House of Orphans - Softcover

Dunmore, Helen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0670914525 ISBN 13: 9780670914524

Publisher: Fig Tree, 2006

Synopsis

Set in Finland in the year 1901: Eeva, the young orphaned daughter of a revolutionary, is sent from the orphanage to work as housekeeper for Thomas, a widowed country doctor. Her challenging, independent, enigmatic presence disturbs Thomas as much as it fascinates him. Their relationship will shatter all the certainties of his life. Meanwhile, Eeva is drawn back to Helsinki, to the comrades of her childhood, and in particular to Lauri, the son of her father's friend. It is a world full of danger. For this is Finland in political ferment - the power of the Russian Empire over its subject peoples is growing more oppressive, but resistance to the Tsar's rule is growing too, both in Finland and in Russia. Some call such resistance terrorism; others call it a fight for freedom. Just as Helen Dunmore's "The Siege" is a novel about how huge public events bear down on private lives, so "House of Orphans", while a spellbinding story of love and loneliness is also about the tension between reform and revolution, and a country emerging into Independence.

About this title

Review

Outstanding, a sheer pleasure to read. Dunmore is a remarkable storyteller * Daily Mail * Part love story, part tragedy . . . Dunmore on dazzling form. Everyone should read her work * Independent on Sunday * Every character is richly drawn and makes for compelling reading ... top-quality fiction * Daily Express * Richly ambitious . . . there isn't a dull page. A remarkable achievement * Scotsman * Extraordinary . . . combines a luminous delicacy of observation with raw emotional power to haunting effect * Sunday Telegraph * Vivid and exciting . . . Dunmore creates a beautiful sense of stillness . . . she conveys a passion for Finland's icy landscape * Observer * Beautifully written . . . a story about us all * Evening Standard *

From the Back Cover

`An extraordinary novel' Guardian

`A marvellous richness of texture ... to be in the hands such an accomplished write is a great pleasure' Spectator

`Vivid and exciting ... Dunmore creates a beautiful sense of stillness ... she conveys a passion for Finland's icy landscape' Observer

`Eeva is a glittering character' The Times

`A portrait of a country at war is brilliantly achieved ... a spellbinding tale' Red

`Extraordinary ... combines a luminous delicacy of observation with raw emotional power to haunting effect' Sunday Telegraph

`Beautifully written ... a story about us all' Evening Standard

`Part love story, part tragedy ... Dunmore on dazzling form. Everyone should read her work' Independent on Sunday

'Outstanding, a sheer pleasure to read. Dunmore is a remarkable storyteller' Daily Mail

Edition details

• Publisher: Fig Tree
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0670914525
• ISBN 13: 9780670914524
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336