As seen on my blog: 
 Beautiful, in a way that was rewarding to the soul. I'm reading that 
 Orphan Train 
 is being classified as Young Adult in some circles, but I thought it leaned more towards the flow and feel of Adult Fiction. This book was a form of instant gratification, with scenes that were painted crisply and without ambiguity, and writing that didn't spend it's time trying to be overly poetic. It's been a while since I've felt like I was reading for the pure pleasure of it, 
 Orphan Train 
 handed that joy back to me. 
 Told from a first person account by 91-year-old Vivian, a widowed woman with a darkened and unfortunate past, and in third person by Molly, a 17-year-old raised by the foster care system. The two enter an unlikely friendship, and form an eventual bond, that has them discovering countless similarities, and revealing moments from their lives that they hadn't shared until now. Alternating between the 1930's to 2011, we become most acquainted with Vivian's 9-year-old self, and the long, and turbulent road she traveled as an orphan. In present time, Molly is experiencing obstacles that so mirror those in Vivian's past, and the soul healing is slow-building, and satisfying. 
 The story Christina Baker Kline constructs in Orphan Train is impossible to tear away from, it is vividly drawn, and leaves you feeling more like a character in the book, rather than a bystander looking on. Her descriptions of young Vivian's continued hardships pierced my heart, and, interestingly enough, felt like they were heavily influenced by Lemony Snicket's 
 Series of Unfortunate Events 
 , and Roald Dahl's 
 Matilda 
 . At times, I felt like Vivian read more like an young adult of 16-17, rather than the 9 we were suppose to believe she was, but that didn't take away from the story. 
 I admired the contrast she was able to achieve between the past, and present time. It's difficult to not allow one time period to bleed into the other when perspectives are changing each chapter, but this was done very smoothly. The conclusion was much appreciated, a little predictable, though it was the predictability that I think I most needed at that moment. 
 Orphan Train 
 was the kind of book your heart doesn't know it needs until your sitting there, completely immersed in every word. 
 Recommended for Fans of: Historical Fiction, Contemporary 
 ---------- 
 *DISCLAIMER* I received this book as a print copy from the publisher, in order to participate in the blog tour.