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Orphan Number Eight
In this stunning new historical novel inspired by true events, Kim van Alkemade tells the fascinating story of a woman who must choose between revenge and mercy when she encounters the doctor who subjected her to dangerous medical experiments in a New York City Jewish orphanage years before.
In 1919, Rachel Rabinowitz is a vivacious four-year-old living with her family in a crowded tenement on New York City’s Lower Eastside. When tragedy strikes, Rachel is separated from her brother Sam and sent to a Jewish orphanage where Dr. Mildred Solomon is conducting medical research. Subjected to X-ray treatments that leave her disfigured, Rachel suffers years of cruel harassment from the other orphans. But when she turns fifteen, she runs away to Colorado hoping to find the brother she lost and discovers a family she never knew she had.
Though Rachel believes she’s shut out her painful childhood memories, years later she is confronted with her dark past when she becomes a nurse at Manhattan’s Old Hebrews Home and her patient is none other than the elderly, cancer-stricken Dr. Solomon. Rachel becomes obsessed with making Dr. Solomon acknowledge, and pay for, her wrongdoing. But each passing hour Rachel spends with the old doctor reveal to Rachel the complexities of her own nature. She realizes that a person’s fate—to be one who inflicts harm or one who heals—is not always set in stone.
Lush in historical detail, rich in atmosphere and based on true events, Orphan #8 is a powerful, affecting novel of the unexpected choices we are compelled to make that can shape our destinies.
In 1919, Rachel Rabinowitz is a vivacious four-year-old living with her family in a crowded tenement on New York City’s Lower Eastside. When tragedy strikes, Rachel is separated from her brother Sam and sent to a Jewish orphanage where Dr. Mildred Solomon is conducting medical research. Subjected to X-ray treatments that leave her disfigured, Rachel suffers years of cruel harassment from the other orphans. But when she turns fifteen, she runs away to Colorado hoping to find the brother she lost and discovers a family she never knew she had.
Though Rachel believes she’s shut out her painful childhood memories, years later she is confronted with her dark past when she becomes a nurse at Manhattan’s Old Hebrews Home and her patient is none other than the elderly, cancer-stricken Dr. Solomon. Rachel becomes obsessed with making Dr. Solomon acknowledge, and pay for, her wrongdoing. But each passing hour Rachel spends with the old doctor reveal to Rachel the complexities of her own nature. She realizes that a person’s fate—to be one who inflicts harm or one who heals—is not always set in stone.
Lush in historical detail, rich in atmosphere and based on true events, Orphan #8 is a powerful, affecting novel of the unexpected choices we are compelled to make that can shape our destinies.
398 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
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About the author
Kim van Alkemade
3Ìýbooks442ÌýfollowersNYTimes bestselling author Kim van Alkemade was born in New York City and spent her childhood in suburban New Jersey. Her late father, an immigrant from the Netherlands, met her mother, a descendant of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, in the Empire State Building. She attended college in Wisconsin, earning a doctorate in English from UW-Milwaukee. For many years, she was an English professor at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. Now a full-time writer, she lives in Saratoga Springs, NY, with her partner, their two rescue dogs, and three feisty backyard chickens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,167 reviews
November 21, 2016
On the back cover the publisher describes this as "A stunning debut novel of historical fiction set in the forgotten world of New York City's Jewish orphanages". And while this novel does deliver a degree of "historical fiction" on that subject, I felt like there was a hidden agenda being presented that the publisher chose not to mention.
Perhaps the author felt that making the Rachel, the main character, a lesbian, would garner more sympathy to her plight as an abused orphan. It actually detracted from the events that seemed more crucial to the story. Silly, contrived scenes had me rolling my eyes. By the end of chapter 6, I wasn't sure I wanted to continue reading. However, I was interested in what drew me to the book to begin with, so I forced myself to continue. But by the last chapter, when the writing turned needlessly explicit, I was just done with it and gave up.
The author does have talent, but I feel like she allowed a personal agenda get in the way of what could have been a more meaningful novel. I would have liked to have read more about her relationships with her brother and those who helped her along the way. There was so much more depth that could have added regarding the aspects of vengeance vs. forgiveness. It just felt like the author breezed past these opportunities.
I appreciate that goodreads does ask for and allow us to give our honest opinion freely and hope that you'll keep that in mind. I realize not everyone will feel the same way about this novel and that's okay. But, I do wish I had found a review that had revealed the direction the story goes in before buying this book. I cant help but feel this book belongs in another genre than historical fiction. A better written cover synopsis on the part of the publisher would be appreciated too.
Perhaps the author felt that making the Rachel, the main character, a lesbian, would garner more sympathy to her plight as an abused orphan. It actually detracted from the events that seemed more crucial to the story. Silly, contrived scenes had me rolling my eyes. By the end of chapter 6, I wasn't sure I wanted to continue reading. However, I was interested in what drew me to the book to begin with, so I forced myself to continue. But by the last chapter, when the writing turned needlessly explicit, I was just done with it and gave up.
The author does have talent, but I feel like she allowed a personal agenda get in the way of what could have been a more meaningful novel. I would have liked to have read more about her relationships with her brother and those who helped her along the way. There was so much more depth that could have added regarding the aspects of vengeance vs. forgiveness. It just felt like the author breezed past these opportunities.
I appreciate that goodreads does ask for and allow us to give our honest opinion freely and hope that you'll keep that in mind. I realize not everyone will feel the same way about this novel and that's okay. But, I do wish I had found a review that had revealed the direction the story goes in before buying this book. I cant help but feel this book belongs in another genre than historical fiction. A better written cover synopsis on the part of the publisher would be appreciated too.
July 29, 2015
A book inspired by true events is always intriguing to me because as I'm reading it I can't help but wonder about the specifics . Who of the characters is based on real people and how much of the plot is real or imagined ?
There are big ethical issues at the center of this story . Rachel , a nurse at the Old Hebrews Home in mid 1950's discovers that her new patient is someone from her past . Flashbacks to four year old Rachel in The Hebrew Infant Home show her suffering at the hands of cruel doctors who perform medical experiments . She realizes that the patient was one of her doctors. Will Rachel take revenge now that she has the opportunity?
Chapters alternate between her present as an adult and as a four year old in the orphanage. The flashback chapters were very difficult to read , sickening actually. Imprisoned in a crib behind glass she becomes a victim of cruel experimentation that leaves her without hair , which won't grow as s result of exposure to X-rays as a child. There are further physical implications when Rachel discovers she may have breast cancer. The descriptions of what is done to Rachel is chilling, and so very sad to think that was done to innocent children , already enduring tragedies of losing parents . Administering chloroform, strapping them down , force feeding barium - it was heartbreaking to read what Rachel and other children endured .This is reminiscent of what we know about medical experiments done to the Jews in the concentration camps. How shameful that this was allowed here in this country . I know there are other examples of this and this is equally horrific.
While all of this has happened to Rachel, she is also struggling with her brother Sam moving in and out of her life when she always thought he would be there to protect her. In addition we see her coming to terms with and understanding her sexuality as a young girl and as an adult having to hide her love for another woman from those around her . This is a terrific effort for a debut novel and Kim van Alkemade has told a heart wrenching story that grabbed me from the first chapter.
The author does tell us in a note that the story was inspired by her grandfather and his mother who are indeed characters in the book . Whether or not Rachel was a real person doesn't matter since Rachel represents one of the many orphan children who suffered in the name of medical research.
Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss .
July 30, 2015
Great historical snapshot of orphanages and the medical experimentation occurring on the orphans at the time. Told in two timelines; when Rachel is 4 and enters the orphanage and experimentation begins, and then Rachel is forty something and working as a geriatric nurse when a new patient comes under her care - the very doctor that caused so much suffering for Rachel in the orphanage.
