De verloren kinderen

Throwaway Children #1

by Diney Costeloe, Kris Eikelenboom (Translator)

Engeland, 1948. Rita en Rosie Stevens zijn pas negen en vijf jaar oud als hun moeder Mavis, een oorlogsweduwe, zwanger raakt van de gewelddadige Jimmy Randall. Hij stelt haar voor de keuze: als zij wil trouwen om hun zoon te erkennen moet ze haar dochters opgeven.
Mavis tekent de papieren van het weeshuis waar Jimmy de kinderen naartoe wil sturen zonder te beseffen dat ze daarmee al haar ouderlijke rechten overdraagt. Als het weeshuis een groep kinderen naar Australië stuurt ‘om daar een nieuw leven op te bouwen’, maken Rita en Rosie deel uit van die groep – en er is niets wat Mavis daaraan kan doen…

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, Book Club, Adult, Australia

412 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2015

About the author

Encouraged by my publisher father, I have been writing all my life. When I was five, he took my first effort to his office and brought it back in a cardboard cover with the label, 'Tom's Party'written by Diney, published by Daddy.
I've never looked back and always have some writing on the go.
To date I have written 10 romantic novels under the name of Diney Delancey (I liked the shape of the name and it sounded like a romantic novelist) and four novels as Diney Costeloe.
All are also in large print and several recently published as e-books.
See my reviews on Amazon and on my website, http://www.dineycosteloe.co.uk or http://castlehavenbooks.co.uk

Reviews

[Ruby Tuesday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an unexpected goodie this turned out to be? I loved it, it had me in tears in parts. There were so many parts to the story where I felt that I knew what was going to happen next but willing it not to. Just so tragic that I actually cried in places. This would make a fabulous made for TV drama. I read somewhere that the author had written books in the 80's then raised a family and has returned to writing. I think that the author is a superb writer of post war family sagas and hope she will publish another book soon as I would definitely be preordering it.

[Taury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad, sad, heart breaking book. So well written. Child abuse, domestic violence. Lies and deceit. Little girls thrown out of their home due to an evil step father. Children literally thrown away. Due to the times there are little rights for these children or their families. Greed and deception is what this book is based on. Until the end….

[Jackie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it loved it loved it! Couldn't put this book down & read it in under 24 hours.
Such a sad but 'real' story with some happy parts to balance it out.
Brilliant book - I'll now be downloading other books by Diney Costeloe & have high expectations !!

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't waste your time

I am not sure why so many people loved this book. It was not well written, the author wrote like a beginner still in public school. Maybe that's harsh but I am seriously disappointed in spending money on this book.The language is simple, no description. It's like a piece a student in junior high would write.

The plot is simple enough: two girls are abandoned by their mom when she remarries and has a new baby. The grandmother cannot take care of them, the abusive stepfather will not allow the girls to come back. He tricks the mother into signing them away to the ever care home for girls.
Here is where the story loses its foundation. The mother loves her little girls yet allows her abusive new lover to sign them away. She covers for him when her mother comes asking reasonable questions... The author inputs an inner dialogue randomly into the sentences and changes points of view pretty quickly. It's easy to follow but it's not well done. The mother, for instance, tries to rationalise selling her girls off by thinking the older one, Rita, is too troublesome. How unbelievably stupid. The rest of the book, what I could read anyway, was just so weak and contrived.

I ended up finding myself reading just to see if it got better and then I began scanning the story, progressing just because I paid for it. Then I decided I had enough and I stopped to think about how to write a review on it. My kobo has me at 35% read but I did not read that far, really, since scanning is not reading.

[Noella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een mooi boek!
Na de oorlog blijft Mavis alleen achter met haar twee dochtertjes Rita en Rosie, nadat haar man gesneuveld is. Dan leert ze Jimmy kennen, en hoewel hij niet echt de liefdevolle man is die ze hoopte, besluit ze bij hem te blijven, zeker nadat ze zwanger wordt.
Maar Jimmy wil de meisjes niet, en overtuigt Mavis ervan om de kinderen af te staan. Lily, de grootmoeder, wil de meisjes zelf opvoeden, maar als ze na een auto-ongeluk in het ziekenhuis belandt, net als Mavis ook naar het ziekenhuis moet om te bevallen, profiteert Jimmy hiervan om Mavis papieren te laten ondertekenen voor definitieve afstand van haar dochters.
En dan begint een echte lijdensweg voor de meisjes. Ondanks de pogingen van haar inmiddels herstelde grootmoeder om te achterhalen waar ze zijn, worden de kinderen naar een tehuis in Australië gestuurd.
Daar is het leven op de boerderij van het tehuis al niet veel beter. En de meisjes worden gescheiden als Rosie geadopteerd wordt. Voor Rosie loopt dit later falikant af, want ze komt niet in een aardig gezinnetje terecht.
Rita kan zich staande houden met de hulp van haar huismoeder, Delia Watson, die haar meeneemt als het tehuis zogoed als failliet is.
Intussen is in Engeland ook nog het een en ander gebeurd. Mavis is dood en Lily voedt haar kleinzoon Rick op.
Zal Rita nog herenigd worden met haar biologische familie?
Heel emotioneel verhaal, dat je in één ruk wil uitlezen.

