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House of Orphans (Unabridged)
 
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House of Orphans (Unabridged) [Audio Download]

by Helen Dunmore (Author), Jilly Bond (Narrator)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Audio Download
  • Listening Length: 12 hours and 30 minutes
  • Program Type: Audiobook
  • Version: Unabridged
  • Publisher: ISIS Audio Books
  • Audible Release Date: 26 July 2006
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B002SQ72GO
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction, 2006.

Finland, 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 enigmatic presence disturbs Thomas as much as it fascinates him, shattering all the certainties of his life. Eeva longs to be back in Helsinki with the comrades of her childhood, particularly Lauri. But life there is full of danger. The power of the Russian Empire over its subject peoples is growing more oppressive, but resistance to the Tsar's rule is growing too. Some call such resistance terrorism; others call it a fight for freedom. This spellbinding story of love and loneliness is also about the tensions that arise in a country emerging into independence.

©2006 Helen Dunmore; (P)Isis Publishing Ltd
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First Sentence
Each winter there was an outbreak of fever at the House of Orphans. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By p_roux
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed Dunmore's description of life in rural Finland at the turn of the century. There was an attention to detail which was fascinating and her portrayal of the characters at the orphanage and the doctor and his family was sympathetic and well-researched. The poverty of the farming communitites is a stark contrast to the comforts of the Swedish speaking bourgeoisie in the early 1900s. With the doctor's help Eeva moves back to Helsinki, and her life amidst the political turmoil of the new city is again an interesting contrast to her childhood years in the security and the purity of the countryside.

Although I enjoyed the beginning of the book I felt we lost Eeva after she moved back to Helsinki. The narrative switched without transition from one character to another without developing to any climax. I was surprised when I reached the end of the book, and was frustrated that some of the characters had slid out of the novel without me noticing.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Another world 3 Mar 2007
By Avid
Format:Paperback
This is one of those incredibly satisying novels that takes you into an unfamiliar world and then propels you along through terrific characters and a satisfying plot. I never knew I'd be interested in Finland in the 1900s, but I was gripped, and taken into two contrasting worlds of Helsinki the new modern city and the backwoods of the Finnish countryside. It's a love story -- a triangular one -- and it's also about revolution and terrorism and full of suspense.

The characters are by turns noble, touching and sinister -- and sometimes all three.

Thoroughly recommended.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Highly recommended 10 May 2007
By Jaybird
Format:Paperback
Dunmore once returns to a historical novel, as she did in The Siege, which remains one of my favourites by her, along with A Spell in Winter. All her books, whether contemporary or historical, take their plot from the characters.

This book is set in Finland in turbulent (and fascinating) political times, but wears its research lightly.

It is the story of Eeva, daughter of a political activist, who is sent to an orphanage and from there into service, working for a country doctor.

This is a wonderful book, deft and elegant, without being difficult or condescending.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A tale of three people and two loves
The story is set in Finland in the early twentieth century. Russian rule has for some time fomented an, as yet, ineffectual revolutionary terrorism and the necessary organ of... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mick Read
...malice curled inside Eeva and licked her heart like a cat...
A well researched novel set in Finland in the years running up to 1902, during the period when the country was dominated by its giant bear of a neighbour, Russia. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Eileen Shaw
House of Orphans by Helen Dunmore
This was quite the most wonderful book I have read this year. The fictional characters are set in factual history. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mrs. Helen Briggs
Love and politics in early 20th century Finland
The book is set in Finland in the first few years of the 20th century, when Finnish nationalist and left-wing groups in Helsinki were planning resistance to oppressive Russian... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ralph Blumenau
A book of two halves
When I started this novel, I thought I was really going to enjoy it. I love Helen Dunmore's writing, and in this book, it is as fluid and effortless as ever. Read more
Published 18 months ago by F. M. M. Stott
Set in Finland
Set in Finland in the early 1900's and selected from the 2006 orange long list. Unfortunately if did not make the shortlist but I was very happy to have read the book which I... Read more
Published on 10 Sep 2009 by Dr Phibes
A compassionate story of love and loneliness set against an...
Although this book is titled 'House of Orphans', we actually meet very few orphans, in fact only Eeva, female protagonist of the story, and Anna Lusa, who runs the orphanage. Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2008 by LindyLouMac
Misleading title
Although this book is called 'House of Orphans', we actually meet very few orphans, in fact only Eeva, our heroine, and Anna Marie, the lady who runs the orphanage. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2007 by DubaiReader
Misleading Title
Although this book is called 'House of Orphans', we actualy meet very few orphans, in fact only Eeva, our heroine, and Anna Marie, the lady who runs the orphanage. Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2007 by DubaiReader
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