Orphan Train A Novel
Orphan Train A Novel by Christina Baker Kline is a poignant exploration of two women’s lives intertwined by the legacy of the Orphan Trains in American history. Published by HarperCollins on August 4, 2015, this international edition spans 352 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows Molly Ayer, a teenager on the brink of aging out of the foster care system, and Vivian Daly, a 90-year-old woman with a hidden past. As Molly embarks on a community service project to help Vivian clean her home, she uncovers the secrets of Vivian’s life, shaped by a forgotten chapter of history.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of experiences as Molly and Vivian’s stories unfold, revealing themes of resilience, second chances, and the bonds formed through shared struggles. The novel delves into the complexities of identity and heritage, particularly through Molly’s perspective as a Penobscot Indian. As the two women connect over their pasts, they confront the mysteries that have shaped their lives, offering insights into the historical context of orphaned children in America. This edition invites readers to reflect on the enduring impact of history and the power of unexpected friendships.
Official synopsis Publisher
From Christina Baker Kline comes a novel about two women: one about to age out of the foster care system, the other 90 years old and carrying both a tremendous secret and a story of a life formed by a part of American history almost entirely forgotten: the Orphan Trains
Molly Ayer has one last chance, and she knows it. Close to being kicked out of her foster home — just months from turning 18 and “aging out” of the system — Molly should be grateful that her boyfriend found her a community service project: helping an old lady clean out her home. Molly can’t help but think that the 50 hours will be tedious, but at least they’ll keep her out of juvie, and right now that’s all she cares about.
Ninety-one-year-old Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine for decades. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are keys to a turbulent past. Molly is about to discover — as she and Vivian unpack her possessions, and memories — that Vivian’s story is a piece of America’s tumultuous history now largely forgotten: the tale of a young Irish immigrant, orphaned in New York City and put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other orphaned children whose destiny would be determined by luck and chance. As Molly digs deeper, she finds surprising parallels in her own experience as a Penobscot Indian and Vivian’s story — and Molly realizes that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life.
Rich in detail and epic in scope, THE TRAIN RIDER is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendships, and of the secrets we carry with us that keep us from finding out who we are.
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