Courage And Tenacity

The Forgotten Orphan by Glynis Peters is a heart wrenching historical tale that consumed me from the start. It is set during World War II in an orphanage near Southampton. It is a tale of remarkable courage and strength.

The novel follows Maisie, a young girl who has been at the orphanage since she was four years old. We witness her tenacity to endure all things with a smile and a gentle heart. She is a delightful and realistic main character.

The reader sees the cruelty and damage that words spoken over us do to our spirit. We believe what others tell us. “Maisie was a waste of precious funds… had resigned herself to the ranks of the unwanted.” It is heart breaking to see a broken spirit.

World War II was a dreadful time. The bombs rained down on Southampton. As a sea port it received the maimed and the dying. As buildings are repurposed, Maisie finds her raison d’etre. “I want to help the poor broken men who have been brought to us to learn to live again.”

There are some harrowing scenes of young men whose minds have been shattered by war. Today we recognise it as PTSD.

There is a search for roots. We all want to know our heritage so we can plan our futures.

We see the strength needed on the home front – waiting for letters that take months to arrive, dreading a telegram from the war office, never knowing if our loved ones will return. In the midst of death there is life, babies continue to be born.

The Forgotten Orphan was a powerful tale that totally consumed me. Glynis Peters painted a realistic portrait of life on the home front. As we followed the microcosm that was Maisie, she could be seen for the macrocosm that played out in towns and cities on both sides of the war. It was a terrific tale.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON