Wild Orchid

Wild Orchid #1

by Beverley Brenna

Taylor Jane Simon is 18 years old and spending the summer with her mother in Prince Albert National Park. The holiday has been planned so Taylor's mother can spend time with her latest boyfriend, Danny, and work in the pizza restaurant near the park that Danny runs. Taylor would just as soon stay at home in Saskatoon, but because she suffers from an autistic condition called Asperger's Syndrome, she can't stay on her own. Taylor's mother encourages her daughter to explore the park's possibilities on her own. For Taylor, whose life experience has been seriously limited, this means facing the test of meeting new people who work in the park's nature center - and facing it alone. Summer also holds out the possibility of finding her own boyfriend, though Taylor isn't quite sure what that may involve. What she discovers will change her life forever.

Written as an epistolary novel, Wild Orchid is frank but optimistic, literal yet innocent. A courageous wit attends Taylor's gradual emergence as her own person, and the reader will find the exploration of Taylor's mind a revealing and heartwarming encounter.

Genres: Young Adult, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Fiction, Canada, Contemporary, Teen, Realistic Fiction

156 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2005

About the author

Beverley Brenna calls Saskatoon, Saskatchewan home base, and loves to travel (both for real, and through reading)!

She published her first poem in The Western Producer at age seven. From this point, she was hooked on writing!

Much of what she writes contains autobiographical scenes, such as the "friendship soup" in The Keeper of the Trees, and the care and keeping of a pet tarantula in Spider Summer.

She has worked as a babysitter, home daycare mom, clerk steno, draftsperson, caregiver for orphan lambs, teacher, and university professor as well as a writer and storyteller.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though out this book the readers will get a different perspective into the mind of Taylor who is a 18-year-old girl with asperger syndrome (Mild form of autism). Taylor's mother decides to move to a different town with her boyfriend bringing Taylor along. This pretty much changes everything for Taylor who has her own set routine, and now has to learn to make a new one.

I can get how this book can be difficult to read for some, its very descriptive in the first couple of pages which can get tiresome. I think this is a pretty good portrayal of someone with aspergers. I really enjoyed the book though. It only took me one day to read it. I have asperger syndrome myself and never known anyone else who has it and I loved reading Taylor's perspectives and how alike I am to her. Even though I feel that this book does drag once you get though it, its a pretty good book.

The reason I think it would be harder for people to get through it is because in the beginning shes feeling out of wack and pretty much is trying to get a hold of some routine and because she hasnt figured it out she gets descriptive about everything, gets obsessive with counting, thinks too much and tends to blather on. As it progresses you'll see she'll find some sort of routine and the writing gets better and runs more smoothly.

I would recommend this to people who want to learn different perspectives of others.

[Zoey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wound up enjoying this, despite it continuing to read like a neurotypical adult doing some research on autism and sitting down to write a book about it. Taylor's symptoms are much more stereotypically male than female on the spectrum, and her extreme lack of self-perception seems unrealistic to me (but maybe I'm just judging by myself). I liked and empathized with her, however, and that was what saved the book for me. Overall, a quick, sweet read, but nothing really special.

[Anina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character has asperger's (mild autism). I think she does a really good job of portraying how it is to have that problem. Much better than that dumpy incident of the dog in the nighttime or whatever book.

[Cynthia Frazer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short novel, in journal style, of an 18 year old girl with Asperger's Syndrome. Set in Prince Albert National Park.

[Kuljit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written book from the viewpoint of a special needs young adult. Personally, I would rather have read the story in 3rd person, because it would focus more on the main characters thinking and appearance and the character would be more dynamic. I read about 15 pages and stopped. It was too intense but then I end to finish the book because the amount of detail the author put in this book it makes the reader want to red the book more. Overall it was a good book but I think the 3rd person perspective would have been better in order to describe the appearance of the character.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need to stop reading books that I don't have any interest in just to help in my reading challenge.
This was one of those books. I am not into contemporary at all, it's rare that I find one that doesn't bore me.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came into this book with hours upon hours of research into writing autistic characters with the majority of research being articles written by people who are autistic themselves - and this was not like anything I read in my research nor like anything that I have experienced personally.

One example is her hatred of the color yellow. I have never read anything about autistic people hating a color to the point where they can not stand looking at it. I do not want to say that it doesn't exist - there can certainly be visual sensitivity - but I have never read or heard anything like the fact that she cannot stand it.

There are definitely a couple of things I relate to, like her echolalia, special interests, oversharing, need for routine, and her sensitivity to being in the same location with lots of other people. But in terms of the story, it did not deliver, and ended with a disturbing note. I went into this book thinking that this girl would probably end the book getting a boyfriend. I'm not a big romance reader, but I decided to read it for the autistic main character.

If you're looking for a romance novel, this is not the book for you.

