Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

74 reviews

jessgreads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Title: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina
Author: Zoraida Córdova
Genre: Fantasy / Magical Realism
Setting: Guyaquil, Ecuador & Four Rivers, Indiana
Month Read: May 2022
Book Type: Hardcover
Publication: 2021
Publisher: Atria Books  
Pages: 324
*Book of the Month Selection 



TRIGGER WARNING- 
Death / Grief / Sexual Content / Infidelity 




"But here, in her family's home, she was river and salt and that same sea found her. She was the mouth of an ancient god who would swallow the world. She was an ocean of stories, memories, thousands of little moments that made up her whole being."







No Spoiler Summary (from Goodreads):
The Montoyas are used to a life without explanations. They know better than to ask why the pantry never seems to run low or empty, or why their matriarch won’t ever leave their home in Four Rivers—even for graduations, weddings, or baptism. But when Orquídea Divina invites them to her funeral and to come and collect their inheritance, they hope to learn the secrets that she has held onto so tightly their whole lives. Instead, Orquídea is transformed, leaving them with more questions than answers. Seven years later, her gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly’s daughter, Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings. But soon, a hidden figure begins to tear through their family tree, picking them off one by one as it seeks to destroy Orquídea’s line. Determined to save what’s left of their family and uncover the truth behind their inheritance, the four descendants travel to Ecuador—to the place where Orquídea buried her secrets and broken promises and never looked backed.


Alternating between Orquídea’s past and her descendants’ present, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is an enchanting novel about what we knowingly and unknowingly inherit from our ancestors, the ties that bind, and reclaiming your power.



(I tried to get a photo of Casita, but this was as close as I could get...)


Review:
I am so upset with myself that I got too busy last September and have let this book sit on a shelf for several months when I could have been loving it this entire time. I was unprepared for how much I would fall in love with the Montoya family, and how perfect this book was to start reading on a gorgeous spring day. I was instantly transported to their house in Four Rivers, and also transported right to Equador several decades ago. The writing was so beautiful it was hard not to see the beauty described in your head. This book is perfect for a movie or tv show.


A book filled with strong female characters is totally my jam, and I couldn't be more thrilled about how hardcore this cast was. I also loved the LGBTQIA+ rep, and how cool the family was about everything. I was expecting it to turn into a weird subplot, but everyone was just super accepting and supportive and it was really nice. 


If you're a fan of magical realism, split narratives (and time periods), and a big multi-generational tale with just the right amount of mystery- this book is for YOU. I wish I could read this again for the first time, I truly do. What a fun, enjoyable story. There is a lot of sadness woven in, but never so much that it overtakes you. 





"When she’d met Orquidea Montoya, she saw a whisper of a girl who wanted to become a scream."



See more reviews at: https://jessgreads.wixsite.com

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lowkeymarie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I wasn't as invested in this as I thought I would be and I felt like the pacing was way too slow up until the last 20%. But that last chunk really was a hell of a ride. And I did quite like the author's writing style, so I'd definitely read more from her.
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drinaiscold's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious 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

4.0

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paperbackparker's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

3.5

God it feels like forever since I last completed a book 😅 I’m so glad I finally finished this one. I didn’t love it as much as I hoped to but I definitely enjoyed it, and it was truly the perfect Spring read. For anyone who likes stories about families and magic, I definitely recommend this.
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cozylifewithabby's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I have really mixed feelings on this book. I wanted to love it. I really enjoyed the first third with the family all being called back and the mystery of it all, the middle third alternated perspectives so parts of it were interesting and other parts were slow. The last third was chaos. I am still not sure what I read. Even though I am a fan of shorter books, this could have used another 100 pages. We also never learn anything about most of the characters and the family tree at the beginning could be deleted as most of it is never mentioned. 

I wanted so much more and I think this had potential, but fell flat. 
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nrogers_1030's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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jelliclecax's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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tajosima's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I’m not a fan of magical realism, but even I enjoyed this so I guess it says something about how good it is!
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deedireads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is a really lovely standalone low fantasy novel in homage to Latinx family ties, traditions, and heritage. It pulled me in and held me the whole way.

For you if: You like low fantasy (magical elements in a real-world setting) and/or want to read more fantasy by Latinx authors.

FULL REVIEW:

“When she'd met Orquídea Montoya, she saw a whisper of a girl who wanted to become a scream.”

What a fun, lovely, magical story that Zoraida Córdova has given us in The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina. It’s a standalone low fantasy novel (meaning the magical elements occur in a real-world setting) that almost feels like a modern-day fairytale, with great characters, a strong central mystery, and plenty of moments that tug on your heart.

Orquídea Montoya is the magical matriarch of a sprawling Ecuadorian-American family. One day, they all receive a letter inviting them home to claim their inheritance, as the time of her death has come. When they arrive, she’s begun a kind of transformation and leaves them with cryptic messages about staying safe. That sends a few of her grandchildren on a hunt for the truth — how Orquídea became Orquídea, what kind of deal she struck with whom, and who hunts them now.

This book is clearly a love letter to Ecuadorian family traditions, ties, and heritage; Córdova has written a story that sings with heart. I loved Marimar and Rey as characters, the magic sparkles, and I really enjoyed trying to solve the mystery as I read.

If you’re looking for a standalone novel that provides a quick, magical trip into an engaging story, pick this one up!

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foreverinastory's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I loved this!

Rep: Mainly Ecuadorian and Ecuadorian-American cast of characters. Two cishet female MCs, one gay male MC.

CWs: Abandonment, alcohol consumption, blood, child death, death, death of parent, emotional abuse, fire, grief, infidelity, pregnancy, sexism, sexual content, toxic relationship, violence, murder. Moderate: injury/injury detail, misogyny, stalking, body horror, gaslighting, child abuse, racism/colorism. 
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