Orphan TrainOrphan Train
Score Modern
What it's about
Between 1854 and 1929, orphan trains carried thousands of abandoned children from the East Coast to the Midwest, where their fates depended on luck. Christina Baker Kline's novel tells of Vivian, an Irish immigrant girl sent west, and, decades later, of Molly, a troubled teenager who helps the elderly Vivian sort through her past.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 136 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It brings a forgotten chapter of American history to life.
You'll love it if you liked
Before We Were Yours
The Nightingale
Where the Crawdads SingGood to know
It alternates between the past and the present. It's a popular book club pick.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #71 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #76 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #643 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1212 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
The Book Thief
The Help
The Fountains of Silence
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
The Secret Life of Bees
The Bear and the NightingaleExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Orphan Train worth reading?
Yes. It spent 136 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,212 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Orphan Train about?
Between 1854 and 1929, orphan trains carried thousands of abandoned children from the East Coast to the Midwest, where their fates depended on luck. Christina Baker Kline's novel tells of Vivian, an Irish immigrant girl sent west, and, decades later, of Molly, a troubled teenager who helps the elderly Vivian sort through her past.
How long does it take to read Orphan Train?
About 7 hours (278 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Orphan Train?
If you liked it, try Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah or Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.