The Orphan Master

by Jean Zimmerman

It’s 1663 in the tiny, hardscrabble Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, now present-day southern Manhattan. Orphan children are going missing, and among those looking into the mysterious state of affairs are a quick-witted twenty-two-year-old trader, Blandine von Couvering, herself an orphan, and a dashing British spy named Edward Drummond.

Suspects abound, including the governor’s wealthy nephew, a green-eyed aristocrat with decadent tastes; an Algonquin trapper who may be possessed by a demon that turns people into cannibals; and the colony’s own corrupt and conflicted orphanmaster. Both the search for the killer and Edward and Blandine’s newfound romance are endangered, however, when Blandine is accused of being a witch and Edward is sentenced to hang for espionage. Meanwhile, war looms as the English king plans to wrest control of the colony.

Jean Zimmerman brings New Amsterdam and its surrounding wilderness alive for modern-day readers with exacting period detail. Lively, fast paced, and full of colorful characters, The Orphanmaster is a dramatic page-turner that will appeal to fans of Hilary Mantel and Geraldine Brooks.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, 17th Century, Historical Mystery, Thriller

416 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2012

About the author

Throughout her writing career Jean Zimmerman has published both nonfiction and fictional works that center around the changing role of women in America.

In Tailspin (Doubleday, 1995) she wrote about intrepid Navy fighter pilot Kara Hultgreen. Ballsy soccer players were the subject of Raising Our Athletic Daughters (Doubleday, 1998, with Gil Reavill). She covered heroic female homemakers in Made From Scratch (Free Press, 2003). The Women of the House (Harcourt, 2006) allowed Zimmerman to portray New Amsterdam fur trader extraordinaire Margaret Hardenbroeck. She brought larger-than-life beauty Edith Minturn out of obscurity in Love, Fiercely (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012). She also created intrepid fictional heroines from earlier eras in The Orphanmaster (Viking, 2012) and Savage Girl (Viking, 2014).

To promote her books Zimmerman has appeared on “The Today Show,” NBC; “Good Morning America,” ABC; “CBS Evening News With Dan Rather”; “Talk of the Nation,” National Public Radio; “The Diane Rehm Show,” National Public Radio; “New York & Company With Leonard Lopate,” WNYC; “To the Best of our Knowledge,” Wisconsin Public Radio and others. She also spoken before audiences at historic sites, libraries, museums, book clubs and other venues.

An honors graduate of Barnard College, Zimmerman earned an MFA in writing from the Columbia University School of the Arts and published her poetry widely in literary magazines. Her awards and prizes include an Academy of American Poets Prize in poetry, 1985; a New York Foundation for the Arts grant in poetry, 1986; Books for a Better Life Award, finalist, 1998, for Raising Our Athletic Daughters; Washington Irving Book Selection of The Women of the House; Washington Irving Book Selection of The Orphanmaster; Westchester Library Association prize, 2007, for The Women of the House; Original Voices Selection, Borders, 2006 for The Women of the House.

She lives with her family in Westchester County, New York. Zimmerman’s blog, Blog Cabin, can be found at jeanzimmerman.com.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Though there's a mystery at the heart of this story, the book's strongest suit is its depiction of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in the 1660s. New Amsterdam's Director-General, Petrus Stuyvesant, rules under the auspices of the Dutch West India Company, whose main goal is to make money.



Thus, numerous residents of New Amsterdam are traders - dealing in grains, furs, weapons, blankets, household items, etc. Life in the territory can be harsh though - with deadly diseases, serious injuries, and sporadic Indian attacks.





The hard work in New Amsterdam is broken up by the occasional holiday festival, where residents drink, dance and flirt.


Excess revelry is risky though, because Director-General Stuyvesant inflicts harsh sentences for bad behavior. One penalty - being bounced around for hours while astride a thin wooden plank - is horribly painful and can leave a miscreant with a bloody broken tailbone. (Ouch!!)

On top of his other concerns Stuyvesant is anxious about the English colonies surrounding New Amsterdam.....and he has good reason to be. Britain is planning to take over the Dutch settlement and sends Edward Drummond - a spy pretending to be a grain merchant - to scope out Dutch defenses and help plot the coup.



One of the cleverest traders in New Amsterdam is a 'she-merchant' named Blandine van Couvering, a beautiful, independent young woman. Unlike most residents of the colony, Blandine is close friends with black people (former slaves) and Indians.



A wealthy Dutch businessman named Kees Bayard is almost engaged to Blandine, but his 'conditions' for marrying her are off-putting. In any case, Kees gets jealous when Blandine forms a rapport with Drummond, and this plot line forms an important part of the story.

The main theme of the book involves the disappearance of orphans - one by one - from New Amsterdam. Aet Visser, the orphan master, is in charge of parentless children. He generally sends them to local homes, where the unfortunate kids are often treated like servants or workers (or worse). Several orphans have now completely vanished, and Blandine enlists Drummond's help to look into the matter.



It soon becomes clear that the children are being murdered in a ritualistic fashion and - since New Amsterdam contains its share of odd people - there are plenty of suspects. Moreover, rumors fly about the 'witika' - a mask-wearing Indian demon who's (purportedly) been seen skulking around the forest.



The book has numerous interesting characters including: Martyn Hendrickson - one of the richest, most handsome men in town....but he stinks (literally); Lightning - a half-Indian, half German who was almost scalped; Anna - Aet Visser's maid and the (secret) mother of his children; Antony Angola, a giant black man who protects Blandine; Kitane - an Indian fur trader who knows a lot about the witika; and more.

