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serendipitysbooks's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
In the Orchard is a beautifully written meditation on motherhood. We follow Maisie Moore, mother of an 8 yo son, 6 yo daughter, 3 yo son, and newborn daughter (incidentally this was my exact family composition 23 years ago) over the course of a single day. In many ways it’s a story where nothing much happens - the main event is the family going to a pick your own apple orchard - but where everything happens - family, love, motherhood, and (possibly) death. The bulk of the novel is an internal monologue of Maisie’s thoughts, feelings, worries dream, speculations and memories as the day unfolds. It’s not always pretty or admirable, but it’s always real and relatable. The novel doesn’t shy away from the physical realities of new motherhood either. The huge love Maisie has for her family, her desire to do her very best for them, even at a cost to herself, is blindingly evident. While I don’t think the slow pacing, the stream of consciousness style where shifts between present events and past memories can seem blurry, or the ambiguous ending of this book will be for every reader I loved it. Its gorgeous writing, its poignant and perfect depiction motherhood, and it’s effortless transportation of me back to that phase in my own life made it a winner.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
cancermoononhigh's review
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
kgentry4's review
3.0
This is the story of Maisie and her love for her family told over the course of one day. You dive deeply into the mind of a mother who is just trying to figure out how to do it all "right" for the people she loves, and who is constantly questioning everything in this quest.
Conceptually this was an interesting idea for a story and I enjoyed reading it. That said, I'm not sure it fully reached its goal. The author has a way with words and she worked hard to try to weave present day with all of Maisie's thinking, but it felt very jumpy and I often found myself having to backtrack to figure out what leap we just made. Maisie was a fairly likeable character as well as often relatable. There were sections of her story where I felt she had been in my head, where I was internally screaming "Yes, that's it!" Other times I simply felt she was a bit much in her overthinking and I truly couldn't figure out why anyones head would take this path.
I'm feeling a bit torn with this book. The author truly is a good writer... I often found individual lines that really stood out to me and made me pause to just think. I loved this about the book, and it was the first time in a long time that I actually highlighted text from something I was reading. That said, at times it felt a bit overdone, like the goal of writing good literature was taking away from the story itself. Overall rating: 3.5 stars
#intheorchard #netgalley
Conceptually this was an interesting idea for a story and I enjoyed reading it. That said, I'm not sure it fully reached its goal. The author has a way with words and she worked hard to try to weave present day with all of Maisie's thinking, but it felt very jumpy and I often found myself having to backtrack to figure out what leap we just made. Maisie was a fairly likeable character as well as often relatable. There were sections of her story where I felt she had been in my head, where I was internally screaming "Yes, that's it!" Other times I simply felt she was a bit much in her overthinking and I truly couldn't figure out why anyones head would take this path.
I'm feeling a bit torn with this book. The author truly is a good writer... I often found individual lines that really stood out to me and made me pause to just think. I loved this about the book, and it was the first time in a long time that I actually highlighted text from something I was reading. That said, at times it felt a bit overdone, like the goal of writing good literature was taking away from the story itself. Overall rating: 3.5 stars
#intheorchard #netgalley
wordsmithreads's review
3.0
I'll be honest: the cover is what sold me on this book initially. I found the lush green grass, the baby on the blanket, to be calm but almost ominous. I'm not usually one to love single-day stories, but this one sounded interesting.
A main problem in this book is the organization, which I don't think is ultimately Minot's fault. Yes, she wrote the manuscript, but it's up to an editor to put it in an order the reader can best connect to the book. And it's also up to the editor to trim back some of the similes and metaphors: we are hit with one essentially every sentence for the first 20 pages.
I'll be honest: If I hadn't wanted to finish this to provide feedback to Netgalley, I don't think I would have read past the first 20%. Maisie's musings on periods and vaginas and milk letdown were getting too detailed and repetitive for me, as a person who has all that same plumbing and would be able to relate to it. And while a good amount of her thoughts make sense, a good amount of the deep conversations in this book are not believable.
