A review by dreamofbookspines
The Orchid House, by Lucinda Riley
3.0
This is what good historical fiction is to me: the weaving together of the past and the present. I read a couple other reviews that all complained it was cliched. Of course it's cliche: most historical fiction is! It's about the past! The past is full of cliches; where do you think they come from?
Seriously though, I don't think it's a poorly written book. I think it's a fairly intricate family story that pulls the threads of past and present together rather seamlessly. It reminds me of Carol Goodman's stuff in its' intricacy, plus Kate Morton in the historical fiction aspect, with a dash of Alice Hoffman's "The Red Garden". I keep guessing at what's next. It's a meandering story, maybe not good for reading in a single sitting, but excellent for putting down and picking back up frequently. (The chapters are short enough to allow for this.) And the story isn't difficult to remember. Characters are distinct enough to keep track of.
I sound like I'm singing its' praises. So why three stars instead of four? Or five? I guess precisely because it's a meandering book: I wouldn't be able to read it any other way than the constant picking up and putting down. The story is delicious in its' focus on a single family, and I think it's interesting that she wove in both servants and the nobility sides of it. But it isn't an exciting book. It's good, but not great.
*last 20% of the book* Ok, now I can see where the cliche complaints come from. Someone comes back from the dead? Please. Leave that shit for soap operas. Also now it becomes clear to me the problem with this book is that PEOPLE DON'T FUCKING TALK TO EACH OTHER. Just talk to her! Talk to him! What the hell? It's not difficult to make a damn phone call. Seriously. Get your shit together [characters].
It wraps up far too nicely in a pretty little bow at the end, but overall it was still enjoyable, well-woven-together historical fiction.
Seriously though, I don't think it's a poorly written book. I think it's a fairly intricate family story that pulls the threads of past and present together rather seamlessly. It reminds me of Carol Goodman's stuff in its' intricacy, plus Kate Morton in the historical fiction aspect, with a dash of Alice Hoffman's "The Red Garden". I keep guessing at what's next. It's a meandering story, maybe not good for reading in a single sitting, but excellent for putting down and picking back up frequently. (The chapters are short enough to allow for this.) And the story isn't difficult to remember. Characters are distinct enough to keep track of.
I sound like I'm singing its' praises. So why three stars instead of four? Or five? I guess precisely because it's a meandering book: I wouldn't be able to read it any other way than the constant picking up and putting down. The story is delicious in its' focus on a single family, and I think it's interesting that she wove in both servants and the nobility sides of it. But it isn't an exciting book. It's good, but not great.
*last 20% of the book* Ok, now I can see where the cliche complaints come from. Someone comes back from the dead? Please. Leave that shit for soap operas. Also now it becomes clear to me the problem with this book is that PEOPLE DON'T FUCKING TALK TO EACH OTHER. Just talk to her! Talk to him! What the hell? It's not difficult to make a damn phone call. Seriously. Get your shit together [characters].
It wraps up far too nicely in a pretty little bow at the end, but overall it was still enjoyable, well-woven-together historical fiction.