Chasing and shooting scenes add excitement to the story, and I was intrigued by descriptions of everyday life in New Amsterdam, including food, clothing, wigs (for men), sewing circles (gossip sessions), religious practices, business dealings, family dynamics, and so on.

The story moves along at a steady clip for about two-thirds of the book. Then, Blandine and Drummond - accused of various crimes by resentful and frightened townsfolk - go into hiding. The story slows down at this point and I became anxious to get to the climax.....and the unmasking of the orphan killer.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

[Meave · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, the writing is awkward and clunky. It's third person omniscient, but she's inconsistent in her omniscience, like, sometimes we are with the crazy killer and we know just what he's thinking (and yes, it's exactly who you think it is), and sometimes it's a mystery. She doesn't seem to have a handle on how to deal with information, like, at all, so we either get confusing withholding, or a deathly dull information dump.

Second, Writing historical fiction doesn't mean you have to give us an "on this day in 16whenever, this happened" lesson every fifth chapter. Dial it back.

Third, the mystery itself is obvious and not at all scary.

Fourth, she doesn't trust the reader. Either quote a bunch of non-English languages and let the quotes be, or just write in English and pretend all the Dutch and native people are speaking in their respective language. Writing a two-word phrase in Dutch (OR LATIN) and then immediately writing its English translation is distracting, plus it reads like the author doesn't think her audience is clever enough to do the translation, or if nothing else google it. It's insulting.


Right, also most of the characters are two-dimensional and entirely unsympathetic. What a waste of an afternoon.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my imaginary Fenimore Cooper School of Literary Offenses, there's a popular class on how to write irritating historical novels. Writers are encouraged to apply modern ideas to past cultures. Jean Zimmerman surely took this course. Her heroine Blandina, who lives in New Amsterdam just before it falls to the British, is an independent trader. So far so good. But then we find she's best buddies with the African Americans shunned by the rest of the colony, not to mention with a native American. Hmm. Dances With Wolves, anyone? Zimmerman did her research, and got many details right, but she slips at Christmas, describing the wassails (British), the yule log (German) and the children's presents. Christmas is a Victorian construct - if they celebrated anything in New Amsterdam, it would have been New Year's.
But my favorite literary offense in this book was when Blandina and her English boyfriend escape by sleigh up the Hudson, where they find a magic cabin
sparkling with frost. Somehow they manage to live here for three weeks on sunshine and sex - where does their food come from? And how much fun can the sex be if you have no other clothes and only cold water to wash with? They manage somehow, and return to triumph over the bad guys.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of amazing qualities: historical facts, interesting premise, some well developed and unique characters, but it lacked proper pacing to keep you hooked. Thrillers need to read like a runaway train, and this read more like a commuters local.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then I read a book that just takes my breath away. It feels like the author wrote the book just for me, and I just can't put it down. This one, which I won through the goodreads' first reads (yeah!) giveaways was just that. It was just so brilliant that I'm really struggling how to put it into words.

It is set in a period of history about which very little is written in historical fiction - early New York history, when it was still a tenuous colony of intrepid Dutch men and women, given rein to do what they needed to in order to succeed. The imperative of a successful colony meant that women had far more rights than in their homeland at the time, or for some centuries afterwards, and also that one hard man, Peter Stuyvesant is judge, jury and executioner overseeing the daily lives of the colonists and maintaining law and order.

It is also time of turmoil across the Atlantic. Europe is struggling to achieve normality, prompted by the return of Charles II, a highly intelligent, charismatic, courageous and flawed man, to the throne in England, after the bloody and savage Civil War, and silently, the men that put his father to death are being hunted down and murdered. Catherine the Great is dragging Russia into Europe, and in France the Sun King, Louis XIV, has ascended the throne he'll occupy for a record 72 years. The Netherlands itself was celebrating after winning independence from Spain after an 80 year struggle, and was firmly in its Golden Age.

That's the incredible backdrop to this story. So, how do we go from that, through amazingly detailed, and never tedious, descriptions of daily life in the New Amsterdam colony, to the story of a particularly gruesome set of murders of children? Oh, and all the while, write a really compelling romance?

I'm not sure how the author does it, but she does! There are so many characters, all flawed, all harboring secrets, and yet, none of them are simple black and white, evil or good, but a mixed up, confusing grey sludge. Even the main hero (there are several heroes) is a study in what happens when you lose your moral compass, and one of the secondary heroes, well, even now, I don't know what to really think of him - his nature and beliefs are so far removed from my own, that I can't even bring myself to judge him.

So, 5 stars, absolutely brilliant, all-time-favorite (and even has a beautiful cover), and I really, really hope this author writes more historical fiction like this.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jean Zimmerman writes in the afterward to her historical novel, The Orphanmaster, that her husband asked her to, “Write me a murder.” She should have ignored him and concentrated on writing an historical adventure novel that interweaves the lives of its characters with the historical and political events of the time, instead of an ill-conceived and poorly executed period murder mystery.

The best parts of the novel involve Blandine Van Couvering’s rise as a female trader in the Dutch colony of New Netherland in 1663, and Edward Drummond’s role as an English spy gathering intelligence for the British crown. Zimmerman has done her historical research and it shows to good advantage in her descriptions of the daily lives and interactions of her characters.

As in many first novels there are a few flaws in pacing and awkward shifts in time and perspective, but those can be ignored by a generous reader.

