The Orphan Girl
A WWII Novel of Courage Found and a Promise Kept
- Publisher
- McClelland & Stewart
- Initial publish date
- Jul 2022
- Category
- World War II, Contemporary Women, Friendship
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9780771072536
- Publish Date
- Jul 2022
- List Price
- $22.00
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
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 the Second World War.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
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 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. 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 altered, 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.
About the author
Contributor Notes
The Orphan Girl is KURT PALKA’s eighth novel, following the bestsellers The Piano Maker and The Hour of the Fox. His previous book, Clara (Patient Number 7, in hardcover) was shortlisted for the Hammett Prize. His work has been translated into eight languages. He lives near Toronto.
Excerpt: The Orphan Girl: A WWII Novel of Courage Found and a Promise Kept (by (author) Kurt Palka)
A note from the Author:
The Orphan Girl: A Memory
Some years ago in a small town south-east of London I saw a young woman walking into a cemetery. From my parked car I watched her walk among the graves, and from the way she was walking I could tell that she had some kind of injury or ailment. It was snowing; a gentle snow and no wind. She was carrying flowers. Eventually she stopped and knelt down at a grave. From where I was, I could see her quite clearly. She put down the flowers and remained on both knees, and for a moment she raised her gloved hands and covered her face. Alone in her black coat and a small wool hat among all these graves and their stories, and every story a story of loss and courage. When she lowered her hands, her lips were moving. She was talking to someone she could see but I could not. Eventually she stood up. She wiped at her cheek, hesitated for a moment, and then in a small gesture like a little girl saying an uncertain good-bye she waved at the memory and turned away.
I never saw her again.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Kurt Palka and The Orphan Girl
"With harrowing detail, it’s a compassionate page-turner about the resilience of ordinary characters during an extraordinary time." —Toronto Star
Praise for Kurt Palka and The Hour of the Fox
“Elegantly-written and utterly compelling from start to finish, this is an exquisite outing.” —Toronto Star
Praise for Kurt Palka and The Piano Maker
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
“Deeply engrossing and unforgettable . . . will leave readers shouting ‘bravo’ for the resiliency of the human spirit.” —Publishers Weekly
“Beautifully crafted, suspenseful, and rich in the historical detail Palka’s readers know and love him for, this is the perfect book to get snowed in with.” —Toronto Star
“The Piano Maker traces a woman's journey from loss to redemption. Kurt Palka is a sensitive and compelling writer.” —Eva Stachniak, author of The Chosen Maiden
“A writer of immense control, compassion, and a soaring imagination, Kurt Palka possesses a profound understanding of the human spirit.” —Linda Holeman, author of The Devil On Her Tongue
“A treat to be savoured. The prose is clear and understated, the atmosphere of small town Nova Scotia beautifully captured. . . . The writing sparkles with suspense as the tale unfurls and the past sneaks up behind Helene Giroux.” —Roberta Rich, author of The Midwife of Venice
“The novel, spare, taut, and written in an engaging style reminiscent of such bestsellers as Tracy Chevalier's Girl with the Pearl Earring and The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay, The Piano Maker is an unexpected treat.” —London Free Press
Praise for Kurt Palka and Clara
HAMMETT PRIZE FINALIST
“Palka’s book contains wisdom and elegance.” —Toronto Star
“[An] understated and compassionate historical novel.” —Winnipeg Free Press