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ellenigrace's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, and Physical abuse
dsarbear's review against another edition
The Plot and Pacing: Felt very disjointed. There are two main storylines the book goes back and forth between. Just when one would get suspenseful or interesting the book would cut back to the other. The plot races by but also very little seems to actually happen. The magic isn't really explained, but also plays a very inconsistent role in the book. It comes and goes at seemingly random, chaotic intervals.
The Characters: Seemed interesting at first, but are kept at arms length and the plot moves so quickly that you never really get to know them. One strength of the book is that the familial bonds seem very established. They definitely feel like a real family, even if they aren't given enough time in the story to really react to the things that happen to them.
The Sex and Romance: There were also constant small graphically-described sex scenes tossed in that felt awkward and strangely clinical. Reading them reminded me of the discomfort of watching a sex scene with your parents. Even when they were short I was relieved when they were done, and I always felt like a little gross after reading one.
Body Horror: This is pretty minor and probably won't affect many people, but about halfway through the book 3 of the main characters end up with magical "gifts" that manifest physically on their bodies. They are described as basically becoming parts of their bodies and the characters react with pain when those parts are tugged/attached. There are also a couple of scenes where other characters attempting to touch the magical body parts is likened to sexual assault.
If you want to know what the body parts are they are roses which are growing from the characters hand, forehead, and clavicles, respectively. They often describe touching the petals or thorns of them, and reacting in pain when others try to tug on them or touch them.
The Characters: Seemed interesting at first, but are kept at arms length and the plot moves so quickly that you never really get to know them. One strength of the book is that the familial bonds seem very established. They definitely feel like a real family, even if they aren't given enough time in the story to really react to the things that happen to them.
The Sex and Romance: There were also constant small graphically-described sex scenes tossed in that felt awkward and strangely clinical. Reading them reminded me of the discomfort of watching a sex scene with your parents. Even when they were short I was relieved when they were done, and I always felt like a little gross after reading one.
Body Horror: This is pretty minor and probably won't affect many people, but about halfway through the book 3 of the main characters end up with magical "gifts" that manifest physically on their bodies. They are described as basically becoming parts of their bodies and the characters react with pain when those parts are tugged/attached. There are also a couple of scenes where other characters attempting to touch the magical body parts is likened to sexual assault.
If you want to know what the body parts are they are
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Body horror
newbiereads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Body horror
knenigans's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Pregnancy, Body horror, Abandonment, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity
ericageorge91's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
“This book missed the mark for me.”
Arrest me. Take me to book jail because I was clearly on one during my first read 😅
“I thought that this ‘inheritance’ was going to be a thorough discussion of generational trauma mixed with magical realism but it felt lacking.”
The discussion was there! The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is a story filled with magic told in dual timelines. One follows the Montoya matriarch, Orquídea, a woman that goes to great lengths to escape a past so painful that she never speaks of it. The present timeline opens with an invitation to her remaining family to return to their home in Four Rivers to witness her death. We closely follow her grandchildren, Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly, and her great-grandchild, Rhiannon. After tragedy strikes, they embark on a journey to uncover their family’s secrets. This would prove to be incredibly challenging because, like the ceiba tree she turned into, Orquídea was stoic and silent throughout their lives.
The generational trauma was there! How did I not process the parallels of how Isabella’s parents treatment of her affected how she mothered Orquídea in the same way that Orquídea’s upbringing with Isabella informed how she treated her kids and grandkids? Isabella was shamed for having a child out of wedlock, which led to her projecting those insecurities onto Orquídea throughout her childhood. This ultimately pushed Orquídea to run away from home. In the same vein, Orquídea heard nasty insults growing up from her former family. This contributed to the punishing and impenetrable silence she wielded on her descendants that consequently pushed them away.
“We didn’t get to know any of Orquídea’s children in depth, so if this was supposed to speak on generational trauma, skipping whole branches of the family tree made that theme feel disjointed and incomplete.”
This point is still true, but Orquídea had such a big family, that readers would have been bogged down by the weight of them all. We do get to see glimpses of her children’s relationship with her: Félix’s role as peacemaker, Caleb’s unwavering acceptance, and Enrique’s explosive anger and resentment to name a few. Others were so fed up with their matriarch’s ways, that they swore to never come back home. Do I still wish we got a POV for at least one of the aunts or uncles? Yes, but the story still feels complete without it.
If you wanted to read a book that gave Encanto vibes only for a mature audience? Definitely check this book out! It wasn’t a tear jerker for me, but it still brought me joy 😌
———-
[Original Review: 3.25⭐️] This book missed the mark for me. I thought that this “inheritance” was going to be a thorough discussion of generational trauma mixed with magical realism, but it felt lacking. We were introduced to so many people in the Montoya family and didn’t get to know any of them beyond a surface level save for Orquídea, three of her grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. We didn’t get to know any of Orquídea’s children in depth, so if this was supposed to speak on generational trauma, skipping whole branches of the family tree made that theme feel disjointed and incomplete. I might try a reread in the future to see if I like it more with time.
TW: Homophobia (brief), child abuse, emotional neglect, toxic relationship, sexual content, body horror, death, murder, violence, infidelity
Rep: Latinx (Ecuadorian) characters, gay main character
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia
apierlessbridge's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautiful and warm. A story of family, choosing to be a family, secrets, the legacies and inheritances of those who came before us. About finding your way and magic in every sense of the word. Involving the circus, the things and monsters that haunt us, ghosts, being other, love and loving. I felt this one deeply.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
courtneyfalling's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Aghhhhhh this book ripped out my heart and I said thank you. Achingly beautiful take on generational trauma and vulnerability and domestic abuse, and I'm very excited to discuss this with friends for a casual book club!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Death, Body horror, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Child death
awebofstories's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Grief
jamie_reads_stuff's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death
madmantha's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely loved this book. I highly recommend seeing if your local library has the audiobook as well.
I’ve now reread it multiple times and enjoy it more and more each reading. It’s such a poetic and circular story.
I’ve now reread it multiple times and enjoy it more and more each reading. It’s such a poetic and circular story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Abandonment, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Stalking, and Body horror
Moderate: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Animal death, Car accident, Genocide, Outing, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Ableism, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Deadnaming, Deportation, Gun violence, Self harm, Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Racism, Religious bigotry, Incest, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Child death, and Emotional abuse