Christina Baker Kline

Orphan train

From Christina Baker Kline comes a novel about two women: one about to age out of the foster care system, the other 90 years old and carrying both a tremendous secret and a story of a life formed by a part of American history almost entirely forgotten: the Orphan Trains Molly Ayer has one last chance, and she knows it. Close to being kicked out of her foster home -- just months from turning 18 and “aging out” of the system -- Molly should be grateful that her boyfriend found her a community service project: helping an old lady clean out her home. Molly can’t help but think that the 50 hours will be tedious, but at least they’ll keep her out of juvie, and right now that’s all she cares about. Ninety-one-year-old Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine for decades. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are keys to a turbulent past. Molly is about to discover -- as she and Vivian unpack her possessions, and memories -- that Vivian’s story is a piece of America’s tumultuous history now largely forgotten: the tale of a young Irish immigrant, orphaned in New York City and put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other orphaned children whose destiny would be determined by luck and chance. As Molly digs deeper, she finds surprising parallels in her own experience as a Penobscot Indian and Vivian’s story -- and Molly realizes that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life. Rich in detail and epic in scope, THE TRAIN RIDER is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendships, and of the secrets we carry with us that keep us from finding out who we are.

A Novel

Orphan Train

Natasha Musa

Great storyline. Good narration. One of the best books I’ve read in 2019.

Gracie Marsden

Melissa Palmer

Book #49 Read in 2014
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

This is a great piece of historical fiction. It tells the tale of an Irish girl who boards the orphan train in New York as an 8 year old and heads to the Midwest. She is adopted into "families" that are really looking for a laborer, a babysitter or a surrogate wife. Eventually she finds a spot to at least feel safe in and she becomes a strong woman who has overcome great obstacles. Also told is a parallel story of Molly, a teenager in the foster system, who begins to help elderly Vivian sort through things in her attic in order to complete community service hours. The two form a bond that surpasses the generation gap.

I loved this book. The writing was wonderful. The characters were interesting and the storylines kept me totally engaged. I highly recommend it.

http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is a beautiful novel following the lives of two girls who have become orphans.

Molly Ayer is almost eighteen and is living through the child welfare system. It's not easy and she hasn't had the best of lives, but she's doing alright. She finds herself in a bit of trouble when she steals a library book which leads her to having to complete community service. Somehow, she begins helping a lovely 91-year-old woman named Vivian clean her house and the two form a beautiful but very unexpected friendship.

Or other timeline follows a young Irish immigrant girl who was orphaned in New York City. She traveled on the Orphan Train that took young orphans to random destinations to be adopted. Her life was tough but she managed to turn out alright...

These two stories intertwine and show the power of women, the persistence and strength of children, and a life full of second chances.

This book pulled at my heartstrings and almost made me weep! It's so beautifully written, so wonderfully engaging, and just an all around amazing read. It made me sad but by the end it warmed my heart up so much. I'm so happy I read this book because it truly opened my eyes to something I didn't know ever happened - Orphan Trains. While the story itself is not true, it is based on historical facts. Orphans did get put on trains and travelled across America to find their "forever" (or not so forever...) homes. The orphans weren't all treated fairly and life was tough. My heart aches knowing this was the lives of many people... and hopefully we are doing better. I truly hope we are. 

I highly recommend this book for contemporary fiction lovers or someone who loves a good theme in their books. It's marvelous!

Briar's Reviews

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is a beautiful novel following the lives of two girls who have become orphans.

Molly Ayer is almost eighteen and is living through the child welfare system. It's not easy and she hasn't had the best of lives, but she's doing alright. She finds herself in a bit of trouble when she steals a library book which leads her to having to complete community service. Somehow, she begins helping a lovely 91-year-old woman named Vivian clean her house and the two form a beautiful but very unexpected friendship.

Or other timeline follows a young Irish immigrant girl who was orphaned in New York City. She traveled on the Orphan Train that took young orphans to random destinations to be adopted. Her life was tough but she managed to turn out alright...

These two stories intertwine and show the power of women, the persistence and strength of children, and a life full of second chances.

This book pulled at my heartstrings and almost made me weep! It's so beautifully written, so wonderfully engaging, and just an all around amazing read. It made me sad but by the end it warmed my heart up so much. I'm so happy I read this book because it truly opened my eyes to something I didn't know ever happened - Orphan Trains. While the story itself is not true, it is based on historical facts. Orphans did get put on trains and travelled across America to find their "forever" (or not so forever...) homes. The orphans weren't all treated fairly and life was tough. My heart aches knowing this was the lives of many people... and hopefully we are doing better. I truly hope we are. 

I highly recommend this book for contemporary fiction lovers or someone who loves a good theme in their books. It's marvelous!

Five out of five stars.

Patricia Nelson

I REALLY enjoyed this book. I had never heard of the orphan train program before reading this, and I was in turn fascinated and appalled. The resiliency of the children who were part of it and their focus on the good really came through. I feel so fortunate to have grown up with a family and parents who cared about me. 

I normally don't love books that hop between story lines or time periods, but this was very well done. I looked forward to finding out more of each of the story lines, and the ties between them.

