Amy
Lynnie
historical fiction, contemporary fiction
Amy included Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline in her Best of 2014 list of books. Generally not a fan of historical fiction, I was not overly interested in reading it, but I needed a book to read and it was right there on the Kindle, staring at me. I'll repost Amy's review along with my own.
This is the story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.
Amy's Review
What a great book! I loved the story-telling from two different time periods. I found both stories engaging. The way the two time periods crossed wasn't forced and seemed perfectly managed. (Although, I thought that Molly's crime was a bit silly--would that really result in the punishment she received? I accepted it and moved on.) The length was ideal, the pacing was just right, and I enjoyed the two main characters who were cut from the same cloth. It was simply a wonderful read. I think this is the best book I've ever read for my book club!
Lynnie's Review
Frankly, I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed this book! I've made no secret of the fact that I do not enjoy historical fiction, in general, but Orphan Train held my attention from the first page to the last. I adored the two main characters and really appreciated their stories and how Kline was able to parallel the two stories over very different periods of time. Jumping back and forth between time periods- another pet peeve of mine- was managed so well in this book that I looked forward to the return of each and never thought the change felt unnatural or forced. There is simply a flow to this book that made it a pleasure to read.
Truly, I'm sad it's over and that I don't get to spend any more time with Molly and Vivian.
Have you read Orphan Train? Leave your comments below and tell us what you thought.
No comments:
Post a Comment