Spoilers start here:

-Spoilers below -

While Paul's age is never explicitly stated, I read him as being in his thirties, at least. So when Paul started hanging out with the main character, Taylor - alone - warning bells rung in my head, but I thought "maybe it'll be fine" and continued reading.

Then Paul kisses Taylor. They might both be adults, but I'm only seven months younger than the main character of this book, and I am really disturbed by this. In addition to this, he's married.

The worst part was that the main character didn't see the problem of this, though her mother did, and this is not resolved. Taylor even says that Paul was her boyfriend during the kiss.

If this had not happened, I would have given the book a 3.5. But since this did happen, I'm only giving it a 2.

I really don't like giving books a low rating - this is my first two-star review ever - but I hope my points are clear.

[Caitlin Theroux · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so...here's the thing. Not a fan that we don't know Paul's age, he's written as though he's in his thirties, he purportedly has a sick wife, and Taylor's mom isn't going ape-shit on him for trying to be with her daughter.

Also, the autism rep, while realistic for some, isn't largely representative of females or high-functioning folks with ASD. Taylor is written more like a male who's medium-functioning and has severe OCD thrown into the mix. I know there was a lot ground to break when this was written, but it's not like...a *bad* book. Dated, absolutely. The research has broadened and become more widely available for the general public. My own mother had to decipher academic and medical journals when she was learning about my and my brothers' TS and other assorted diagnoses in the early 90s. But at least someone was trying to write a YA from a neurodivergent point of view.

And I hate Paul.

Although now I find myself happier as the days go by that we have the OwnVoices movement sweeping through the publishing world. :/

Did I mention Paul sucks?

[Lily Goulet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hear me out. I really liked the main character, taylor. But strongly disliked Paul. He seemed like such a creep in the last bit of the book. If Paul wouldn't have been like that, I would rate this at least 4 stars, but I'm going to have to go with 3. I bought this book for 50 cents at a thrift store, and I liked the plot and all, but Paul, he ruined it for me.

[Regina Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Orchid is a teenage fiction about an eighteen year old girl named Taylor Simon who has to spend her summer with her mother. This is because Taylor has Asperger’s Syndrome and has to follow her mother’s plans since she cannot stay home alone. Taylor determinedly reaches for independence in life and her mother encourages her to do so and gives her hope. Taylor feels scared and was filled with fear at first but becomes better at standing alone because of people surrounded by her. I want to recommend this book to all teenagers because some teenagers suffer standing alone and being individual. But if teenagers read this book, I'm sure some people can take courage

[Laurie Girmus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent depiction of an 18 year old young woman diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

[Brenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WILD ORCHID BY Beverly Brenna 5 stars

Lovely, charming, touching, and very clear in helping readers understand Asperger’s Syndrome from inside the head of a teenager girl who was born with it.

Taylor is a very intelligent but literal minded 18-year-old who is simply unable to understand the common and usual social interactions and throw-away comments of most people’s lives. She finds it difficult to look into people’s faces, but easy to remember the Latin names and classifications of numerous plants and animals. She is strongly upset by changes in her routine, but very organized, neat and thorough. We see the world through her eyes as she is required to leave her comfort zone in a large Canadian city and spend a summer with her mother in a national park. Taylor is very distressed by the changes but gradually understands that she actually can take control of many reactions in her life and forge ahead even through fear of the unknown.

It’s quite inspirational! As a person who lives with both ADHD and Tourette’s Syndrome, I could really relate.

[Ruth E. R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terrific book with the voice of a young woman who has Asperger's Syndrome. I laughed out loud several times. I have some friends with Asperger's, and I could hear them in Taylor's voice as well as her adventures. If not for all the !!&%$%@@@ swearing, I would be more free to recommend this to other young people. I would like to read more books written from the perspective of young men with Asperger's (such as House Rules by Jodi Picoult), since it is far more common in males. However, this book gives a wealth of insight into understanding and treasuring our friends and neighbors who have Asperger's. They have the same dreams and face the same obstacles as we all do, yet in their own unique way. This book perfectly illustrates this point.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fascinating to get into the head of someone with Asperger's Syndrome. I'm not doctor, but it felt very accurate as I was reading. Taylor has just graduated from high school and moves to a national park with her mother and her mother's boyfriend for the summer. While adjusting to the change (never easy for Taylor) she manages to make friends, get a job, and even learn some new things about herself, all while searching for her first boyfriend. I love Taylor's voice and the fact that she is not a cookie cutter character. This is a very good book, especially for anyone interested in what it's like being different.

[English Education]

This novel is about an 18-year-old girl with Aspergers syndrome. Taylor and her mom have recently moved. The novel is structured as journal entries, and the reader is taken along on Taylor’s journey of adjusting to her new home environment. At the beginning of the novel the writing is a little chaotic, but as Taylor finds her place, the writing becomes more structured. Many reviews have stated that this novel does a great job presenting the realities of Asperger’s. Students with a learning or social disability may relate to Taylor really well. The novel also offers a unique perspective into the mind of someone with Aspergers, for students who may not understand the disorder.

