The Orphan Keeper

Today I finished reading The Orphan Keeper by Camron Wright. While it is not amazing writing, it is a very readable and compelling story and I had a hard time putting it down. You can read about it here.

The book is considered fiction but most of the details of the story are true. One of the most unbelievable details in the story that I thought was way too coincidental to be true, actually turned out to be real.

The basic plot is that a young boy (American name of Taj) living in the slums in India is kidnapped (or perhaps sold by his father--we'll never know for sure) and taken to an orphanage. He tries to go back home but he is told that his family didn't want him even though his mother has been desperately searching for him. A couple in Utah decides to adopt him and thus begins his journey to feel like he belongs somewhere. He doesn't feel like he fits in all-white Utah but neither is he Indian any more, having forgotten his language and being raised in American culture.

In the end, his story is compared to the story of Joseph of Egypt who was also kidnapped and was therefore able to ultimately help his family in a time of great need. Taj was also able to help his family which he would never have been able to do had he stayed in India. Joseph was able to look on his kidnapping as ultimately a blessing in his family's life but Taj seems to have more trouble doing that. It's a thought-provoking analogy. It makes me wonder, while the adversity in my life is not comparable, can I view it more positively and see the good it has done?

I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend it.

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