“Orphan Train” by Christina Baker Kline – Fate Down to Bad Luck
However, as she helps Vivian sort through her box of memories, she discovers that in her youth, Vivian was an Irish immigrant who, after becoming orphaned in New York, was put on a train with countless other children, each one with a different fate mostly determined by sheer luck (mostly bad luck, unfortunately).
Slowly but surely, the two begin forming an unlikely relationship which strengthens even further when Molly decides to help Vivian find at least a few answers to the many mysteries and questions which have been plaguing her from that time.
As you can guess, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is far from being a fast-paced and action-packed thriller, so readers with shorter attention spans should steer clear of this. On the other hand, what this book does offer is a very uplifting and inspiring tale of strength and endurance in the face of unknown danger and unbeatable odds.
We get to learn in detail all the trials Vivian had to go through as an immigrant and an orphan, and let me tell you, many of them don’t sound like the kind of thing a human, let alone a child should ever be put through.
As you can guess, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is far from being a fast-paced and action-packed thriller, so readers with shorter attention spans should steer clear of this. On the other hand, what this book does offer is a very uplifting and inspiring tale of strength and endurance in the face of unknown danger and unbeatable odds.
We get to learn in detail all the trials Vivian had to go through as an immigrant and an orphan, and let me tell you, many of them don’t sound like the kind of thing a human, let alone a child should ever be put through.
Through these dark times Vivian learned many lessons (most of them about perseverance and resilience), imparting them on Molly, and thus, the reader. Though the novel is indeed a piece of fiction, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to think that at least a few people out there have gone through something similar.
As far as the story itself goes, the main chunk of the intrigue (for lack of a better word) consist of finding out the fates of the ones who rode the so-called orphan train. As we come to learn through the book, life isn’t all good or bad, nor does it always offer some kind of closure… in the end, everything is as gray as the clouds themselves. Some children ended up having good lives, others suffered due to events out of their control, and many others disappeared, at least from Vivian’s life.
As far as the story itself goes, the main chunk of the intrigue (for lack of a better word) consist of finding out the fates of the ones who rode the so-called orphan train. As we come to learn through the book, life isn’t all good or bad, nor does it always offer some kind of closure… in the end, everything is as gray as the clouds themselves. Some children ended up having good lives, others suffered due to events out of their control, and many others disappeared, at least from Vivian’s life.
In the end, the book makes for a very touching and curious tale of trans-generational spiritual bonding, driven by a “half-mystery”, hinged on the many fates which befell the children from the orphan train ages upon ages ago.
If you enjoy stories revolving around character development and relations as well as the exploration of a long-forgotten and mysterious past, then I strongly urge you to read Orphan Train… once the time comes to close the last page, your only regret will be that it didn't last longer.
 | Christina Baker KlinePersonal site Christina Baker Kline is an American novelist, editor and essayist, penning many highly-touted works such as Sweet Water and Orphan Train. During her life she was always involved in the world of books one way or the other (being passionate about them), and was even a teacher of creative writing and literature at a university level. |
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