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About this item
At a glance
Target Book Club
Highlights
- Only at Target
Specifications
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 416
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: Paperback
Author: Kim Van Alkemade
Featured book lists: Target Book Club
Language: English
Street Date: August 4, 2015
TCIN: 23965487
UPC: 9780062437099
Item Number (DPCI): 059-04-0980
Origin: Made in the USA
Description
Only at Target: Find the August 2015 Target Club Pick: Orphan Number Eight! This edition includes an exclusive letter from author Kim Van Alkemade to the Target guest!
A stunning debut novel inspired by true events, Orphan Number Eight 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.
In 1919 Rachel Rabinowitz is a vivacious four-year-old living with her family in a crowded tenement on New York City’s lower east side. 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 reveals 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 Number Eight is a powerful, affecting novel of the unexpected choices we are compelled to make that can shape our destinies.
A stunning debut novel inspired by true events, Orphan Number Eight 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.
In 1919 Rachel Rabinowitz is a vivacious four-year-old living with her family in a crowded tenement on New York City’s lower east side. 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 reveals 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 Number Eight is a powerful, affecting novel of the unexpected choices we are compelled to make that can shape our destinies.
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 5.3 inches length x 1.3 inches width x 8 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1 pounds
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sarahmoe - 7 years ago
I totally disagree with the other review. I started this book last night and finished it this morning. I could not put it down! I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book and did not find the book "explicit" in any way. I thought it was great and have been recommending it to others left and right!
disappointing
1 out of 5 stars
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V - 8 years ago
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. Rachel's dilemma of whether to exact revenge or to forgive could have been fleshed out further. I appreciate that Target 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. Some will rave and think this a brave piece of fiction, 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. As for this being a Target Club pick, well, I think Target needs to realize, not all of your reading customers would happy with this genre for a recommended read, especially considering its explicit ending.