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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
I truly wanted to love this. It ticked so many of my favourite boxes. Historical, multi generational family saga with some romance and a hint of mystery thrown in.
And then I opened the book.
Let’s start with Julia. The character had such promise, but unfortunately was treated terribly by an author who seemingly had no concept of how to take a character, give her an interesting back story and make her an actual character. Instead we get this dull, dreary character who has as much personality as a wet sock.
Olivia is another character who had great potential, who sadly ended up being as interesting as cardboard. And don’t even get me started on what the author did to Lidia……
Maybe Gay but probably straight Harry was a straight up prat who was given way to much page time. Kit had a weird fixating obsession with Julia as a famous person he met as a child that somehow was supposed to be romantic.
The various plot points were poorly thought out and badly executed. Not 1, but 2 secret babies. A whole reveal about a secret diary being uncovered that had no actual relevance to the story. The whole black orchid opening that was left untouched again until it was very poorly reintroduced as a sign of great romance at the end.
But by far the absolute worst plot point was Xavier. That man is a complete ass, and someone should go and apologise to all the trees that were cut down for the paper needed to print that section. What an absolute waste of time, effort and printer ink. I’d have given 2 stars if that whole mess was left out completely.
Overall, I wished I hadn’t wasted my time, and despite rave reviews I’ve seen of other books by this author I doubt I’ll bother
And then I opened the book.
Let’s start with Julia. The character had such promise, but unfortunately was treated terribly by an author who seemingly had no concept of how to take a character, give her an interesting back story and make her an actual character. Instead we get this dull, dreary character who has as much personality as a wet sock.
Olivia is another character who had great potential, who sadly ended up being as interesting as cardboard. And don’t even get me started on what the author did to Lidia……
Maybe Gay but probably straight Harry was a straight up prat who was given way to much page time. Kit had a weird fixating obsession with Julia as a famous person he met as a child that somehow was supposed to be romantic.
The various plot points were poorly thought out and badly executed. Not 1, but 2 secret babies. A whole reveal about a secret diary being uncovered that had no actual relevance to the story. The whole black orchid opening that was left untouched again until it was very poorly reintroduced as a sign of great romance at the end.
But by far the absolute worst plot point was Xavier. That man is a complete ass, and someone should go and apologise to all the trees that were cut down for the paper needed to print that section. What an absolute waste of time, effort and printer ink. I’d have given 2 stars if that whole mess was left out completely.
Overall, I wished I hadn’t wasted my time, and despite rave reviews I’ve seen of other books by this author I doubt I’ll bother
This was a real disappointment. This is another novel that uses two intertwined story-lines to tell a family history over several decades. As often happens, one story arc is stronger, or more interesting, than the other. In this case, it is the narrative that covers from 1939 to 1949 that eclipses the weight of the modern narrative.
Wharton Park, a great estate in Norfolk owned by the Crawford family, is the center of The Orchid House. As often happens in fiction, the Crawfords are down to one heir, Harry Crawford, and the future livelihoods of all who live on the estate depend on Master Harry marrying and producing an heir. He meets a suitable young woman, Olivia, and they marry just as World War II starts. Harry ends up spending most of the war as a prisoner in a Japanese POW camp, and survives the war in fragile condition. He recuperates in Thailand, where he meets a beautiful young woman and falls in love. He returns to England, planning to tell his family that he is giving up his future as the heir and returning to Thailand. But all does not go according to plan.
Running along side this story is the tale of Julia, a classical pianist whose grandparents lived and worked at Wharton Park. When she experiences a terrible tragedy, she has a breakdown and retreats from the world in her cottage in Norfolk. She meets the new Lord Crawford and starts to fall in love. When a long lost war diary turns up, Julia asks her grandmother Elsie to tell her the story of what really happened at Wharton Park during the war
There are the bones of a good story here, but Lucinda Riley doubles down on the melodrama and surprise reveals to a ridiculous degree. The story is both too long, by about fifty pages, and too short to give justice to the various (ridiculous) plot twists. I did not find any of the characters very believable, and most of the secondary characters are just cardboard. The three main male characters stand out as unbelievable--Harry Crawford, a disgusting cad, Kit Crawford, candidate for sainthood, and Xavier, a cartoon of irresponsibility. Harry is particularly mishandled, depicted first as a clueless homosexual and then as an unprincipled husband and lover. There are two, count them, two, secret adoptions to spice up the plot.
