Orphan Train: A Novel

Christina Baker Kline

Apr 2013 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this eBook

The #1 New York Times Bestseller

Now featuring a sneak peek at Christina's forthcoming novel The Exiles, coming August 2020.

“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.

Ratings and reviews

From 1854 until 1929 it is estimated that 250,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children were placed on a train from many large cities, like New York City, then distributed throughout the United States and Canada. That is how the label “orphan trains” was born. The Children's Aid Society developed a program to place these homeless children into new homes. Some got loving homes, but the sad fact is, many were used as no more than slaves or farm hands. I loved the 91-year-old character Vivian Daly in this novel. As a young Irish immigrant, with not a lot of options, she ending up being one of these children. Our second character is seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer, who is doing community service. Helping Vivian clean out her house and attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. Molly has a chip on her shoulder and is determined to get the job done and get out of there. She does not need to like Vivian and surely is not going to get attached. But when Molly finds herself in trouble Vivian was the only one she could go running to. I found the book to be a good read. There wasn't a lot of the sad, descriptive, details that can be in these orphan train stories. For me that was a plus. I enjoyed reading about the love that was formed between these two very similar, yet different ladies.

My hometown, Opelousas, Louisiana, has an Orphan Train museum and it's very fascinating and more than a little sad to know what some of these poor children endured. I was anxious to read this book and was not disappointed. The story occurs in present time and the past, as one woman shares her story with a young teenage girl, also orphaned. Well written and beautifully told.

This book is so fascinating and a must read for teens and adults. A heartbreaking and emotional story that follows two women through hard times as orphans, they overcome many challenges, trouble, and hardship. They both grow in such an amazing way. And their end is a happy one that they end up sharing together. If you haven't already read this book, I highly recommend it for readers who love tales that are more emotional and that like history.

About the author

Christina Baker Kline is the author of six novels, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Orphan Train as well as A Piece of the World. She lives outside New York City and spends as much time as possible on the coast of Maine. Learn more about Christina at www.christinabakerkline.com.