The Orphan Girl

by Kurt Palka

For fans of Kristin Harmel and Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls -- the bestselling author of The Piano Maker returns with a vivid, atmospheric, and deeply moving novel set during the final months of WWII.

London, 1944/45

Kate Henderson is an energetic and spirited young woman. As a trained paramedic and ambulance driver she does her work courageously and with determination, even though underneath she is still wrestling with grief after witnessing the shooting death of her diplomat father seven years earlier. Her father's murder was never properly investigated and it remains unsolved.

Kate's life is drastically interrupted once more when she wakes up one night to the sound of the air raid alarm and the terror whistles of a bomb's stabilizers screaming toward the roof of her house. In the explosion, her mother and her aunt die; Kate survives, but she is injured.

Her house is gone as well, and after her time in the hospital, Claire Giroux, a kind doctor and family friend, invites Kate to live with her as she recuperates. This arrangement works well for them until a few months later when Claire's husband comes home from the war. Within days the lives of both women are drastically changed, and events are set in motion, both in England and in Canada, that challenge Kate and Claire to their limits.

The Orphan Girl is a moving and powerful story about friendship and courage, and about promises made and kept.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Mystery, World War II, Audiobook, Canada

328 pages, Paperback

Published July 26, 2022

Reviews

[Heather Moll · Rating 2 out of 5]

During WWII Kate Henderson is still struggling with the murder of her diplomat father in the months before the war began. Witnessing his death and being unable to save him drove her to join the ambulance corps after she graduated high school.

Now in 1945, she’s been instructed by a family friend that if he dies or disappears she’s to burn his notes and manuscripts in his hidden room. And in the next pages he’s forcible hauled off in front of Kate.

Abruptly the action also starts to follow Claire, a doctor who was an acquaintance of Kate’s mother, and we’re told about her difficult marriage and losses. Kate goes to live with her during the war after her home is bombed.

Lot of exposition in the beginning and choppy character introductions made it hard to jump in and get to know Kate and her circumstances. We’re told she’s adept at reading people and that she’s smart and special and other things about her, but we experience none of her thoughts ourselves. Even when a bomb is dropped on her house and her mother dies, there are no feelings evoked or inward reflections.

There were an unbelievable amount of phone calls, even transatlantic ones, at a time when few British individuals were on the phone. There seemed to be an odd intent to shift the action unnecessarily to Canada that slowed an already dull story.

The dialogue was rambling and every character sounded exactly the same. The writing is simplistic and the pacing slow. Everything is told to us rather than shown. This was a recitation of events with no character development and it often felt there was no point. I only kept reading because I felt obligated to finish in order to review it.

I received an arc from NetGalley

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book was like picking a jellybean from a bowl without looking…you never knew what to expect! Sometimes you got a black jellybean (argh) and other times you got an orange one (yum). While there were sections of this multiple genre-spanning book I loved, there were more sections that had me scratching my head as to why they were included. I also noted several times the veering away from the show-don’t-tell guidelines and wondered if I’d have connected better to Kate had I seen more of her actions rather than been told about them. Overall, a good trim, some tweaking of pacing issues and a tad more character development would make this a more satisfying read for me.

I’m aware that this is a CBC-recommended author and an established Canadian author and I’m willing to try another book on his back list. This one, however, wasn’t for me.

I was gifted this advance copy by Kurt Palka, Penguin Random House Canada, McClelland & Stewart, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate's Life

Kate Henderson is a strong woman but life deals her some powerful blows. She survives them and she strives to create a life for herself as she waits for her boyfriend to finish flight school. WWII is raging and it is a tough go for everyone.

The worse is when Dr. Claire's husband Thomas comes back from the war in a mentally damaged condition. Kate, now orphaned, is living with Dr. Claire when Thomas returns. As his violence continues Claire must make a choice between Kate and Thomas.

War is an evil and horrible event. In a perfect world there would be no more war.

The men coming back from WWII were damaged, some physically and some mentally. Those with mental disabilities were often no able to function in society and many marriages were lost because of it. For some the horrors of war never left them.

This is a story of two women, Claire and Kate. Both alone, both struggling to make a life for themselves in a time of war and afterwards. They grew to be great friends and helped each other in life.

It was definitely a time of trial and a time where courage and perseverance was needed by all. These two women showed great courage in the face of danger.

It was a great story and I enjoyed reading the book. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Kurt Palka for writing a great story, to Penguin Random House Canada for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

How could I ever give more than 3 stars to a book that ends in a CLIFFHANGER.

