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etrot28's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? Yes
3.0
1331kerosene's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
abookolive's review against another edition
Soon after becoming General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev famously rebranded two Russian words: glasnost and perestroika, meaning openness and restructuring, respectively. With these words he ushered in a new era for the USSR, one in which citizens had more freedoms and economic options. It was a period of change unlike anything the nation had yet witnessed, and, for Soviet youth, it meant hope for the future. This was “Generation Perestroika,” as author Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry calls it in her debut novel The Orchard, a coming-of-age tale loosely inspired by Anton Chekhov’s final play, The Cherry Orchard.
Click here to read the rest of my review in the Harvard Review!
Click here to read the rest of my review in the Harvard Review!
freddyteddy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
jolie3467's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
mollusk's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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? Yes
3.75
bookbelle5_17's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
Review of The Orchard
By: Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry
I’m not as familiar with Russia and its history having only dipped into Russian literature and learning from others who know more. This was a hard read as this is one of the darker times in Russia, or before Russia became Russia and was considered the Soviet Union. Anya and Milka are growing up during this time going to school and experiencing the first flush of young love. This foursome barely understands what is happening to their home and are just trying to get by as they grow up, but it is a trying time
I wouldn’t call this a fun read, but it was riveting story and I always feared for Anya and her friends, as well as her parents. It was an enlightening read telling me about what happened to the Soviet Union in a fictional way. I felt connected to Anya, though I couldn’t relate to her life experiences. I have led a privileged and free life in America while Anya lives in a government-controlled country where she doesn’t have as many choices. I understand her confusion and anger about her life. Lopatin is my least favorite character as I find his arrogance and ignorance frustrating. He is one of those privileged types who doesn’t acknowledge and rather bury his head in the sand. I adored Trifonov and Milka is a tragic figure in the story. The writing is lovely with poetic pros that makes this a beautiful, though tragic, story to read. It was also cool that they were fans of Queen one of the few things that’s not from Russia they get access too.
By: Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry
I’m not as familiar with Russia and its history having only dipped into Russian literature and learning from others who know more. This was a hard read as this is one of the darker times in Russia, or before Russia became Russia and was considered the Soviet Union. Anya and Milka are growing up during this time going to school and experiencing the first flush of young love. This foursome barely understands what is happening to their home and are just trying to get by as they grow up, but it is a trying time
I wouldn’t call this a fun read, but it was riveting story and I always feared for Anya and her friends, as well as her parents. It was an enlightening read telling me about what happened to the Soviet Union in a fictional way. I felt connected to Anya, though I couldn’t relate to her life experiences. I have led a privileged and free life in America while Anya lives in a government-controlled country where she doesn’t have as many choices. I understand her confusion and anger about her life. Lopatin is my least favorite character as I find his arrogance and ignorance frustrating. He is one of those privileged types who doesn’t acknowledge and rather bury his head in the sand. I adored Trifonov and Milka is a tragic figure in the story. The writing is lovely with poetic pros that makes this a beautiful, though tragic, story to read. It was also cool that they were fans of Queen one of the few things that’s not from Russia they get access too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Incest, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
rebecavleal's review against another edition
- Well-written and gripping, easy to fly through the pages
- Histórias fortes e emotivas das personagens envolvidas
- Dá-nos um “glimpse” da experiência tao diversa de três gerações que viveram a união soviética desde a guerra mundial até ao declínio da união
- Conta o amor profundo em forma de amizade
- Apresenta a dificuldade de lidar com a morte súbita/inesperada de alguém que nos é próxima e os meses que se seguem cheios de incredulidade
- Explora como lidar com culpa (incluindo a incapacidade de o fazer)
- Mostra a curiosidade e o fascínio dos jovens humanos pelo mundo e uns pelos outros no final da sua adolescência (que altura tao bonita e magica) mesmo com condições de vida menos fáceis
- Explora o sofrimento impingido a pessoa de diferentes classes previamente e após a queda da união soviética
- Quero ler o The Cherry Orchad de Chekov, porque a narrativa deste livro parece ter sido baseada nesse
hanna_rose's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
holy shit. this book is phenomenal. the book is divided into two parts. part one is the four main characters growing up in the ussr. this section is lovely, filled with hope and teenage rebellion. part two deals with the main character coming back to russia after living in america for 20 years. it's heartbreaking and the way the author describes grief and loss? absolutely insane. i cried, laughed, and fell in love with four fictional russians. i cannot recommend this book enough.