An inspiring tale of hardship, heartbreak, hope (yes, even when there's 3 babies named Hope from an overzealous nun), growth, and healing.

Orphanland, told from the perspective of 11-year-old Willa, not only depicts the hardships of being an orphan in many different regards, but also has a captivating mystery surrounding the now abandoned Midlands Christian School. Orphanland touches on troubling topics such as familial deaths, gender acceptance and identity, abuse, the opioid epidemic, and general coming-of-age struggles with care.

Each of the characters within the novel feel fully fleshed out and their own personalities are portrayed excellently, regardless of how often they are discussed within the text. It genuinely makes the operation that is Southern Ohio Children's Home feel as if it's its own character, living, breathing, and molding as the story progresses.

The overarching plot is genuinely captivating, and while being categorized as a "middle grade" novel, this is a novel that anyone of any age can enjoy, understand, and potentially resonate with.

The ending does leave you with a few questions, especially in regards to the Midlands Christian School, however I feel as though it ends exactly where it needs to. I would love to see a prequel that covers exactly what happens at Midlands.

This is the kind of novel I wish I had when I was Willa's age, a novel in which I could find myself. While I'm not an orphan in the traditional sense, I found myself relating to many of the characters within this novel. Kacey, however I found myself relating to the most.