Both stories unfold and the reader quickly realizes the horrible conditions of said orphanages, although they may have been preferable to living in the street. Rachel is flooded with memories of her time in the orphanage and how she suffered, particularly subjected to radiation exposure over and over again. She is then faced with a dilemma of showing payback to this doctor or forgiveness and professionalism.
Great historical information, well written in the perspective of a child hungry for attention. The downside was the lack of character development and contrived situations like the way Rachel becomes an orphan. Can a father figure be more flat and predictably selfish? Just not believable. Then there is a surprise storyline that Rachel is a lesbian. Surprise sloppy groping with a stranger yet longing for her lover to return to her. Soooooo, was this a story that informed the reader about the medical experiments on children in orphanages or was the author contriving and inserting her political statement? The latter? I'm just not a fan. More than that, it just didn't fit with the story. It was a meandering that distracted from the core of the story.
Both stories unfold and the reader quickly realizes the horrible conditions of said orphanages, although they may have been preferable to living in the street. Rachel is flooded with memories of her time in the orphanage and how she suffered, particularly subjected to radiation exposure over and over again. She is then faced with a dilemma of showing payback to this doctor or forgiveness and professionalism.
Great historical information, well written in the perspective of a child hungry for attention. The downside was the lack of character development and contrived situations like the way Rachel becomes an orphan. Can a father figure be more flat and predictably selfish? Just not believable. Then there is a surprise storyline that Rachel is a lesbian. Surprise sloppy groping with a stranger yet longing for her lover to return to her. Soooooo, was this a story that informed the reader about the medical experiments on children in orphanages or was the author contriving and inserting her political statement? The latter? I'm just not a fan. More than that, it just didn't fit with the story. It was a meandering that distracted from the core of the story.
September 16, 2015
is a standalone, historical fiction novel written by English professor and now author: . This is her first published novel.
The synopsis of immediately intrigued me and as I began the audiobook, I felt engaged right away. The main character: Rachel Rabinowitz is a work of fiction, but her story is based on very real people, places, and events from 1920's America. follows Rachel through alternating timeframes, first when she is a young child who has been committed to an orphanage and then as an adult who continues to be physically and emotionally haunted by her young life experiences. This setup creates two distinct storylines that alternate as the story progresses.
In her book, Ms. Alkemade has layered many important elements for readers to reflect on. The ones I noted include: the treatment of children in social services, the loss of cultural/ spiritual/ familial identity often experienced by children in care, the emotional and social stressors commonly associated with appearing physically different than others, historical views towards women's independence and sexuality, the beautiful sense of connectedness felt among the Jewish people, and the power we all possess to hold blame or let go, to seek retribution or offer forgiveness, to inflict harm or show mercy. I enjoyed and am so glad I read it. Check it out!
Note: Ms. Alkemade spent eight years researching and writing this novel and it appears to be a deeply personal project for her and her family. I read her entire website, amazed at the multiple true stories that inspired the direction of this book. If you end up reading , I highly recommend that you check out Ms. Alkemade's website to gain some insight into how personal this was for her. I like the book even more now because of it.
My favorite quote:
“To Sam I said, “Sometimes I ask myself if there's any limit to the harm that people can do to each other.� “No�, he said. “There's no limit.�
The synopsis of immediately intrigued me and as I began the audiobook, I felt engaged right away. The main character: Rachel Rabinowitz is a work of fiction, but her story is based on very real people, places, and events from 1920's America. follows Rachel through alternating timeframes, first when she is a young child who has been committed to an orphanage and then as an adult who continues to be physically and emotionally haunted by her young life experiences. This setup creates two distinct storylines that alternate as the story progresses.
In her book, Ms. Alkemade has layered many important elements for readers to reflect on. The ones I noted include: the treatment of children in social services, the loss of cultural/ spiritual/ familial identity often experienced by children in care, the emotional and social stressors commonly associated with appearing physically different than others, historical views towards women's independence and sexuality, the beautiful sense of connectedness felt among the Jewish people, and the power we all possess to hold blame or let go, to seek retribution or offer forgiveness, to inflict harm or show mercy. I enjoyed and am so glad I read it. Check it out!
Note: Ms. Alkemade spent eight years researching and writing this novel and it appears to be a deeply personal project for her and her family. I read her entire website, amazed at the multiple true stories that inspired the direction of this book. If you end up reading , I highly recommend that you check out Ms. Alkemade's website to gain some insight into how personal this was for her. I like the book even more now because of it.
My favorite quote:
“To Sam I said, “Sometimes I ask myself if there's any limit to the harm that people can do to each other.� “No�, he said. “There's no limit.�
January 8, 2023
Seems to me that the jacket summary of a book should include the major themes of the book, but this one does not. The fact there is a major lesbian story line isn't a spoiler but should be made known to potential readers. Then, the author decides to include explicit bedroom scenes and that ruined it for me completely. I liked the premise of Rachel coming face to face with the Dr. who performed x-ray experiments on her as a child but this arc was overshadowed and treated as almost an afterthought.
February 7, 2017
I really enjoy historical fiction books that expose me to real history I never knew about. I can't say that I'm surprised that medical professionals exploited orphans for medical research. It's much easier to use someone who cannot fight back for themselves and has no one to fight for them. I understand that Dr. Solomon and the real doctors like her thought the good that would come from the research would outweigh whatever bad things may have happened to these children, but to dehumanize even one person for the sake of the common good is not worth the cost.
My husband and I have considered adopting a child instead of having a child who is biologically ours. This story most definitely made me want to make that a reality even more than what I was already considering. I cannot even begin to image how difficult and possibly damaging it must be to grow up with no one. It was clear from early in the story that Rachael craved female affection... and how could she not? Even when her mother was alive, they weren't especially close.
I was a little put off by how the author made just about every man Rachael came into contact with a jerk to the extreme. Are there bad men in the world? Absolutely. But there are also a lot of good men who would never dream of exploiting or hurting anyone for personal gain or personal desires.
My husband and I have considered adopting a child instead of having a child who is biologically ours. This story most definitely made me want to make that a reality even more than what I was already considering. I cannot even begin to image how difficult and possibly damaging it must be to grow up with no one. It was clear from early in the story that Rachael craved female affection... and how could she not? Even when her mother was alive, they weren't especially close.
I was a little put off by how the author made just about every man Rachael came into contact with a jerk to the extreme. Are there bad men in the world? Absolutely. But there are also a lot of good men who would never dream of exploiting or hurting anyone for personal gain or personal desires.
Read
September 8, 2016I was hoping the narrative would concentrate primarily on Dr Solomon and Rachel’s encounter along with flashbacks to her orphanage days, instead it laid a heavier hand on Rachel and her relationship with her girlfriend. I wasn’t expecting a plot focusing on romance, needless to say I was letdown.
The plot was too busy for my taste. I wish Sam and Rachel were developed more, we were merely granted a sampling of their personalities limiting our familiarity on a personal level, a picture painted of what they endured not their essence.
Disturbing to realize medical experiments were performed on orphaned children. The entire orphanage experience is heartbreaking. I found myself questioning what would I do if in Rachel’s shoes, love it when a plot possess a dilemma, forcing me to question my thoughts and actions to those of characters involved.
Super fast paced read with lots going on posing several questions and what would you do scenarios.
For this and other reviews along with giveaways visit
The plot was too busy for my taste. I wish Sam and Rachel were developed more, we were merely granted a sampling of their personalities limiting our familiarity on a personal level, a picture painted of what they endured not their essence.