What can’t be ignored, however, is the inclusion of a thoroughly uninteresting serial killer, whose identity is easily guessed within the first 50 pages of the book. Serial killer novels are loathsome and tedious for three basic reasons: 1) very few authors thoroughly understand the psychology of serial killers, 2) even fewer authors can make a serial killer interesting, and 3) introducing a serial killer forces the writer to engage in violence porn (unnecessarily gruesome depictions of violence against the most helpless victims the author can imagine—in this case, orphan children). In fact, with each successive serial killer novel that gets written, the violence porn has to be notched up to higher and higher levels to engage a jaded public’s disgust. It’s time to retire the idiotic subgenre of serial killer novels altogether.

Zimmerman struggles to make Blandine’s and Eward’s stories mesh with the serial killer’s plotline. And so the last 100 pages of the book turn into one long string of improbable coincidences that includes an eye-rollingly bad chase scene that reads like it was lifted from the script of a bad Hollywood action film that went straight to DVD.

Next time Zimmerman needs to ask herself what her strong female character, Blandine, would do. Blandine would tell her: “Don’t listen to your husband. Do what you’re good at and give us a great, well-researched, historical adventure novel that grounds your characters’ stories in the historical changes of the time.”

I so wanted to see Blandine build her trading empire and use her influence or her cunning to rescue Edward from the hangman’s noose. Now THAT would have been a good book.

[Emily Rozmus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 4.5 for me, and the only thing that kept me from giving it a five is the crutch of formula mystery/crime writing that it leans on. The setting is outstanding, though. 17th century New Amsterdam is not a time/place I have read about before and Zimmerman captured the sounds, smells and sights of it as well as the inhabitants. A mixture of Dutch, English, German, Indian and African form the list of characters, and most are fully fleshed by the writing. There are significant scary moments(the Witika) and romantic moments(a secluded cabin in the wilderness), as well as truly suspenseful moments. The last 40 pages of the book alternates between two catastrophic episodes involving the two main characters, and left me on the edge of my seat. There were problems too,and those kept me from assigning the book 5 stars. There was a bit of predictability to the story, and the killer is revealed by clues too easy to ignore with a quarter of the book left. There was a formula being used for the plot, and despite the powerful setting, the bare bones of it were evident in certain places - particularly the climactic ending of search and rescue. It was a hard read to put down, and one I easily picked up, so it merits the title of good read from me overall.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The Orphan Master” by Jean Zimmerman, published by Viking.

Category – Fiction/Historical Fiction

In 1663 Lower Manhattan was called New Amsterdam and was a Dutch Colony. The Dutch had a civil position known as “The Orphan Master” whose job was to watch over children who had lost both their parents.

Aet Visser was “The Orphan Master” for New Amsterdam. He placed children in homes or places where they could work.

Edward Drummond, an Englishman, comes to New Amsterdam to scout the area for a possible English invasion. He becomes involved with a young lady, Blandine van Couvering. Blandine was an orphan and is now a very successful trader.

The town is terrified by the witika. The witika is a demon that seems to be abducting young children, but only those than have been orphaned, and is a flesh eating monster.

Edward finds himself being accused as a spy and Blandine accused of being a witch. They both find themselves fighting for their lives and also trying to uncover they mystery of the witika and the missing children.

The book is very, very slow and tiresome. Although it does show signs of promise towards the end, most readers will have already closed the book.

[Alyssa Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best thing about The Orphanmaster is its historical detail. Zimmerman does an excellent job of setting the scene and integrating issues and concerns the colonists had during that time. The legend of the witika was delightfully horrific, and I enjoyed reading about it. This story has lots of drama to keep the reader entertained. Though the first half is a bit slow, the second half really picks up and it is simply a race to the end. I will say that this is not for everyone, as it is rather graphic. Some of the violence and gruesome details were unnecessary, I think, and only used for shock value, which I dislike, but most of it fits in with the mystery of the orphan disappearances in the colony.

In terms of characters, Blandine was my absolute favorite. She is so strong and really stands on her own. Though there are men in her life who help her, she doesn't lean on them and she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. I really appreciated that and was rooting for her to overcome the patriarchal and suspicious society she lives in.

For all of its detail, I do think that the history overshadows the story. I think some of the setting could have been cut to make room for more plot and character development that would have added a richness to both. As it was, I didn't feel connected to any of them except for Blandine. Even then, I only really connected with her because she's a strong female character dealing with the ideals and prejudices of people living in the seventeenth century. And for a mystery, there wasn't much suspense. It's just sort of life-as-usual with the kidnappings in the background, when they should have been the focus of the story. Also, once enough information is given about the people in the town, it is obvious who the killer is. The characters take a lot longer to figure it out, which was frustrating for me.

I enjoyed the story overall, however. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy how effortlessly Zimmerman transports the reader to another time and place, and fans of mystery will enjoy the legend of the witika and the completely psychotic murderer.