But for real the book felt like it just ended and there were hella plot lines going on and none of them really felt wrapped up at all. I actually thought I had pages missing or accidentally skipped a chapter. It’s one of those books where you have 20 pages left and you expect a LOT to go down in these pages to wrap everything up and it simply never happens. So you finish the book and sit there in a state of unsatisfied confusion like “????”.

[Judy Odom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4 as I am still thinking about the book.

The Orphan Girl slowly pulls you in to the story of Kate and Claire.

The place is London and it is nearing the end of Word War II.

Kate still recovering from the shooting of her father , a diplomat, now has to contend with the drastic results of her home being bombed.

Luckily Claire takes her in but things change and not for the better when Claire's husband returns.

You see how difficult it is to return to life after War.

This is a story of not only survival but one of courage and friendship.

The Orphan Girl is well worth the read and historical fiction fans will love it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, Penguin Random House Canada, McClelland & Stewart for an interesting and informative read.

[Avalon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise, but I couldn’t get into it. I found the writing style very blasé in a way that didn’t match the content.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed with Palka's latest book. I enjoyed his previous work, but I found The Orphan Girl light on character development and the dialogue was stilted with frequent naming of characters. Rather a surprise for such an accomplished writer.

[Alexis (hookedtobooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the copy of this book.
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Read if you like: Post WW2 fiction
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Kate has some traumatic experiences before and during the war. Her father is murdered and her mother and aunt are killed in the Blitz. Kate is injured in the bomb and works hard to get well after. Kate struggles to transition to post war life.
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Overall, it was an interesting book full of lots of plot points, but I couldn’t connect with the characters. I love a good character driven novel, so that’s something that’s important to me! I wanted to get to know Kate a bit more!
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CW: death of a parent, domestic abuse, injury, car accident, war, and violence.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am addicted to WW2 historical fiction, especially those that take place in England. I use the stories as away to discuss with my mom what she went through during those dreadful times. This story opened up so many new conversations. This story shared issues that I didn't think about happening back then. It just wasn't talked about.

We frequently hear about PTSD today. Yet, I don't recall studying about soldiers suffering mental issues after fighting in WW2 in my history classes. The men came home from war, and women had to go back to the home has been a common theme. Yet, I don't recall hearing how many that returned could not hold down the job and women had to go back into the workforce. The Orphan Girl goes into detail of some of those struggles.

When I think of Orphans, I always think of young children. The Orphan Girl reminded me that age doesn't matter. The loss of one's parents makes you an orphan at any age. Kate become an orphan the minute the bomb landed on her home. She was lucky enough to find someone to give her a home. Through Kate and Claire, the woman that takes her in, the author tells a story of life in WW2 England.

As a work of fiction; I don't expect everything to be true. I don't expect to believe everything as fact. There were many things that helped me become captivated with the story. I knew many issues were exaggerated, extreme.

That being said, I am grateful to the author for adding to my knowledge of WW2. I now understand why my great uncle always worked the nightshift and said the sun needed to shine for him to sleep. Thanks to the author, my mom and I had some amazing conversations about things we had never talked about before.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kate is a paramedic serving in London at the end of the Second World War when her house is hit by a bomb. She survives, but her mother does not. Kate moves in with a friend, Claire, and together they become a family. When Claire’s husband, Thomas, returns from serving in the war, their happiness dissolves. As Kate tries to find her way in the post-war world, she attempts to unravel a mystery surrounding her father and two of his friends; find a job; and solidify her love life.

While I went into this book excited about the premise, it ended up not resonating with me. I think this book was about too much and at the same time, about nothing at all. It was historical fiction about the Second World War, a Cold War spy novel, the story of an abusive relationship, and the story of a woman trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. It even included a trip to Canada—which added nothing to the plot at all. If you completely deleted that part of the story, the narrative doesn’t change one bit. Because this novel was trying to do so much, it was too difficult to connect to the characters, and the writing felt wooden and emotionless.

This is not a novel I would recommend to someone looking for a WWII historical fiction novel, or even a spy novel (especially since that part of the plot seemed to go nowhere at all). It also left many questions unanswered—is there supposed to be a second novel in this series to answer some of these questions, or are they just plot holes? Of that I am not certain.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I knew how good this book was going to be I would have started it earlier. It is engrossing and at times, exciting. This book has all the characteristics one wants in a novel - interesting locales and circumstances, likeable characters (except for one in particular), a well designed plot and different circumstances with intersect with each other which doesn't betray surprises in advance. The author takes time with the personality of each character and setting. My only gripe is with the ending. I think the story should have been continued just a bit.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book which I enjoyed. I intend to seek out the author's other books now.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.

Kate Henderson is an energetic and spirited young woman. As a trained paramedic and ambulance driver she does her work courageously and with determination, even though underneath she is still wrestling with grief after witnessing the shooting death of her diplomat father seven years earlier. Her father's murder was never properly investigated and it remains unsolved.