Disturbing to realize medical experiments were performed on orphaned children. The entire orphanage experience is heartbreaking. I found myself questioning what would I do if in Rachel’s shoes, love it when a plot possess a dilemma, forcing me to question my thoughts and actions to those of characters involved.
Super fast paced read with lots going on posing several questions and what would you do scenarios.
For this and other reviews along with giveaways visit
August 23, 2015
Although I give credit to van Alkemade for bringing history to light, this book would have been so much better in the hands of an author such as Kristin Hannah or Jodi Picoult - an author who can tell the story without alienating or even offending the reader. This book had such potential, and for me it was ruined by the characters and lack of development. Very jarring scenes stuck in the storyline that broke the flow of the story and took away from the historical knowledge she was sharing. I felt almost like the author hated men - and maybe she thought we would feel that way as she tries to make amends by having Rachel reflect toward the end that not all men are bad, like her brother and Vic. That was a last minute "Hail Mary" to save face in a book where men are depicted horribly. I only kept reading this book for the historical information and that ended a little over 1/2 way through the book. And, I disliked Rachel from the very first pages when I found her to be an annoying, screaming, brat of a child. Her lying, manipulative, deceitful ways continued. I never felt sympathy for this character. I did feel sympathy/empathy and anguish for those in real life, but this character did nothing to endear me. The only character interaction that was remotely believable and satisfying was when Rachel stated to the doctor that she felt the treatment she endured was similar to what the Jews in concentration camps endured. This could have been such a wonderful book had it been developed properly. It seemed almost like she tried to infuse too much of the 2015 society into 1950's to advance her own agenda. Read this only for the historical knowledge that is being brought to light. Better yet, just flip to the back section and read her research and check out some other books about it.
October 14, 2015
Author Kim van Alkemade was researching her own family history when she came across a purchase for wigs for eight young children who had lost their hair after X-ray treatments in a New York Jewish orphanage. The powerless healthy orphans had been used in medical research to see if X-rays could shrink the tonsils. Orphan #8 is Rachel Rabinowitz, a fictional character who received the largest dose of radiation as the subject of Dr Mildred Solomon's research.
Fast forward to 1954: Dr Solomon is admitted to the hospice unit where Rachel works as a nurse. Dr Solomon's terminal bone cancer was caused by her exposure to X-rays as a radiologist. Rachel now has a serious health problem due to the intense X-rays received when she was a toddler. The book alternates between Rachel's early life and 1954 as it reveals the secrets of Rachel's past and the choices she made. Rachel confronts the doctor, hoping for an explanation and an apology. The tables are turned in 1954--Rachel is the person with power since she administers the medication, and Dr Solomon is a powerless patient in pain. Rachel has the choice of taking revenge or offering forgiveness.
We would cringe today over how large institutions treated orphans in the 1920s, but there was a huge need for orphanages during that hard economic time. The book presents many moral/ethical issues, a look at history during the Depression and World War II, the role of women in that era, and the difficulty of a same sex relationship. is an interesting, thought-provoking book with book club material at the end of the book.
Fast forward to 1954: Dr Solomon is admitted to the hospice unit where Rachel works as a nurse. Dr Solomon's terminal bone cancer was caused by her exposure to X-rays as a radiologist. Rachel now has a serious health problem due to the intense X-rays received when she was a toddler. The book alternates between Rachel's early life and 1954 as it reveals the secrets of Rachel's past and the choices she made. Rachel confronts the doctor, hoping for an explanation and an apology. The tables are turned in 1954--Rachel is the person with power since she administers the medication, and Dr Solomon is a powerless patient in pain. Rachel has the choice of taking revenge or offering forgiveness.
We would cringe today over how large institutions treated orphans in the 1920s, but there was a huge need for orphanages during that hard economic time. The book presents many moral/ethical issues, a look at history during the Depression and World War II, the role of women in that era, and the difficulty of a same sex relationship. is an interesting, thought-provoking book with book club material at the end of the book.
February 6, 2017
Sigh, I so wanted this to be something other than it was. The premise is intriguing and has promise. But the novel became something different for me.
Randomly, there is a homosexual sub-theme in the novel, which is essentially the main theme. Obviously I take no issue with homosexuality in literature (in fact, I don't think the representation is enough), but it just didn't need to be here. It did not work, and it did not add anything to the story. The plot should have already been interesting enough to run with. Something that irritated me was the contrived usage of "she" as a reference to Rachel's lover throughout the book. It acted as a ploy to keep us guessing who the lover was, but I didn't pick up the book expecting there to be a love story, so I felt a bit annoyed and cheated.
Something I enjoyed was the blend of narrative voices. The author uses first person narration as well as third person limited narration. She also often changes up the time line, jumping from past to present from one chapter to the next. Normally I wouldn't enjoy this, but the author managed to make it work here, and I think it's because she changes the narrative style when she changes the timeline. My least favourite narration is first-person, so it was nice to have it broken up into pieces, making it more palatable. That being said, van Alkemade sometimes inadvertently switched from third-person limited and third-person omniscient narration and it really threw me off and confused me.
The first third of the novel really had me hooked, but then it lost traction and I started to lose interest in Rachel and the story. I'm sure I missed a lot of detail because I would read pages and pages while thinking of something else and then feel too lazy to go back and re-read what I'd missed.
In the end, this was a page-turner, but for all the wrong reasons. I turned the pages to get it over with, not because I cared about the story.
Randomly, there is a homosexual sub-theme in the novel, which is essentially the main theme. Obviously I take no issue with homosexuality in literature (in fact, I don't think the representation is enough), but it just didn't need to be here. It did not work, and it did not add anything to the story. The plot should have already been interesting enough to run with. Something that irritated me was the contrived usage of "she" as a reference to Rachel's lover throughout the book. It acted as a ploy to keep us guessing who the lover was, but I didn't pick up the book expecting there to be a love story, so I felt a bit annoyed and cheated.
Something I enjoyed was the blend of narrative voices. The author uses first person narration as well as third person limited narration. She also often changes up the time line, jumping from past to present from one chapter to the next. Normally I wouldn't enjoy this, but the author managed to make it work here, and I think it's because she changes the narrative style when she changes the timeline. My least favourite narration is first-person, so it was nice to have it broken up into pieces, making it more palatable. That being said, van Alkemade sometimes inadvertently switched from third-person limited and third-person omniscient narration and it really threw me off and confused me.
The first third of the novel really had me hooked, but then it lost traction and I started to lose interest in Rachel and the story. I'm sure I missed a lot of detail because I would read pages and pages while thinking of something else and then feel too lazy to go back and re-read what I'd missed.
In the end, this was a page-turner, but for all the wrong reasons. I turned the pages to get it over with, not because I cared about the story.
May 2, 2016
Orphan #8 is based on historical events that occurred in orphanages, much like the LSD testing on soldiers and prisoners in the 1950s to determine the effects on the men. Instead of LSD, the children had horrible experiments performed on their bodies, ravaging them using introduced measles, pertussis, scurvy, and radiation to track digestion to possible use as a noninvasive tonsillectomy.
There are two timelines; 1954 and beginning in 1918 or so. The problems I had with the story begin when Rachel is 4 years old and the circumstances that lead to her becoming orphaned. Sure, it could happen, but it seemed very forced and her father was pigeon holed into an unbelievable caricature who was selfish and had no real regard for his wife and children. It was like the author objectified the father figure without developing him. Interesting that Freud is later brought up. The story lacks character development of any male figure beyond the perfunctory, one dimensional.
