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egbella's review
4.0
This was a huge step outside my typical genres, but the author offered a complimentary copy and I was happy to give it a chance! And while it’s still not my preferred kind of story, I thought it was very cute, and worth the read!
First, the illustrations were a very fun addition to this little story (novella-length). They broke up the text well, and gave the story a middle-grade feel. Even the plot’s main mystery seemed to be on a smaller scale, something that younger readers could enjoy. That said, the characters’ dialogue wasn’t child-like. The setting was meant to be a Steampunk alternative to Victorian England, and the dialogue reflected that era, being older and more flowery.
The characters made for a fun cast of characters, with realistic sibling relationships, a couple of well-written antagonists, and a lot of dry wit and bits of humor from the protagonist. I had a tough time telling all of the characters apart at first, but figured them out pretty quickly. Even the bits of romance were short and sweet. In such a short story, the Steampunk elements of the worldbuilding didn’t show too much, but the setting worked and was easy to follow along with anyway. All in all, this was a quick, quirky, and entertaining read!
I would recommend this to middle grade readers (of any age!) that enjoy short, illustrated, and historical reads with a fun cast of characters and a unique mystery plot.
CW: some characters smoke, theft, but I can't think of anything else that would be considered tricky. It was very clean!
First, the illustrations were a very fun addition to this little story (novella-length). They broke up the text well, and gave the story a middle-grade feel. Even the plot’s main mystery seemed to be on a smaller scale, something that younger readers could enjoy. That said, the characters’ dialogue wasn’t child-like. The setting was meant to be a Steampunk alternative to Victorian England, and the dialogue reflected that era, being older and more flowery.
The characters made for a fun cast of characters, with realistic sibling relationships, a couple of well-written antagonists, and a lot of dry wit and bits of humor from the protagonist. I had a tough time telling all of the characters apart at first, but figured them out pretty quickly. Even the bits of romance were short and sweet. In such a short story, the Steampunk elements of the worldbuilding didn’t show too much, but the setting worked and was easy to follow along with anyway. All in all, this was a quick, quirky, and entertaining read!
I would recommend this to middle grade readers (of any age!) that enjoy short, illustrated, and historical reads with a fun cast of characters and a unique mystery plot.
CW: some characters smoke, theft, but I can't think of anything else that would be considered tricky. It was very clean!
theoverbookedbibliophile's review
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Set in an alternate version of Edwardian England, the plot of author E.B. Roshan’s novella revolves around sisters Opal and Gem Morris. Daughters of an eminent botanist, who has since passed on, they are immensely proud of their conservatory, which houses rare specimens and an enviable collection of orchids. Opal is dedicated to the care of the conservatory and takes pains to see it is not neglected. Gem is a free spirit and is more social. When Opal hears of a fresh batch of rare orchids collected by Leonidas ”Ned” Ardmore from Assam, India she is eager to purchase a few samples, which she does even though Ned’s uncle Sir Richard, who financed the trip and expects first dibs on the same, is annoyed which leads to a confrontation between him and his nephew. Complicating matters further is that Gem is romantically involved with Ned’s younger brother and is unhappy with the friction between the two families. In a shocking turn of events, The Morris Conservatory is broken into and the orchids are stolen. Opal suspects everyone around her. Did Ned succumb to the pressures exerted by Uncle? Was it Ned’s friend from India, Mr. Shallang, who seems to have an agenda of his own? Maybe Sir Richard? The orchids were valuable and could be sold at very high prices to collectors (a hundred pounds for a single orchid is mentioned). Could money be the motive? As the narrative progresses we follow Opal as she navigates her friction with her sister, her duty to her late father, and looks to solve the mystery of the stolen orchids.
E.B. Roshan’s Orchidelirium is an engaging story with a cast of interesting characters and a fluid narrative. I won’t call the mystery angle of the story too complex or gripping but I did like many other aspects of the story. I really liked the characterizations of Opal and Gem as well as the supporting characters and their backstories. The author is a skilled storyteller as is evident from how the plot and characters and setting are woven into such a coherent narrative in barely 120 pages. The author presents a scientifically advanced Edwardian society (with motorized carriages, airships and mechanized prosthetics). I won’t say the steampunk elements made much of a difference to the plot, but they did make the story interesting. This is the first time I’ve come across the phenomenon of “Orchidelirium”- the craze for orchids during the Victorian era and how orchid hunters and collectors undertook risky ventures in the tropical forests of South America and India to collect rare specimens that were auctioned at exorbitant prices. I found this angle quite interesting.