Kate's life is drastically interrupted once more when she wakes up one night to the sound of the air raid alarm and the terror whistles of a bomb's stabilizers screaming toward the roof of her house. In the explosion, her mother and her aunt die; Kate survives, but she is injured.

Her house is gone as well, and after her time in the hospital, Claire Giroux, a kind doctor and family friend, invites Kate to live with her as she recuperates. This arrangement works well for them until a few months later when Claire's husband comes home from the war. Within days the lives of both women are drastically changed, and events are set in motion, both in England and in Canada, that challenge Kate and Claire to their limits.

I thought the first part of the book really had the intrigue and momentum that I was looking for in a good World War II story, however, when Claire's husband comes into the mix the story falls flat. The pull of the writing no longer holds in my opinion as a reader. Both Kate and Claire become shells of the people that they could have been.

[Dustybookjackets · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "The Orphan Girl," we follow Kate and Claire, two young women navigating the challenges of war-torn London near the end of World War II.

After Kate’s father, a diplomat is tragically killed during the conflict and her home is destroyed by bombings, she finds solace in her steadfast friend Claire, who offers her support. However, tensions rise when Claire’s husband unexpectedly returns from the war, complicating their lives.

The story explores themes of healing, resilience, and the strength of friendship amidst the harsh realities of rebuilding in the aftermath of war.
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While the story offers intriguing insights, I found some aspects less appealing. The characters occasionally felt fragmented and unlikable, and I could have done without the drawn-out long-distance calls that interrupted the flow of the narrative. Nonetheless, the experience was enjoyable, offering a glimpse into a turbulent yet transformative time.

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set during and after WWII in London, this tale waffles between mystery and historical fiction.

As I read it, I kept wondering what genre and reading audience the author was writing for. The tale wanders a little following the life of Kate Henderson as she ekes out a living in WWII England, training for various positions, working in factories and as a paramedic / ambulance driver. In the aftermath of the war, she flounders a little, especially as she deals with PTSD.

The secondary theme is about relationships and physical abuse which was difficult to read.

In the end, I'm still not certain what type of book the author intended. Would I read another by him? Maybe but I have lots on my TBR.

Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.

[Isabella Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

WWII is raging and it is a tough go for everyone. Kate Henderson, life is thrown hard at her and she is still recovering from the shooting of her father, a diplomat, now has to contend with the drastic results of her home being bombed. But luckily Claire, The doctor that was taking care of Kate's mother, takes her in and helps her get back on her feet. But things change and not for the better when Claire's husband returns. But Kate overcomes her life problems and strives to create a better life for herself.

The Orphan girl was an interesting book and I enjoyed reading it because it was a great historical fiction story about survival, friendship and courage. But there were some parts that made me not want to read it anymore. At some points it was very slow and boring. The pacing could have been written a little better. But overall I thought it was a decent book.

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, not as good as its (loosely connected) predecessor, The Piano Maker. In it, Palka succeeds at letting us know how Hélene is feeling based on small, subtle pieces of information about what she does; in this book, he takes a step too far back and we end up not knowing enough about Kate and her interior state. You get the feeling that nothing phases her, even though she is or ought to be phased at several points in the plot; the emotional tone is flatter than it should be based on what is going on.

I do like the focus on the post-war aftermath, with the exploration of men's mental health after combat, and I like Kate's determination, her bravery, her loyalty, and her strength.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginning in the final days of World War 2 in London, a young woman's home (Kate) is bombed wiping out her family. She barely survives after being in the wreckage for days. The story is of Kate's struggles to heal, and gain employment. It is also about their family friend and doctor, Claire and how she takes Kate in her damaged state. Claire has her own struggles with her returning husband who is mentally ill and violent. There are other mysteries concerning Kate's father and father-in-law and what they were up during the war.

I enjoyed the story. I found the characters interesting and the plot flowed well. I am now looking to read more of Palka's novels. The only aspect I am unsure of is the rather abrupt ending and the questions that I have surrounding that.

[Reilly O’Brien · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the overall idea behind this book but unfortunately I felt it to be written poorly and not executed very well. There was a lot happening in this book, but at the same time, it was not very captivating and I felt no connection to the characters. I also found it difficult to follow along during some parts as characters and conversations jumped around quite a bit. I enjoyed that some of it took place in my home of Nova Scotia, but it feels like it was written by someone who doesn’t have an understanding of the geography of the province and was just writing about random towns while trying to link them together. I like supporting Canadian authors, and I’ve heard good things about this one, but unfortunately this book didn’t do it for me.

