ORPHAN TRAIN

This book was out in 2013 and I wanted to read it because I had never heard about Orphan trains before.Somehow it kept getting postponed and the book was lying on my shelf neglected until last week,when I decided to pick it up.

The book is set in both present day (2011) and the late 1920's 30's and 40's.It tells us the story of two different women 91 year old Vivian and Eighteen year old Molly,who build an unexpected friendship.Vivian travelled from NYC to Minnesota as an orphan-train rider with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.Molly a troubled-teen,is also raised by strangers and has spent all her childhood ,shuttling between foster homes.When she is asked to go to Vivians house to help her clean the attic as part of a community service program,Molly discovers parallels between Vivian and herself and realises that both have unanswered questions about the past.How both women unexpectedly help each other to find themselves while still holding on to their past is what the story is about.

My Views:Like I said,I had never heard about Orphan Trains before I came across this book.I like it when stories are set around actual events that have occured in the past.It enlightens you about so many things you would otherwise have no idea about.This story takes place in both the past and the present and is narrated by the two characters Vivian and Molly.I liked Vivians story.The historical details were so close to real and the way it was described from the view point of a child was heart-breaking.

I cannot even begin to imagine what a child went through when he/she realised that they were being picked up only after determining whether they were sturdy enough for field-work,or intelligent and mild-tempered enough to cook and clean.There was a brief trial period ,after which they became indentured to their families.If a child wasn't chosen,he/she would get back on the train to try again at the next town.Isn't that enough to break the spirit of an innocent child?!

However ,Molly's story seemed forced and I didnt find it engaging enough.I felt that the book started off well but it lacked the same pace as it progressed.Of course,the part about Orphan trains was very well written but in the latter part of the book there were too many coincidences.It also felt a bit hastily tied up toward the end.The ending seemed too good to be true,but it is a fictional account and of course an author has the right to decide the fate of their characters.However in reality only a fraction of the children on these orphan trains got the childhood they deserved.I cannot even begin to fathom how the Children's Aid Society came up with a plan like this.They might have had the best of intentions but I think these children suffered more than they benefited.

Coming back to the story,of course it is an inspiring one,about not losing hope,about resilience and unexpected friendship.However there was a niggling thought that was there all through that it seemed a bit too fictional.

I rate it a 3 out of 5.