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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I heard about this one on a podcast and as an adoptee, I was intrigued. While overall I enjoyed this book, I read with caution and had moments when parts irritated me, things that could hurt someone who’s living/has lived foster care and adoption. I liked how it ended, even though I saw it coming.
Thank you Netgalley for this amazing ARC
My Dutch heart warmed while reading this book. I loved each and every one of the characters so much and reading it really just made me smile and made me happy. I honestly love this book.
My Dutch heart warmed while reading this book. I loved each and every one of the characters so much and reading it really just made me smile and made me happy. I honestly love this book.
This was sweet and well-done; ultimately, heart warming. You can't help but route for the children the whole time. I like the subtle and not so subtle, magical/supernatural aspects.
After a quick mathematical calculation as well as the understanding that this takes place in the late 1800s, I'm really not surprised by Liesel's identity. But, goodness. Rotman is a creep.
While the epilogue remains hopeful, the sweetest ending is really with Edda. And Milou's choice.
After a quick mathematical calculation as well as the understanding that this takes place in the late 1800s, I'm really not surprised by Liesel's identity. But, goodness. Rotman is a creep.
While the epilogue remains hopeful, the sweetest ending is really with Edda. And Milou's choice.
Absolutely loved this beautiful and completely original story and i highly recommend it.
We follow the story and adventures of five unadoptable children after they are forced to escape their orphange.
Absolutely loved the writing style and the pace of the book is great and really holds attention well which for me is the most important as if my attention drops then i do struggle to continue with the book. I didn’t find this at all with this book which i was really hoping wouldn’t happen as i had high expectations for the book.
I have to say my expectations weren’t dashed at all and i was utterly thrilled.
The characters were really well developed and you could really bond with each one throughout the book and i loved the found family trope.
Absolutely fantastic and like i said i really can’t wait for the physical copy
We follow the story and adventures of five unadoptable children after they are forced to escape their orphange.
Absolutely loved the writing style and the pace of the book is great and really holds attention well which for me is the most important as if my attention drops then i do struggle to continue with the book. I didn’t find this at all with this book which i was really hoping wouldn’t happen as i had high expectations for the book.
I have to say my expectations weren’t dashed at all and i was utterly thrilled.
The characters were really well developed and you could really bond with each one throughout the book and i loved the found family trope.
Absolutely fantastic and like i said i really can’t wait for the physical copy
Brilliant book!!! I actually can’t wait to read this to my class when school starts again in September! Highly recommend!
Read- August 2020 for the N.E.W.Ts (O in Herbology- Book longer than your previous read)
- This was incredible!! I've been in a terrible reading slump since June and I was beginning to think that I would never get out of it but this was the most perfect book to get me out of my slump.
There are three rules of abandonment at The Little Tulip orphanage:
- The baby should be wrapped in a cotton blanket
- The baby should be places in a wicker basket
- The baby should be deposited on the topmost step
For all the years Elinora Gassbeek has been the matron at the orphanage these rules have never been broken. That is, they had never been broken. In the year of 1886 five orphans are left at Little Tulip in ridiculous ways. Those babies turn out to be our main characters, Lotta, Egg, Fenna, Sem and Milou.
When our story starts Gassbeek is fed up of being stuck with our orphans and finds a gentleman to take all five. The orphans think this is the best thing that's ever happened to them, but Milou isn't convinced. After some digging around she discovers a terrible plot that prompts the orphans to escape the orphanage and run. Running leads them to an exciting adventure that involves a run down mill, a mysterious clock maker, a sinister tree and fantastic puppets. This just might be Milou's chance at a happy ending.
The main thing that I adored about this book was the characters, each of the children we follow is an amazing character and you just find yourself wanting the best for them. Milou's determination to find her family really makes you feel for her and the fact that the other children will do anything to help her just makes you want to cry. I highly recommend reading this book if you just want to fall into a brilliant story.
- This was incredible!! I've been in a terrible reading slump since June and I was beginning to think that I would never get out of it but this was the most perfect book to get me out of my slump.