So Rachel grows up to become a nurse in a geriatric Jewish home and a new patient shows up. The very doctor who subjected her to the worst of the radiation exposure. Great moral dilemma as more of Rachel's horrific childhood is told in alternating chapters and, knowing the common knowledge of extended radiation exposure, cringing at the horrors she endured. On top of the medical experimentation, children were not people and their social and emotional needs were discarded.
That really was enough story to engage the reader but then the author contrived the story of Rachel's homosexuality into it. Ummm, okay? I'm not a big fan of gratuitous heterosexual scenes that seem arbitrary and don't contribute anything to the storyline. But the sudden homosexual scene at the library, although not gratuitous, it was sudden and didn't fit the rest of the book. Was the author educating the reader about the medical experimentation on helpless children or was she making her own political statement? Was her purpose information or affirmation? It didn't fit in this particular story.
As much as I found the information about the experiments on the orphans to be enlightening, I found the lack of character development and the introduction of homosexuality to weaken the story. I realize it's politically unpopular to share an opinion contrary to accepting all kinds of love, but for once I would appreciate some degree of respect for having a differing opinion. Had I known about the homosexual aspect, I wouldn't have read the book. Once it was introduced, I wanted more information about the experiments and the children but was very disappointed in having to wade through Rachel's love affair and sloppy fondling of a strange woman in the library. Otherwise, I would have recommended it to book clubs. Now, not so much.
There are two timelines; 1954 and beginning in 1918 or so. The problems I had with the story begin when Rachel is 4 years old and the circumstances that lead to her becoming orphaned. Sure, it could happen, but it seemed very forced and her father was pigeon holed into an unbelievable caricature who was selfish and had no real regard for his wife and children. It was like the author objectified the father figure without developing him. Interesting that Freud is later brought up. The story lacks character development of any male figure beyond the perfunctory, one dimensional.
So Rachel grows up to become a nurse in a geriatric Jewish home and a new patient shows up. The very doctor who subjected her to the worst of the radiation exposure. Great moral dilemma as more of Rachel's horrific childhood is told in alternating chapters and, knowing the common knowledge of extended radiation exposure, cringing at the horrors she endured. On top of the medical experimentation, children were not people and their social and emotional needs were discarded.
That really was enough story to engage the reader but then the author contrived the story of Rachel's homosexuality into it. Ummm, okay? I'm not a big fan of gratuitous heterosexual scenes that seem arbitrary and don't contribute anything to the storyline. But the sudden homosexual scene at the library, although not gratuitous, it was sudden and didn't fit the rest of the book. Was the author educating the reader about the medical experimentation on helpless children or was she making her own political statement? Was her purpose information or affirmation? It didn't fit in this particular story.
As much as I found the information about the experiments on the orphans to be enlightening, I found the lack of character development and the introduction of homosexuality to weaken the story. I realize it's politically unpopular to share an opinion contrary to accepting all kinds of love, but for once I would appreciate some degree of respect for having a differing opinion. Had I known about the homosexual aspect, I wouldn't have read the book. Once it was introduced, I wanted more information about the experiments and the children but was very disappointed in having to wade through Rachel's love affair and sloppy fondling of a strange woman in the library. Otherwise, I would have recommended it to book clubs. Now, not so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2016
Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am flabbergasted that the majority of the 1- and 2-star reviews this book received seem to be solely based on the reviewers' discomfort with the fact they were forced to sympathize with a lesbian -- had the book's description, or the first few chapters, made clear the main character's sexual orientation, they would never have been forced to read explicit scenes about two women kissing. (Imagine!) But no, the author cleverly sucked them in before unleashing her "political agenda," the sneaky she-beast.
This was a beautiful and captivating, if disturbing, book. I, personally, was more disgusted by the descriptions of violence (not at all explicit -- the writing perfectly straddled the line between descriptive and gratuitous) and the doctors who experimented on orphaned children, but ya know, you gotta watch out for those illicit PG descriptions of budding same-sex attraction too.
Rachel is a complicated character, her inner self not entirely reflected in the person the other characters clearly see when they look at her. The author does a beautiful job in drawing out the tangled emotions, motivations and morals behind actions that can look so black and white from the outside.
This was a beautiful and captivating, if disturbing, book. I, personally, was more disgusted by the descriptions of violence (not at all explicit -- the writing perfectly straddled the line between descriptive and gratuitous) and the doctors who experimented on orphaned children, but ya know, you gotta watch out for those illicit PG descriptions of budding same-sex attraction too.
Rachel is a complicated character, her inner self not entirely reflected in the person the other characters clearly see when they look at her. The author does a beautiful job in drawing out the tangled emotions, motivations and morals behind actions that can look so black and white from the outside.
September 20, 2017
Book club read #9 Sept 2017.
If you had a chance at revenge for something awful that someone did to you, and you wouldn't get caught, plus no one would ever suspect what really happened, would you go for the revenge or opt to show mercy instead? Rachel Rabinowitz, raised in a Jewish orphanage where experiments with radiation were performed on the children, years later finds herself nurse for the doctor who carried out the "treatments." Rachel has had many issues in her difficult life, but this may be the biggest yet.
I've read this for a book club discussion that is coming up, and what I want to discuss most is not the revenge aspect, but what makes up Rachel's character -- how she went from a sweet little four year old to a deceitful teenager and adult. She was a conundrum to be sure. I think our discussion should be most interesting.
If you had a chance at revenge for something awful that someone did to you, and you wouldn't get caught, plus no one would ever suspect what really happened, would you go for the revenge or opt to show mercy instead? Rachel Rabinowitz, raised in a Jewish orphanage where experiments with radiation were performed on the children, years later finds herself nurse for the doctor who carried out the "treatments." Rachel has had many issues in her difficult life, but this may be the biggest yet.
I've read this for a book club discussion that is coming up, and what I want to discuss most is not the revenge aspect, but what makes up Rachel's character -- how she went from a sweet little four year old to a deceitful teenager and adult. She was a conundrum to be sure. I think our discussion should be most interesting.
February 17, 2015
When Rachel Rabinowitz is four years old a tragedy befalls her family and she and her older brother are sent to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in New York. Rachel remains at the Asylum until age 15.
The Hebrew Orphan Asylum was one of the best known and most generously endowed American orphanages. Between 1860 and 1919, some 13,500 children were admitted to the home. Few children, however, were adopted, since most were actually half-orphans, members of a family which one parent (usually the father) had deserted and which the surviving parent could not support.
The orphanage had a capacity of 1,755 children. It was self-sufficient enough that it was able to survive for a week on its own after it was cut off during the Blizzard of 1888. After a dysentery outbreak in 1898, caused by impurities in the city's water supply, left seven children dead, the building installed its own water filtration system. During the influenza epidemic of 1918 not a single child in the orphanage died.
In this fictional account, while at the Asylum Rachel is the subject of several dangerous medical research experiments that leave her permanently disfigured. We follow Rachel's life through adulthood and continue to see how these medical tests have a profound and lasting effect on her life.
As an adult nurse, by chance, Rachel is assigned to care for the dying Doctor that inflicted so much pain and suffering on her as a small child. As Rachel cares for the old doctor, she teeters between revenge and mercy all the while praying for some form of acknowledgment and apology.
There is so much for a book club to discuss with this novel! The only potential stumbling block I see in this book moving to the top of various best sellers lists is the protagonist's personal life. As the publishers write-up states "A stunning debut novel in the vein of Sarah Waters' historical fiction.....�. If you have read Sarah Waters, you will understand what I mean.
This book is scheduled to release on July 7, 2015. Place it on your wish list now, submit an pre-order, you will thoroughly enjoy this historical fiction.
