Orphan Train by
Christina Baker Kline is the story of one woman’s story of her experience on
the Orphan Train. The Orphan Train is the nickname of the time when more than
200,000 orphaned, abandoned and homeless children from New York City were
transported to adopted homes in the Midwest between 1854-1929. Many of the
children, were first-generation Irish-Catholic immigrants and often found
themselves in situations of indentured servitude rather than adopted families.
The program was founded by Charles Loring Brace who believed that work,
educated and firm but compassionate Christian family values would save these
children was a life of poverty.
The story opens with Molly, a teenager in a foster home. Her
foster father really tries to do right by this commitment to being a foster
parent and his wife who wants nothing to do with Molly. Molly is in trouble
because she tried to steal a book from the local library and now has to do
community service in order to stay out of juvie. She agrees to help organize
the attic of Vivian Daly, an elderly widow who lives in a mansion. As she is
organizing the attic, Vivian tells Molly the history behind each piece which
leads her to tell the story of her life in America. The story then flashback to
1929, 9 year old Niamh is taking care of her baby sister when tragedy strikes.
She is the only survivor in a tenement fire. She is sent on the Orphan Train
where she is sent to family and family. Each one worse than the one before. She
must endure harsh working conditions to even harsher living conditions when a
horrific incident occurs and she is rescued by a community who sees the life
she has been sent to live. Through Vivian’s story, Molly learns that someone
can rise above a situation they did not ask for or did nothing to deserve.
I enjoyed Orphan Train
as it told a piece of history that I was aware of but didn’t know much about. I
also enjoyed how Vivian’s experience help Molly rise above her situation.
However, I felt certain areas were left underdeveloped, for instance her foster
mother’s hostility. Why did she agree to be a foster parent when it was
obviously she didn’t want to be one? Also how Molly ended up in foster care is
barely mentioned and there were hints as to why but I feel wasn’t fully
explained. Despite these questions, I enjoyed the story. There were moments of
shock and horror as Vivian lived in situations that she couldn’t get out of
knowing that there was some truth to what these children faced. I highly recommend Orphan Train.
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