There are three rules of abandonment at The Little Tulip orphanage:
- The baby should be wrapped in a cotton blanket
- The baby should be places in a wicker basket
- The baby should be deposited on the topmost step
For all the years Elinora Gassbeek has been the matron at the orphanage these rules have never been broken. That is, they had never been broken. In the year of 1886 five orphans are left at Little Tulip in ridiculous ways. Those babies turn out to be our main characters, Lotta, Egg, Fenna, Sem and Milou.
When our story starts Gassbeek is fed up of being stuck with our orphans and finds a gentleman to take all five. The orphans think this is the best thing that's ever happened to them, but Milou isn't convinced. After some digging around she discovers a terrible plot that prompts the orphans to escape the orphanage and run. Running leads them to an exciting adventure that involves a run down mill, a mysterious clock maker, a sinister tree and fantastic puppets. This just might be Milou's chance at a happy ending.
The main thing that I adored about this book was the characters, each of the children we follow is an amazing character and you just find yourself wanting the best for them. Milou's determination to find her family really makes you feel for her and the fact that the other children will do anything to help her just makes you want to cry. I highly recommend reading this book if you just want to fall into a brilliant story.
With regards to the people criticising this book, I can see that, at first glance, The Unadoptables would look like an offensive title. What I don't understand is why anyone with even a shred of common sense would believe that anyone would publish a book in order to demonise orphaned children. Then there's the fact that nothing about the synopsis suggests that Hana Tooke is actually saying these children don't deserve to be adopted. Instead, she is celebrating the things that make these children spectacular. Far from being unadoptable, the children in this book are brilliant in their own way. Tooke isn't making an observation about the children but about the people who write them off. Anyone who bothered reading the book would realise that the word "unadoptable" has been reclaimed by the children and is meant to empower rather than suppress them.
It's also worth noting that the book is set in the late 1800s, so the idea that people would be dismissive of otherness is accurate. Stating a historical fact is not the same as condoning that attitude. The 5 children at the centre of this book would, in all likelihood, have struggled to get adopted in Amsterdam during that time. Not once does Tooke say that they deserve to be left in care for their entire lives. She just understands that society was prejudiced to people of other races or with disabilities. It was also a time in which social care wasn't as carefully curated as it is today. This isn't the current adoption experience but more of an Oliver Twist style adoption process.
Something of a shame for our five heroes. None of them fall in the conventional idea of what makes up a prospective parent's ideal adoptee as they each have something that puts people off. Like Lotta's extra fingers; Egg's Asian background; the fact that Fenna is mute; Sem's big ears and clumsiness; and Milou's outspokenness and surly attitude. When pitted against the younger and cuter orphans they live with, these 5 stand out for all of the wrong reasons. When we first meet them, they have been in the orphanage for 12 years and their awful matron, Elinora Gassbeek, has had enough. So, she plans to sell them off to an unscrupulous businessman. Thankfully, before he can take them away to a life of endless toil, Milou finds a clue about her parents. Can the children escape their doom and unlock the secrets of Milou's family?
When this book really gets going, it turns into an exciting little adventure story. There is danger and excitement at every turn, so I can see younger readers being enthralled with the story. There is some darkness here and the children do have the occasional brush with death. However, it is also a story about love and companionship. The friends all work together in order to achieve some incredible feats. This is a story about how wrong first impressions can be. People might initially see these children as being less than perfect but, when it comes down to it, they are all capable of doing great things.
It is also a book that shows you don't need to find your worth in what society or its systems think about you. The supposed "unadoptables" seem doomed to never find a family. Of course, as the narrative moves on, it becomes clear that they have already found one. If society has turned its back on these 5 kids then they're going to turn their back on it too. This is a book that celebrates the non-traditional family. It celebrates the idea that a family is whatever you make it. Meaning you can make a family with people who see you for what you really are rather than what you seem. It's an empowering and wonderful message. Something that is getting ignored because of some people's wilful misunderstanding of the title.