This book was presented as similar to Downton Abbey. If you do not expect more from a book than soap opera style plots, this might appeal to you. But if you want more psychological depth, it will disappoint.
Not recommended.
Wharton Park, a great estate in Norfolk owned by the Crawford family, is the center of The Orchid House. As often happens in fiction, the Crawfords are down to one heir, Harry Crawford, and the future livelihoods of all who live on the estate depend on Master Harry marrying and producing an heir. He meets a suitable young woman, Olivia, and they marry just as World War II starts. Harry ends up spending most of the war as a prisoner in a Japanese POW camp, and survives the war in fragile condition. He recuperates in Thailand, where he meets a beautiful young woman and falls in love. He returns to England, planning to tell his family that he is giving up his future as the heir and returning to Thailand. But all does not go according to plan.
Running along side this story is the tale of Julia, a classical pianist whose grandparents lived and worked at Wharton Park. When she experiences a terrible tragedy, she has a breakdown and retreats from the world in her cottage in Norfolk. She meets the new Lord Crawford and starts to fall in love. When a long lost war diary turns up, Julia asks her grandmother Elsie to tell her the story of what really happened at Wharton Park during the war
There are the bones of a good story here, but Lucinda Riley doubles down on the melodrama and surprise reveals to a ridiculous degree. The story is both too long, by about fifty pages, and too short to give justice to the various (ridiculous) plot twists. I did not find any of the characters very believable, and most of the secondary characters are just cardboard. The three main male characters stand out as unbelievable--Harry Crawford, a disgusting cad, Kit Crawford, candidate for sainthood, and Xavier, a cartoon of irresponsibility. Harry is particularly mishandled, depicted first as a clueless homosexual and then as an unprincipled husband and lover. There are two, count them, two, secret adoptions to spice up the plot.
This book was presented as similar to Downton Abbey. If you do not expect more from a book than soap opera style plots, this might appeal to you. But if you want more psychological depth, it will disappoint.
Not recommended.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Prachtig verhaal, downton abbey in Bangkok. Ik hou ervan
After enjoying the Seven Sisters series I wanted to read more by Lucinda Riley and this did not disappoint. Lots of twists and a similar feel to what I had already read with the story weaving between older and newer times. I really enjoyed this.
Very much a book of the genre. Noble Harry lord of the manor goes to war, has child with woman not his wife, doesn’t know, hurt carries through the generations. Finally healed and resolved for all. Lots of adoptions and people finding out their history is not theirs. Annoyed by the ending. All problems due to inheritance taxes on The big house. Thai granny buys it and will leave to Granddaughter and the newest lord. And also another set of death duties?
I would give this book 3.5 stars. I saw some reviews that said the book was sappy and all of Lucinda Riley's books are the same. This is the first of her books that I have read, so maybe I'll change my mind after reading more of her books. I was swept up in the story from the beginning. Maybe it's my curious nature, but when a diary is discovered and there are hints of a family secret, then I am hooked. I want to know what's going on. Julia, a famed concert pianist, is at home after a horrible tragedy and finds herself at an estate sale for Wharton Park. It just so happens that she spent some of her childhood years on the grounds of this great estate, since her grandfather happened to be the gardener. A diary is discovered that she believes to be her grandfather's, detailing his time in Thailand during World War II. Very enjoyable.
I so wanted to like this book, but it never passed the 50 page test. The writing is too trite. Disappointing all around.
emotional
relaxing
sad
fast-paced