I also found myself extremely annoyed with her husband. Maisie is a mother alone in this relationship, which is astounding to me because she thinks only positive thoughts toward Neil, who is essentially a lump when it comes to parenting. I didn't feel anything for him, even with Maisie thinking on him lovingly (the few times she did). I found this lacking, especially because (at that soccer game) Minot makes a point to have the women talk about division of labor, and then shows that there is absolutely no division of labor in the Moore household, yet Maisie doesn't seem to realize that.
I also found myself impatient to get on with the story. We don't even wake up and begin the day until 50% in. For 50% of these pages, you are sitting in Maisie's bed with Esme, while her useless husband sleeps next to her, and Maisie's mind wanders. I like a lot of Maisie's wonderings, to be fair — she has interesting thoughts on love and childhood — but I went in expecting a little less stream of consciousness and a little more dialogue. It was because of this heavy emphasis on stream of consciousness that I would find myself unsure what was happening when we finally left Daydream Land and came back to present. And many of the Present Scenes were odd, and felt unrealistic, the interaction with Amber and the horse especially so.
Even with all of that, once we actually got TO the orchard, I was interested in the walking around and movement. This improved the thought-wanderings as well, because there were external factors to influence Maisie's thoughts, instead of just her wandering mind. If we had gotten to the orchard earlier — as the title and marketing suggests — this easily could have been a 4-star book for me, even with the abrupt and out of place ending.
This felt very much like [b:Outline|21400742|Outline|Rachel Cusk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403832251l/21400742._SY75_.jpg|40698498] to me, but I actually liked this a lot more than Outline. I think this ultimately is an editor problem, not a writer problem.
A main problem in this book is the organization, which I don't think is ultimately Minot's fault. Yes, she wrote the manuscript, but it's up to an editor to put it in an order the reader can best connect to the book. And it's also up to the editor to trim back some of the similes and metaphors: we are hit with one essentially every sentence for the first 20 pages.
I'll be honest: If I hadn't wanted to finish this to provide feedback to Netgalley, I don't think I would have read past the first 20%. Maisie's musings on periods and vaginas and milk letdown were getting too detailed and repetitive for me, as a person who has all that same plumbing and would be able to relate to it. And while a good amount of her thoughts make sense, a good amount of the deep conversations in this book are not believable.
I also found myself extremely annoyed with her husband. Maisie is a mother alone in this relationship, which is astounding to me because she thinks only positive thoughts toward Neil, who is essentially a lump when it comes to parenting. I didn't feel anything for him, even with Maisie thinking on him lovingly (the few times she did). I found this lacking, especially because (at that soccer game) Minot makes a point to have the women talk about division of labor, and then shows that there is absolutely no division of labor in the Moore household, yet Maisie doesn't seem to realize that.
I also found myself impatient to get on with the story. We don't even wake up and begin the day until 50% in. For 50% of these pages, you are sitting in Maisie's bed with Esme, while her useless husband sleeps next to her, and Maisie's mind wanders. I like a lot of Maisie's wonderings, to be fair — she has interesting thoughts on love and childhood — but I went in expecting a little less stream of consciousness and a little more dialogue. It was because of this heavy emphasis on stream of consciousness that I would find myself unsure what was happening when we finally left Daydream Land and came back to present. And many of the Present Scenes were odd, and felt unrealistic, the interaction with Amber and the horse especially so.
Even with all of that, once we actually got TO the orchard, I was interested in the walking around and movement. This improved the thought-wanderings as well, because there were external factors to influence Maisie's thoughts, instead of just her wandering mind. If we had gotten to the orchard earlier — as the title and marketing suggests — this easily could have been a 4-star book for me, even with the abrupt and out of place ending.
This felt very much like [b:Outline|21400742|Outline|Rachel Cusk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403832251l/21400742._SY75_.jpg|40698498] to me, but I actually liked this a lot more than Outline. I think this ultimately is an editor problem, not a writer problem.
mabinogi's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lonestarwords's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
For the rest of a mother’s life, the mother carries the baby. The baby is as much a part of the mother’s body and soul as her heart or her head…
In the Orchard
Eliza Minot
•
I don’t know that I’ve ever read anything quite like this meditation on motherhood told via a young mother’s internal dialogue.
•
I take notes as I read and I’ve never taken as many as I did listening to this audiobook nor have I ever marked so many quotes. Rebecca Lowman’s narration was exquisite, delivering the long and emotion filled passages that make up this moving read.