Inside this book is a rich story of friendship, imagination and courage. It takes us through the streets of Amsterdam and takes on an unforgettable journey. There are so many fun aspects of this story and it takes you on a few unexpected turns. The two major villains here are both deliciously awful and provide plenty of terror to the tale. I admit, it gets a little messy in places and there are some sequences that seem unnecessary or slightly too long. The final twist in the tale is something that adult readers will be able to see coming a mile off but would probably work for the intended audience. The Unadoptables is an emotional, fun and unforgettable story. Hana Tooke has a fantastic ability to create characters and set the scene. She's clearly a very talented writer and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
It's also worth noting that the book is set in the late 1800s, so the idea that people would be dismissive of otherness is accurate. Stating a historical fact is not the same as condoning that attitude. The 5 children at the centre of this book would, in all likelihood, have struggled to get adopted in Amsterdam during that time. Not once does Tooke say that they deserve to be left in care for their entire lives. She just understands that society was prejudiced to people of other races or with disabilities. It was also a time in which social care wasn't as carefully curated as it is today. This isn't the current adoption experience but more of an Oliver Twist style adoption process.
Something of a shame for our five heroes. None of them fall in the conventional idea of what makes up a prospective parent's ideal adoptee as they each have something that puts people off. Like Lotta's extra fingers; Egg's Asian background; the fact that Fenna is mute; Sem's big ears and clumsiness; and Milou's outspokenness and surly attitude. When pitted against the younger and cuter orphans they live with, these 5 stand out for all of the wrong reasons. When we first meet them, they have been in the orphanage for 12 years and their awful matron, Elinora Gassbeek, has had enough. So, she plans to sell them off to an unscrupulous businessman. Thankfully, before he can take them away to a life of endless toil, Milou finds a clue about her parents. Can the children escape their doom and unlock the secrets of Milou's family?
When this book really gets going, it turns into an exciting little adventure story. There is danger and excitement at every turn, so I can see younger readers being enthralled with the story. There is some darkness here and the children do have the occasional brush with death. However, it is also a story about love and companionship. The friends all work together in order to achieve some incredible feats. This is a story about how wrong first impressions can be. People might initially see these children as being less than perfect but, when it comes down to it, they are all capable of doing great things.
It is also a book that shows you don't need to find your worth in what society or its systems think about you. The supposed "unadoptables" seem doomed to never find a family. Of course, as the narrative moves on, it becomes clear that they have already found one. If society has turned its back on these 5 kids then they're going to turn their back on it too. This is a book that celebrates the non-traditional family. It celebrates the idea that a family is whatever you make it. Meaning you can make a family with people who see you for what you really are rather than what you seem. It's an empowering and wonderful message. Something that is getting ignored because of some people's wilful misunderstanding of the title.
Inside this book is a rich story of friendship, imagination and courage. It takes us through the streets of Amsterdam and takes on an unforgettable journey. There are so many fun aspects of this story and it takes you on a few unexpected turns. The two major villains here are both deliciously awful and provide plenty of terror to the tale. I admit, it gets a little messy in places and there are some sequences that seem unnecessary or slightly too long. The final twist in the tale is something that adult readers will be able to see coming a mile off but would probably work for the intended audience. The Unadoptables is an emotional, fun and unforgettable story. Hana Tooke has a fantastic ability to create characters and set the scene. She's clearly a very talented writer and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up.
TS recommended this book to me last year, and it sounded absolutely delightful. But instead of picking it up immediately, I decided to save it for when I needed something warm and sweet and hopeful to brighten up my world. That was absolutely the right decision. I found myself in desperate need of comfort after I finished reading Deadhouse Gates, the second installment in Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series. That book felt like it destroyed my soul. And this book resurrected it, and reminded me that there’s goodness in the world.