I also liked that the author presented an honest picture of imperialism/colonialism – concerning the British Rule in India and how India’s natural resources and riches were looted and plundered by colonizers among other things. I liked that an Indian character plays a significant role in this story and the author paints a realistic picture of how he is received in British society - how though he has found some friends in a foreign land who genuinely respect him, not everyone treats him the same way. Though the author does not explore these issues in depth (it is a novella, and the plot does not demand the same) episodes of bigotry are not glossed over or portrayed as humorous in any way, despite this being a lighthearted read. I commend the author for that.
Overall, this was both an entertaining and interesting read. The cartoon-like illustrations were well-done and also helped in adding to the humor of the story.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this novella. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
E.B. Roshan’s Orchidelirium is an engaging story with a cast of interesting characters and a fluid narrative. I won’t call the mystery angle of the story too complex or gripping but I did like many other aspects of the story. I really liked the characterizations of Opal and Gem as well as the supporting characters and their backstories. The author is a skilled storyteller as is evident from how the plot and characters and setting are woven into such a coherent narrative in barely 120 pages. The author presents a scientifically advanced Edwardian society (with motorized carriages, airships and mechanized prosthetics). I won’t say the steampunk elements made much of a difference to the plot, but they did make the story interesting. This is the first time I’ve come across the phenomenon of “Orchidelirium”- the craze for orchids during the Victorian era and how orchid hunters and collectors undertook risky ventures in the tropical forests of South America and India to collect rare specimens that were auctioned at exorbitant prices. I found this angle quite interesting.
I also liked that the author presented an honest picture of imperialism/colonialism – concerning the British Rule in India and how India’s natural resources and riches were looted and plundered by colonizers among other things. I liked that an Indian character plays a significant role in this story and the author paints a realistic picture of how he is received in British society - how though he has found some friends in a foreign land who genuinely respect him, not everyone treats him the same way. Though the author does not explore these issues in depth (it is a novella, and the plot does not demand the same) episodes of bigotry are not glossed over or portrayed as humorous in any way, despite this being a lighthearted read. I commend the author for that.
Overall, this was both an entertaining and interesting read. The cartoon-like illustrations were well-done and also helped in adding to the humor of the story.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this novella. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
oceanwriter's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
It was such a pleasure to read another book by E.B. Roshan! I found this to be a pretty unique book, too, given it features illustrations. Set in an alternate version of England during the Edwardian era, this cozy mystery is filled with wit and lots of flowers.
Though the plot does focus heavily on the book's mystery (stolen orchids, tigers, etc.), it is also a largely character-driven story. Admittedly, I didn't find myself latching onto Opal as the protagonist. Her preference for flowers over people is endearing in theory, but as a whole, I didn't find myself feeling much for her during ups or downs. The supporting characters, however, I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly Opal's sister. I'd almost like to see an offshoot in her POV. I also liked the inclusion of prosthetics, which given the time, was largely the element of fantasy here.
Having previously read Wrong Place, Right Time by this author, I had no doubt that the writing itself would be good. The flow of the book is fantastic and everything came together nicely in the end making for a satisfying read from start to finish.
As I mentioned, the book also includes illustrations which I found to be a charming addition. Who says grown-up books can't have pictures? It was such a nice touch, especially given it was both written and illustrated by E.B. Roshan.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
Though the plot does focus heavily on the book's mystery (stolen orchids, tigers, etc.), it is also a largely character-driven story. Admittedly, I didn't find myself latching onto Opal as the protagonist. Her preference for flowers over people is endearing in theory, but as a whole, I didn't find myself feeling much for her during ups or downs. The supporting characters, however, I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly Opal's sister. I'd almost like to see an offshoot in her POV. I also liked the inclusion of prosthetics, which given the time, was largely the element of fantasy here.
Having previously read Wrong Place, Right Time by this author, I had no doubt that the writing itself would be good. The flow of the book is fantastic and everything came together nicely in the end making for a satisfying read from start to finish.
As I mentioned, the book also includes illustrations which I found to be a charming addition. Who says grown-up books can't have pictures? It was such a nice touch, especially given it was both written and illustrated by E.B. Roshan.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
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