May 16, 2016
I didn’t feel like either the current or past storyline was fleshed out enough, at times it felt disjointed and I think it was because of not knowing enough about the characters. However I did find the story fascinating I never knew anything about these test done at orphanages� also after reading some stories on the authors website I really wish she would have went deeper into these characters I feel like she just brushed the surface and I wish I knew more.
I hated the “romance� aspect of this book every time she grabbed someone’s face and pulled them into a kiss I was no longer in the story and Rachel’s sexual orientation had absolutely nothing to do with it , if she had been grabbing men’s faces I would have felt exactly the same. To me there was no reason for these it added nothing to the story and in fact detracted from it.
I can’t put my finger on what it is I don’t like about the narration, I’m not sure if it’s the tone, cadence or accent that I don’t like but there were times when the narration really annoyed me and other times I didn’t mind it. I am not sure who narrated what either so it may be that I like one narrator over the other but I am just not sure.
This book was okay; I liked the storyline about the Orphans Home even though I wish I knew more. I guess in the end this book just fell flat for me.
2 ½ Stars
I hated the “romance� aspect of this book every time she grabbed someone’s face and pulled them into a kiss I was no longer in the story and Rachel’s sexual orientation had absolutely nothing to do with it , if she had been grabbing men’s faces I would have felt exactly the same. To me there was no reason for these it added nothing to the story and in fact detracted from it.
I can’t put my finger on what it is I don’t like about the narration, I’m not sure if it’s the tone, cadence or accent that I don’t like but there were times when the narration really annoyed me and other times I didn’t mind it. I am not sure who narrated what either so it may be that I like one narrator over the other but I am just not sure.
This book was okay; I liked the storyline about the Orphans Home even though I wish I knew more. I guess in the end this book just fell flat for me.
2 ½ Stars
November 28, 2015
29/9 - This is very interesting, but a bit hard to read, thinking about doctors literally experimenting on disadvantaged children because it's interesting and because they can (due to the lack of a need for parental consent for orphans) is disturbing for me. The damage these X-rays do to the children, in the short and long term is horrifying to read about. While this is a fictional story, it reads very much like a descendant's account of their family member's real life experience. It doesn't feel like the author imagined it in her head.
While the subject matter is of great interest and emotional impact, the writing is a bit hit and miss. The writing in the 'child-aged Rachel' chapters are quite different-sounding in maturity level. It's almost like those chapters are written by a different author. I understand the need for a different 'voice' for the 3rd person chapters, but why does the 'voice' need to sound like it was written by a teenager? That is irritating, but won't put me off finishing the book. To be continued...
SPOILERS/SPOILERS/SPOILERS/SPOILERS
2/10 - I lost a bit of respect and sympathy for Rachel when she betrayed Naomi. I know she has a terrible fate awaiting her, but I was very surprised when Naomi turned out to be the 'she/her' that Rachel was trying to get a hold of and anxiously waiting to have return. I expected the betrayal would mean Naomi wouldn't want to see or speak to Rachel ever again (I don't think I would). My grandma went through something similar to Rachel's experience. When she was in her early twenties she volunteered in a hospital, nursing patients with tuberculosis and to make sure that the nurses didn't contract TB themselves they had X-rays of their lungs done every few weeks to check for signs of the disease. Thirty yeas later she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy, and there was no such thing as reconstructive surgery in the fifties. She lived the rest of her life with no breasts, a small amount of padding (kind of like an insertable shoulder pad) used to fill out a bra to give her a facsimile of her pre-surgery shape. Ten years pass and she's diagnosed with ovarian cancer and has a complete hysterectomy. Another ten and she's diagnosed with bone cancer and goes through numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she battled the cancer for the rest of her life. Thank goodness cancer treatments have become far more advanced and targeted these days and thank goodness doctors now realise how dangerous unnecessary X-rays can be.
With a book that's a combination of historical fiction and a memoir of her grandfather's time spent in an orphanage (recreated through the secondary character of Vic, a friend to Rachel and her brother Sam), van Alkemade has told a very interesting, and unique story that didn't go how I was expecting it to. Just like van Alkemade said in the 'extras' at the back of the book, as soon as you mention Jewish children and doctors experimenting on them most people's thoughts jump to WWII and the Nazis, mine certainly did. So, with this not really having anything to do with the Nazis (despite what Rachel tried to accuse Dr Solomon of), it wasn't the war/concentration camp book I was expecting it to be. I really enjoyed the story even though some of the writing sounded needlessly immature. As I said in my review for Black Rabbit Hall, I usually tend to like books that switch back and forth between one time and another, using the time separation to create mystery in the plot. I will definitely look out for more by Kim van Alkemade at the library.
PopSugar 2015 Reading Challenge: A Popular Author's First Book
While the subject matter is of great interest and emotional impact, the writing is a bit hit and miss. The writing in the 'child-aged Rachel' chapters are quite different-sounding in maturity level. It's almost like those chapters are written by a different author. I understand the need for a different 'voice' for the 3rd person chapters, but why does the 'voice' need to sound like it was written by a teenager? That is irritating, but won't put me off finishing the book. To be continued...
SPOILERS/SPOILERS/SPOILERS/SPOILERS
2/10 - I lost a bit of respect and sympathy for Rachel when she betrayed Naomi. I know she has a terrible fate awaiting her, but I was very surprised when Naomi turned out to be the 'she/her' that Rachel was trying to get a hold of and anxiously waiting to have return. I expected the betrayal would mean Naomi wouldn't want to see or speak to Rachel ever again (I don't think I would). My grandma went through something similar to Rachel's experience. When she was in her early twenties she volunteered in a hospital, nursing patients with tuberculosis and to make sure that the nurses didn't contract TB themselves they had X-rays of their lungs done every few weeks to check for signs of the disease. Thirty yeas later she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy, and there was no such thing as reconstructive surgery in the fifties. She lived the rest of her life with no breasts, a small amount of padding (kind of like an insertable shoulder pad) used to fill out a bra to give her a facsimile of her pre-surgery shape. Ten years pass and she's diagnosed with ovarian cancer and has a complete hysterectomy. Another ten and she's diagnosed with bone cancer and goes through numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she battled the cancer for the rest of her life. Thank goodness cancer treatments have become far more advanced and targeted these days and thank goodness doctors now realise how dangerous unnecessary X-rays can be.
With a book that's a combination of historical fiction and a memoir of her grandfather's time spent in an orphanage (recreated through the secondary character of Vic, a friend to Rachel and her brother Sam), van Alkemade has told a very interesting, and unique story that didn't go how I was expecting it to. Just like van Alkemade said in the 'extras' at the back of the book, as soon as you mention Jewish children and doctors experimenting on them most people's thoughts jump to WWII and the Nazis, mine certainly did. So, with this not really having anything to do with the Nazis (despite what Rachel tried to accuse Dr Solomon of), it wasn't the war/concentration camp book I was expecting it to be. I really enjoyed the story even though some of the writing sounded needlessly immature. As I said in my review for Black Rabbit Hall, I usually tend to like books that switch back and forth between one time and another, using the time separation to create mystery in the plot. I will definitely look out for more by Kim van Alkemade at the library.