The Unadoptables are five older orphans who have lived their entire young lives in what is possibly the foulest orphanage in the Netherlands. When a chance to escape presents itself, the five run away together in search of home and a family. I found all five of the orphans absolutely lovely. There’s Sem, the kindest boy you’ll ever meet, who’s incredibly gifted with a needle and thread. There’s Fenna, a beautiful redhead who is gifted in the culinary arts but has never found her voice. Lotta is a brilliant scientist in the making with six fingers on each hand, and she uses these extra digits incredibly nimbly. Egg is an incredibly talented artist of unknown Asian descent, who wants to map the world and find out where he came from. And finally, there’s Milou, of ebony hair and midnight eye, who was found on the roof in a tiny coffin and is certain her parents are coming back for her one day. She tells amazing stories, and is the leader of this ragtag crew.
All of the children were delightful. Some of the adults were unequivocally horrid, and others were more of a mystery until the final pages. But the children and their relationships with one another were the true core of the story, and I enjoyed every minute with them. The setting was inviting and atmospheric and just different enough from most similar middle grade novels to set it apart. The prose just kind of disappeared as I was reading, which is the absolute best thing a writer can accomplish in this genre, in my opinion. It was truly all about the characters and their story, and I think that kids who fall into the target audience range will find within this book a story that really resonates with them. But I also think this is one of those wonderful middle grade novels that is honestly perfect for just about anyone.
It’s been a long time since I read a book this size in a single sitting. It was a truly wonderful reading experience that acted as a balm for my soul after I had finished reading something moving but traumatic. The Unadoptables is a wonderful recovery novel or palette cleanser or whatever you choose to call it, especially if you’ve been reading heavier works. But it’s also a book that I would immediately buy for any kid I knew in this age bracket. It’s a comforting story very well told, and I’m so glad TS recommended it to me.
TS recommended this book to me last year, and it sounded absolutely delightful. But instead of picking it up immediately, I decided to save it for when I needed something warm and sweet and hopeful to brighten up my world. That was absolutely the right decision. I found myself in desperate need of comfort after I finished reading Deadhouse Gates, the second installment in Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series. That book felt like it destroyed my soul. And this book resurrected it, and reminded me that there’s goodness in the world.
The Unadoptables are five older orphans who have lived their entire young lives in what is possibly the foulest orphanage in the Netherlands. When a chance to escape presents itself, the five run away together in search of home and a family. I found all five of the orphans absolutely lovely. There’s Sem, the kindest boy you’ll ever meet, who’s incredibly gifted with a needle and thread. There’s Fenna, a beautiful redhead who is gifted in the culinary arts but has never found her voice. Lotta is a brilliant scientist in the making with six fingers on each hand, and she uses these extra digits incredibly nimbly. Egg is an incredibly talented artist of unknown Asian descent, who wants to map the world and find out where he came from. And finally, there’s Milou, of ebony hair and midnight eye, who was found on the roof in a tiny coffin and is certain her parents are coming back for her one day. She tells amazing stories, and is the leader of this ragtag crew.
All of the children were delightful. Some of the adults were unequivocally horrid, and others were more of a mystery until the final pages. But the children and their relationships with one another were the true core of the story, and I enjoyed every minute with them. The setting was inviting and atmospheric and just different enough from most similar middle grade novels to set it apart. The prose just kind of disappeared as I was reading, which is the absolute best thing a writer can accomplish in this genre, in my opinion. It was truly all about the characters and their story, and I think that kids who fall into the target audience range will find within this book a story that really resonates with them. But I also think this is one of those wonderful middle grade novels that is honestly perfect for just about anyone.
It’s been a long time since I read a book this size in a single sitting. It was a truly wonderful reading experience that acted as a balm for my soul after I had finished reading something moving but traumatic. The Unadoptables is a wonderful recovery novel or palette cleanser or whatever you choose to call it, especially if you’ve been reading heavier works. But it’s also a book that I would immediately buy for any kid I knew in this age bracket. It’s a comforting story very well told, and I’m so glad TS recommended it to me.
This was a really cute story! It was very sweet and whimsical.