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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.
1936 London: Fifteen-year-old Winny has never known a real home. After running away from an abusive stepfather, she falls in with Mary and Jack. Their ragtag group of friends are caught stealing food. Winny learns she will soon join other boys and girls in a faraway place called Canada, where families and better lives await them. Present day, Winny recalls her life and shares all with her grandchildren.
Based on the true story of the British Home Children who were shipped to Canada with the promise of a better life. Although this story seems to highlight just the tragic and hurt that happened to the kids, the overall story of the home and why it was started was interesting.
3☆
1936 London: Fifteen-year-old Winny has never known a real home. After running away from an abusive stepfather, she falls in with Mary and Jack. Their ragtag group of friends are caught stealing food. Winny learns she will soon join other boys and girls in a faraway place called Canada, where families and better lives await them. Present day, Winny recalls her life and shares all with her grandchildren.
Based on the true story of the British Home Children who were shipped to Canada with the promise of a better life. Although this story seems to highlight just the tragic and hurt that happened to the kids, the overall story of the home and why it was started was interesting.
3☆
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If you're anything like me this book will be an eye opening look at a part of Canada's history I didn't even know existed. That is, the story of the British Home Children that were sent to Canada and other countries to clean up the streets of England and work as cheap labour overseas. While this story is a work of fiction, it is pulled from real life accounts of actual events that occurred.
The Forgotten Home Child is told in two timelines ( mainly the past) and from two perspectives. Our main character Winny has left home at the age of 15 fleeing an abusive step father and absent mother. Living on the streets of London she joins with the sibling pairs of Mary and Jack, and Edward and Cecil, with whom she forms a tight bond as they protect each other from the dangers of street living. Then they call get arrest and send to Barnardo's homes for children where they begin training in the trades and learning life skills. When the learn they are being sent away to Canada to work for families in need they are told they're being given opportunities for a better life. That sadly is not what awaits the group. Being sent to farms (which they have no experience in) to work as indentured servants they are poorly treated, beaten frequently, and forgotten but the agency that was supposed to help protect them.
Graham writes an emotional, heartbreaking tale of survival that captivates you as a reader. We are given an endearing cast of characters that you become attached to and can't help feel for. An amazing piece of historical fiction that I just couldn't put down! Definitely a must read.
The Forgotten Home Child is told in two timelines ( mainly the past) and from two perspectives. Our main character Winny has left home at the age of 15 fleeing an abusive step father and absent mother. Living on the streets of London she joins with the sibling pairs of Mary and Jack, and Edward and Cecil, with whom she forms a tight bond as they protect each other from the dangers of street living. Then they call get arrest and send to Barnardo's homes for children where they begin training in the trades and learning life skills. When the learn they are being sent away to Canada to work for families in need they are told they're being given opportunities for a better life. That sadly is not what awaits the group. Being sent to farms (which they have no experience in) to work as indentured servants they are poorly treated, beaten frequently, and forgotten but the agency that was supposed to help protect them.
Graham writes an emotional, heartbreaking tale of survival that captivates you as a reader. We are given an endearing cast of characters that you become attached to and can't help feel for. An amazing piece of historical fiction that I just couldn't put down! Definitely a must read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
5 stars!
Having worked in a historical museum, I had the privilege of learning about the history of some of the British Home Children who came to live in my area, and their descendants. It's a part of Canadian history many of us know nothing about, and often gets swept under the rug. I was definitely keen to learn more about this time period, and I think everyone else should be as well. When I read the premise for this book, I just knew it would be something I'd be reading.
The Forgotten Home Child is a work of fiction, inspired by the true stories of the British Home Children who came to Canada. It is the story of Winny, and her friends Jack, Mary, Cecil, Edward, Charlotte and Quinn. 97- year-old Winny knows she doesn't have much time left, and she figures she will take her past to the grave with her. However, when her grand-daughter and great-grandson take an interest, she finds herself revealing a secret she promised to keep so long ago. It's a story of friendship, love, loss, hope, survival, courage, resilience, and the family we create.
Alternating between the past and the present, this novel is written flawlessly. Both timelines are necessary in developing the story, and contribute to why this story must be told. I loved this book from start to finish. It was beautiful, it was heartbreaking, it was emotional, and it was most definitely educative. This book taught me the true importance of owning your story, there is no shame, despite how painful your past may be, your story deserves to be told. The character development is phenomenal, as I felt connected to each and every one of these characters. This is so much more than just a compelling story, it is a book that delves into an overlooked and undermentioned part of Canadian history. Many of the experiences (but not all) are tragic, and for this reason it is a part of history that cannot be swept under the rug. Many of the stories used in this book are the harsh realities these young children faced in their day to day lives.
This is a must read for all Canadians! It was my first Genevieve Graham novel, and let me just say it definitely won't be my last. I absolutely love what she does for Canadian literature. If you enjoyed The Home for Unwanted Girls or are a historical fiction fan in general than add this one to your TBR pronto.
Content Warnings: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, violence, suicide, death, adoption, PTSD
5 stars!
Having worked in a historical museum, I had the privilege of learning about the history of some of the British Home Children who came to live in my area, and their descendants. It's a part of Canadian history many of us know nothing about, and often gets swept under the rug. I was definitely keen to learn more about this time period, and I think everyone else should be as well. When I read the premise for this book, I just knew it would be something I'd be reading.
The Forgotten Home Child is a work of fiction, inspired by the true stories of the British Home Children who came to Canada. It is the story of Winny, and her friends Jack, Mary, Cecil, Edward, Charlotte and Quinn. 97- year-old Winny knows she doesn't have much time left, and she figures she will take her past to the grave with her. However, when her grand-daughter and great-grandson take an interest, she finds herself revealing a secret she promised to keep so long ago. It's a story of friendship, love, loss, hope, survival, courage, resilience, and the family we create.