PopSugar 2015 Reading Challenge: A Popular Author's First Book
October 9, 2015
An intriguing story based on historical facts and drawn from the author's family history. The story shifts between Rachel as an adult in the 1950's and Rachel as a child in the 1920's. Following a tragedy, Rachel Rabinowitz finds herself, and her brother Sam, placed in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum in Manhattan. The two are separated, and Rachel is placed in the Infant Home. It is there that she finds herself subjected to medical experimentation for the purpose of research. Vying for a place in a man's world, Dr. Mildred Solomon is determined to be published and recognized. Rachel is one of her test subjects. Dr' Solomon's x-ray experimentation leaves Rachel hairless and at risk for future complications. When she encounters Dr. Solomon helpless and in need of her care at the Old Hebrew's Home, Rachel is uncertain how to react. She is now a nurse, dedicated to her patients. But with Dr. Solomon, is it revenge or an apology she seeks? A great quote that addresses Rachel's dilemma: "Instead I was alone with Mildred Solomon. I felt her eyes on my heaving back. I hadn't wanted her to witness the pain she'd caused me, had I wanted only to visit that pain on her. A week ago, I would have argued that the world was divided between those capable of inflicting pain and those whose fate it was to be hurt, that Mildred Solomon and I were on opposite rims of that canyon. I knew now any one of us could cross over. It wasn't innate-only the choices we made determined which side we lived on. From whichever point one started, stepping out on that rickety bridge was a risk, planks threaded together with twine, the sway in the middle fearsome. Exhilarating as it had been to be suspended above that chasm, rules of time and space and right and wrong all falling away, one look down had been enough to sober me. I scurried back to my starting place, unable to finish the crossing." The story also addresses other social issues and prejudices that Rachel must navigate to find her place in the world. While the book is about atrocities performed on the most vulnerable of our society, it also exemplifies love and forgiveness.
August 8, 2015
This was not the book that I was expecting it to be. I was expecting it to be kind of creepy. Well, way more creepy. But just because my expectations were not met does not mean I did not enjoy the book. It was more nonfiction with fiction thrown in here and there. It was informative, heartbreaking, eye opening, sad, emotional and compelling.
Orphans were being used as mice for experiments. While this story was a little extreme, it brought out the fact that this was commonplace back in the 1920's and 1930's. It also touched on the stigma of lesbianism and how (hard to believe) today's standards and practices have come a long way.
I did enjoy reading this book and I really felt sorry for Rachel. Times were tough when she was growing up and although she did have a hard life, she really did luck out a lot of times.
I truly do recommend this book if your into human feelings, tragedies and fortunes.
Orphans were being used as mice for experiments. While this story was a little extreme, it brought out the fact that this was commonplace back in the 1920's and 1930's. It also touched on the stigma of lesbianism and how (hard to believe) today's standards and practices have come a long way.
I did enjoy reading this book and I really felt sorry for Rachel. Times were tough when she was growing up and although she did have a hard life, she really did luck out a lot of times.
I truly do recommend this book if your into human feelings, tragedies and fortunes.
September 5, 2017
4.5 stars
Such an intense, emotional particular story ! I enjoyed every page of this book. The build up of the characters is so good that you can sympathize with each one of them. The book tackles different taboo subjects.
The book cover is so expressive!
Highly recommended !
Such an intense, emotional particular story ! I enjoyed every page of this book. The build up of the characters is so good that you can sympathize with each one of them. The book tackles different taboo subjects.
The book cover is so expressive!
Highly recommended !
March 13, 2017
When Sam and Rachel Rabinowitz are suddenly orphaned, they are taken to the Jewish children´s home. Being older, Sam goes into a different home than Rachel. What already was a traumatic experience takes a harsher turn when Rachel is chosen as "material" for research and needlessly exposed to radiation. Years later, Rachel is a nurse in a Jewish geriatric home. On one of her shifts, Rachel is shocked to learn that her new patient is none other than the doctor that experimented on her. Dealing with her emotional and physical scars, Rachel must confront the past.
This novel has me torn. On one hand, I found the historical aspect enlightening. Children in orphanages were subjected to radiation and needless tests for the sake of science and since they had no family to claim them, they made for good "material". While doctor Mildred Solomon (the doctor that exposed Rachel to excessive x-rays ) is fictional, her character is based on doctor Elise Fox. Doctor Fox along with doctor Alfred Hess (the lead doctor) did indeed take advantage of the children in their charge. Doctor Hess going as far as witholding orange juice to bring on the onset of rickets and scurvy. Instead of addressing them by name, the children were given numbers. I did like the way in which van Alkemade compared the treatment of the children in the home to the treatment of Jews in the concentration camps. Now, characterization was somewhat flat and predictable. This novel explores revenge and justice, forgiveness and mercy. I would have loved to see a deeper exploration into the matter. A few times, plot events seemed forced and rushed. I will say, I found the end fitting. All and all, a interesting read.
This novel has me torn. On one hand, I found the historical aspect enlightening. Children in orphanages were subjected to radiation and needless tests for the sake of science and since they had no family to claim them, they made for good "material". While doctor Mildred Solomon (the doctor that exposed Rachel to excessive x-rays ) is fictional, her character is based on doctor Elise Fox. Doctor Fox along with doctor Alfred Hess (the lead doctor) did indeed take advantage of the children in their charge. Doctor Hess going as far as witholding orange juice to bring on the onset of rickets and scurvy. Instead of addressing them by name, the children were given numbers. I did like the way in which van Alkemade compared the treatment of the children in the home to the treatment of Jews in the concentration camps. Now, characterization was somewhat flat and predictable. This novel explores revenge and justice, forgiveness and mercy. I would have loved to see a deeper exploration into the matter. A few times, plot events seemed forced and rushed. I will say, I found the end fitting. All and all, a interesting read.
May 25, 2016
I began Orphan #8 as a book club read - only knowing it was historical fiction about Jewish orphans and medical experiments. It's really more of a psychological coming of age story, that just happens to be set in the past. And it would seem that from the description on the back cover, modern readers would find little in common with a Jewish orphan girl exploited in the name of science. Yet, van Alkemade brings us a story of abandonment, betrayal, revenge, love, hope - set in a society with issues we struggle with yet today - equality, sexuality, sexual violence.
I only wonder if there would have been more 4 and 5 star ratings if the main character was in a heterosexual relationship, with less accusations of a personal agenda.
I only wonder if there would have been more 4 and 5 star ratings if the main character was in a heterosexual relationship, with less accusations of a personal agenda.
August 11, 2015
This book was a disappointment to me. Reading the publisher's description did not prepare me for the lifestyle of the primary character and I had problems maintaining an interest in the pages containing a discussion of this part of her life.
On the other hand, the discussion of Rachel's early life did educate me about a part of medical history that I had not encountered before. And one of my goals in reading is to learn something from my reading experience. It is my understanding, from the book, that these things did actually happen. How sad that these children were robbed of a normal life.
On the other hand, the discussion of Rachel's early life did educate me about a part of medical history that I had not encountered before. And one of my goals in reading is to learn something from my reading experience. It is my understanding, from the book, that these things did actually happen. How sad that these children were robbed of a normal life.
October 28, 2015
Orphan #8 is a chilling, moving, thought provoking historical novel. This first novel by Kim van Alkemade engaged me from the first page. There are numerous themes ( surviving in an orphanage, medical experiments on children, the elimination of Jews in WWII, revenge, relationships, mercy killing etc.) cleverly woven throughout this novel. The author introduces us to a four year old Rachel and we follow her life until 1954 where her past collides with her present day self. This book demands that you ponder what you would do if you were Rachel! Great themes, great discussions, great read! 5 stars
September 2, 2015
At least it's a quick read. The moral dilemma highlighted in the blurb on the back cover is almost nonexistent. I expected the story to focus on Rachel's confrontation with the doctor who experimented on her, but their relationship occupies only a handful of the 300+ pages. Rachel's arguments and anger with her abuser are thin and flimsy, and she is easily dismissed by the doctor. Her emotional and logical reactions are uninteresting and certainly do not warrant a book. This novel is really about everything else; her final decision regarding the doctor is a sidebar.
