Stormi's Review: Forgetting Tabitha by Julie Dewey
Author Provided Copy
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Released: January 1, 2016
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 221 pages
Format: ebook , paperback
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Synopsis
Raised on a farm, Tabitha Salt, the daughter of Irish immigrants, leads a bucolic and sheltered existence. When tragedy strikes the family, Tabitha and her mother are forced to move to the notorious Five Points District in New York City, known for its brothels, gangs, gambling halls, corrupt politicians and thieves. As they struggle to survive in their new living conditions, tragedy strikes again. Young Tabitha resorts to life alone on the streets of New York, dreaming of a happier future.
The Sisters of Charity are taking orphans off the streets with promises of a new life. Children are to forget their pasts, their religious beliefs, families and names. They offer Tabitha a choice: stay in Five Points or board the orphan train and go West in search of a new life.
The harrowing journey and the decision to leave everything behind launches Tabitha on a path from which she can never return.
Five Boundless Stars
This book is based in the mid 1800's. It follows young Tabitha after she loses her mother. It follows her life as an orphan and after. It also follows the life of some of the other orphans she meets along the way. Each story is heartbreaking, but made for a great read. This book paints a very real picture of the poor that lived back then and what they had to endure on a day to day basis. It really is sad and each story is so heartbreaking. Many children were left on the streets. Many died, and while some were saved. All had a hard life. Forgetting Tabitha was written so well. It was easy to fall in love with these young children who, for many reasons, were left alone to fend for themselves. I love books based in Historical times, but this one was a sad one. Many times I caught myself crying for these children. The book, while fiction, depicted a real way of life for so many back in the old days. Life was hard, but many survived. This is a great book.