*I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

[Lisa Senauke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best historical/mystery/suspense books I've ever read. Author Jean Zimmerman has written an incredibly compelling novel about life, love and murder in New Amsterdam (lower Manhattan) in 1660. Ms. Zimmerman's attention to detail and knowledge of life and the history of the early days of Manhattan bring realism and depth to this tale of grizzly murder, . The main character is a strong and spirited heroine, Blandine van Couvering - Blandine, an orphan herself, is artfully drawn into the mystery when the town's orphans begin disappearing. Blandine meets an English gentleman Edward Drummond, who has come to New Amsterdam at the behest of the King of England, on a secret mission. The two embark upon an urgent search for the answer to the question, "What has happenened to the children?" Beautiful language, passionate romance, gruesome crimes, against a backdrop of the politics, religion, the hard life of the colonists keep the reader riveted. I loved this book.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

An historical novel, yes, but oh so much more! Author Jean Zimmerman has meticulously researched the data on the colony established by the Dutch West India Company in the 1600s. The colony, New Amsterdam, will eventually become Manhattan, but in 1660 it is a bustling center of commerce under the iron fist (and wooden leg) of Petrus Stuyvesant. One of the bureaucratic jobs in the community is the Orphan Master. His job is to oversee and protect and provide for the orphans there. Orphans may have originally been part of families where parents died from disease or other traumatic events, or they may have been orphans in the fatherland who were occasionally rounded up and sent across the sea to serve as indentured servants performing all the drudge work that the bustling, growing economy requires.

The Dutch culture in that era allows much more freedom for women than the English, which means that Blandine van Couvering, orphaned at 15, is allowed to continue in the work of her family and thus is one of the emerging "she-merchants" in the community. Currently she is 22, no longer a responsibility of the Orphan Master Aet Visser, but she still relies on him for advice and guidance. Visser himself seeks the aid of a new arrival in New Amsterdam, Edward Drummond. Though claiming to be a grain merchant, he is in actuality a spy for King Charles II of England, who intends to claim the territory now occupied by the Dutch. Visser asks Drummond to check on one of the orphans he has placed with the Godbolt family to confirm whether or not Visser's suspicions regarding this family are valid. Intrigue and suspense abound, as virtually everyone's end game is making money. This family stands to gain substantially when the orphan receives an inheritance from family across the sea. Visser doubts that the current child is the same one he placed there.

The purpose of the New Amsterdam outpost is to collect and return beaver pelts to the fatherland, and the result is that traders and merchants abound, adeptly bartering tools and supplies, even guns, to the native American hunters and trappers who supply the pelts. Everybody wins!

But the ugly circumstance that the community slowly comes to notice is that orphans are occasionally disappearing. The citizens gradually comprehend that something, or someone, is targeting the most vulnerable among them. Deep fear and horror strike their hearts when bones of children are discovered in remote fire circles surrounded by signs and totems that indicate a demon that is part of local indian lore, the witika, may be responsible. The witika demon is also associated with cannibalism. As unthinkable as it seems, there is no doubt a serial killer capable of great evil in their midst.

It isn't long before frightened people begin to suspect others in the community, and believe me, there is no shortage of possibilities! Because Blandine seems to be the only one concerned when one of the black community's children disappears, she is considered suspect, and possibly a witch. Since Visser is the only adult in the community charged with the responsibility of all the orphans, perhaps he bears guilt in the disappearances.

This saga has so many twists and turns, so many interesting characters, and so many heart stopping moments of terror built into the story, that the reader's interest is held captive til the very end. There are so many reasons to recommend this book...here are two: One, it is NOT a trilogy, so I can assure you there is closure; and two, though it has just come out in print, it is about to become a movie so you need to read it first and cast it in your own mind to see if you are thinking like the great minds of Hollywood...just sayin...

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel is set in 1663 when the Dutch ruled Manhattan. It's a time period I know virtually nothing about so I was excited about the book. The Dutch had some very forward thinking ideas about women. A woman, after marriage, was allowed to work and retain property in her own name. The protagonist in the story is Blandine van Couvis, a merchant trader.

Blandine has some odd associates including a giant black man who survived a hanging and an Indian who sometimes practices a little cannibalism when a fever attacks him. Blandine was an orphan and supervised by the town's Orphan Master. He made a nice profit from renting the orphans out to work for various people. Into this mix, enters Edward Drummond, a spy sent by King Charles II of England. His job is to study the Dutch defense so England can invade.

Orphans in town start to go missing and no one seems too bothered. Then they find their half eaten bodies and a panic ensues. Who's taking the orphans?

The life of the Dutch settlers was quite interesting. The houses had actual glass in the windows which surprised me. Even a hundred years later, glass was a luxury. The Dutch seemed to have some wonderful evolved ideas but were led by Stuyvesant who appears in the book to be quite incompetent.
It makes you wonder who life would be if the Dutch had kept control of the area.

The story was good but very graphic and there were parts I skipped over for my own sanity. The writing was not quite smooth and this was a debut fiction novel. It could have used some judicious book editing but then so did Amy Tan and Elizabeth George in their latest efforts. The story kept my attention and overall I enjoyed it, just not too much. The writing and the graphic portrayals were negative aspects to me.

[Edwin Battistella · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Orphanmaster took a while for me to get into—too long, I thought—but when I finally did I was hooked. It’s a murder thriller and a historical novel of the 1660s, set in fertile locale: the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, where a native creature called a witika is thought to be stealing and devouring orphans. There’s a determined she-trader hero, a dissolute but seemingly good-hearted bureaucrat in charge of orphans, an English spy charged with tracking down the regicides who sentenced Charles I, and many more. There were actually too many characters, some overdrawn but introduced to add historical detail and texture. (The hilarious treatment of Peter Stuyvesant, however, was worth the price of admission.) There were some good plot twists and engaging history but also a bit of the kitchen sink thrown in. Definitely worth reading but I’m torn about recommending it to my book club….