May 26, 2017
I think this is the first time the 1 star reviews convinced me to buy the book! The premise already sounded interesting, but of course, since it doesn't even have a 4 star average, I looked at the 1 star reviews to see why. The answer? ZOMG SURPRISE LESBIANS!!!! How ever will the poor homophobes get over this terrible insult of having LESBIANS being sprung on them in a HISTORICAL FICTION novel?! I mean, everyone knows that lesbians hadn't even been invented yet during this book's time period (~1929-1954 has the lesbian content) so this book is clearly just unrealistic liberal propaganda, cramming the gay agenda down god-fearing people's throats, right?!
All sarcasm aside, this book was amazing.
It follows two timelines, one starts when Rachel is 4 and is in third person and is clearly the "past," and the other is when Rachel is 40 and is narrated in first person by Rachel (which I will call the "present" even though it was 1954 or so). The use of the different voices was odd at first, but then it made sense because Rachel wasn't thinking back about her previous experiences in those chapters. In fact, some of the things given in these chapters are things that Rachel doesn't remember in detail or at all, so she couldn't narrate everything. The book doesn't give the year for each chapter like I've seen other books do, instead it relies on context clues (talk of The Great War, the Depression, WWII, fighting in Israel after WWII, etc) to give the time reference. Since it bounces back and forth, it was very smart to divide the "past" and "present" chapters by voice. It made it very easy to follow which timeline things happened.
I loved Rachel as a character, and I was very surprised to read that a lot of people in the reviews don't sympathize with her (probably because she's an evil dirty lesbian). I obviously don't identify with her being orphaned, but I see a lot of myself in her personality. I'm going to pretend that it's because the book says she's born in August, so she's probably a Leo like me :P She's extremely imperfect: a bit bratty, jealous, emotional, petty, and does stupid things that she feels she HAS to do to better her life (including lie to people). But it's clear she has a heart of gold, is very committed to things once she agrees to them, and regrets a lot of the things she's done (but not everything). Not to mention, being orphaned in the way she was, her difficult relationship with her brother, and being experimented on as a child would mess anyone up, I think. She's not a Mary Sue character at all, so if that's what these people were looking for, I'm not surprised they were disappointed.
Finally, back to the 1 star reviews for a minute. A lot of them complain about "graphic lesbian sex scenes all throughout the book." There are around 5 instances of lesbian contact in the whole book. Two passionate kisses, two sex scenes, and maybe one other kiss, but I can't remember exactly. One of the sex scenes is pretty vague and left open, and the other is written like it belongs in a romance novel (lots of poetic metaphors, etc). It is NOT erotica by any means...the scenes aren't even more than a page each. I was actually a bit disappointed...the 1 star reviews promised me tons of lesbian sex, so much even that the whole overarching story and its themes were barely present!!
I for one LOVED the surprise lesbianism, because looking for LGBT books that aren't either straight up romance/erotica or YA is really tough. So many books have hetero romance sprinkled in that doesn't actually drive the story, and I've been really wanting a book like this that had LGBT relationships instead. (Any suggestions are welcome :D ) I implied this isn't YA, but it is a coming of age story, since Rachel grows up in the orphanage and discovers her sexuality along the way, but there is SO much more to this book than that. Other themes include family relations, abandonment, science experimentation, mercy vs revenge...I'm sure I'm missing a few.
Basically, this is one of the best books I've read in awhile, and I'd recommend it to anyone. I think there's something for everyone (except the homophobes...heterosexuality is so fragile)
All sarcasm aside, this book was amazing.
It follows two timelines, one starts when Rachel is 4 and is in third person and is clearly the "past," and the other is when Rachel is 40 and is narrated in first person by Rachel (which I will call the "present" even though it was 1954 or so). The use of the different voices was odd at first, but then it made sense because Rachel wasn't thinking back about her previous experiences in those chapters. In fact, some of the things given in these chapters are things that Rachel doesn't remember in detail or at all, so she couldn't narrate everything. The book doesn't give the year for each chapter like I've seen other books do, instead it relies on context clues (talk of The Great War, the Depression, WWII, fighting in Israel after WWII, etc) to give the time reference. Since it bounces back and forth, it was very smart to divide the "past" and "present" chapters by voice. It made it very easy to follow which timeline things happened.
I loved Rachel as a character, and I was very surprised to read that a lot of people in the reviews don't sympathize with her (probably because she's an evil dirty lesbian). I obviously don't identify with her being orphaned, but I see a lot of myself in her personality. I'm going to pretend that it's because the book says she's born in August, so she's probably a Leo like me :P She's extremely imperfect: a bit bratty, jealous, emotional, petty, and does stupid things that she feels she HAS to do to better her life (including lie to people). But it's clear she has a heart of gold, is very committed to things once she agrees to them, and regrets a lot of the things she's done (but not everything). Not to mention, being orphaned in the way she was, her difficult relationship with her brother, and being experimented on as a child would mess anyone up, I think. She's not a Mary Sue character at all, so if that's what these people were looking for, I'm not surprised they were disappointed.
Finally, back to the 1 star reviews for a minute. A lot of them complain about "graphic lesbian sex scenes all throughout the book." There are around 5 instances of lesbian contact in the whole book. Two passionate kisses, two sex scenes, and maybe one other kiss, but I can't remember exactly. One of the sex scenes is pretty vague and left open, and the other is written like it belongs in a romance novel (lots of poetic metaphors, etc). It is NOT erotica by any means...the scenes aren't even more than a page each. I was actually a bit disappointed...the 1 star reviews promised me tons of lesbian sex, so much even that the whole overarching story and its themes were barely present!!
I for one LOVED the surprise lesbianism, because looking for LGBT books that aren't either straight up romance/erotica or YA is really tough. So many books have hetero romance sprinkled in that doesn't actually drive the story, and I've been really wanting a book like this that had LGBT relationships instead. (Any suggestions are welcome :D ) I implied this isn't YA, but it is a coming of age story, since Rachel grows up in the orphanage and discovers her sexuality along the way, but there is SO much more to this book than that. Other themes include family relations, abandonment, science experimentation, mercy vs revenge...I'm sure I'm missing a few.
Basically, this is one of the best books I've read in awhile, and I'd recommend it to anyone. I think there's something for everyone (except the homophobes...heterosexuality is so fragile)
February 18, 2017
Possible spoilers related to character.
She had said there was no comparison between her work at the Infant Home and those terrible experiments in the camps,and she was right, of course she was. But did the children on Dr. Menegle's table feel any differently than I did on hers? No matter her motives, the way she used us was the same. No wonder she couldn't apologize. It would destroy a person, wouldn't it, to admit to doing that kind of harm?
Author Kim van Alkemade's historical fiction debut, drawn from events surrounding members of her family, is dramatically heartbreaking. The feeling I had when reading Orphan #8 was the same in which I used to feel as a teen when watching a movie based on an actual event. I used to think " It couldn't have been like that, could it? People couldn't have really thought.(fill in blank)." Of course, I'm sure many of us have experienced that feeling of disbelief or horror.
That's what makes reading Orphan #8 so difficult as a reading experience. Because Alkemade is presenting the story of medical experiments on children, a topic that is sure to stir each reader's moral compass. As eager as I was to turn the pages and find out how adult Rachel copes with the realization of what happened to her as a child, while also confronting the doctor that did this to her was emotional. I'm a schoolteacher at an elementary/high school and an aunt of two little boys, ages 3 and 1. So, 4 year old Rachel's innocence and my adult comprehension of what was happening to her and the other children hit close to home. A similar stance I had while reading by .