Couldn’t put It down and was sobbing at the end. Such a powerful story!! 

Lacee Foutch 

The runaway bestseller that has swept the nation, with more than one million copies sold Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by luck and chance. This is the story of one such child. As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future a world away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are reminders of a turbulent past. Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community-service position helping an elderly widow clean out her attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they appear. A Penobscot Indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, Molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendship.

Fran Lewis

Love the mix of fiction and non-fiction in this story.

Lauren Tabor

This book was a solid 3 for me. I enjoyed the back and forth from the past to the present but many times I felt a disconnect. I mostly wanted the past to be a whole book in itself. The present chapters didn't captivate me at all. Heart breaking and eye opening to many of the struggles orphans went through and still go through today.

Emma Friedheim

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Beautiful writing and a very touching (yet tragic) story. The only reason it lost a star in my book is the poor character development of Molly. Her entire existence seemed like an afterthought, and after reading the author's acknowledgements I am convinced that was truly the case. She purely existed to round Vivian's story out, but I could have done without her entirely. Otherwise, an enticing tale of a fascinating subject. I highly recommend!

Jessika Rucker

If you like books that aren’t that along are about the past, live the life of someone who struggled, I have a book for you. The Orphan Train is a full circle book that tells the lives of two people who face many of the same challenges years apart. This book gave me so many feelings. I honestly might have thrown my book at one point because I was mad. Like why kill such good characters?? I saw it coming by doesn’t make it any easier! I loved the characters in this book. We were introduced so many different people, and there were very few that I actually didn’t like…and one that was very creepy. Many people were telling me about this book and how I should read it, so I bought it. I didn’t plan on reading it overnight, but sometimes these things happen! This story was like listening to grandparents and great grandparents telling a story. There was so much history that we never really get to learn about! Sadly though, I feel like there was a lot left out of this story. The book its self was pretty short, and some things were missing. I don't know much about the Orphan Trains, but feel like this was a watered-down version of what happened to these kids. With that being said, the book did have some scenes that gave some insight into how bad things were and where that was pretty interesting. The story of Vivian's life was inspiring and was a good reminder of how much we take for granted.

Kat A

Historical fiction. This book goes back and forth between past and present. The scenes set in the past were very good.

Sabetha Danes

Read this for a book club, so it was defiantly outside of something I would have picked for myself. I loved at the end the author gave us insight into all the research and time she put into make the book historically accurate. It gave the story more meaning to me. There was great detail into the emotions of Vivian and Molly and the decisions they had to make, it was predictable but I don't think it was supposed to be written as a suspense.

emily allen

I'm generally a fairly high rater on goodreads. I don't love a book? Three stars. I give out five stars easily. But this book? Orphan Train is  incredible.  And it deserves every star I give it.

I read this book in about four hours, all on the same day. I'm a fast reader, but usually, it takes me at least two days to finish a book, but this one I could  not  put down. I spent the first half of my school day neglecting my work and rapidly tearing through this book. 

The narrative of Orphan Train is a common one in historical fiction, switching between modern day (2011) and the late 20s to early 40s. This type of trope is one that I often find overdone, but it worked beautifully in this book. I found myself drawn into both sides of the story, generally enjoying the historical bits more but loving the modern day side too. Molly, the character from 2011, was a little too angsty for my taste (which is rich coming from me) but as the story continued, we got to understand more of her point of view and watch her blossom under Niamh's care. But Niahm? I loved her from her first line, and well past her last. 

Niahm is such a  rich  character. As Vivian, we see the resigned future that a shattered past can bring. When she describes her (view spoiler)[ marriage as "alright,"  (hide spoiler)] my heart broke for her. She went through a tragic upbringing, and she was happy to settle. Her life was so heartbreaking and painful, and she didn't even (view spoiler)[ get an overly happy ending - forcing to live with "alright"for the last seventy years of her life.  (hide spoiler)] And this is what I loved about her character - it was a blunt reality of how sometimes recovery from tragedy is less than perfect. And her past as Niahm and Dorothy - Kline sugarcoated nothing. Whether it be her (view spoiler)[ abuse, neglection, or even sexual violation,  (hide spoiler)] Kline revealed the bitter truth that so many suffered through in a patch of American history that has been widely erased. And it is painful to read, but that is what makes it so, so worth it. 

And Molly was a painful mirror of Niahm - she went through less, it's true, but she reveals just as much a truth as Niahm does: the American foster and orphanage system is a flawed part of society that is often overwritten and ignored. It proves just how anguished these poor kids are, and just the type of terrible people they get stuck with. They bring in money, nothing else. 

Niahm and Molly both reveal a striking truth about love, or rather, lack thereof. Rather, they reveal that sometimes what is taken away can seldom be brought back again; it's a heartbreaking revelation, but it's stunning and written so well.

Mikayla

“So I am learning to pretend, to smile and nod, to display empathy I do not feel. I am learning to pass, to look like everyone else, even though I feel broken inside.” 

