Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Molly has been to a dozen foster homes in 9 years since the loss of her father and the destruction of her mother. Shy in nature and a loner by choice she has never had many friends and doesn’t feel at all understood. After being sentenced to fifty community service hours for stealing, she meets Vivian, a ninety one year old retired woman who lives alone in a fourteen bedroom mansion. Molly’s mission is to spend her community service hours cleaning out the old woman’s attic and then figure out what she will do in nine months when she turns eighteen and is no longer a part of the foster care system. But as she goes through each box in the attic with Vivian, who doesn’t seem very interested in changing anything in the attic, the history of each item comes to life. Vivian begins to tell her life story and how she went from being Niamh, the young Irish orphan, on a train from New York to the Midwest in hopes of finding a family, to the wealthy woman she is now. They bond over their shared stories of being orphans and an unlikely friendship ensues, one that examines the variables in both of their lives. Is there such a thing as fate? Does everything happen for a reason? Or is there only chance?

                This was not a part of history I was at all familiar with so learning the history of these “orphan trains” that took kids off the street and literally shipped them to the Midwest to find families was interesting to say the least. The situations mentioned in this book were all plausible. Farmers needed field hands and mothers needed help with their kids and that took priority for many when selecting an orphan. Scared children traveled for miles in hopes of finding a family and agonized over what their future held if they weren’t chosen. Niamh didn’t have it easy and she had a hard time dealing with her sorrow but in the end she did find a family who loved her and gave her a new beginning. Molly, on the other hand, has had new beginning after new beginning and is lost. Vivian revealing her past and the friendship that is formed between them gives Molly a different sense of self and comfort. They built a bridge over generations and were able to relate their loss and lives to one another.

                This was a page turner. The story moved well and kept me engaged. The narration jumped from Vivian in her younger years during the 1920-1940, to present day occurrences in the lives of both Vivian and Molly. First person was only used during Vivian’s younger years which made those instances much more intimate. I really enjoyed the conversations between Molly and Vivian and watching their relationship grow. It was easy to recognize when the tones between the two became playful and their conversations became smoother. I was immediately drawn to Vivian’s childhood even though it was full of characters that made me angry. I rooted for Vivian, then Niamh, to get through but I recognized the horrific struggle. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. It took me very little time to get through the book and if you are in the mood for a historical fiction with a contemporary feel you should definitely give it a try.