Orphans of Empire

by Grant Buday

n Grant Buday’s new novel, three captivating stories intertwine at the site of the New Brighton Hotel on the shores of Burrard Inlet. In 1858 the serious and devoted Sir Richard Clement Moody receives the commission of a lifetime when he is sent to help establish “a second England”—what is now British Columbia. In 1865 Frisadie, an eighteen-year-old Kanaka housemaid, who is more entrepreneur than ingénue, arrives in New Brighton from Hawaii. She convinces Maxie Michaud, to purchase the hotel with her, and it soon becomes the toast of the inlet. In 1883 Henry Fannin, a young, curious embalmer and magnetism devotee, having struck out in London and San Francisco, arrives in New Brighton and promptly falls in love with a tragic woman he hears crying on his first night at the hotel.

Endearing, funny, and highly evocative of time and place, Orphans of Empire celebrates those living in the shadow of history’s supposed heroes, their private struggles and personal agendas. Readers who loved Michael Crummey’s Galore and Eowyn Ivey’s To the Bright Edge of the World, will love this vivid novel of arrivals that prods at the ethics of settlement.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Canada

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Andrew (Drew) Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written glimpse into the early history of what is now the north coast of East Vancouver. Though it is a novel it helps to know that it is based on the lives of historical figures. All three people—Moody, Frisadie, and Henry Fanon—lived in the area. However, they did not really live there at the same time. It is disappointing that the three stories don't really overlap much, but all three are gripping. And since the actual historical figures don't overlap then it seems forgivable at first. In the end, it feels like a tease that Moody never meets Frisadie or Fanon and one wonders if the book wouldn't work better as three different novels. The characters themselves are certainly interesting enough to warrant their own stories independent of the other. That is a reasonable endorsement: three characters that deserve their own novel; you'll just have to settle for all three crowding each other out a bit.

[Lindsey King · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Can I give this book less stars simply because I don't love historical fiction? No... no I shouldn't.
Dialogue was very strong and effective. Characters were all very endearing with the exception of maybe one, who was purposefully annoying. I'd say this is a bit of a hangout book. Nothing negative happens to the main characters and everything works out. The writing is clear, breezy. It reads more like three short stories that have mild overlaps in narrative. The novel would be stronger if the author had included an authentic indigenous character, instead indigenous people are merely mentioned as being around at the time of colonization.

[Breanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very rarely do I find books that challenge my vocabulary knowledge but this is one of them! Interesting concept, though I wish the author had arranged the chapters so that it was chronological. Follow character one from A to B, then character two, then character three. I found it difficult to jump back and forth in time. I don't think it would have taken away from the connections the characters had. Also I wish there was a map to consult within the book. I grew up in the lower mainland but I don't remember the New West area well, especially not the historical version.

[Zena Ryder]

I enjoyed Buday's imaginings of some of the real characters involved in this corner of British Columbia's history. (I was particularly fond of Frisadie. I'd like her to have a whole novel to herself.)

The book is more like three loosely connected short stories than a novel. If you approach this book with that expectation, you won't feel disappointed it's not more novel-like.

[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic story. Can't wait to read more by Buday.

[Barry Gaetz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book disappointing. The arrangement of three narratives was very confusing. We are given four separate accounts of those three persons' experiences in the early days of white settlers in British Columbia. It defies logic and common sense to mix them all up like that! That in itself does not make for good reading.
Buddy should have provided three stand alone short stories and/or weaved some kind of interaction connecting Moody, Frisadie, and Fannin.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are three stories in three different times about the growing settlements of Victoria, New Westminster and New Brighton (later Vancouver) all weaved into each other. First there is an actual person from history Col Moody, his arrival in Victoria and work building the BC capital in New Westminster and later the road to Burrard Inlet. Next is Frisadie who arrives from Hawaii and becomes a maid at a boarding house in New Westminster, hoping one day to own her own hotel or boarding house. Finally there is Henry arriving from London hoping to become an embalmer but settles upon being a taxidermist.

From my point of view, these are an odd mix of characters to bring into one story and at times I found it somewhat confusing. I would have preferred just one characters story in a more straight forward style of writing. I found the tangents that the author goes on a bit bizarre and not really moving the story along and the descriptions off topic and too wordy. The book caught my attention due to the local settings and history which is about the only thing in its favour. I am simply not a fan of the author's writing style.

[Will George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love historical fiction. And especially when it relates to something I know. As a resident of Vancouver, I find the history of this area fascinating. And this is not a town that particularly values its history so finding books about it are few a far between. This started a little dry, but once I got used to the language the author used (contemporary to the time setting) I found it more and more compelling. My favourite of the three main characters was Frisadie, but they all were interesting. I found myself googling people and places, but not much was found beyond what is here.
I would also recommend The Man Game for another historical fiction novel set in Vancouver (although it is more oddball than this book).

[Lynn]

I did not like this book. I did not finish it.

[Aimee Greenaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Well-written and an interesting perspective on British Columbia's history in the 1860s.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Believe it was well researched and enjoyed the characters. Sadly it just didn't grab me as I expected it would. But an enjoyable read.

[Susan Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting tales of early Vancouver, actually one book of three stories with little interaction between them, an enjoyable read

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grant Buday has unearthed some amazing characters and history and written three stories around them. I greatly enjoyed this and hope he writes more in this genre