•
Minot encapsulated the swell of feelings that accompany being a young mother. Maisie has four children under the age of 10; she’s struggling with fatigue and overwhelming worry about the family’s finances, compounded by long days of fielding children’s needs, questions and desires.
•
As anyone who has spent those insular days with little ones can attest to, there are moments when a newborn gazes into your eyes and you feel connected to the universe in an almost primal way. And there are also moments of abject frustration when the demands of caring for children’s needs tests even the most patient of humans.
•
Minot is also able to put into words the things I thought only lived in my own head and I teared up more times than I can count listening to Maisie’s experience. Minot acknowledges that the physical component to childbirth and its aftermath is as big as the emotional part is - its earthy, visceral and oh, such a rollercoaster. Her prose has an ethereal quality and it made the story feel poetic.
•
There isn’t room to share everything I felt as I read this. But two more things that were remarkable: the author conveyed that our experience as daughters shapes the way we mother our own children and she also acknowledges that our friendship with other mothers can often undermine our confidences in ways we’ve never faced before - nothing will make you compare yourself to others quite like mothering.
•
As I am now on the cusp of becoming a grandmother, this pulled my heart out. And if you’ve read this, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE ENDING.
•
Thank you @prhaudio @aaknopf for this #gifted copy
In the Orchard
Eliza Minot
•
I don’t know that I’ve ever read anything quite like this meditation on motherhood told via a young mother’s internal dialogue.
•
I take notes as I read and I’ve never taken as many as I did listening to this audiobook nor have I ever marked so many quotes. Rebecca Lowman’s narration was exquisite, delivering the long and emotion filled passages that make up this moving read.
•
Minot encapsulated the swell of feelings that accompany being a young mother. Maisie has four children under the age of 10; she’s struggling with fatigue and overwhelming worry about the family’s finances, compounded by long days of fielding children’s needs, questions and desires.
•
As anyone who has spent those insular days with little ones can attest to, there are moments when a newborn gazes into your eyes and you feel connected to the universe in an almost primal way. And there are also moments of abject frustration when the demands of caring for children’s needs tests even the most patient of humans.
•
Minot is also able to put into words the things I thought only lived in my own head and I teared up more times than I can count listening to Maisie’s experience. Minot acknowledges that the physical component to childbirth and its aftermath is as big as the emotional part is - its earthy, visceral and oh, such a rollercoaster. Her prose has an ethereal quality and it made the story feel poetic.
•
There isn’t room to share everything I felt as I read this. But two more things that were remarkable: the author conveyed that our experience as daughters shapes the way we mother our own children and she also acknowledges that our friendship with other mothers can often undermine our confidences in ways we’ve never faced before - nothing will make you compare yourself to others quite like mothering.
•
As I am now on the cusp of becoming a grandmother, this pulled my heart out. And if you’ve read this, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE ENDING.
•
Thank you @prhaudio @aaknopf for this #gifted copy
msmichaela's review
3.5
Heady, interior novel about new motherhood, raising a family, money and more. Very little plot to speak of, and a bit too much abstract thinking for my taste, but compelling nonetheless.
amybabuka's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Beautiful.
rach_s's review
slow-paced
This book was hard to get through. The main issue is that it had no sequence of events. Everything had a tangent which was annoying cause I couldn't get a grip on the pacing of the story being told. The most annoying part is that this whole book is about one single day. I repeat a SINGLE DAY IN WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS.
I'll admit what attracted me to this book was the cover. Yes, there was some substance to it, like the fact that it focused on motherhood heavily but it felt so utterly lacking because it was either the main character's memories, speculations or thoughts. That was it for the majority of this book with only the ending having a little sub-par epiphany moment.
Sorry, but in my opinion, this book was just tasteless and pointless.
Note: Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'll admit what attracted me to this book was the cover. Yes, there was some substance to it, like the fact that it focused on motherhood heavily but it felt so utterly lacking because it was either the main character's memories, speculations or thoughts. That was it for the majority of this book with only the ending having a little sub-par epiphany moment.
Sorry, but in my opinion, this book was just tasteless and pointless.
Note: Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
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