The Orphan Sisters
by Shirley Dickson
In between the Great War and World War II, two sisters are dropped off by their widowed mother at the austere orphanage Blakely. Etty, the younger girl, has no warning or understanding of what had started out to be a fun family adventure on the train. Dorothy, the older of the two, is able to deal with the circumstances somewhat better. The girls remain there until they reach their fifteenth year. At that time each undergoes an adjustment to a world so different from the institution that had become an uncomfortable and regimented “home.”
In The Orphan Sisters, we trace the girls’ lives as they become adults, never willing to be far apart from each other. They have hopes and dreams and make choices that are life altering. As they move towards maturity, Great Britain is thrust into the war which affects every area of their lives with rationing, young men being called up for duty, relationships with the awareness that each day may be their last, and women being encouraged to support the war effort by taking on jobs.
The most dramatic parts of the book depict the physical and emotional effects of the bombings. There was great fear as people huddled in shelters and bombs exploded around them.
Shirley Dickson is a great storyteller. She weaves a tale that grips your heart and puts you in Geordie land with the accent and dialect particular to Tyneside. You will want everything to go well for Etty and Dorothy in the midst of the pain and chaos that surrounds them and invades their lives. You will hope for them to finally find peace in their search for their mother’s love.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication: January 22, 2019—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
The Mistress’s smile was more of a grimace—it didn’t look at all welcoming. Her eyes held no warmth in them, and dull and glazed, they reminded Esther of dead fish eyes.
Thankful for being saved, she breathed in the acrid air. But the world now seemed a more frightening place, and even the moon, soaring high in a clear sky, appeared to have a malevolent face.
The nation was at war; an aerial attack might happen any minute, but if your nappies weren’t blindingly white as they flapped on the line—then, according to the housewife law, you’d failed as a mother.
education pathways 
Absolutely fantastic review. I’ve seen a lot of discussion about this one, and I’m glad you enjoyed it so much.
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Thanks. It is a book I’m glad I read. I love cozies, but I don’t think much about an individual cozy once I have reviewed it. This one keeps coming back to my mind.
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Good review. I been seeing this book a lot.
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Thanks, Betty. It is getting a lot of chatter. This is her first book and she did quite well. She is under contract to do a second WWII novel.
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Wolf War 2 has become a popular theme for writers. My generation is probably the last group of people that especially those that have memories of it. I find books about it hard to read especially those that go into depth about the Nazi activities. They wipe out the gypsies population.
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I understand. This one doesn’t focus on Nazi atrocities. It is from the viewpoint of the civilians in England, but with the bombings it might be just as difficult to read.😔
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Not my kind of read but I loved that you could connect do deeply to it… Loved your review 😍
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Thank you. I too enjoy reading reviews of books I might not read myself. It can be mind-expanding to do that.
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Wonderful review Linda. This one has had mixed reviews, so I am happy to see that really enjoyed this one and that it still resonates with you. I enjoy WWII stories about those left at home. Did you read The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir? I really enjoyed that one.
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No, I believe that came out in my early days of reviewing and I was not approved for it.
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Lovely review. I haven’t heard of this one. For some reason, historical fiction isn’t really calling to me at the moment, but I’ll have this in mind when the urge returns.
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Thanks, Myndi. I enjoyed it but I know what you mean about being attracted to different genres at different times.
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Great review, Linda. I could envision those bombs going off around me.
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We have been blessed in the U.S. to never have had a war on our soil. Civilians and soldiers have sacrificed during wartime, but civilians have never had to endure that kind of threat.
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