Alternating between the past and the present, this novel is written flawlessly. Both timelines are necessary in developing the story, and contribute to why this story must be told. I loved this book from start to finish. It was beautiful, it was heartbreaking, it was emotional, and it was most definitely educative. This book taught me the true importance of owning your story, there is no shame, despite how painful your past may be, your story deserves to be told. The character development is phenomenal, as I felt connected to each and every one of these characters. This is so much more than just a compelling story, it is a book that delves into an overlooked and undermentioned part of Canadian history. Many of the experiences (but not all) are tragic, and for this reason it is a part of history that cannot be swept under the rug. Many of the stories used in this book are the harsh realities these young children faced in their day to day lives.
This is a must read for all Canadians! It was my first Genevieve Graham novel, and let me just say it definitely won't be my last. I absolutely love what she does for Canadian literature. If you enjoyed The Home for Unwanted Girls or are a historical fiction fan in general than add this one to your TBR pronto.
Content Warnings: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, violence, suicide, death, adoption, PTSD
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Forgotten Home Child is an eye-opening look at a little-known part of Canadian history.
Between 1868 and 1949, more than 100,000 British children from the streets and orphanages were sent to other countries to work.
One such Home that shipped the children overseas was run by Dr. Barnardo, whose British Home Children make up this story.
The novel is based in true events, as many children went to work for Canadian family farms and there was no way to keep tabs on how they were treated. They were considered as lesser beings in many cases, and the stories of Winny and Jack alternate in the novel to tell their stories. Their experiences of abuse, neglect, malnutrition and death are based upon true events.
The Forgotten Home Child is a heartbreaking, tragic, infuriating and also uplifting read - of survival, and friends who become family.
Canadian author Genevive Graham brings this slice of history to life through incredible characters and research, and makes for an unforgettable lesson about our country.
This is the first of Graham's novels that I've read and I'm thankful for the Bookstagram community for recommending it.
And now I'm recommending it to others! I'll be back for more.
Between 1868 and 1949, more than 100,000 British children from the streets and orphanages were sent to other countries to work.
One such Home that shipped the children overseas was run by Dr. Barnardo, whose British Home Children make up this story.
The novel is based in true events, as many children went to work for Canadian family farms and there was no way to keep tabs on how they were treated. They were considered as lesser beings in many cases, and the stories of Winny and Jack alternate in the novel to tell their stories. Their experiences of abuse, neglect, malnutrition and death are based upon true events.
The Forgotten Home Child is a heartbreaking, tragic, infuriating and also uplifting read - of survival, and friends who become family.
Canadian author Genevive Graham brings this slice of history to life through incredible characters and research, and makes for an unforgettable lesson about our country.
This is the first of Graham's novels that I've read and I'm thankful for the Bookstagram community for recommending it.
And now I'm recommending it to others! I'll be back for more.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Produced some waterworks for me. Also opened my eyes about parts of Canadian history I'd never even heard about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide
I honestly don't even know what to say or where to begin. This story broke my heart and put it back together. It was stunning and beautiful. It was so full of emotion and characters I loved so much. It made me cry, it made me laugh. I absolutely LOVED this book, it's made it to my all-time favourite list. The writing was beautiful and smooth and I wanted to savour it as well as devour it all at the same time. Graham put me right there with the characters and I felt everything they felt. This book gave me a hangover and I'm not sure I will ever be the same. Seriously, read this. You'll learn something about Canadian history that isn't spoken about and I enjoyed the learning it brought too. This is such a powerful novel that deserves to me loved and shared and honoured. I will be getting myself a finished copy for my bookshelf for sure.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Genevieve Graham for my ARC in turn for an honest review.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Genevieve Graham for my ARC in turn for an honest review.
Thank you to @simonschusterca and @netgalley for the ebook copy of this book!
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I loved this book! The topic was one that I didn’t know a lot about, and I was engaged the whole time! The book follows a group of Home Children who came over from London to Canada to work with families and get a better life! But in reality, a lot of the children were mentally, physically, and sexually abused, and experienced a lot of trauma! As a Canadian, this is not something I knew a lot about. I didn’t know that many of these children coming over weren’t actually orphans, as the officials claimed them to be, and I didn’t know the extent of the abuse!
-
The book follows mainly Winny and Jack, who come over in 1937 and have to work hard when they get over to Canada. Winny works on a farm and Jack works with a lumberjack who is cruel! Their stories tell a tale of tragedy, but also resiliency during tough times and innumerable loss! Winny and Jack were both great characters that I felt connected to the entirety of the book, which is really important to me as a reader! If you’re looking for a great historical fiction book, I highly recommend this! It comes out in March 2020!
-
I loved this book! The topic was one that I didn’t know a lot about, and I was engaged the whole time! The book follows a group of Home Children who came over from London to Canada to work with families and get a better life! But in reality, a lot of the children were mentally, physically, and sexually abused, and experienced a lot of trauma! As a Canadian, this is not something I knew a lot about. I didn’t know that many of these children coming over weren’t actually orphans, as the officials claimed them to be, and I didn’t know the extent of the abuse!
-
The book follows mainly Winny and Jack, who come over in 1937 and have to work hard when they get over to Canada. Winny works on a farm and Jack works with a lumberjack who is cruel! Their stories tell a tale of tragedy, but also resiliency during tough times and innumerable loss! Winny and Jack were both great characters that I felt connected to the entirety of the book, which is really important to me as a reader! If you’re looking for a great historical fiction book, I highly recommend this! It comes out in March 2020!