly didn't care about the characters' growth or backstory at all.
Such a disappointment.
To make matters worse, it was read with absolutely zero emotional range and very little difference in voices for different characters so it was hard to figure out which character was talking.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-04-21
Worst Story Ever
So poorly read that it became unbearable to listen any longer. A simpletons story, The characters are so shallow it is impossible to care about them. I thought perhaps this was intended to be a junior youth book, but even so, I can't imagine it could hold anyones attention regardless of age. Disgusted!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!