Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from “aging out” of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.
Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.
The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life – answers that will ultimately free them both.
The history in this book was amazing. A subject I knew little about, Orphan Trains, were brought to life with wonderful detail and emotion. I highly enjoyed Vivianβs story and her history on the Orphan Train, yet was not nearly as invested in Mollyβs life in present day. The author highlighted their similarities, (orphans/foster care/finding a home), Β however much more insight, minutiae and mystery surrounded Vivian. Molly was more of a vessel to get to Vivianβs story rather than an equal protagonist as the book jacket suggests. Good writing and interesting historical fiction makes this a short, easy and interesting read.
Quotes I liked:
Iβve come to think thatβs what heaven is – a place in the memory of others where our best selves live on.β
– βI feel a decade older than my years. I know too much; I have seen people at their worst, at their most desperate and selfish, and this knowledge makes me wary. So Iβm learning to pretend, to smile and nod, to display empathy I do not feel. I am learning to pass, to look like everyone else, even though I feel broken inside.β
– βThe things that matter stay with you, seep into your skin.β
– βI learned long ago that loss is not only probable, but inevitable.β
– βMy entire life has felt like chance. Random moments of loss and connection. This is the first one that feels, instead, like fate.β
Every day I clean the Winchestersβ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a... read more
Review:The Measure by Nikki Erlick was a book I waited far too long to read. I just couldnβt stomach the idea that everyone in the world would find out their relative life span. The whole idea of this scared me but when my book club chose to read it, I dug in with enthusiasm.Iβm so glad I did. This book is more about life and how we live it, rather than about dying. Itβs told by a cast of eight characters who are deeply affected by the strings they received. The length of the string parallels the length of your life. All the characters are struggling with their results because even if he or she gets a long string, there will still be people they know will be gone soon.How the world at large handles the strings was so well done. People are switching boxes hoping it could change their destiny. Support groups are offered. Protests occur. The world is in a very different place. Much of this book made me think about the differences between fate and destiny. This story offers many intertwined connections between the characters that makes for a powerful and meaningful ending. Iβm so looking forward to whatβs next from this author. @nikkierlick @williammorrowbooks William Morrow π Would you open a box that told you how long your lifespan is?#themeasure #scifilight#bookreader #bookclubpick #goodbookfairy... See MoreSee Less
What an amazing book enlightening me about a part of American History I knew nothing about!