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thephdivabooks's review against another edition
4.0
“Everyone has scars, Maddie. They just hide them in different ways.”
Beautifully written and with a vague hint of lore and mystery, The Orchid Sister was simply magical. In the wake of a challenging upbringing, two sisters prove that their bond is greater than the bad things that come their way. This suspenseful women’s fiction novel is a beautiful story, and one with many layers.
About the Book
The girl with the scars. The girl with many masks. Maddie has many names, and many ways she is described by others. It is hard for people to see past the scars that Maddie wears, marks from the plane crash that killed her parents. Marks of a survivor, though they don’t always feel that way. When Maddie met Jack, handsome and adventurous, she fell for him quickly. Jack was one of the first men that didn’t recoil from her scars. He sees Maddie as the beautiful person she is, inside and out. Her scars are just on display.
Maddie is fascinated with masks, and she also creates her own masks. Perhaps this is part of her healing, a way to show that the outward appearance often hides who someone is. But the masks also have so much meaning, and Maddie is fascinated by the way different cultures create and use masks. The symbolism and the work that goes into them lends to the magical and ethereal quality. And of course, the masks also have symbolism in this book!
Maddie’s sister Kat has disappeared, and though the police initially doubt Maddie’s insistence that something happened to her sister, Maddie knows it to be true. It is the kind of thing you can feel when you have a bond like Maddie and Kat. But of course, we know where Kat is, because half of the chapters are told from Kat’s perspective. And the more we learn about where Kat is, the more sinister it becomes…
Reflection
There are eventually 5 narrators to this novel, though Maddie and Kat narrate the most chapters. Structurally the changes between the storylines kept it engaging. I ended up listening to the audiobook for this one, and all of the voice actors were fantastic. It made it so easy to follow whose chapter it was. Each was very unique, as were the stories they had to tell!
A good portion of the book takes place in the Yucatan in Mexico, and it really is the sort of book that transports you there. I loved the local lore that surrounded Kat’s disappearance and discovery. There was a dark, mystical quality to this mystery that leant to the atmospheric feel of the book. Wonderful!
Many thanks to Lake Union publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Beautifully written and with a vague hint of lore and mystery, The Orchid Sister was simply magical. In the wake of a challenging upbringing, two sisters prove that their bond is greater than the bad things that come their way. This suspenseful women’s fiction novel is a beautiful story, and one with many layers.
About the Book
The girl with the scars. The girl with many masks. Maddie has many names, and many ways she is described by others. It is hard for people to see past the scars that Maddie wears, marks from the plane crash that killed her parents. Marks of a survivor, though they don’t always feel that way. When Maddie met Jack, handsome and adventurous, she fell for him quickly. Jack was one of the first men that didn’t recoil from her scars. He sees Maddie as the beautiful person she is, inside and out. Her scars are just on display.
Maddie is fascinated with masks, and she also creates her own masks. Perhaps this is part of her healing, a way to show that the outward appearance often hides who someone is. But the masks also have so much meaning, and Maddie is fascinated by the way different cultures create and use masks. The symbolism and the work that goes into them lends to the magical and ethereal quality. And of course, the masks also have symbolism in this book!
Maddie’s sister Kat has disappeared, and though the police initially doubt Maddie’s insistence that something happened to her sister, Maddie knows it to be true. It is the kind of thing you can feel when you have a bond like Maddie and Kat. But of course, we know where Kat is, because half of the chapters are told from Kat’s perspective. And the more we learn about where Kat is, the more sinister it becomes…
Reflection
There are eventually 5 narrators to this novel, though Maddie and Kat narrate the most chapters. Structurally the changes between the storylines kept it engaging. I ended up listening to the audiobook for this one, and all of the voice actors were fantastic. It made it so easy to follow whose chapter it was. Each was very unique, as were the stories they had to tell!
A good portion of the book takes place in the Yucatan in Mexico, and it really is the sort of book that transports you there. I loved the local lore that surrounded Kat’s disappearance and discovery. There was a dark, mystical quality to this mystery that leant to the atmospheric feel of the book. Wonderful!
Many thanks to Lake Union publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.
mehva's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book, story of two sisters and overlapping story of an older psychic, that part was the weakest and could have been left out, it was as if the author was trying to create magic rather than trust in the story of the sisters and their growth. I did enjoy it though
anjana's review against another edition
3.0
I was a little wary of this book based on the first chapter, but I am glad I gave it a shot. It is a simple story (in some ways) of two sisters who share a bond which has been strengthened by loss and hardship. We get equal time with each sister to understand their current situation.
One sister is caught in a trap and the other starts a hunt to find her. There are men and other supporting cast thrown in for good measure but they were quite interesting, sometimes I liked them more than the leading ladies. The rest of the story is punctuated by other characters who are also living in the same town in Mexico and they are placed strategically to try to confuse us about the solution. The relationships and the emotional quotient of the book were satisfying but as a thriller/mystery, it did not work since we are aware of the background from the beginning. There is the extra tale of another pair of sisters that does not end as happily as our main protagonists which adds to this book's status as a family drama than anything else. It was well narrated and overall a pretty interesting read
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely made up of my own reading experience.
