The Orphanmaster

The Orphanmaster

Jean Zimmerman

Penguin

6/19/2012

Summary: (Barnes and Noble)
   It’s 1663 in the tiny, hardscrabble Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, now present-day southern Manhattan. Orphan children are going missing, and among those looking into the mysterious state of affairs are a quick-witted twenty-two-year-old trader, Blandine von Couvering, herself an orphan, and a dashing British spy named Edward Drummond.
     Suspects abound, including the governor’s wealthy nephew, a green-eyed aristocrat with decadent tastes; an Algonquin trapper who may be possessed by a demon that turns people into cannibals; and the colony’s own corrupt and conflicted orphanmaster. Both the search for the killer and Edward and Blandine’s newfound romance are endangered, however, when Blandine is accused of being a witch and Edward is sentenced to hang for espionage. Meanwhile, war looms as the English king plans to wrest control of the colony.

My thoughts:
    This is not the usual book you find me reading. It is dark and very mysterious. When I agreed to review this book I was deciding to expand my reading horizon. I am glad I did. The biggest thing that scared me about this book was the pure mention of hanging. I can handle murder, I can handle violence but thinking about hanging and public executions are a trigger for me. I was surprised by how tactfully it was placed within this story. It was not something that made my mind wander into horrible places, so I hope for anyone like me, this does not deter you from reading.
    The word choice in this book was exquisite. I could feel my vocabulary expanding as I devoured the book. I love to learn so this was a perk. I like a book to challenge me, to make me think. This provided that. It was not too intellectual though where I spend so much time thinking that I did not enjoy what I was reading.
    I enjoyed not knowing what was coming with this book. Recently all the fiction I have read has been so predictable. I was excited to find a book that kept me guessing and wanting to read. This is the kind of book you need to devote time to because there will be no stopping for breaks.
    This is a worthwhile book for all adults, men and women alike. I suggest purchasing a copy when it is released, this coming Tuesday.