Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

On Monday, September 12th, the Booked for the Day Book Group met to discuss, The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline.  Here are a few things we discussed during the meeting:

• We started our discussion with who enjoyed the book. The majority of the group enjoyed the book, a few thought it was so-so and one member thought it was contrived and more like a soap opera.
• Even though the story switched back and forth between characters the group thought the transition between stories was easy to understand.
• The main topic of conversation was why Vivian gave up her baby. We knew she was despondent over the loss of Dutchy but the idea that she could not take care of the baby on her own was hard to believe. She took care of her baby sister by herself when she was a child herself and she took care of all the children in the second home she was placed in.
• We understood that she did not want to experience the loss of someone she loved again but it was hard to believe she would sever her only tie to Dutchy. Why would a World War II widow with a desperate need for family who has economic resources and her adoptive parents' support choose to give up her child?
• Not everyone was a fan of Molly’s story. Molly's life was really not as interesting as Vivian’s life. One member thought that Molly was introduced as a way to attract a younger audience. Some of the group thought the book would make a good young adult novel and would be something that should be recommended in high school.
• We did find the subject matter of the Orphan Trains quite interesting and it made us want to learn more about the real experiences.
• The primary flaw with this novel is the ending. The ending feels incredibly rushed and it is feels out of character with the rest of the story. And, it was just a little too happy and perfect given the circumstances.

These are just a few things mentioned during the discussion. Please feel free to add any of your thoughts in the comment section.