City of Orphans

The city of New York has long been known for its storied glitz and glamour. People from all over the world are familiar with its iconic landmarks like Times Square and Central Park and the opulence of its architecture. However, the New York City of the late 1800s was quite different from the posh metropolis it is today. Lacking the infrastructure needed to support rapid industrialization, the city teetered on the brink of disaster, either through economic collapse, disease outbreak, or rioting disgruntled workers. Maks Geless’s relationship with the city is complex. While it is his home, he is not fully accepted into society due to his identity as a Danish immigrant. He feels the crushing weight of the poverty, filth, and mistreatment of those like him, yet he mentions specific street names with fondness, describing each with their own unique personality. He is also in awe of the splendor of the Waldorf Hotel. Many important scenes take place in its interior, and the reader is taken on a tour of true New York glamour through Maks’s eyes.

Avi explores the city through Maks’s mind as it becomes a character itself. The streetlamps even appear to have eyes that glow.