One sister is caught in a trap and the other starts a hunt to find her. There are men and other supporting cast thrown in for good measure but they were quite interesting, sometimes I liked them more than the leading ladies. The rest of the story is punctuated by other characters who are also living in the same town in Mexico and they are placed strategically to try to confuse us about the solution. The relationships and the emotional quotient of the book were satisfying but as a thriller/mystery, it did not work since we are aware of the background from the beginning. There is the extra tale of another pair of sisters that does not end as happily as our main protagonists which adds to this book's status as a family drama than anything else. It was well narrated and overall a pretty interesting read
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely made up of my own reading experience.
lamiah's review
3.0
The beginning of this book starts off well and draws you in. Kat and Maddie are sisters who lost their parents to a fiery plane crash that Maddie survived. For years, Kat has been Maddie’s rock - now, she’s missing.
Following Maddie’s journey to find her sister and overcome her fears and trauma is inspiring. The love she finds and fears letting in along the way is something I empathize with. Trauma will do that to someone. Also interesting is that Maddie is an artist, known for creating masks, which is a motif used throughout the novel.
Told by 5 different narrators, LeClaire does a wonderful job creating different voices and capturing a beautiful culture. However, I believe that the several narrators convoluted some important character building. I felt like there was a lot of build up and not enough actual story. There was so much more that could have been done with these beautiful characters, and it all felt so stunted. The end, especially, felt rushed.
All in all, it’s a fine read. I think it could have been better, and it may be more for other readers than me, but I really wanted to like this more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
Following Maddie’s journey to find her sister and overcome her fears and trauma is inspiring. The love she finds and fears letting in along the way is something I empathize with. Trauma will do that to someone. Also interesting is that Maddie is an artist, known for creating masks, which is a motif used throughout the novel.
Told by 5 different narrators, LeClaire does a wonderful job creating different voices and capturing a beautiful culture. However, I believe that the several narrators convoluted some important character building. I felt like there was a lot of build up and not enough actual story. There was so much more that could have been done with these beautiful characters, and it all felt so stunted. The end, especially, felt rushed.
All in all, it’s a fine read. I think it could have been better, and it may be more for other readers than me, but I really wanted to like this more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
booksrbrainfood's review
4.0
Let me start by saying that overall I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the characters and their POVs. There were many unique stories that all intertwine in the end. This is a story that starts with the backstory of the sisters, Maddie and Kat, whose parents were killed in a plane crash. Maddie was also involved in that crash but survives, spending months in the burn unit going through difficult treatment and being left with scars that she must live with forever. It is clear from the beginning that the two sisters are extremely close as a result of these events so that when Kat doesn't call or contact Maddie for several week, it is obvious to her that something is not right.
I thought the author did a thorough job of detailing how Maddie would go about hunting for her sister and what might clue her into there being a problem.
The issues I had with the story were 1) some pacing issues, seemed like a lot of detail in some areas and not enough in others, 2) If someone is missing, why would any solo female go off alone when she has a trusted male friend to help (in a foreign country no less) and 3) ending felt rushed compared to the build-up.
I liked the book and I am glad that I read it but there were small issues for my taste.
#TheOrchidSister #NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing
I thought the author did a thorough job of detailing how Maddie would go about hunting for her sister and what might clue her into there being a problem.
The issues I had with the story were 1) some pacing issues, seemed like a lot of detail in some areas and not enough in others, 2) If someone is missing, why would any solo female go off alone when she has a trusted male friend to help (in a foreign country no less) and 3) ending felt rushed compared to the build-up.
I liked the book and I am glad that I read it but there were small issues for my taste.
#TheOrchidSister #NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing
ruthparker16's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first Anne D. LeClaire book. I went into it with an open mind. The premise really intrigued me and I thought it would be a book that ended up sticking with me for a long time.
I didn't dislike this book, but I was a little disappointed with it. Perhaps I put too much pressure on it based on my own expectations. Very possible.
I found the first few chapters a little tough to get going and if I had been reading this by my own choice rather than an ARC I may have DNF'd it, as it just wasn't speaking to me. However I powered on and it did get better. It was just a bit of a slow book. There wasn't any major slumps in the writing, apart from the beginning, it just seemed to plod on. But that meant there were no major tense moments either. Nothing that made me desperate to turn the pages.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own and are in no way influenced.
I didn't dislike this book, but I was a little disappointed with it. Perhaps I put too much pressure on it based on my own expectations. Very possible.
I found the first few chapters a little tough to get going and if I had been reading this by my own choice rather than an ARC I may have DNF'd it, as it just wasn't speaking to me. However I powered on and it did get better. It was just a bit of a slow book. There wasn't any major slumps in the writing, apart from the beginning, it just seemed to plod on. But that meant there were no major tense moments either. Nothing that made me desperate to turn the pages.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own and are in no way influenced.
avalinahsbooks's review
3.0
The Orchid Sister was an alright book, but one I know I'll essentially not remember reading in a year or two. However, I guess I can say it simply didn't quite speak to me, but it might speak to you. At first, I wasn't too invested, but after reading about a third I decided that I'll stick with it to the end because I just want to find out what happens to the characters. You could say this is one of those steady books where everything is written quite simply and it progresses smoothly, there are no slumps in the storytelling or anything like that. But at the same time, there are no real tense moments either. For me, it lacked a spark. It's both a story of sisterly love, as well as a story of moving on. Perhaps it was just that there were too many things it was trying to talk about. Anyway, I find that I have nothing to say in the review, and I guess that tells a story on its own.