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel takes place in England and Canada at the end of the Second World War. It portrays the impact of the war on the residents of London and the physical dangers as well as the psychological damage suffered by returning soldiers. The adjustments required by returning soldiers and the effect that had on the women who had stepped into male roles in the economy during the war is something that is rarely addressed these days. So there were many good points to this historical fiction novel. However, I found the writing style simplistic, almost like an amateur writing. The pace of the novel was sometimes slow with parts almost irrelevant to the story. It did catch my attention and I did finish reading the book, so I gave it three stars.

[Barbara Brydges · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, I’m fine with Palka’s understated writing style, which some criticize as violating the ‘show don’t tell’ writing principle. I felt it was very appropriate to the stiff-upper lip attitude that allowed people to survive the Blitz, as his protagonist Kate does. I liked the reintroduction of characters from his book “The Piano Man’s Daughter” and the element of mystery that runs through the novel, with a tone of espionage. However the ending doesn’t help us understand that element and is only confusing. If it’s David finally reappearing, I don’t understand why he couldn’t do so earlier.

[booksadoodle (Tammy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kate is a spirted young woman who finds herself an orphan after the murder of her diplomat father several years before and now a victim of bombing and air raid alarms that take the life of her mother and aunt. She is befriended by Claire, a kind doctor, who nurses her back to health and takes her in. This is a great story of friendship, loss, and courage amidst the backdrop of WWII. I didn't find the story all that unique and read as very similar to another historical fiction book that I had previously read, but nonetheless, it was a good example of inner strength. Thanks to Kurt Palka, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc.

[Miranda Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an easy read that held my attention and pushed me to keep turning pages. If you want something filled with intensity, like All The Light We Cannot See or similar, this is not it. I enjoyed the female leads and perspectives, although a bit matriarchal and stereotypical, even for a historical fiction book. I felt that the characters were under-developed and the plot lacked detail. Open-ended endings which frustrated me in the last few chapters, but a cliff hanger that left me wanting more!

[Suzanne MacPherson · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointed in this book. It could have been so much better. There were moments when the characters were likeable and real but for the most part their stories are awful. Especially when one characters husband who has been diagnosed with severe PTSD [he resides in England] finds a way to get to Canada, locates his wife and manages to get a truck to run into her on a random road. What??????

Skip this book!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read 3 other books by Kurt Palka and always enjoy his understated writing style. He just tells his story without a lot of hoopla or gimmicks. Having said that, this is probably my least favourite of his books, but still one I'm glad I read. There were a couple of plot points that were a little hard to believe, but what the hey, it's fiction. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read whatever he publishes next.

[Ariane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je mets 4 ⭐ parce que j'ai eu du fun à le lire. J'étais hooked tout le long et j'aime les historical fiction.

Bon. Les personnages pourraient être plus développés, les petites histoires qui s'entre-coupent aussi. On aurait aussi pu mieux wrap la fin. Mais j'aime ce genre d'histoire, c'est comme un petit feel good pour moi. 😊

Avec un 200 pages de plus, ça aurait été vraiment bon. (Et ça aurait plus mérité son 4 ⭐!)

[Maggi Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual type of book. I'm more of a mystery/thriller fast paced kinda gal. Hence why it took me so long to read. However, taking that into consideration, it was still an ok book for me. The storyline was a bit choppy and random at times. But I didn't mind the actual story plot. Gave it 3 stars taking all that into consideration.... but also the ending left me annoyed..... like who was knocking at her door???? It did not make sense to leave that hanging as if it should mean something.

[Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably a high 2, but not quite 3. Somehow a standard war story. Brave girl, Blitz, people come and go, death but not for everyone. Horses (where did they get into the story?), intrigue and maybe spies, quick side trip to Canada, where there were cowboys. Bit of everything, really. Written as though aimed at the YA crowd, ended as though aimed at the Hallmark movies crowd. I passed two very hot days reading this, and that fit the bill.

[Jane Francis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as The Hour of the Fox, or The Pianomaker, this one is about a young woman orphaned in the London blitz, involved with friends of her parents who work in intelligence. That part isn’t clearly developed though, the book just focuses on the woman getting on with her life, including a stint as a physiotherapist and a horse-lover.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its 1945 and Kate's life is full of ups and downs. She is injured when a bomb lands on her house, her mother and aunt are killed. She is taken in by her mothers Dr who has issues of her own with her husband who has severe PTSD. Though everything Kate tries to make the best of it and does a pretty good job. It was an easy read and Kate was a very likeable character.

[Julie Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that has potential but then falls. The characters are good but need more depth. The story line is loose and characters become primary then fall out of sight. It was interesting enough for me to finish without forcing myself to finish. It was an easy read and held some entertaining value.