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story about a fictional string of orphan-murders in Manhattan's 17th Century Dutch New Amsterdam colony is certainly a great idea for a book, but what type? Is it a murder mystery? a historical romance? or is it literary fiction? Often, it feels like the writer herself hasn't quite decided. However, the final section of the novel delivers the answer with dead-on precision--it is a gruesome, nail-biting, shocker of a crime thriller. If only the preceding 375 pages matched the final 40. Still, this is a first novel and I have high hopes for future work from this writer.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher as part of Goodreads giveaway program, Firstreads.

It was difficult to come up with a rating for this first novel by historian Jean Zimmerman. There are aspects of it that are really great, and yet it also has serious problems. The novel presents itself throughout as a mixture of genres - historical, mystery, horror, romance - yet is packaged as a literary work. This hodgepodge creates problems, yet somehow the work as a whole came out better for me than any of its individual component attributes on their own. At the end of the read, despite its many deep flaws, I have to admit it was entertaining, though by no means literary. The book clearly is strongest in its historical nature, due to Zimmerman's expertise in the setting. She has thus crafted a history lesson in the guise of a tale. Sometimes the history is incorporated into the text well, in the form of rich details or dialogue. But at other moments the history is given in thick packets of text as if the narrator has suddenly turned history professor, recounting the great events on Earth in the year of our Lord 1663...

And the narrator... the story is told in third person omniscient, but shifts views within single pages between various characters, speaking as if the voice were from the era of the setting, but then explaining things in modern terms as if the reader were incapable of realizing what simple Latin phrases were. The voice is one moment deathly serious, describing some horrific grisly detail, but then switches to describe something else tongue-in-cheek, even breaking the fourth wall to gently poke the reader. The voice employed by Zimmerman is therefore just too inconsistent.

Beyond the fascinating historical details of the novel lie some moments of true horror, featuring the Native American wittika (wendigo) mythology. Zimmerman is really adept at writing the horrific. I found the passages of these moments to be chilling and creepy without being exploitational or gratuitous. Unfortunately, she fails at the mystery genre. The story is certainly a thriller or suspenseful, but there is little mystery. The party responsible for the murder is obvious a few chapters in. This fault largely arises from the fact that the characters are all very flat and fail to change appreciably. It is almost like they come from a role playing game: Chaotic good, chaotic evil, neutral good, lawful neutral, etc. Guess which falls into the serial killer category. With character's 'alignment' so obvious and unswerving, the mystery fizzles.

Yet, despite these issues, I still enjoyed it a fair amount. The ride was interesting when I got past the ever-shifting voice, the historical aspects made new information still accessible, and the well-written suspense and horror of it made me look past the awkward romantic aspects that simply occur with little development or believability. Finally, the female protagonist, and believably rendered despite the 1663-context was uniquely interesting.

I'm not surprised at all to see this novel has been optioned for a movie. It is a Hollywood type plot through-and-through, with its mixture of genre that can have something to please everyone in the crowd. Zimmerman even writes as if it were a screenplay with action of the screen. Surrounding her dialogue, she alternates between detailed complex sentences and short phrases lacking complete grammar to convey atmosphere, as if they are stage directions.

If Zimmerman writes another novel I might give it a read depending what the genre is. I think she could easily fix the issues of this novel with more editing - and perhaps focusing on two genres rather than multiple.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally posted here.

The Orphanmaster is Jean Zimmerman's debut novel. It is not, however, her first foray into publication by any stretch of the imagination. Zimmerman is, first and foremost, a historian. Earlier this year, I read her recently published Love, Fiercely, and quite enjoyed it. Despite that, The Orphanmaster wasn't really on my radar, and I was going to let it pass me by. Then, one of the lovely folks at Penguin offered me a copy for review, and I couldn't say no. Guys, I am so, so glad that she offered me an ARC of this and that I accepted.

The first thing I have to mention is Zimmerman's writing. She has a way with words. The novel is complex and beautiful. I learned new terms and got to appreciate just how crazy Dutch looks. Reading The Orphanmaster is simply a pleasure, through all 416 long pages. This book took me some time to get through, but it was never a struggle.

Now, the story. The story is completely epic. From the first sentence, which definitely had me hooked, I was completely entranced by this whole other world, the past, which Zimmerman transported me to. Set in New Amsterdam in the 1660s, a gigantic cast of characters is centered around the mystery of a series of murders of orphans, done either by a psychopath or a demon.

The plotting and characterization reminded me somewhat of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, another book I love, although I think this one is better. In the first couple of chapters, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters I was introduced to, all with very weird names, like Aet and Blandine. I worried I wasn't going to be able to track who was doing what, but Zimmerman does an excellent job, and after the initial onslaught, I had no issues with that.

Blandine was by far my favorite character, which should come as no surprise. She's an independent, headstrong lass. An orphan herself, she is 22 and as-yet unmarried, though she certainly could be if she wanted to be. Instead, she works (very successfully, I might add) as a trader. I loved her strength, and her openness to other cultures. There are strong themes of racism through the book, and Blandine is a wonderful person who judges people by their actions, not their skin color.

Just to warn you, this book can be quite gruesome. There are rapes, skinnings, murders and cannibalism. This is not a book for the faint of heart. None of this is done to excess or just for shock value, I don't think, but it is there.

Prior to reading this book, I knew almost nothing about the Dutch presence in what is now New York. I knew they were there for a while, and that the Brits pushed them out. That was about the extent of my knowledge though. I think that period was generally glossed over in history classes as not especially important, or maybe I just forgot. Either way, getting to learn about that colony was totally awesome. There are so many completely fascinating historical goodies in here. If you like to learn from your books, you will love this.

From start to finish, The Orphanmaster is dazzling. Historians should write historical fiction more often. I eagerly anticipate more novels from Zimmerman in the future!

