I’m sure that many of you were not too thrilled about the summer reading book this y

ear when you first heard of it. I know I wasn’t. However, if you actually read the book, you know that Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is a riveting tale of love and sorrow.

The story begins in modern day times with a girl named Molly who is in the foster care system. She is currently with a family in Maine and gets into some trouble which forces her to do community service. She finds work helping and old lady, Vivian, clean her attic. As she helps this old woman, the story flashes back to memories the old woman has as she sees each item in her attic. Molly hears tales of how she was an orphan and has on the “orphan train” in the 1920-30s. As time goes on, Molly looks forward to helping Vivian. Molly breaks out of her shell as Vivian does the same. The unlikely pair find that they are alike in many ways and form a special bond. As the story progresses, twists and turns become present adding in drama, love, and even some tears.

This book can be hard to follow at times as it changes points of view frequently. However, this change highlights the uniqueness of the book and makes you keep turning the pages. The emotional bond formed with the characters engages the reader into the stories woven into the novel. The ending of the novel makes up for the slow beginning as everything from the changing points of view and added tales ties in to make a heartwarming finish. If you didn’t read this over the summer, it is highly recommended.