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 … 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.
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It opened my eyes to the extent of discrimination against the Jews here in the U.S. I had no idea of the horrific way the children were treated in the hospital. Hard to believe that it could have happened here. But, mistreatment of Veterans as guinea pigs has come to light over the years, too. A must read for all.
I enjoyed the mix of history and fiction.
Orphan #8 started as a page-turner with an interesting main character presenting her past and present struggles in alternating chapters. However, the book lost some substance in the last quarter of the read and left this reader feeling somewhat disappointed by an uncertain ending.
How different our lives are depending where and to whom we are born. Victims and heroes are so subjective, always worth a closer look
So many issues became involved in this novel as it progressed. Was Rachel a victim of her circumstances with a right to seek revenge or were the turns in her life really no different from what happens to all of us? What happened when revenge for Rachel was actually release for her accused? She thought she had the ultimate moment for revenge, although we, dear readers knew that life had moved on for everyone. Surprisingly…. This helped me understand certain relationships that I had not previously considered.
A unique storyline. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. Good writing. There is tragedy and sweetness. Made me wonder what I would do in a similar situation.
intreiging character and ciccumstances. Couldn’t put this one down. I would buy more from this Author.
Very tragic but the constant ragging about the main characters lesbianism was boring. In this case, less would have been more.
The story was ok but would have been better if there wasn’t so much skipping around, Hard to figure out the time frame
This is a wonderful book!!! It goes back to a time it’s hard to imagine- living in an orphanage with 1,000 “brothers and sisters “. And the story keeps you glued into it, not wanting to put it down with a great ending! Doesn’t leave you feeling sad like some books can, the heroine empowers herself and rises above the heartbreak!!! A fantastic read, I was sort when I finished it and had no more left to read! Highly recommend!!!
Great book
Good read. I love historical fiction and the book was a good insight into an orphan’s life. Well written.
Really enjoyed this book. It opened my eyes to the fact that circumstances can force you to do things unbelievable.
sexual orientation of main character was a turn off.
didn’t like it because it had like gender partners in it
I had never read anything by this author but I would now seek out books written by her. Very good read!
A great book based on a true story. Don’t read this page turner late at night are you will miss sleep reading the next chapter and then the next chapter.
Recommended as a buy
Sad that the people in charge of the orphans had so much power that they were allowed to do all the experiments on the children with no reprocusions. The children has no advocate to see that they were not mistreated or abused . reminds me of the concentration camps during WW II.
I loved it. The beginning was a little slow or I would have given it 5 stars
I loved it, even though it was sad.