[Tarynwanderer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creature stalks the shadows of New Amsterdam. Known as the witika, it is a deranged beast that consumes the flesh of its fellow man. In Jean Zimmerman's The Orphanmaster, the witika has been blamed for a recent string of orphan kidnappings and killings. Dutch merchant Blandine von Couvering, who is an orphan herself, has her doubts, and sets out to solve the mystery with the help of British spy Edward Drummond, her servant/companion Antony, and Kitane, a Lenape trapper.

Though it had its faults, The Orphanmaster was well-written and provided an engaging lens through which to learn about some interesting history. The central mystery was gripping, though most readers will probably figure out who/what the witika is fairly early on. (Though it took me until the final author's note to realize that the witika is the same legendary creature as the wendigo!) In part, this is because Zimmerman employs several point-of-view characters, including some who are thought to be the culprits behind the orphan kidnappings. Being able to solve the mystery didn't necessarily lessen the novel's tension, especially due to a revival of the creepiness during the third-act. Seasoned readers of mysteries may not be entirely impressed by the weak red herrings, but I thought Zimmerman's writing and setting were enough to give this thriller a fresh gloss. The B plot, about Drummond hunting down the judges who signed the death warrant for the formerly-exiled English King Charles the I, is interesting, but because Drummond isn't actually an assassin himself, I was much more intrigued by the witika, and it's really the mystery that drives the plot.

One of this novel's greatest strengths is the commitment to historical detail. Zimmerman lovingly illustrates New Amsterdam for us, from its dirty cobbled alleyways to the food served at its pubs. The setting pulses with energy, with sights and smells, with the clink of wampum, with the rolling tides. It was not surprising to me at all to discover that Zimmerman is a historian who has previously published nonfiction. Her world-building was really exceptional. It's also fascinating to be able to compare the New York City of today with its beginnings during this period of time. Similarly, I thought she did excellent work conveying the wildness of the New World, and how perilous the settlement's position was, threatened by American Indians, the English, and the raw power of nature itself, simultaneously threatening and bewitching.

Please read the rest of my review over at Bookwanderer!

[Elli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is set on Manhattan Island, part of New Amsterdam, a trading Dutch settlement very early in the history of our country as a new country. Things are just beginning to simmer as far as who owns, who has rights in trading, all those qualities that are disputable to those looking for business possibilities and how to best exploit them. And the new world is ripe with possibilities. Peter Steyvestant is the head of the colony and is known for his unwavering strictness and strong ideas. The orphan master is a position that was held...bringing the orphan children to areas where they can work and receive training (in the ideal, that is). Some are better than others. Visser does care about his kids, but it's a rough world and possibilities fir a nice life don't just float up. Questionable things are happening and as time goes on, people get more suspicious and more scared.
One thing I liked about the book was a lack of role models and heroes, and I find I like this. People are people not models of dedicated perfection. Many do their best in their own ways which are not necessarily polished or charming. There is something more real about this approach. And it's easier to relate to some of the very difficult situations that do exist as well. I thought the book was very worthwhile, but I can see where a lot wouldn't feel this way as well. Old legends have infused into some of the happenings and fear of the supernatural and witchcraft begin to influence some thinkings. And it was interesting when Peter Steyvesant started to reminisce and wonder why he and his family of influence were passed over by some of those whom he would have chosen to unite with....and he just doesn't understand. Although the reader easily can! A good book, I thought. But not a pretty one!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is 1663 in New Amsterdam.

If you an orphan, then most likely you have met the orphanmaster. He is the one that all the children know.

Blandine van Couvering grew up an orphan herself. She has done pretty well for herself these days. Having been an orphan, Blandine has a soft spot for the other orphan children. This is why when some of the orphan children go missing, Blandine takes it upon herself to lead a group and go hunting for the missing children. Blandine is joined by Edward Drummond, a British spy. Suspicions first lead to the orphanmaster but as Blandine and Edward draw closer tothe truth, they learn there is something more evil at work.

This was quite an interesting book. Although, the first half of the book does move slowly. However, if you stick with it, it does get better. I liked the historical aspect surrounding this story, especially regarding the Native Americans and the witika. The idea that a beast could have that much power to make people turn into cannibals is creepy. Unlike some of my fellow readers, I did not have a problem with the grusome eating of human flesh. I can see though, where some could be grossed out as it was emphasized but this was to help tell the story. The whole idea of the orphanmaster had me thinking of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The orphanmaster was in charge of all the lost children and he would lead them away.

Blandine is a strong female protagonist. She really helped lead the story. Being an orphan herself helped as she fought hard for all the missing children. While, I liked Edward too, I was not feeling so much the love interest between him and Blandine. I felt it took a bit of a side seat to the main focus of the missing children. A nicely done first novel by new author, Jean Zimmerman. The Orphanmaster comes calling!

[Natalie (Natflix&Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to win an advance copy of this book through Goodreads. The cover looked amazing (I know, I know) and the story sounded so interesting, even if it wasn't my usual cup of tea. So the story takes place in what was once New Amsterdam and which is now Manhattan. The Dutch have control of the area and live more freely than their English conterparts. Women are allowed to trade and own property, former slaves are free to live as they please, and Native Indians mix (fairly) freely with the Dutch, mostly due to the trade industry. I don't usually read historical fiction, but what caught my eye on this book was the synopsis. The story follows the mystery of orphans who keep disappearing. On the case is the young she-merchant, Blandine, and the so-called 'dashing' English spy, Drummond, who is in America to hunt down the men who signed the former king's death warrant and fled to America to hide. Sounds pretty interesting, right? Well, it's not.