[Neill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taylor Jane Simon is eighteen and has Asperger's Syndrome. When her mother forces her to go to Prince Albert National Park so she can work with her boyfriend, Taylor is outraged and afraid of the uncontrollable newness of her environment. She is unhappy that her mother's boyfriend always speaks in nine-word sentences but she thinks it is time for her to find a boyfriend of her own. Her inexhaustible understanding of gerbils comes to her rescue and helps her develop some unusual friendships.

[Sam - Spines in a Line · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's about a girl who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, and with her blunt nature she describes as Ass burger's syndrome. It paints a new picture for the reader as we can really see her pain to live with something that she can't control and gives the reader a new view on people with this syndrome. The main character is so blunt and sarcastic that it adds humour to the book so it's quite an engaging read. I read this as a MYRCA book and it well-deserved a place on that list.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly thought that this book wasn't too bad. It was interesting because Taylor had Asperger's Syndrome, and it was interesting to see what her life was like in the book. I did not, however, appreciate the disgusting kiss between her and paul. I think Beverley Brenna needed to make it like they were really good friends, and not an almost couple. I really hated that part, and nothing was resolved except that Taylor had new friends, which, by the way, she was leaving behind, so it's like she never had friends!

[The Backlist Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very welcome change from my traditional fare. Taylor Simon has Asperger's syndrome, her case is relatively mild. She doesn't like change, at all. She does like orchids, they are uncommon like she is. She does like friends; it is difficult making them though.

This book is a beautiful coming of age story in which a girl learns that she doesn't need a boyfriend to live her life. She just needs to accept that certain changes are unavoidable. The voice of this novella makes it very difficult to read, but, absolutely worth every page of struggle.

[Nieva21 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Wild Orchid, by Beverly Brenna because it really stayed in the true voice of Taylor Simon, who is an eighteen year old girl living in Alberta, Canada with Asperger’s Syndrome. There were so many qualitative traits that spoke true of her experience with this condition; yet, the story is written as a narrative diary in Taylor’s own extremely likeable and real voice. It's a great book because so few are written about a girl's perspective/experience with Asperger's.

[Autumn Szabat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells a story of a girl living with autism. It shows the struggle that families go through and how they have to deal with it. The family moves and must adapt to a new environment.
The beginning was very frustrating and i really wanted to just give up on it but it was so irritating and annoying that i had to keep reading. By the end, i very much enjoyed that she was couping with her autism and venturing from routine.

[Sandy D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short novel from the point of view of an 18 y.o. with Asperger's Syndrome, mostly in the form of her journal entries.

I don't know if the style is authentic (though I see that the author is a SpEd teacher), but I enjoyed it. A lot of the story is set in a nature center in Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan, and I enjoyed the parts dealing with nature in the park, too. I'll definitely check out the sequel.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a hard book for me to get into. It took 5 days to read, and it's only 150 pages. The main character, Taylor, is an autistic 18 year old, but she just read as too stereotypical. One second she was speaking bluntly, and to the point, then she'd speak in slang or say something illogical, which goes against what I know of those with autism.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taylor is a bright, articulate, funny and intelligent teen who happens to have Asperger’s Syndrome. She displays many of the typical characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome. She counts to calm herself, feels secure with a fixed schedule, has difficulty reading social cues, doesn’t make eye contact, has trouble carrying on conversations, and is fascinated with the repetitive movement of clocks.

[Natalie C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives me insight on what it's like to be a child with aspergers syndrome. I like how to book is written in a very simple tone, just as Taylor thinks. I could compare it to The Fault in our Stars because it's sad and has sharp bursts of humor. Overall, it's a good, short book for SSR/Advisory.

[Janna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Taylor is a well-developed character with a strong voice. I feel like she comes across as much younger than 18 years old, but that is generally realistic. Overall I felt like it was a respectful treatment of Asperger syndrome and much better than most books with disabled main characters written by non-disabled authors.

[Philip Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers more than the life of an individual with Asperger's syndrome. It deals with other topics such a single parenting, meeting new people and first boyfriend topics. It should be somewhat helpful in understanding the importance routines and stability for individuals with Asperger's syndrome

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've not encountered that many novels written from the point of view of someone on the spectrum, so this was interesting. I liked the emphasis on how, from Taylor's point of view, it is everyone else who does/sees things strangely, not herself, which is logical. Also fun that it was set in Saskatchewan province, and the introduction to the plant and animal life there. Quick, fun read.

[Krissy Ronan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish it. Told from the point of view of a teen girl with Asperger's. Several times, I got frustrated because the narration was so excruciatingly detailed. I understand that that is part of the character's life, but it was beyond readable.