Triggers include: PTSD, missing persons, plane crashes, fire and severe burns, family members dying in accidents (these are not spoilers, they're part of the setting). One spoilery one:forced abortion.
I thank the publisher for giving me a review of the ebook through NetGalley in exchange to an honest review. It has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
Triggers include: PTSD, missing persons, plane crashes, fire and severe burns, family members dying in accidents (these are not spoilers, they're part of the setting). One spoilery one:
I thank the publisher for giving me a review of the ebook through NetGalley in exchange to an honest review. It has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
vader's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Writing a book about pregnant brown women (pregnant brown teens!) being forced to abort their babies so the fetuses might be used to rejuvenate white women is never a good idea. It’s most certainly not a story a white woman should write.
Let’s go by parts. The book is told from multiple perspectives, with the main ones being Maddie’s and Kat’s. The supporting cast consists of multiple Mexican characters, and I swear I wanted to pull out my hair every time I started reading one of their chapters.
The “Spanglish” in which it’s narrated was incredibly irritating and distracting, it severely ruined the prose in my opinion, because it was pointless and added nothing to the characters - saying “calle” or saying “street” is the same, saying “padre” and saying “father” is the same, saying “cerveza” and saying “beer” is the same, et cetera. Adding the words doesn’t make the characters any more Latino than they already are - and neither does their exotification and their obsession with mysticism.
As a matter of fact, that only adds to the pile of already-there offensive stereotypes: cheating men, “temptress” women, “magical” old ladies, and characters with visions to the past in which the protagonists are being sacrificed to the gods. Nothing I, as a Latina woman, appreciate.
I don’t appreciate the main characters, either. They are meant to be women with careers, smart and sharp, yet they are so incredibly dumb it’s mind-blowing. An example: when Madison realizes Kat has gone missing and calls the police, she lies to them about having talked with Kat’s doctor. When she finds evidence that her sister might be having drug problems, she hides it and keeps it to herself. She ditches Jack in Mexico to go look into the mysterious spa-slash-clinic that the cab driver is too scared to see - and she goes without any way of communicating with the outside world.
And not just Maddie, oh, no, Kat is just as bad. Going back to get the treatment that’s aging her instead of making her look younger, blindly trusting the shady doctor with armed guards outside of his "spa," ruining her first chance at escape by swallowing the pill she could’ve hidden in her mouth (as she did later, once the chance had been thrown away), not telling absolutely anyone where she was going… Do I need to go on? Most of the problems these people have would’ve been easily fixed if they had just talked to each other.
Frankly, the best thing about this book is the bond between the sisters. It was made believable, they obviously loved each other and I really appreciate that. I just wish the Mexico plot and characters had been better handled, because that way this would have been a completely different story.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
Let’s go by parts. The book is told from multiple perspectives, with the main ones being Maddie’s and Kat’s. The supporting cast consists of multiple Mexican characters, and I swear I wanted to pull out my hair every time I started reading one of their chapters.
The “Spanglish” in which it’s narrated was incredibly irritating and distracting, it severely ruined the prose in my opinion, because it was pointless and added nothing to the characters - saying “calle” or saying “street” is the same, saying “padre” and saying “father” is the same, saying “cerveza” and saying “beer” is the same, et cetera. Adding the words doesn’t make the characters any more Latino than they already are - and neither does their exotification and their obsession with mysticism.
As a matter of fact, that only adds to the pile of already-there offensive stereotypes: cheating men, “temptress” women, “magical” old ladies, and characters with visions to the past in which the protagonists are being sacrificed to the gods. Nothing I, as a Latina woman, appreciate.
I don’t appreciate the main characters, either. They are meant to be women with careers, smart and sharp, yet they are so incredibly dumb it’s mind-blowing. An example: when Madison realizes Kat has gone missing and calls the police, she lies to them about having talked with Kat’s doctor. When she finds evidence that her sister might be having drug problems, she hides it and keeps it to herself. She ditches Jack in Mexico to go look into the mysterious spa-slash-clinic that the cab driver is too scared to see - and she goes without any way of communicating with the outside world.
And not just Maddie, oh, no, Kat is just as bad. Going back to get the treatment that’s aging her instead of making her look younger, blindly trusting the shady doctor with armed guards outside of his "spa," ruining her first chance at escape by swallowing the pill she could’ve hidden in her mouth (as she did later, once the chance had been thrown away), not telling absolutely anyone where she was going… Do I need to go on? Most of the problems these people have would’ve been easily fixed if they had just talked to each other.
Frankly, the best thing about this book is the bond between the sisters. It was made believable, they obviously loved each other and I really appreciate that. I just wish the Mexico plot and characters had been better handled, because that way this would have been a completely different story.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free ARC in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
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