Rory's Promise

Reviewed by: Bernie Alie - Kennebunk Free Library, Kennebunk ME, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 29, 2014

Review

Rory lives at the Foundling Hospital of New York with her sister Violet. Although 12 years old, she has been able to persuade the Sisters in charge to allow her to stay with the young children to stay close to Violet. When she discovers that Violet is due to be adopted, she stows away to try to get adopted as well. Upon arrival in Clifton, AZ, Violet is at the heart of the struggle between Mexican and Anglo families unable to bear children due to the effects of copper mining and smelting in the mountain town.

Rory is headstrong and manipulative. She makes herself indispensible by helping with the young children. She easily gets her way, is given adult responsibilities, and is more adept than the adults in charge. She is older than her years.

The two girls ride one of the Baby Trains, the forerunner to the Orphan Trains that took street children and orphans to rural families throughout the US. Ambiguity of historical placement makes it difficult to check accuracy. Horse drawn taxi cabs mix with electric lights, automobiles, indoor plumbing and water closets. A note opposite the verso page sets the story in the 1870's yet the train passes the St. Louis World's Fair, held in 1904.

Many questions detract from the quality of the story. Violet and Rory ride in a special car hired by the orphanage. Would the charity hospital have funds to hire an entire car? Would the townspeople of Clifton be aware that the mining and smelting are the cause of so many miscarriages in town? Would Ramon, Violet's adoptive father, be familiar with the similarity of the discrimination suffered by the Irish of NY and the Mexicans of AZ?

A note to the reader and a note about the sources discuss the events in Clifton upon which the tale is based, and the truth behind some of the characters.

Overall Book Score: good