Orphan Train

     I just finished Orphan Train, by Christina Baker Kline.  I have to start by saying this book was good.  Really good.  But it wasn't as good as I expected it to be.  I had read numerous reviews and accolades about how it was one of the best books of 2013, so I couldn't wait to read it.  I'm not sure that it lived up to all of the hype, but it was a really good read, and a "feel good" story.



     Orphan Train  is a story told from two perspectives, 80 years apart.  Niamh is an Irish-American orphan who goes west on an Orphan Train in 1929, hoping for a family to take her in as a daughter or as a household helper. Molly is a foster child living in Maine, who has seen her share of troubles. Due to a brush with the criminal system, she is required to do 50 hours of community service.  She lands a job helping Vivian Daly, a 90 year old woman who has a story of her own.

The way the two narrators connect is beautiful.  The way Vivian and Molly relate is very unlikely, yet truly believable.  The story (or stories) in this book illustrate the real-world dilemmas that confront children in our foster care system, and the fact that these struggles have not changed much over time, despite changes to the way these cases are managed.  The author gives us deeply intimate insight into the lives of those who much of the world see as "unwanted" children.  We see how these children are much like us, but how their circumstances have shaped their attitudes and behavior.


      The only problem I have with this book is that I wish some parts were developed a little better. Often, significant events just happen, and there is not a lot of substance surrounding those events.  I would have been fine with 350 pages instead of 278, if the author had developed some of the situations more.  I don't want to give specific examples in this review, because it would include spoilers, but there were several times I became excited about a particular story development, and then it just moved on.  Also, Kline did a fantastic job of weaving Niamh's heritage in the storyline and its effect on her relationship with others.  Molly's Native American heritage was mentioned, but it was not explored in depth and didn't lend much to her identity.


    


Rating: 85/100
Bottom line: Overall, this was a great book with a great story.  If you like historical fiction and comforting stories, this is a book you shouldn't miss.