Reviews with content warning for Fire/Fire injury - The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

This book was unexpected in the best yet most magical of ways. I loved the fact that the Montoya family is so casual throughout most of the book about their gifts. Because they were raised in a mysterious and unique environment. They just want answers like most other large family's when the pasts comes to haunt them because of their grandmother's life.

Marima and Rey along with the rest of their cousins, aunts and uncles are so very different. And they all don't get along but they all band together in the end despite everything. Which made for such a good ending despite the secerets that are slowly revealed.

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miak2's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny 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

4.0

Damn the stars, and damn luck. Damn everyone and anything who thought her insignificant. Orquídea Montoya was going to rewrite her fate.

I tend to prefer plot-heavy books over character-heavy books, but this is a definite exception. I also fell in love with Frankie Corzo's audiobook narration, she really differentiated between the characters. If I'm being honest, her narration contributed a lot to my enjoyment of the book - it's definitely a magical story, but I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much had I not listened to it.

I loved the magic in this book. Hard magic systems are great, but sometimes it's lovely to just sit back and immerse yourself in a story where anything and everything is magical. The characters were interesting, and I really enjoyed the 'slice of life' bits of their stories that we got early on in the book. I did get the sense that Córdova was hesitant to ascribe any negative qualities to her main characters. That did make for a very pleasant read, but it also kept the book from being as deep as it could have been. I also felt like there were some family dynamics that were brought up early on in the book and not really resolved, like a 'time heals all wounds' type of thing. I'd have preferred they be addressed in the story, but I suppose that isn't unrealistic.

The other thing that gave me pause is that this book was weirdly sexual? It's not the type of book I'd expect explicit sexual content to be in, and it was a bit of a jolt whenever Córdova would throw in a sex scene after a touching family moment. Or I'd be enjoying the ambiance of the circus and then suddenly be hearing about a man's erection. This isn't bad, per se, just...incredibly unexpected.

The plot was surprisingly grounded despite the magical realism. It wasn't fast-paced and action-packed, but it was satisfying nonetheless. The book switched between present day and Orquídea's story, and it was neat seeing how those threads came together for the final conflict. I loved what the journey represented for the Montoya family, and the message that "you could be born into a family, but you still had to choose them."

Overall, I'd recommend picking this one up if you enjoy magical realism and family-centered stories, but even more so recommend the audiobook version!

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rebeccap's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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ktdakotareads's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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thereaderfriend's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Absolutely loved this. The books that are emotionally challenging to read are usually the best ones to read and this was a great example. Loved the takes on generational trauma, and vulnerability. Loved the magical realism and fantastical aspects too. And mainly loved the lesson abiut how chosen family can help you in the midst of challenges :)

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courtneyfalling's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Aghhhhhh this book ripped out my heart and I said thank you. Achingly beautiful take on generational trauma and vulnerability and domestic abuse, and I'm very excited to discuss this with friends for a casual book club!

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onemorepagecrew's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova was my favorite kind of coming-of-age story, the ones that dig into family history and pass ancestral gifts or knowledge to the younger generation. This one had a touch of mystery and magical realism, which is icing on the cake for me.

In this story we meet Orquídea, the matriarch of the Montoya family who does not leave the family home and is full of unanswered questions. She invites her family to the home for her transition to the afterlife and their inheritance, which kicks off the unusual events and the start of getting to know the next two generations in the family.

The story is full of family banter as they decipher Orquídea’s cryptic messages, make sense of their supernatural abilities, and seek answers in Ecuador. The mystery unfolds in dual timelines to bring together the matriarch’s life story and pass the inheritance on to her loved ones.

At times it read a little YA, but I didn’t mind since that is a genre I really enjoy. The story was well done and the writing held my attention. The magic was sprinkled in and part of everyday life, differentiating it from a full-on fantasy novel. I am so glad I came across this in Libby and recommend it for those who enjoy multi-generational stories of ancestral powers with a hint of supernatural elements.

Content warnings: Death, Infidelity, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment

Content Warnings

awebofstories's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-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

4.5

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