I'd picked up a physical copy of this book at a library book sale (quite a few copies as it had been a "Reader's Choice" book. When it was one that could fulfill a GoodReads Seasonal Challenge (Armchair Explorer, May/June2025) I moved it up my TBR. 

It was fine, some interesting background on a circus (popularized a bit by "The Greatest Showman" too) and the various acts. Some insights into polio (one of the older ladies I Zumba with had polio as a child), some of the basic WW2 tropes/history.  I never felt really pulled into the story, really caring about the characters and their situations ... more pushing through to finish.

3rd person/Past tense ... mainly from Lena and Alexandre's POV, but we also get Horace a few times (the circus owner), Lena's father, and a few others.   Three "parts" with 48 chronological chapters running throughout.   I appreciated the extras ... author's note, a discussion with the author, some discussion questions. 

No proFanity. 
Other words I notice: plethora, bespoke, accoutrements, pogrom, riffled, scant, career(careen), snuck, nascent, cerulean