I felt that adult Rachel's storyline was just as vital. We see snippets from her nursing career, to her very few interactions with a neighbor, to her personal relationships with her brother and her female partner, I was able to see what Dr. Solomon couldn't admit, that the children she experimented on were greatly affected by what she and the other doctors had done. That in their pursuit of medical breakthroughs and personal accolades, they had forgotten the golden rule of their profession, "do no harm."
Orphan #8 was an eyes wide open type of book, one that will stick in my mind for a long time. A book that I 'd already started recommending to my reading friends even before I had finished reading. This was one of those books that I was greatly satisfied to see a plentiful amount of background, photos and input from the author at the back of the text. There's also additional information on the author's website.
She had said there was no comparison between her work at the Infant Home and those terrible experiments in the camps,and she was right, of course she was. But did the children on Dr. Menegle's table feel any differently than I did on hers? No matter her motives, the way she used us was the same. No wonder she couldn't apologize. It would destroy a person, wouldn't it, to admit to doing that kind of harm?
Author Kim van Alkemade's historical fiction debut, drawn from events surrounding members of her family, is dramatically heartbreaking. The feeling I had when reading Orphan #8 was the same in which I used to feel as a teen when watching a movie based on an actual event. I used to think " It couldn't have been like that, could it? People couldn't have really thought.(fill in blank)." Of course, I'm sure many of us have experienced that feeling of disbelief or horror.
That's what makes reading Orphan #8 so difficult as a reading experience. Because Alkemade is presenting the story of medical experiments on children, a topic that is sure to stir each reader's moral compass. As eager as I was to turn the pages and find out how adult Rachel copes with the realization of what happened to her as a child, while also confronting the doctor that did this to her was emotional. I'm a schoolteacher at an elementary/high school and an aunt of two little boys, ages 3 and 1. So, 4 year old Rachel's innocence and my adult comprehension of what was happening to her and the other children hit close to home. A similar stance I had while reading by .
I felt that adult Rachel's storyline was just as vital. We see snippets from her nursing career, to her very few interactions with a neighbor, to her personal relationships with her brother and her female partner, I was able to see what Dr. Solomon couldn't admit, that the children she experimented on were greatly affected by what she and the other doctors had done. That in their pursuit of medical breakthroughs and personal accolades, they had forgotten the golden rule of their profession, "do no harm."
Orphan #8 was an eyes wide open type of book, one that will stick in my mind for a long time. A book that I 'd already started recommending to my reading friends even before I had finished reading. This was one of those books that I was greatly satisfied to see a plentiful amount of background, photos and input from the author at the back of the text. There's also additional information on the author's website.
November 12, 2016
This book was recommended to me by a good friend who is also an avid reader. I will definitely be taking more book recommendations from her!
I was very impressed by the amount of research done in order to bring this story and all the characters to life. I felt transported to the early half of the 20th century and imagined how Rachel must have been feeling throughout her experiences growing up and even when she was my age. Her fear, anger, frustration, desire for acceptance, etc.; her emotions felt real and very honest. The dialogue was genuine and the settings felt like they were right in front of me. I also appreciated seeing photos at the end, in the author's notes.
The only thing that didn't work as well for me (but didn't deter from my enjoyment either) was that in the flashback chapters, the narrative kept shifting between characters way too much. If that's my only "complaint," you know you're in for quite an incredible read!
was well-written and difficult to put down. I applaud on this literary masterpiece. I highly recommend it to book clubs for further discussion. I wish my book club wanted to read it, but I hope everyone in the group will take the time on their own to check it out. Fair warning that some of the subject matter is heavy, but it was well worth the reading experience.
I was very impressed by the amount of research done in order to bring this story and all the characters to life. I felt transported to the early half of the 20th century and imagined how Rachel must have been feeling throughout her experiences growing up and even when she was my age. Her fear, anger, frustration, desire for acceptance, etc.; her emotions felt real and very honest. The dialogue was genuine and the settings felt like they were right in front of me. I also appreciated seeing photos at the end, in the author's notes.
The only thing that didn't work as well for me (but didn't deter from my enjoyment either) was that in the flashback chapters, the narrative kept shifting between characters way too much. If that's my only "complaint," you know you're in for quite an incredible read!
was well-written and difficult to put down. I applaud on this literary masterpiece. I highly recommend it to book clubs for further discussion. I wish my book club wanted to read it, but I hope everyone in the group will take the time on their own to check it out. Fair warning that some of the subject matter is heavy, but it was well worth the reading experience.
January 9, 2023
Book 2/100 for my 2023 Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Reading Challenge.
For Popsugar's 2023 Reading Challenge, this is my entry for "A book with a queer lead".
This book was heartbreaking in its entirety. I almost had to quit reading when it described how the orphans were experimented on. I don't know if it was the power in the author's writing or the knowledge that these kind of experiments indeed happened that made me feel sick to my stomach.
This book is told from two alternating timelines, one from when Rachel was a child and one from when Rachel is an adult nurse. I enjoyed how the alternating timelines built on one another and led to some exciting twists throughout the novel.
The relationship between Rachel and Naomi was tender and loving. Another heartbreaking aspect is the fact that this relationship was never acknowledged - they were just "roommates" and "spinsters". How many relationships were written off as two people just being friends? LOTS.
Medical Assistance in Dying is a morally grey area. Is it merciful or murder? At what point in a person's deterioration is it more humane to let them pass than to keep them living?
This book left me with a lot to think about. Four stars for this beautiful piece of work.
For Popsugar's 2023 Reading Challenge, this is my entry for "A book with a queer lead".
This book was heartbreaking in its entirety. I almost had to quit reading when it described how the orphans were experimented on. I don't know if it was the power in the author's writing or the knowledge that these kind of experiments indeed happened that made me feel sick to my stomach.
This book is told from two alternating timelines, one from when Rachel was a child and one from when Rachel is an adult nurse. I enjoyed how the alternating timelines built on one another and led to some exciting twists throughout the novel.
The relationship between Rachel and Naomi was tender and loving. Another heartbreaking aspect is the fact that this relationship was never acknowledged - they were just "roommates" and "spinsters". How many relationships were written off as two people just being friends? LOTS.
Medical Assistance in Dying is a morally grey area. Is it merciful or murder? At what point in a person's deterioration is it more humane to let them pass than to keep them living?
This book left me with a lot to think about. Four stars for this beautiful piece of work.
July 9, 2015
I loved this book; it was a wonderfully engaging story, and was based on actual historic events. I knew nothing about the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, or the experimental medical treatments inflicted on children in this country. The story about Rachel Rabinowitz alternates between her childhood days in the orphanage, and her life as a young-mid aged adult, when she is working as a nurse. In many ways Rachel was lucky, but her life also holds much trauma and tragedy. The author included a few notes at the end that explained her familial ties to this orphanage; I would like to have heard more about her research and the historical facts on which her novel is based.
I won my copy of this book from Bookreporter.com.
I won my copy of this book from Bookreporter.com.
March 8, 2018
Una historia muy interesante sobre los experimentos que se realizaron a niños huérfanos, judÃos en Nueva York durante los años 20. Una historia ficticia basada en hechos reales que una vez más nos horroriza y asombra. La historia me gustó, el personaje principal conmueve, sin embargo, creo que a la narración le falta fuerza, no creo que logre reflejar el sentimiento de tan grave situación y sobre todo la situación tan compleja que vive la protagonista siendo una adulta.
Aún asà es una lectura muy interesante.
Aún asà es una lectura muy interesante.
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