Orphan #8 audiobook

A book inspired by true events is always intriguing to me because as I'm reading it I can't help but wonder about the specifics . Who of the characters is based on real people and how much of the plot is real or imagined ? There are big ethical issues at the center of this story . Rachel , a nurse at the Old Hebrews Home in mid 1950's discovers that her new patient is someone from her past . Flashbacks to four year old Rachel in The Hebrew Infant Home show her suffering at the hands of cruel doctors who perform medical experiments . She realizes that the patient was one of her doctors. Will Rachel take revenge now that she has the opportunity? Chapters alternate between her present as an adult and as a four year old in the orphanage. The flashback chapters were very difficult to read , sickening actually. Imprisoned in a crib behind glass she becomes a victim of cruel experimentation that leaves her without hair , which won't grow as s result of exposure to X-rays as a child. There are further physical implications when Rachel discovers she may have breast cancer. The descriptions of what is done to Rachel is chilling, and so very sad to think that was done to innocent children , already enduring tragedies of losing parents . Administering chloroform, strapping them down , force feeding barium - it was heartbreaking to read what Rachel and other children endured .This is reminiscent of what we know about medical experiments done to the Jews in the concentration camps. How shameful that this was allowed here in this country . I know there are other examples of this and this is equally horrific. While all of this has happened to Rachel, she is also struggling with her brother Sam moving in and out of her life when she always thought he would be there to protect her. In addition we see her coming to terms with and understanding her sexuality as a young girl and as an adult having to hide her love for another woman from those around her . This is a terrific effort for a debut novel and Kim van Alkemade has told a heart wrenching story that grabbed me from the first chapter. The author does tell us in a note that the story was inspired by her grandfather and his mother who are indeed characters in the book . Whether or not Rachel was a real person doesn't matter since Rachel represents one of the many orphan children who suffered in the name of medical research.Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss .

Orphan #8 is a standalone, historical fiction novel written by English professor and now author: Kim van Alkemade. This is her first published novel. The synopsis of Orphan #8 immediately intrigued me and as I began the audiobook, I felt engaged right away. The main character: Rachel Rabinowitz is a

I really enjoy historical fiction books that expose me to real history I never knew about. I can't say that I'm surprised that medical professionals exploited orphans for medical research. It's much easier to use someone who cannot fight back for themselves and has no one to fight for them. I understand that Dr. Solomon and the real doctors like her thought the good that would come from the research would outweigh whatever bad things may have happened to these children, but to dehumanize even one person for the sake of the common good is not worth the cost. My husband and I have considered adopting a child instead of having a child who is biologically ours. This story most definitely made me want to make that a reality even more than what I was already considering. I cannot even begin to image how difficult and possibly damaging it must be to grow up with no one. It was clear from early in the story that Rachael craved female affection... and how could she not? Even when her mother was alive, they weren't especially close. I was a little put off by how the author made just about every man Rachael came into contact with a jerk to the extreme. Are there bad men in the world? Absolutely. But there are also a lot of good men who would never dream of exploiting or hurting anyone for personal gain or personal desires.

Though I was initially startled by the switch in point of view, the narrative has great flow. Characters are complex, and I was kept in suspense.Also, it's excellent to see some lesbian representation in historical fiction.

Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am flabbergasted that the majority of the 1- and 2-star reviews this book received seem to be solely based on the reviewers' discomfort with the fact they were forced to sympathize with a lesbian -- had the book's description, or the first few chapters, made clear the main character's sexual orientation, they would never have been forced to read explicit scenes about two women kissing. (Imagine!) But no, the author cleverly sucked them in before unleashing her "political agenda," the sneaky she-beast.This was a beautiful and captivating, if disturbing, book. I, personally, was more disgusted by the descriptions of violence (not at all explicit -- the writing perfectly straddled the line between descriptive and gratuitous) and the doctors who experimented on orphaned children, but ya know, you gotta watch out for those illicit PG descriptions of budding same-sex attraction too.Rachel is a complicated character, her inner self not entirely reflected in the person the other characters clearly see when they look at her. The author does a beautiful job in drawing out the tangled emotions, motivations and morals behind actions that can look so black and white from the outside.

4.5 starsSuch an intense, emotional particular story ! I enjoyed every page of this book. The build up of the characters is so good that you can sympathize with each one of them. The book tackles different taboo subjects. The book cover is so expressive! Highly recommended !

Orphan #8 is a chilling, moving, thought provoking historical novel. This first novel by Kim van Alkemade engaged me from the first page. There are numerous themes ( surviving in an orphanage, medical experiments on children, the elimination of Jews in WWII, revenge, relationships, mercy killing etc.) cleverly woven throughout this novel. The author introduces us to a four year old Rachel and we follow her life until 1954 where her past collides with her present day self. This book demands that you ponder what you would do if you were Rachel! Great themes, great discussions, great read! 5 stars

Book 2/100 for my 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge.For Popsugar's 2023 Reading Challenge, this is my entry for "A book with a queer lead".This book was heartbreaking in its entirety. I almost had to quit reading when it described how the orphans were experimented on. I don't know if it was the power in the author's writing or the knowledge that these kind of experiments indeed happened that made me feel sick to my stomach. This book is told from two alternating timelines, one from when Rachel was a child and one from when Rachel is an adult nurse. I enjoyed how the alternating timelines built on one another and led to some exciting twists throughout the novel. The relationship between Rachel and Naomi was tender and loving. Another heartbreaking aspect is the fact that this relationship was never acknowledged - they were just "roommates" and "spinsters". How many relationships were written off as two people just being friends? LOTS. Medical Assistance in Dying is a morally grey area. Is it merciful or murder? At what point in a person's deterioration is it more humane to let them pass than to keep them living? This book left me with a lot to think about. Four stars for this beautiful piece of work.