The Orphan Collector

By: Ellen Marie Wiseman

Narrated by: Rachel Botchan

Ellen Marie Wiseman, acclaimed author of What She Left Behind and The Life She Was Given, weaves the stories of two very different women into a thrilling novel as suspenseful as it is poignant, set amid one of history's deadliest pandemics.

In the fall of 1918, 13-year-old German immigrant Pia Lange longs to be far from Philadelphia's overcrowded streets and slums, and from the anti-German sentiment that compelled her father to enlist in the US Army, hoping to prove his loyalty. But an even more urgent threat has arrived. Spanish influenza is spreading through the city. Soon, dead and dying are everywhere. With no food at home, Pia must venture out in search of supplies, leaving her infant twin brothers alone....

Since her baby died days ago, Bernice Groves has been lost in grief and bitterness. If doctors hadn't been so busy tending to hordes of immigrants, perhaps they could have saved her son. When Bernice sees Pia leaving her tenement across the way, she is buoyed by a shocking, life-altering decision that leads her on a sinister mission: to transform the city's orphans and immigrant children into what she feels are "true Americans".

As Pia navigates the city's somber neighborhoods, she cannot know that her brothers won't be home when she returns. And it will be a long and arduous journey to learn what happened - even as Bernice plots to keep the truth hidden at any cost. Only with persistence, and the courage to face her own shame and fear, will Pia put the pieces together and find the strength to risk everything to see justice at last.

©2020 Ellen Marie Wiseman (P)2020 Recorded Books

Interesting

This was an interesting tale, but really could have been condensed. It really seemed much too wordy, especially in the first half or so. Some of the language did not ring true for the time. Although I was eager to hear the outcomes, I felt that quite a bit was highly unlikely and unrealistic.

Compelling read

Strong character development. Couldn’t stop listening. Plot a little too Dickensian. However I strongly recommend this title. Will read more by this author.

Very good listen

I really enjoyed this book a lot! I wasn’t sure at first but it pulled me in right from the beginning, it did a great job of making you fall into the the time lapse. The narration was good too! Rachel Botchan did a great job with the characters and was completely believable! It definitely has some disturbing scenes from the Spanish flu epidemic but it’s realistic and I really appreciated that about it.

Timely During COVID 19 Pandemic

I didn’t realize this book was going to start the story in 1918 Philadelphia with the flu epidemic just starting. It offers reflective thoughts for the current pandemic in 2020-21. Overall enjoyed the book which ended in 1924 when the 1918 epidemic was over. An easy listen.

A very dark beginning, but it sucks you in.

I can't imagine the atrocity that Pia felt. The beginning of this book was so dark I almost stopped reading it, but I am glad I finished.