Review: The Dutch Orphan

I enjoyed Ellen Keith’s debut novel, The Dutch Wife, back in 2018 when I read it. I even got to meet her and hear how her first book came to be. Always inspiring to hear from debut authors! I didn’t love the book but I liked it enough that I knew I’d read the Canadian author’s next novel, whenever it came. That moment is finally now as The Dutch Orphan is out in the world today. I read it a few weeks ago though… “read” might be a bit of a stretch. I skimmed. I wanted to know the ending and how Keith wrapped up things for her characters but I didn’t really care. And that made me so sad!

Here’s the book’s description:

Amsterdam, 1941. When the Nazis invade Amsterdam, singer Johanna Vos watches in horror as her Jewish friends are forbidden from performing with her onstage, and the vibrant music scene she loves is all but erased. Johanna helps organize the Artists' Resistance, an underground network that arranges for Jewish musicians to perform at house concerts hosted by their allies. When Johanna is told about a Jewish orphan who is headed for deportation, she does not think twice: she takes the baby in as her own, hiding the truth from everyone, including her sister, Liesbeth.
Meanwhile, Liesbeth de Wit finds herself torn between her sister and her failing marriage. She knows Johanna is an ally of the Resistance, while her husband actively supports the Dutch Fascist Party. As the sisters navigate the ongoing Nazi occupation, they find themselves growing further and further apart. And when another charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on Liesbeth, her predicament only deepens.
As the war unfolds, secrets continue to grow between the sisters, severing their once-unbreakable bond. Eventually, both women are forced to make a choice that will alter their lives forever: the choice between family and freedom.

I think my ultimate problem with this novel was the characters. I couldn’t understand their motivations, not really. And, sure, a part of that is I literally cannot imagine what it would be like to have my city become occupied by Nazi soldiers. I recognize that. But Keith still should have been able to make me see why they were acting in certain ways. Johanna, for example, seemed like a really smart woman but she acted like an absolute idiot on a number of occasions in the novel that put herself and others in danger. Liesbeth, on the other hand, had absolutely no spine until suddenly she did? Maybe I missed the growing of the spine because I had really started skimming by that point but the plot points in the novel at that spot didn’t quite seem like enough to make her change. I also couldn’t forgive her for something she did and I don’t know how other characters would be able to either.

I knew that Keith had a connection to the resistance in the Netherlands because of the event I went to after the release of The Dutch Wife (recap here). She also wrote a good part (if not all) of The Dutch Orphan while living in Amsterdam, which is where the book is set. I appreciate that kind of connection to the story and I really feel like that came through in the heart of the story. And it was that heart that had me finish the book.

What Keith’s novel does well is really hit home what it was like to live in Amsterdam specifically, and the Netherlands generally, during World War II. For some reason, I always forget that they were occupied by the Nazis beginning in May 1940. So, I appreciate that reminder of history and the examples of how everyday Dutch residents worked to protect their Jewish neighbours and undermine the soldiers’ orders. I had the feeling that I was there right alongside Jo and Lies, which, to be honest, was really hard sometimes. The suffering was intense and I was thankful for my own life circumstances as I read it.

All in all, The Dutch Orphan was an interesting historical fiction read with a lot of heart. I didn’t love Ellen Keith’s sophomore novel but I’m still willing to give her another chance whenever she publishes a third. I think if you really like learning about World War II history, especially the parts that we don’t always learn about in Canada (even though Canadians played a role in liberating the Netherlands), you should still pick up a copy of this one from your local library.

Content warnings: miscarriage/stillbirth, pregnancy, infertility, war, prison camps, murder, infidelity, suicide

*An egalley of this novel was provided by HarperCollins Canada via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*