This book was heartbreaking, remarkable and everything I was hoping for going into this book. I never heard or knew about the orphan trains until I read this book and it breaks my heart what these children had to endure. They went through and seen things children shouldn’t experience and even after finding a new family they were dealt with a terrible situation. There were moments where my heart was breaking for these two young women and another moment where I was disgusted. There’s a huge trigger warning in this book that I haven’t seen it mentioned. The trigger warning is sexual assault so if you’ve experienced or feel a way with that I’d skip that part all together since it’s only a small apart within the book. 

Orphan Train follows two women, one named Vivian throughout the 20th century and the other Molly through the 21 century. They meet in the 21 century while Molly has to help give Vivian a hand with her home. They’re two remarkable individuals who’re so different yet so alike and they come together in this book. 

One thing I loved was the character Vivian, I felt more of a connection towards her rather than Molly. Vivian was kind and strong with everything she had been handed throughout her life. She dealt with so much yet she was a compassionate women who wanted to give others a helping hand. 

I loved the writing style and the complexity of the writing. It was easy to follow and I loved the way the author wrote the relationships between the two characters and their experiences. 

Overall, I loved this book and I really loved learning about the history of orphan trains as well.

Sarah Vaughan

Very moving story with unforgettable characters. I really enjoyed the section in the back on the history of the orphan trains.

Kelsi Proulx

This is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. My only complaint is that it wasn't longer. I didn't want to stop reading. Everyone should read this book.

Jane McCullough

Melody Izard

Current story and a story from the past find their way into a single story. A common plot template. It can be tricky. I think Kline pulls it off. I had been told by a friend that this book was unreadable, so I went into it with caution (I was reading it for a book group). It's hard for a book to overcome an expected bad experience, but the Orphan Train was able to break through my preconceived opinion. The whole slice of history about the shipping off of orphans to basically be free laborers was not one I knew much about. I always like to learn new truths with my fiction.

Lauren Karch

I picked this up because my city selected this book for its annual "Big Read" program - it was selected by stereotypical library patrons just like me. You know how a McCullough-esque nonfiction is called an "uncle book?" This is the ultimate auntie book: predictable, a touch too heart-rending, but still great.

A troubled young girl is roped into helping an well-off old woman clean her attic. Could the surly teenager find (gasp!) something in common with the sharp-tongued elderly lady? Will the attic's junk (what?!) tell a story of a depressing childhood on (what?!) an orphan train? The present-day story line smacks of Lifetime special, but only because Molly lives such a tragically common existence in the foster care system. Vivian's story is also quite predictably terrible, with the monsters and desperate one would expect to find in the orphanage system of the Great Depression. The story is a sharp reminder to those of us who grew up with parents, computers, and central heat that life was rough in the Time of Ago, and is still hard on those without a social safety net.

But the story is also one of hope and goodwill, and it's quite well-written. I didn't know much about the Orphan Train Movement or about the issues faced by children from immigrant families during the early 20th century, and Kline's done great research to shape her portrayal of the time period.

TLDR: Grab a tissue and suggest this read at your book club.

Elena Garcia Navarro

A super fast-paced read. 
This book talks about the importance of the choices we make in life and how you must cope with situations you don't have any power over. It explores how all the little steps you make along the way take you and define you as the person you're meant to be. Really enjoyed the strong connection between the two main characters even when they come from totally diferent places and times. 
An easy to read story, highly addictive.

Nicole Lucy O'Loughlin

I enjoyed the book but it was disappointing. I really hoped for a lot more from this. The ending felt dragged out and the beginning was slow, yet all of the middle of the book felt rushed and cramped. Lovely story but the telling of it let it down.

Rachel Benton

I really loved this book! I was reading it for my book club at the library. I really like how this book is written. The story is told from two different perspective. The first perspective comes from Molly, who is living with her foster parents. Her home life is not good because she and her foster mom don't get along. Things escalate when Molly steals a copy of Jane Eyre from the library. She gets on and is put on probation. In order not get sent back into foster care, she agrees to help clean out this elderly woman's attic. The second perspective takes place in the latter part of the 1920's and early thirties. We meet a girl who is on ship headed toward Elias Island. we learn her name is Niamh whose family was from Ireland and decides to go to America to make a better life for themselves. No sooner then they get over to America- Niamh parents and sibling are killed in a fire. Niamh is the only survivor and sent into foster care. She then boards a train, which know as the orphan train. I think that Christina Baker Cline did a great in writing both in writing both perspectives and tying them in at the end. Despite growing up in different time periods you can see that both Molly and Niamh ( or Vivian as she called later in the story) have a lot in common. They don't trust easily, and its hard for them to opening to other people. Both of their experiences growing told them that people couldn't be counted on to stick around so why get emotionally involve? There is so much to this story, and I don't want to give away anymore then I already have because I think people should experience this story for themselves. It not only touched my heart, it filled my love for history. I highly recommend this book.

Magdalene Lim

Is this a 4 or is it a 5? That's always a dilemma. I loved this so much, I was sad when it ended. It's kinda like a 2 for the price of 1 story, because two women from different generations come together to spin a touching narrative that combines both their stories. Can't really explain why I like it so much but I do. :p