By 1948 Clara Newton, like so many others in England, had already lost so much. Her mother was dead, she was estranged from her father, her fiancé died during the war and she was fired from the job she loved. Perhaps on a whim, she applied for the position of housemother at Shilling Grange Orphanage. She thought the interview might be good practice. Shockingly she was hired. After all, she knew nothing about caring for children. In fact, her only experience with children was that she had been a child once. With no other options, she accepted the position. Sadly, she realized quickly she was in over her head.
THE ORPHANAGE, by Lizzie Page, candidly brings forth what life in the Shilling Grange Orphanage had been like. A place that had been run by nuns who ruled with an iron hand and now the children expected more of the same from Clara. The children's histories were heartbreaking. With very little government funding and almost no cooking skills, Clara quit. Perhaps fate played a role here, but when she found herself without immediate transportation back to London her departure was delayed. Slowly, things began to change and Clara wasn't going anywhere. And this is the heart of the story.
The author skillfully brings to life the eight orphans in Clara's care. Expertly developed, their personalities and their very essence grab readers' hearts. While readers are not spared the details of their often tragic histories, we are gifted with the traits that make them unique and special. However, it is Clara who is a truly unique character and it is fascinating to watch her evolve into the person she never dreamed she might become.
THE ORPHANGE is a gripping and emotional story with a heavy emphasis on the strengths of family bonds, especially when the family is one that the members aren't born into. Powerful and meaningful, this book is well worth reading. I am looking forward to the next book about the Shilling Grange Orphanage.
A gritty, heartbreaking story of love and hope in the darkest of times, perfect for readers of Erika Robuck and Shirley Dickson.
Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1948: Clara Newton is the new housemother of Shilling Grange Orphanage. Many of the children have been bombed out of their homes and left without families, their lives torn apart by the war, just like Clara’s. Devastated by the loss of her fiancé, a brave American pilot, Clara needs a place to start again and the orphans are in desperate need of her help. But funds are short, children cry out in the night, and the tearful girls tell Clara terrible stories about the nuns who previously ran Shilling Grange. Clara cannot bear to see them suffer, yet it soon becomes clear that she's in over her head.
But Clara is not completely alone. Living next door is Ivor: war hero and handyman with deep brown eyes. Having grown up at the orphanage, he's also hesitant to trust anyone. Yet his gentle voice and bottomless patience helps him soothe the orphans better than anyone. With his help, the orphans—and Clara—have someone to give them hope. But does she dare she open her heart to love again?
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