[Tamara De Cubber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een heel mooi geschreven, ontroerend boek!

[Hazel Went · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this story was initially compelling, towards the end (without giving anything away) I started to lose patience as it felt as though the author was trying to impose disaster upon disaster on the protagonist(s). This resulted in a feeling almost of farce towards the end, which I am sure was not the intention. There was redemption, both for the story and the main character, and perhaps in a different mood I might have interpreted the book differently, but I was left with a less positive impression than I otherwise might have had.

The story is a fascinating one, following two children who are given up for adoption and subsequently deported to Australia as part of the mass deportations of children in care after World War II. The development of the relationship between the two sisters and their gran, that between their mother and her partner, and between the sisters themselves, contributed to the power of the story to draw the reader in.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the war, many children in England were orphaned and needed a place to live. Rita and Rosie were not orphans but ended up in an orphanage when their mom remarried and her abusive, violent husband forced her to sign them away to the government since he had no desire to bring up someone else's brats. Mavis' mom, Lily was horrified that her daughter would do this and she volunteered to have the children live with her and that way they could still see their mom.

When tragedy befalls the family, however, Mavis does put the girls into care. Little does she know that she is relinquishing all rights and that now the head of the orphanage can make any decisions that they desire. After several months, the girls are shipped off to Australia in order to get rid of Rita who sticks up for herself and her sister and is considered obstinate and belligerent.

What will become of two little girls who end up on the other side of the world? Do they have a chance to ever find their way back to England? What type of life do they have while in the orphanage?

This was a very interesting piece of historical fiction. Costeloe's writing style effectively put you into the story feeling the heartaches, fears, joys, and worries of the girls. There were times of suspense and wonderful descriptions. It was also a pleasure to become acquainted with a new author. Well done, Diney.

[Heleen Osse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren voor dit prachtige boek! Dit is zo'n verhaal waarvan je wil dat iedereen het leest. Een bijzondere historische roman!

Nadat dit boek al bijna een jaar in mijn kast stond, dan eindelijk uitgelezen. Wat een ongelooflijk mooi en ontroerend boek! Geen idee wat ik er van kon verwachten maar vanaf het eerste hoofdstuk word je meegenomen in het verhaal. Het boek leest als een trein en je wil het het liefst in één ruk uitlezen. Een verdrietig verhaal met gelukkig ook wat vrolijke momenten.

Aanrader voor iedereen!

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just... no. I started out intrigued, and then everything slowly went downhill. It was like the author wanted to use every cliche that existed. All the caretakers were evil and terrible people. the pacing was so odd. Everything just felt... bad. Anyway, didn't like it very much.

[Katrien Van Wambeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️

Hartverscheurend. Beklijvend. Aangrijpend.

Een rollercoaster aan emoties!
Lang geleden dat een boek mij zo kon ontroeren.
Prachtig!

[Ina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voor mij betekent een roman altijd een liefdesverhaal tussen man en vrouw maar hier gaat het over de liefde van 2 zusjes, de liefde van een grootmoeder voor haar kleinkinderen, de keuze van een moeder over de toekomst van haar kinderen. Na de oorlog blijft Mavis alleen over met haar 2 kinderen Rita en Rosa, haar man Don is overleden tijdens de oorlog en ze kan maar moeilijk de eindjes aan elkaar knopen tot ze Jimmy ontmoet. En dan begint de miserie want hij stelt Mavis voor de keuze, ofwel blijft hij voor haar zorgen , komt ze niets tekort maar dan moeten de meisjes weg. En wanneer Mavis zwanger wordt van Jimmy is het hek volledig van de dam. De grootmoeder Lily neemt de kinderen onder haar vleugels tot ze in het ziekenhuis beland en dan begint de onvermijdelijke levensweg van de 2 kinderen. Een verhaal vol emoties, verdriet, beetje hoop en vreugde en nog meer ellende. De laatste 2 pagina's was in bijna in tranen. Na het lezen heb ik toch nog een tijdje liggen woelen. Zeker een aanrader. Wel vond ik dat de moeder Lily mocht heten en de grootmoeder Mavis ;-)

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't quite understand how this is rated so highly. Maybe it's just not my style, but to me it read like a soap opera in book form. I found it a struggle to keep reading.

