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abbie_bryant's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
4.25
A chilling dystopian thriller that will stay with me for a while! In a small town in Queensland, at 11am on a Saturday morning, every nine year old child froze, sang a latin phrase, swelled with sodium, and died. This happened to nine year olds all over the world at exactly the same time. This is just the beginning of a twisty, mysterious phenomenon disrupting the world. Societies crumble, cult-like groups form, and people come unravelled.
Despite the unreal premise, this book felt very realistic and, at times, reminiscent of real life reactions to the pandemic. Supply chains break down, people point fingers at governments and invent dangerous home-remedies (ivermectin anyone?).
This was a very satisfying read and, like all of Chris Flynn's work, really makes you think about humanity. What does it mean to be human and what would it take for that humanity to slip away?
Despite the unreal premise, this book felt very realistic and, at times, reminiscent of real life reactions to the pandemic. Supply chains break down, people point fingers at governments and invent dangerous home-remedies (ivermectin anyone?).
This was a very satisfying read and, like all of Chris Flynn's work, really makes you think about humanity. What does it mean to be human and what would it take for that humanity to slip away?
arrykin's review
dark
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? No
4.25
tricky's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
5.0
In the town of Grattan, New South Wales, the under 10’s have taken to the soccer field, it is a normal, day, parents are on the sidelines gossiping and cheering. What they do not know they will witness an event that will happen to one hundred and thirty million other nine year olds. The children will sing a Latin quote from King Lear and then their world will be shattered. To make matters worse the same event happens each time a child turns nine and no one can discover why.
The inability by government, science, or religion to find answers to the phenomenon known as Orpheus Nine leads to a global meltdown. People get angry and confused resulting in governments being overthrown, law and order erased, supply chains falling over, and the conspiracy theories are rampant.
The story follows three people who live in Grattan, they have known each other since childhood, and each is impacted in a different way as are the family and friends who surrounded them.
Jess watched as her son Tyler was affected by the phenomenon and she has been labelled as an Orphean, a term of recognition and derogatory. Jess struck by grief, is angry, confused, tired of the “trauma vampires”, has a husband who has turned to the bottle and desperately needs an outlet to channel her anger and guilt. Jess finds the Kingdom of Hades, a group of Orphean’s determined to make people aware of their plight.
Hayley’s daughter Ebony is eight, with the dreaded day looming, she is determined to find a way to save her daughter. She investigates every crackpot theory and becomes a no-salter. Advocating and removing salt from everything in an evangelical manner. Her zealotry towards protecting Ebon, has her alienating her daughter from friends and family.
Those not impacted by Orpheus Nine are called Decadians, the children of the final generation and Dirk Van der Saar can see the opportunity in that. The Van der Saar’s have been in Grattan for generations and they are old town money. Dirk knows he should feel guilt that his son survived but he is a businessman, a survivor, it is time to adjust to the new world and make things happen.
Through the interactions of three characters, you are exposed to the impact that Orpheus Nine has on Grattan, the state, the country, and the world and how the views of people are shaped. Flynn really does a marvellous job in exposing the different reactions to the events and creates a world that is devouring itself through fear and hatred but also the way each of the main characters tries to deal with their situation. The intricacies of the characters, their emotions, how they all know each other in the town of Grattan, really brings you into not just the action but the motivations of the people. One of the joys in reading Orpheus Nine is how all these tangled messes are interrelated and how they create tension, division and hope.
This book is unique, the first chapter is utterly spellbinding, and I was hooked. Flynn takes you on a rollercoaster, you rapidly turning pages needing to know what how this will be resolved. It is an absolute corker and will linger long after finished.
The inability by government, science, or religion to find answers to the phenomenon known as Orpheus Nine leads to a global meltdown. People get angry and confused resulting in governments being overthrown, law and order erased, supply chains falling over, and the conspiracy theories are rampant.
The story follows three people who live in Grattan, they have known each other since childhood, and each is impacted in a different way as are the family and friends who surrounded them.
Jess watched as her son Tyler was affected by the phenomenon and she has been labelled as an Orphean, a term of recognition and derogatory. Jess struck by grief, is angry, confused, tired of the “trauma vampires”, has a husband who has turned to the bottle and desperately needs an outlet to channel her anger and guilt. Jess finds the Kingdom of Hades, a group of Orphean’s determined to make people aware of their plight.
Hayley’s daughter Ebony is eight, with the dreaded day looming, she is determined to find a way to save her daughter. She investigates every crackpot theory and becomes a no-salter. Advocating and removing salt from everything in an evangelical manner. Her zealotry towards protecting Ebon, has her alienating her daughter from friends and family.
Those not impacted by Orpheus Nine are called Decadians, the children of the final generation and Dirk Van der Saar can see the opportunity in that. The Van der Saar’s have been in Grattan for generations and they are old town money. Dirk knows he should feel guilt that his son survived but he is a businessman, a survivor, it is time to adjust to the new world and make things happen.
Through the interactions of three characters, you are exposed to the impact that Orpheus Nine has on Grattan, the state, the country, and the world and how the views of people are shaped. Flynn really does a marvellous job in exposing the different reactions to the events and creates a world that is devouring itself through fear and hatred but also the way each of the main characters tries to deal with their situation. The intricacies of the characters, their emotions, how they all know each other in the town of Grattan, really brings you into not just the action but the motivations of the people. One of the joys in reading Orpheus Nine is how all these tangled messes are interrelated and how they create tension, division and hope.
This book is unique, the first chapter is utterly spellbinding, and I was hooked. Flynn takes you on a rollercoaster, you rapidly turning pages needing to know what how this will be resolved. It is an absolute corker and will linger long after finished.