If you loved
Orphan Train
Christina Baker Kline · Book · 2014
What hooked you in Orphan Train was the profound resilience found when unlikely companions bridge generational divides to heal long-standing personal traumas.
Films on the same thread
The Book Thief
Brian Percival · Film · 2013
Explores: The Power of Words, Resilience in the Face of Adversity, Innocence Lost.
Like the connection in Orphan Train, this story explores the power of found family and the resilience required to survive systemic injustice while holding onto one's humanity through shared stories.
Central Station
Film · 1998
Shares 2 threads with Orphan Train: Identity, Coming-of-age.
This journey mirrors the emotional bond in Orphan Train, showing how two disparate souls, each carrying heavy burdens of loss, find redemption and a sense of belonging in one another.
The Fault in Our Stars
Josh Boone · Film · 2014
Explores: Terminal Illness, Young Love, Existentialism.
Much like the relationship between Molly and Vivian in Orphan Train, these characters confront the fragility of life and find profound meaning through their intimate, life-altering connection.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Tim Burton · Film · 2016
Explores: Orphanage, Children with Powers, Time Loop.
The focus on protecting vulnerable youth within a hidden community reflects the deep-seated need for safety and belonging that drives the protagonists throughout the narrative of Orphan Train.
Series on the same thread
Anne with an E
Moira Walley-Beckett · Series · 2017
Shares 2 threads with Orphan Train: Orphanhood, Resilience.
If the search for identity and belonging in Orphan Train resonated with you, this series offers a similar poignant look at an orphan fighting for her place in the world.
Orphan Black
Graeme Manson · Series · 2013
Explores: Identity crisis, Nature vs. Nurture, Corporate conspiracy.
While the setting differs from Orphan Train, you will recognize the same intense drive to uncover hidden truths about one's origins and the struggle to define oneself against past circumstances.
Outlander
Ronald D. Moore · Series · 2014
Explores: Time Travel, Forbidden Love, Culture Clash.
The feeling of being an outsider searching for home in a world that does not understand you is as central here as it is to the characters in Orphan Train.
Maid
Molly Smith Metzler · Series · 2021
Shares 2 threads with Orphan Train: Resilience, Trauma.
This story captures the same gritty, realistic pursuit of stability and dignity in the face of systemic hardship that defined the life experiences of the characters in Orphan Train.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
You will find the same themes of survival and the search for connection among outcasts that made the journey of the characters in Orphan Train so deeply moving and impactful.
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
The interest in social justice and the complexities of human behavior explored in Orphan Train is mirrored in these investigative stories about people caught in the margins of society.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What brings Molly Ayer and Vivian Daly together in Orphan Train?
In Orphan Train, 17-year-old Molly Ayer is assigned to perform community service at the home of an elderly woman named Vivian Daly. While helping Vivian organize her belongings, the two discover they share similar experiences despite their age difference and begin solving a mystery from Vivian's past.
Why is Molly Ayer performing community service in Orphan Train?
Molly Ayer is sent to perform community service at the home of Vivian Daly in the novel Orphan Train to avoid being sent to juvenile hall. This assignment serves as the catalyst for the relationship between the two characters and the exploration of Vivian's history.
Is Orphan Train about the foster care system?
Yes, Orphan Train focuses on Molly Ayer, a teenager who is close to aging out of the foster care system. Her experiences within this system provide the context for her meeting with Vivian Daly and their subsequent exploration of the past.
How does the relationship between Molly and Vivian develop in Orphan Train?
In Orphan Train, the relationship between Molly and Vivian develops as Molly helps Vivian organize her home. Through this process, they realize that they are more alike than different, leading them to work together to solve a mystery regarding Vivian's past.