Scan barcode
mosscarr's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, and Suicide
maziodynes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
When I picked first picked this up, in 2012, I was a camp counselor working in Washington going through her Litfic/John Steinbeck phase. I never got around to reading it while being busy at school. I gave it away in a move.
But I saw the ebook on sale recently, and something about the premise drew me in again. And now I'm so glad I finally read this book, after its longest possible TBR tenure.
The Orchardist is wonderful. It can be slow paced at times, but it's so immersive and vivid, it feels like a visceral work of art. If you grew up in Washington state (all of it, western, central, and eastern) there's a joy in seeing the areas familiar to you described so lovingly. I didn't know a ton of the nuance about this time period (late 1800s - early 1900s) but this was a really interesting look into the daily lives and hardships of folks from that time.
The characters were wonderfully fleshed out and flawed throughout. I appreciate when an author allows characters to be damaged and make mistake after mistake - it's tragic, but also in line with their motivations and experiences. Talmadge in particular was just an absolute joy, but Della and Angelene are also incredible. The setting is also so alive, it feels like as much of a character as the people, which is rare.
Definitely a 5 star read for me!!
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Miscarriage, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Violence
laura_cat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Grief and Abandonment
meesha_82's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, and Suicide
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
overthinkereading's review against another edition
Graphic: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Grief, and Alcohol
thegirlfromthemoon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Suicide and Pregnancy
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence