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A review by merrilywereadalong777
The Orchard by David Hopen
4.0
4.5/5
oh lord, so many feelings and questions. I haven't read any of the other reviews on here but as soon as I finish writing this i'm sure I will spend the next hour or so perusing through my fellow goodreaders thoughts (particularly curious to read some of the spoiler filled thoughts) It's definitely an infinitely discussable book. I really loved how the first half of the book is this really beautiful endearing coming of age/fish out of water story. A sort of UNORTHODOX meets SKINS/EUPHORIA with this hero who I really fell in love with. You really get the sense that Ari is the kind of kid that you would just pass in the hallways and maybe write off as a "boring"kid but getting in his head was a good reminder that inside every kid there is like this deep ocean of conflicting thoughts feelings and emotions that just slowly brew and simmer leading us up to a pretty mesmerizing final third of the book. I really loved that when we get to the point where s**t has really hit the fan plot wise, the story just GOES and there's no stopping it and I definitely devoured the last 150 pages in one roller coaster sitting. And it helps that we spend so much time in the earlier half just getting to know and fall in love (and hate) with each of these characters.
I will add myself amongst those that really didn't have a f****ng clue what they were talking about when the deep philosophical discussions randomly popped up and there were definitely a few points where this book seemed to disconnect with the characters and their story a bit and felt like the author was rearing his head in and throwing us into some kind of intense philosophical debate class and I was just lost. There are many parts in the discussions that I just simply didn't understand and eventually after the third or fourth time it happened just gave up trying to follow the ideas presented. That being said, I don't think it really threw me off that much from enjoying the book and ride these characters are going on.
It definitely sparked some feelings in me, in the best ways a book can I suppose. It REALLY upset and frustrated me when the characters continually allowed themselves to just make stupid self destructive, self sabotaging decision after decision, I feel like I could write an entire essay on this book about how Sophia f****g Winters is the true evil villain of this book (really...i can't say enough words about how much i HATED this character) I really wish we had spent some more time maybe in Evan's head just so I could maybe feel a smidge of sympathy or empathy for his character.
Idk..there were things but really overall...i f-ing loved this book and especially these characters. I was really sad finishing it and saying good bye to them.
oh lord, so many feelings and questions. I haven't read any of the other reviews on here but as soon as I finish writing this i'm sure I will spend the next hour or so perusing through my fellow goodreaders thoughts (particularly curious to read some of the spoiler filled thoughts) It's definitely an infinitely discussable book. I really loved how the first half of the book is this really beautiful endearing coming of age/fish out of water story. A sort of UNORTHODOX meets SKINS/EUPHORIA with this hero who I really fell in love with. You really get the sense that Ari is the kind of kid that you would just pass in the hallways and maybe write off as a "boring"kid but getting in his head was a good reminder that inside every kid there is like this deep ocean of conflicting thoughts feelings and emotions that just slowly brew and simmer leading us up to a pretty mesmerizing final third of the book. I really loved that when we get to the point where s**t has really hit the fan plot wise, the story just GOES and there's no stopping it and I definitely devoured the last 150 pages in one roller coaster sitting. And it helps that we spend so much time in the earlier half just getting to know and fall in love (and hate) with each of these characters.
I will add myself amongst those that really didn't have a f****ng clue what they were talking about when the deep philosophical discussions randomly popped up and there were definitely a few points where this book seemed to disconnect with the characters and their story a bit and felt like the author was rearing his head in and throwing us into some kind of intense philosophical debate class and I was just lost. There are many parts in the discussions that I just simply didn't understand and eventually after the third or fourth time it happened just gave up trying to follow the ideas presented. That being said, I don't think it really threw me off that much from enjoying the book and ride these characters are going on.
It definitely sparked some feelings in me, in the best ways a book can I suppose. It REALLY upset and frustrated me when the characters continually allowed themselves to just make stupid self destructive, self sabotaging decision after decision, I feel like I could write an entire essay on this book about how Sophia f****g Winters is the true evil villain of this book (really...i can't say enough words about how much i HATED this character) I really wish we had spent some more time maybe in Evan's head just so I could maybe feel a smidge of sympathy or empathy for his character.
Idk..there were things but really overall...i f-ing loved this book and especially these characters. I was really sad finishing it and saying good bye to them.