Subject
Orphans -- Fiction Books
Best books
Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyre: An Autobiography
"Jane Eyre: An Autobiography" by Charlotte Brontë is a novel published in 1847. It follows the life of Jane Eyre from her oppressed childhood through her education and into adulthood, where she becomes governess at Thornfield Hall and falls in love with the mysterious Mr. Rochester. Told through intimate first-person narrative, this groundbreaking bildungsroman explores moral and spiritual development while addressing class, religion, sexuality, and feminism. The story unfolds across five distinct stages, each shaping Jane's journey toward independence and belonging.
Charles Dickens
Great Expectations
"Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens is a novel first published serially from 1860 to 1861. The story follows Pip, a young orphan living with his sister and her blacksmith husband on England's coastal marshes. After a terrifying encounter with an escaped convict and strange visits to the bitter Miss Havisham and her cold adopted daughter Estella, Pip's life transforms when he mysteriously receives a fortune from an unknown benefactor. This bildungsroman explores wealth and poverty, love and rejection, through vivid characters and dramatic scenes that have captivated readers for generations.
L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables
"Anne of Green Gables" by L. M. Montgomery is a novel published in 1908. When eleven-year-old orphan Anne Shirley arrives at Green Gables farm by mistake, the Cuthbert siblings had requested a boy to help with farmwork. Imaginative, talkative, and eager to belong, Anne must prove herself worthy of staying. The story follows her adventures in the village of Avonlea—making friends, excelling at school, clashing with rival Gilbert Blythe, and transforming the lives of everyone around her.
Victor Hugo
Les Misérables
"Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo is a French epic historical novel published in 1862. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, it follows ex-convict Jean Valjean's struggle for redemption. The novel explores the nature of law and grace, examining themes of justice, poverty, and love through the lives of interconnected characters in nineteenth-century France. Considered one of the greatest novels of its century, it depicts society's most downtrodden members and their fight for dignity.
Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist
"Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens is a novel originally published as a serial from 1837 to 1839. The story follows orphan Oliver Twist, who escapes a workhouse and finds himself in London among a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by the criminal Fagin. As Oliver navigates this dangerous underworld, mysteries surrounding his parentage begin to surface. Dickens exposes the cruel treatment of orphans and the sordid lives of criminals in mid-19th century England, creating an early social novel that satirizes child labor and exploitation.
Ann Ward Radcliffe
The Mysteries of Udolpho
"The Mysteries of Udolpho" by Ann Radcliffe is a Gothic novel published in 1794. Young Emily St. Aubert endures a cascade of misfortunes after her parents' deaths, finding herself trapped in a sinister Italian castle controlled by the menacing Montoni. Surrounded by mysterious terrors, hidden secrets, and supernatural phenomena, Emily must navigate perilous intrigues while separated from her beloved Valancourt. This archetypal Gothic tale weaves romance, suspense, and dark mysteries through remote castles and haunted landscapes.
Charles Dickens
David Copperfield
"David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens is a novel published in 1849-1850. Narrated by David himself, this bildungsroman follows his journey from infancy to maturity through Victorian England. After his mother's tragic remarriage to the cruel Murdstone, young David endures hardship at boarding school, child labor in London, and eventual escape to his eccentric aunt. As he grows, David navigates friendship, betrayal, love, and ambition while encountering unforgettable characters—from the villainous Uriah Heep to the devoted Agnes—ultimately seeking his place in the world.
Victor Hugo
Les misérables Tome I: Fantine
"Les misérables Tome I: Fantine" by Victor Hugo is a French epic historical novel first published in 1862. Set between 1815 and the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, it follows ex-convict Jean Valjean's struggle for redemption. The novel explores law and grace, justice and mercy, while examining the lives of society's most downtrodden members. Hugo weaves together themes of poverty, love, and moral philosophy against the backdrop of French history and Parisian life, creating what many consider one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist, Vol. 2 (of 3)
"Oliver Twist, Vol. 2 (of 3)" by Charles Dickens is a novel originally published serially from 1837 to 1839. This second volume continues the journey of orphan Oliver Twist through London's criminal underworld. After escaping a workhouse, Oliver falls into the hands of Fagin's gang of pickpockets but finds refuge with the kind Mr. Brownlow. As mysterious forces conspire to hide Oliver's true parentage, he becomes entangled in robbery, betrayal, and violence that will determine his fate and uncover long-buried family secrets.
L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery
Anne of Avonlea
"Anne of Avonlea" by L. M. Montgomery is a novel published in 1909. This sequel follows Anne Shirley from ages sixteen to eighteen as she becomes Avonlea's schoolteacher on Prince Edward Island. Anne navigates the challenges of teaching, helps raise two orphaned twins, and co-founds the Village Improvement Society with mixed results. Along the way, she befriends an imaginative student and reunites a lonely woman with her long-lost love, all while preparing for college alongside her friend Gilbert.
L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery
Anne of the Island
"Anne of the Island" by L. M. Montgomery is a novel published in 1915. Anne Shirley leaves Prince Edward Island for the first time to attend Redmond College in Nova Scotia, embarking on new adventures with old and new friends. As she navigates college life, romantic proposals, and questions of true love, Anne must discover what her heart truly desires—and whether the ideal she's always imagined matches reality.
Rudyard Kipling
Kim
"Kim" by Rudyard Kipling is a novel first published in 1901. It follows the adventures of an orphaned Irish boy living as a street vagabond in late 19th-century India. Kim befriends a Tibetan lama seeking spiritual enlightenment and becomes his disciple. Their journey along the Grand Trunk Road draws Kim into the dangerous world of British espionage and the Great Game—the covert struggle between Russia and Britain for control of Central Asia. The novel vividly portrays India's cultures, religions, and teeming populations.
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