I finally had a chance to read the latest book from Christina Kline,
Orphan Train (author of
Bird in Hand). This is the story of an unusual friendship between a teenager, Molly, in the foster care system and Vivian, an older woman, who was an orphan herself. A large portion of the book is told in flash back form, as Vivian shares her experiences as a child when she loses her family and is forced onto an orphan train. While the narrative sometimes feels a little forced to me, it doesn't decrease the overall emotional impact of the story. It certainly inspired me to learn more about the orphan trains, and what happened to some of the children during this time period. Take time to read this great book!
From
Booklist:
A long journey from home and the struggle to find it again form the
heart of the intertwined stories that make up this moving novel. Foster
teen Molly is performing community-service work for elderly widow
Vivian, and as they go through Vivian’s cluttered attic, they discover
that their lives have much in common. When Vivian was a girl, she was
taken to a new life on an orphan train. These trains carried children to
adoptive families for 75 years, from the mid-nineteenth century to the
start of the Great Depression. Novelist Kline (Bird in Hand, 2009)
brings Vivian’s hardscrabble existence in Depression-era Minnesota to
stunning life. Molly’s present-day story in Maine seems to pale in
comparison, but as we listen to the two characters talk, we find grace
and power in both of these seemingly disparate lives. Although the girls
are vulnerable, left to the whims of strangers, they show courage and
resourcefulness. Kline illuminates a largely hidden chapter of American
history, while portraying the coming-of-age of two resilient young
women. --Bridget Thoreson