[Kelly-louise Charter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot tell you, how many time I sat with a lovely glass of red and cried while reading this book. With some inspirational characters it definitely made me want to read on... I need to find out what happened for Rosie and Rita. You never truly imagine just how bad things are going to get for these two little girls.

Heartrenching, tear jerking and absolutely beautiful.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book couldn't put this book down.its a sad story two sisters who's dad died and her mum marries a nasty peace of work,who marries her only if she gets rid of her kids they live with there gran till she has an accident and they get taken into care they get sent to Australia life in the care system is really bad full of lies and deceit. Great writing want to read more of this author.a book worth reading.

[Gill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Imagine a world where children are not wanted, where they are given away by their parents and they are sent away halfway across the world. Sadly this world exists, this novel is not based on true events but inspired by them.

Rita and Rosie Stevens are nine and five when their mother is persuaded by her new husband to give her children away, not realising she is signing away her rights as their mother. The girls are sent to an orphanage in Australia, this novel follows their journey into early adulthood.

This novel made me angry. I was angry at the pathetic mother who was so easily persuaded to simply give her children away. I was angry at her new husband who was so obviously wrong for her. I was angry at the orphanage owner who seemed just evil with no redeeming features. But most of all I was angry at the author for writing such a one dimensional story (OK angry is a strong word, disappointed maybe).

None of the characters had any depth to them, we don't see the world from their point of view, we don't understand their motivations which makes their actions seem irrational, simply serving to progress the plot. The plot was quite obvious (with a few surprises and none of them pleasant). Of course the orphanage would be horrible, of course the person in charge of the children would be bitter and twisted, of course anything which could go wrong, went wrong. I spent this novel turning the page and grimly nodding, as expected.

I found the idea of this novel intriguing, told well this could have been a harrowing story where I'd be routing for the girls, but no, I was simply going through the motions to finish it.

Sorry, not a goer for me (although Amazon seems to disagree with me, giving this novel 4.7/5).

[Terry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although real life may be stranger than fiction, and this book purports to based on a real policy of orphans being shipped from England to Australia, the book had so many ridiculously ugly, brutal and irresponsible (at best) things happen to children that it challenged credulity.

I kept asking myself “really?” Chapter after chapter. It was as though every chapter had a Dickens moment, like “Please,sir, can I have some more?” or much, much worse — multiplied by 43 chapters. Murder, assault, verbal abuse, physical abuse, rape, lying, subterfuge, deprivation, child slavery, abandonment — you name it, it’s there.

I cannot really recommend this book. I listened to the Audible version. The narration/acting was good. The story was just too over the top. And it was long — like 14 hours long. Luckily, I had to make a car trip to Iowa and back last week, so that took 12 hours of it. Unfortunately, I listened to the whole thing.

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het begin was naar mijn gevoel wat langdradig en wat te gedetailleerd, maar het wordt uiteindelijk toch nog een boek moeilijk om aan de kant te leggen.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really tore at my heartstrings with a situation I'm sure was more familiar than people realized after WW II. A story that shows love can overcome the worst situations life delivers and some children can persevere, becoming stronger. Others, however, are not so fortunate and can't acclimate to the life they were delivered to. The last 3 chapters were so moving there were many tears shed. Really enjoyed reading this one -- 9 out of 10.

[catje vdw · Rating 5 out of 5]

waw wat een boek, deze gaat een tijd blijven hangen...

[Nathalie Bakelandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Onbeschrijfelijk mooi, teder en ontroerend, bij momenten meedogenloos hard en emotioneel!
Zeker een aanrader

[Yeliz YILDIRIM · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐️

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel, set in London after WWII, features Mavis and her two daughters, Rita and Rosie. When Mavis' husband is killed in the war, Mavis is desperate for the attention of a man and settles for a brutal man named Billy, whom she marries when she becomes pregnant. Billy is physically abusive to both his wife and stepdaughters, and insists that Rita and Rosie are not welcome in his home. Mavis' mother lovingly cares for the children until she is involved in an accident that requires hospitalization and a long recovery. During this period, Mavis terminates her parental rights and makes them wards of the state. In the state institution, Rita is deemed as a miscreant and badly mistreated while trying to care for Rosie. Eventually the girls are sent to a sister institution in Australia, where the mistreatment of Rita continues and Rosie is adopted into a family, where she endures the sexual abuse of her adoptive father for ten years before running away.

