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" n...