Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
A Review by Hannah Wynot
Molly, a foster child in 2011 Maine, has to do community
service to make up for stealing a worn copy of Jane Eyre from
the local library, and that’s how she meet Vivian. Vivian is a 90 year old rich
lady, who lives alone in a giant house, with an attic full of memories. That
attic needs organizing, and this is how Molly is going to stay out of juvie.
Life in foster care has not been a smooth ride for 17 year old Molly. She is
about to age out of system and her foster mother has to be talked out of
kicking her out daily. Molly likes that the kids at Mount Desert High School
keep their distance, and her Goth looks allows her to sit in the back of the class
and hope not to be noticed. Her only friend is Jack. Her only chance of not
getting sent away is to suck up her pride and go see Vivian Daly and ask for a
chance. The serendipitous meeting, between Viv and Molly changes both of their
lives forever.
Flash back to New York City, 1929, the story of young Irish immigrant family
floundering in New York City. After a fire in their tenement apartment, the
only survivor is Niamh (pronounced “Neev”) an eleven year old red head. The
Women’s Charitable Society sets her on the Orphan Train, where orphaned
children from immigrant families in New York City would be sent to the Midwest
where they would be adopted. For baby, this is a good and fortunate
opportunity, but for older children, this is simply a chance to be an
indentured servant on a farm. A red-headed Irish girl hasn’t a good chance to
find a good family and Niamh is passed from household to household, until her
fate changes dramatically.
Orphan Train is a well-told story, if one likes the two story lines, of modern
day Molly in Maine, and Niamh in the 1920s. It’s a fast paced book which keeps
the reader moving to find out what happens. It was interesting to read about
the orphan trains, which are a real thread in our American fabric. There is a
less than subtle orphan theme, and some of the events are rather cliché but
overall this was an enjoyable read.
No comments:
Post a Comment