This is such a sad story for "throwaway children" left without any adult protection or compassion once they were in the system. The people charged with their care were motivated by greed. Rita and Rosie basically lived with no adult to trust except their grandmother, and then she was taken from them despite her desperate efforts to find them. There is redemption at the end for Rita, who fought so long to earn a life she valued.

[Kathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had hoped this book would be more historical fiction with factual information on why and how the British social services decided to send orphans and children to Australia after WWII. Will have to look for something non-fiction. This is the story of Emily Vanstone a self-serving, wealthy spinster, with too much time on her hands looking for a way to feel good about herself deciding to basically ruin the lives of hundreds of kids in England and Australia. The main characters, Rita Stevens and her little sister Rosie, get caught up in this mess and it's a formulaic sad story of abuse, overstepping of authority, and greed as these kids attempt to grow up with some semblance of normalcy after having lived and worked like slaves in either Laurel House or Laurel Farm. Being run on a shoestring budget with little to no money going to the kids for food or clothes and all of it being pocketed by unloving and abusive staff, the reader continues in the muck until the end which does its best to create a "happy ending" .

[Candace Worrell · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written but if I read another page I would have to call a suicide hotline. This isn't a tragic story of life, where some things are bad but there are a few bright spots. This is unremitting misery piled upon horribleness.

I was listening to it during my commute and found myself finding excuses to delay turning it on. I couldn't bring myself to give up, because it is a well-written, engaging book. Then I realized I was about eight hours in with eight more to go. I read some spoilers--and I just couldn't do it. Their lives go from horrendous to worse. So I'm done. Reading for me is escapism. I try to keep the crap of life out of my leisure reading. I'll read the post for that.

[David Danielson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing is good. But I was so distressed with how the young girls at the orphanage were treated that I couldn't sleep. I had to stop reading about a quarter of the way through. I understand that it may reflect how children were treated. And I know there are places in the world today where children are treated even worse. But it bothered me too much to continue reading. Because of that I can't recommend it.

[Brenda N · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is undeniably in my top three books of all time. A story so heartbreaking but so wonderfully done. Only a true story teller can tell such a story. I admire that Diney Costeloe has the skill to write such an amazing and inspirational book. Her characters are beautiful and truly represent the strength of human spirit.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prachtig en ontroerend verhaal over de twee zusjes Rita en Rosie, die doordat hun moeder is gevallen voor een foute man, afgedankt worden naar een kinderhuis. Moeder Mavis hoopt dat dit tijdelijk is, "totdat ze het aankan". Rita en Rosie gingen 'oom Jimmy' al uit de weg en verbleven al een paar weken bij hun oma. Totdat de voogdijraad de meisjes ruw wegrukt uit hun vertrouwde omgeving. Rita en Rosie belanden via het weeshuis, geleid door de vreselijke directrice mevrouw Vanstone. Deze weet op slinkse wijze de kinderen naar Australië weg te werken.
Daar wacht Rita en Rosie een nieuw leven.

Mooi verhaal, waarbij ik mij regelmatig afvroeg hoe het in Godsnaam allemaal mogelijk was dat dit gemakkelijk kon gebeuren. Want hoewel dit verhaal fictief is, is het gebaseerd op waargebeurde gebeurtenissen.
Die slappe Mavis wilde ik wel eens goed door elkaar schudden en die Jimmy de bruut wilde ik het liefst ook aanpakken. Boosheid wisselde zich bij mij af met medelijden en ongeloof.
Er gebeuren afschuwelijke dingen, maar dat wordt gecompenseerd door de adembenemende wijze waarop de schrijfster je aandacht weet vast te houden. Uiteindelijk valt een en ander op zijn plaats zonder dat het te zoetsappig wordt.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

From about 1922 and 1967 there was a programme called 'the child migrant scheme' where sent to Australia for 'a better life' usually from orphanages, however multiple of these children were just being looked after temporarily but were still shipped off to the other side of the world, without their parents permission or knowledge, and these parents wouldn't see their kids again.

It's a part of history that I had never know existed until my mum read this book and told me about it.
Such a tragic and heartbreaking part of history where families were ripped apart and not very many people know about it.

The Throwaway Children follows two sisters - Rita and Rosie who are sent to an orphanage temporarily to get them out of the way od their abusive stepfather.
As we follow their story we see two girls trying their best to be brave in such horrible conditions and these girls went through so much throughout their lifetime.
Reading that these kids had their whole childhood and their lives stripped away from them was just awful.
That doesn't even scratch the surface.
What these two (fictional) sisters went through was honeslty so upsetting and I cried so much at the end of this book. It's one that will stay with me forever.

TW for this book: Rape, domestic abuse, sexual assault

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een erg vlot lezend boek ondanks het lijvig aantal pagina's. Het zuigt je mee naar de jaren na WO II.