That End Of Lilac Lane

by Sharon Schuller Kiser

Five-year-old Sarah Emily is abandoned under the sharp-pointed black iron letters ORPHAN ASYLUM OF LANDER. Timothy, a scruffy orphan boy, finds her on the doorstep, coaxes her inside--and a friendship begins.

Growing up under the cruel hand of the headmistress has left Sarah Emily desperate to find out if an orphan is worth anything to anyone. And why was she abandoned? She and Timothy will be pushed out into the world and wonder what life will hold for them.

The only clue to her past is one picture of her parents in an old mahogany box. But when a new crime opens the door to an old one, Sarah Emily discovers a terrible truth. She'll do anything to keep it to herself--even from Timothy. However, secrets have a way of causing trouble...and danger.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Stella Potts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. The time is 1869 when things were much different than they are now. It’s a story of orphans, two particular ones, and their lives in an orphanage. It was really hard for me to read at first because of the way they were treated but when you see the dreams that Sarah Emily and Luke have and the way they deal with the cruelty of the Head Mistress it will warm your heart. As Sarah Emily searches to find out who she is it can be heartbreaking but in the end she finds out that Jesus can make a new person out of anyone. Get this book. It has a great message that everyone needs to hear. Thank you Sharon Schuller Kiser for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Elma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The shed is where bad orphans go. Miss Percy, the orphan headmistress calls the children "orphan brats." She treats them with disdain and frightens them with her harsh words and strap, wielding both with obvious malice. Otherwise when Mrs. Hancock and Her Ladies Aid Society are present she treats the orphan children as though they're "darlings." Although Cook and Mr. Wilbur are on the children's side, they can only do so much. Miss Percy contemptuously refers to the knotted rope the under sixteen-year olds must hold onto while outside, as "the leash."

The children's rations are getting more and more meager while Miss Percy doesn't seem to be suffering while she eats her fancy cakes and drinks her tea.

Sarah Emily is a prankster and some of the other children help her pull off her stunts against Miss Percy, preferring a little fun to the fear of the strap or "the shed."

Sarah Emily's friend Betsy gets the fever and Sarah Emily overhears Miss Percy telling the doctor there isn't any money for the necessary medicine, without which there isn't much hope for Betsy. In the course of Sarah Emily and her long-time friend, Timothy trying to obtain funds for the medicine for her friend, they meet wonderful loving people.

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was a sweet story of one orphan girls longing to find out who she really was, not realizing that she was loved completely by the Savior. I cried at the end when Sarah Emily's hopes and dreams are realized. A great read!