There were many things wrong with this book, here are a few: 1. the writing was clunky and tedious. It took me three weeks to get through this mess, but having won a free copy, I felt obligated to push through. 2. You know who is commiting the murders almost immediately! There is no mystery. The reader suspects who it is almost from the beginning (and you will be right) and then, like halfway through, it's revealed--and then still goes on for another 200 + pages. 3. So many unnecessary characters are introduced that just drag this already too-long book down.

What redeemed the book, slightly, was that the history is pretty interesting and I liked the two main characters enough to sludge through. If you like historical fiction, you might enjoy this book, but I'd have a hard time recommending it.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1663, what we know today as lower Manhattan, was a querulous little Dutch colony known as New Amsterdam. Although established by the Dutch, it became an international trading center facing a time of transition. Originally, home to various indigenous peoples, Europeans and nationalities of all ethnic origins began to move through this gateway to North America, bringing about change as well as conflict. In this challenging world of the frontier, death is not only common but a constant and predictable companion and the death of adults often leave children as orphans, so many in fact, that the settlers have created a position of responsibility for a caretaker known as an orphan master. His obligation is to see that the orphans are placed among settled families, securing them as contributing members of the settlement. This system works well until the children begin to inexplicably disappear from the census roles and although the villagers ignore it in the beginning, strange stories of primitive sacrificial ceremonies circulate and ultimately, body parts begin to appear. In this immaculately researched historical world, every page exudes period detail and atmosphere. A spirited narrative takes the reader on a journey that intriguingly incorporates the elements of a spy novel, a mystery, a horror story and a love story---the engine of the story---equally mixed with an element of humor. This is a well written and entertaining novel about a period of American history that is often overlooked.

[M Bonet · Rating 1 out of 5]

A proper murder mystery requires two very important elements: Sleuthing by its main protagonist/s (whether it be professional or amateur), and a tight, carefully structured "who done it" that serves up clues, red herrings, and plot twists to keep us guessing as to the murderer's identity and motives. 'The Orphanmaster' is sorely lacking in both of these departments. Blandine and Edward Drummond, the Dutch she-merchant and English spy who serve as heroine and hero as well as amateur sleuths, briefly discuss investigating the grisly, ritualistic murders (because that seems to be the convention in mystery now-a-days--no more quiet stabbings in libraries, now everyone is being ripped to literal shreds by serial killers) taking place in New Amsterdam (or New York, before the British took over)... and then proceed to do not much aside from taking sleigh rides up frozen rivers. We are told (not shown) that they investigated, usually in one or two throw-away sentences, as if the author has remembered that they were supposed to be investigating. As for the murderer? I knew his identity the moment a particular character was introduced. This is a flaw. I do not read that many murder mystery novels. If an amateur such as myself can pin-point your killer within seconds, surely there is something amiss with your mystery.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amount of history this book covers is amazing! Dutch New Amsterdam, the southern tip of what would become Manhattan, in the 1660's, traders, trappers, River Indians and Mohawks are all represented. Charles II has been recalled to the throne and is set on having all those who signed his father's execution writ, murdered. Drummond is the King's man and sent to the new world to find those few men who have managed to escape England. Blandine, the main protagonist, is a young woman moving up in the world of trade and Aet Visor is the orphanmaster, the man in charge of bringing orphans to this place and making sure they are given to good homes for both care and labor. They all must come together to find who is killing orphans. This is a character and setting driven mystery as is extremely well done. Though a bit confusing at the beginning because the information imparted to the reader is extensive, the pure delight in reading the history of this area as well as the repeating characters, soon provides its own reward. The amount of historical research required for this book is impressive. This is truly a first rate historical read, with interesting concepts and characters. ARC from NetGalley.
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[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book. It takes place in 1663 in the Duthc settlement of New Amsterdam. Orphaned children are disappearing and murdered by an unknown sadist. There is panic in the town because of the rumors of the witika, an Indian demon known to cannabalize his victims. Blandine van Couvering is a young woman who has begun a trading business. She begins to look into the disappearances but is sidetracked by her travels for trading. She meets Edward Drummond who is an Englishman traveling as a grain merchant but who is actually a spotter for the king looking for people who signed the death warrant against him. she is also friendly with the African members of the community as well as the Indian population. Blandine is suddenly branded a witch because of her relationships with outsiders and the fact that she cares about the death of unwanted children. Edward is branded a traitor and sentenced to be hung. It takes all of their cunning to escape and to find out the truth. This book is very well written and blends seamlessly the historical facts with the fictional characters. It was interesting and very suspenseful. The characters were excellently written and it was a "can't put it down" kind of book.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

• The author who has written a non-fiction book on this time period, so she knows her stuff, but her writing did not appeal to me and at times the language was too much of the time so that made the story drag
• I really enjoyed the character of Blandine van Couvering and she is one of the reasons I kept reading – she was a strong independent woman that remained true to her ambitions while earning respect.
• There was really a position called “orphanmaster” who was “in charge” of the orphans (and any assets they might have) – those whose parents died in the New World, those whose parents died or were abandoned in Holland – they would be “given/hired out” or could just be left to roam the streets and fend for themselves
• The portrayal of Peter Stuyvesant was not a flattering one – he came across as a buffoon and tyrant.
• Learned about the witika – a flesheating demon that was part of the Algonquin Indian folklore (there version of vampires)

[RuthAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would recommend: Ehh

This is a super strange book. I think it tried to be like Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague or maybe The Crucible, but it came out so bizarre. It's like, early American settlement meets weird Dutch names meets independent heroine meets totally weird demonic possession and cannibalism. What? Like I said, SO WEIRD. Granted, I wanted to know how it ended, but when I read the last line, I think there was a giant cartoon question mark over my head, not because I didn't understand what happened, but because it was SO WEIRD. That is my takeaway here: SO WEIRD.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though a lot of the subject matter was disturbing (there were definitely times I skimmed paragraphs detailing it), I thought this book was very interesting, and unlike anything I'd ever read before. It was a mystery set back in the 1600s, so you have the historical context behind the main plot of a serial killer taking orphaned children in the American colonies. I loved how the author switched the points of view of the narrator, so that you don't actually know who the killer is (or why you're learning about this event from a particular character). I do wish that the ending had been a bit different (I didn't love how it played out and still had a ton of questions about what happened after the main events), but otherwise, I really enjoyed it.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's 1663 and Manhattan's orphans have begun to disappear. Their small bodies, if found, are mutilated in ways reminiscent of the "witika", the demon-beast of Indian lore. Initially, this book grabbed my interest but by the time I was half way through I was forcing myself to finish it. Once the murder is revealed (about 2/3 of the way in), the book strays through subplots before petering out to its final conclusion. The storyline meanders and at times was difficult to follow. That said, I did enjoy the historical nature of the book,, which was very well researched, about early Manhattan and the Dutch settlers.

[Holly P · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

The Orphanmaster attracted me because it promised a feisty female heroine, the setting of New Amsterdam (back when New York wasn't even New York yet) and an intriguing mystery surrounding the disappearance of orphans from the colony. While I got the first two, unfortunately I didn't get the third. Blandine van Couvering is a beautiful young woman who, unwilling to settle down into the life of a good obedient house wife, ventures into the trade business and finds her true calling. As this is an occupation that is frowned upon for a woman (even though the Dutch are more accepting than most) Blandine struggles to be accepted in the business. Blandine is also an orphan who grew up under the care of Aet Visser, the town Orphanmaster. While Visser has his own demons (drinking and corruption among them) he is the only father figure she has known. When Aet becomes suspicious over one of his orphan's he enlists the help of Edward Drummond, an Englishman newly arrived to the colony. What begins as a half hearted inquiry into the fate of a few missing orphans soon evolves into a partnership between Blandine and Edward to find out what is really going on in regards to the missing children and that discovery is gruesome and full of danger.

First, I loved both the characters of Blandine van Couvering and the soldier turned spy Edward Drummond. Unconventional heroines are often my favorite characters in books and this was the case here. Blandine is tough enough to take on the boys in business but also has a soft spot for kids, as it seems she is just about the only one who cares that the orphan kids are disappearing. Edward is in the employ of Charles II and while in the Dutch Colony under the guise of grain merchant, his real purpose is to hunt down the regicides who sent Charles I to the scaffold (this is NOT a spoiler-it is revealed in the beginning of the book).

Second, you can tell the novel is well researched from the level of detail it contains about life in New Amsterdam. The social hierarchy, the layout of the town, the principle occupations, are all included and were quite interesting to read.

Unfortunately, I had several problems that kept me from enjoying this book. The story jumps around from character to character with absolutely no transition whatsoever. First we are following Blandine on some excursion and next it will be talking about Aet Visser or Kitane (Blandine's Indian friend) or Lightning (the half-Indian man everyone in town is scared of) and it seems at times there is nothing connecting these different occurrences. Also, for the first half of the novel the pacing is really slow. I kept wondering where the novel was going and when the story would pick up with a little more action. I think at half way through the novel the reader should have at least some indication. This combined with the flipping between characters made for awkward and slow reading. There were a few side stories going on that slowed down the reading even further. One involved the aforementioned concern of Aet Visser for one of his orphans that brought Edward Drummond into the mix in the first place. It seems the Orphanmaster is convinced that William Turner, the orphan he placed with the Godbolt family is not the same little boy he originally placed with them even though the Godbolt's say he is. There is also a dirty secret haunting Aet Visser, and Edward's involvement tracking regicides.

There are several instances in this book involving violence against children that I think readers may find disturbing. Concerning the actual plot of figuring out who is snatching the orphan children and why-the description says suspects abound but the author reveals the culprit in the first half of the book so there is absolutely no suspense built up in figuring out who was responsible for these vile deeds. The reader already knows! It is the townspeople who have the long list of suspects. I think the novel would have read much better had the reader been kept in the dark as to who the killer was. When the action finally did pick up in the last 50 pages of the book and the reason why the killer did all these things was revealed there wasn't much excitement surrounding it because you already knew the person's identity. It seems like the shock value of the grisly killings was supposed to take the place of the tension building aspect you normally get in a novel surrounding a mystery/thriller. The author does add in an interesting element by having the townspeople believe that the killings are the result of Witika madness (i.e. the killer is some Indian-demon who is kidnapping and eating the orphan children). Even with this thrown in the book didn't work for me.

Amidst all the violence and strange happenings, there was the romance between Blandine and Edward which I did enjoy. Overall though I found this story to be one of the most bizarre I have read in awhile. I did like Zimmerman's writing style but the disjointed narrative and really strange plot made The Orphanmaster a book that was really hard for me to get through.

*review copy from NetGalley*

[BarbaraW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tale of intrigue but the witica details did make me squirm.