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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Love Love Historical fiction, relational, good Vivian character development
- history of the “social experiment” orphan train is so wild, sad, fascinating. Super devastating how the children were expected to be slaves, not emotionally supported, especially after such trauma. Treated like adults
- Loved Vivian’s storyline - felt so vivid, detailed, devastating. The trauma of losing her whole family (twins), all the awful families, and then the amazing teacher who takes her in, and all the strong women figures who inspire and lead her, then the couple who adopt her and seeing Vivian’s entrepreneurial spirit.
- Molly’s was less believable - but I enjoyed her opening up, and the idea of what you take on a portage with you
- So sad that Vivian had a sister alive all that time - felt like a storyline that didn’t wrap up really - except for maybe the reality of the unknown, the loss when she finally found out, but the peace of knowing she lived a full life.
Questions:
- what did you think about the parallel story lines with Vivian and Molly? Was it predictable to you?
- What items would you take to “portage” if you were an orphan? What would be meaningful?
Liked this despite the predictability and sometimes less than stellar writing. The orphan train phenomenon as a whole I found fascinating, and would have much preferred more historical information on that than the rather forced modern-day Molly storyline. I didn't connect with that viewpoint nearly as much, and wondered why the author chose first-person for the historical yet third-person for the modern day.
I loved this book! I listened to it on audible and felt like the narration was excellent.
Emotionally riveting. I read this book quickly. I was so drawn in by the leading characters (the supporting characters were far less riveting and a little stereotypical, if not downright annoying). I love the light it shed on a largely unknown aspect of history. I love how the story also hurtled full speed all the way to the end. Deeply satisfying.
3.5 stars. I really can't stand books that are written in 3rd person present tense. Other than that, interesting historical subject.
This book definitely grew on me. It was simple and a bit predictable, but still I was drawn in to the story and its characters.
This was the first selection of the new year for my book club, chosen somewhat for length, something short to start off the year, and because there were book club questions in the back of the book. I have picked books to read for worse reasons, so away we went. Though fiction, this book is the fictionally telling of what to me was an unknown part of American history
From 1854 to 1929, orphan children in New York were placed on trains by a group called the "Children's Aid Society" and sent to various parts of the Midwest to find new homes and new families. This. Really. Happened. These orphans were mostly immigrants, who found themselves alone in a new world so arguably the train could improve their station, but this obviously wasn't a guarantee. Some children found themselves worse off than before, as laborers in unforgiving conditions with cold and uncaring parents. The subject matter of this book was utterly fascinating. Kline takes us back and forth from the late early 1900s to 2011, as we follow the struggles of a modern orphan in the foster care system who is trying to save herself from juvenile detention by helping an old and isolated woman clean out her attic. From what I've already said, I think you can see where this story is going: she learns that the old woman, who she paints as privileged, has lived a hard life as an orphan and was an Irish immigrant and traveler on the aforementioned train.
Overall, I wasn't impressed with this book. Though the subject matter was fascinating, the writing and the story left a lot to be desired. Everything was just very obvious, and the writing was sophomoric. Kline manages the jumps from past to present effectively, but cliches in plot devices abound. For me there were few surprises, and the only "plot twist" I didn't see coming was painful, and for me didn't add anything to the story other than more sorrow.
I would recommend doing research to learn about the Orphan Train, and if you are looking for something innocuous, this is a quick read. Also, for the record, I think I'm officially over the official book club questions provided with novels. Occasionally I have seen a few things to ponder of interest, but these were so painful and obvious that we mostly just laughed about them. That of course, is its own fun.
From 1854 to 1929, orphan children in New York were placed on trains by a group called the "Children's Aid Society" and sent to various parts of the Midwest to find new homes and new families. This. Really. Happened. These orphans were mostly immigrants, who found themselves alone in a new world so arguably the train could improve their station, but this obviously wasn't a guarantee. Some children found themselves worse off than before, as laborers in unforgiving conditions with cold and uncaring parents. The subject matter of this book was utterly fascinating. Kline takes us back and forth from the late early 1900s to 2011, as we follow the struggles of a modern orphan in the foster care system who is trying to save herself from juvenile detention by helping an old and isolated woman clean out her attic. From what I've already said, I think you can see where this story is going: she learns that the old woman, who she paints as privileged, has lived a hard life as an orphan and was an Irish immigrant and traveler on the aforementioned train.
Overall, I wasn't impressed with this book. Though the subject matter was fascinating, the writing and the story left a lot to be desired. Everything was just very obvious, and the writing was sophomoric. Kline manages the jumps from past to present effectively, but cliches in plot devices abound. For me there were few surprises, and the only "plot twist" I didn't see coming was painful, and for me didn't add anything to the story other than more sorrow.
I would recommend doing research to learn about the Orphan Train, and if you are looking for something innocuous, this is a quick read. Also, for the record, I think I'm officially over the official book club questions provided with novels. Occasionally I have seen a few things to ponder of interest, but these were so painful and obvious that we mostly just laughed about them. That of course, is its own fun.
Fascinating story. I had no idea there was an Orphan Train movement in the US. Intriguing, heart breaking and heart warming. Great listen.