The #1 New York Times BestsellerNow featuring a sneak peek at Christina’s forthcoming novel A Piece of the World, coming February 2017.Christina Baker Kline’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel—the captivating story of a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to long-buried questions…now with an … leads her to seek answers to long-buried questions…now with an extended scene that addresses the number one question readers ask, and an excerpt from Kline’s upcoming novel A Piece of the World.
“A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of America’s history. Beautiful.”—Ann Packer
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 pure luck. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?
As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, 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, the memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past.
Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home 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 novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship.
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Great read! Based on factual events. A sad story from America’s past.
This book is an eye opener regarding how children were treated not too many years ago. I truly fell in love with the children.
Loved it, I am an Irish orphan and I totally identify with this book and others I have read that are similar. Everyone tell a great and tragic story.
Loved the characters. page turner
Based on what went on in this country. So sad
Well-written
I did not like it
Great historical information given in very realistic, sometimes haunting and sometimes teary story form!!!
best book I have read in a long time
I found the story very choppy and hard to relate to the characters.
Couldn’t put it down. One of my favorites
Ann of Green Gables also arrived on an Orphan Train but her story was so different than this child’s story. The writing of this story was so good that I could visualize the rough circumstances.
Several of my book club read this. Good writing, good character development. Hopefully our culture has moved forward from these sad situations.
I have said this book is “depressingly beautiful” and what I mean by this is that it is a well told story that illustrates what happened to orphaned children in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The characters come to life in this book and it moves right along. I like how the author also brought a modern day twist to the book by incorporating a …
Must read.
Very interesting story about orphan children sent to the Midwest to be farmed out to whoever would take them. Some were virtual slaves and others welcomed.Enjoyed reading about this little known episode in our national history.
It made me sad.
Read for bookclub. Informative. Based on a true story.
True stories and extremely well written. My book club all members loved it
After all the hype, I was disappointed in this book. Would NOT recommend.