Cargo Of Orchids

by Susan Musgrave

Book by Musgrave, Susan

Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Contemporary, Canada

375 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Susan Musgrave is a Canadian poet and children's writer. She was born in Santa Cruz, California to Canadian parents, and currently lives in British Columbia, dividing her time between Sidney and Haida Gwaii.

Musgrave was married to Stephen Reid, a writer, convicted bank robber and former member of the infamous band of thieves known as the Stopwatch Gang. Their relationship was chronicled in 1999 in the CBC series Life and Times.

She currently teaches creative writing in the University of British Columbia's Optional Residency Master of Fine Arts Program.

Recognizing a life in writing, the Writers' Trust presented Susan Musgrave with the 2014 Matt Cohen Award for her lifetime of work.

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like nothing I have read before. Wow. My visual mind ran away reading this novel

[Patsey]

DNF a bit too weird for me. Too much gross torture & rape
Listened to an interview on Q with Tom Power. Susan Musgrave has lived an unusual life - married to 2 convicted felons. This book is maybe semi-autobiographical I dunno. She would be an interesting dinner guest I’m sure.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. So many depths and layers to it... I think I will be reading it again. It isn't a typical story and that is why I loved it so much. It was really just a story being told and it allowed you to make your own perceptions about. Very moving. Well done Susan!

[Kristi · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, this is a book I would never have chosen to read on my own, this was a book club book.
I had a really hard time with the writing style. I like the non-linear storytelling, but the detached voice the main character was written in really bothered me, especially for events so clearly meant to give an emotional reaction. It read more like a description of things that happened, more like a 3rd person narrative, rather than a description of how and why things happened, and how the character felt about those things, as is typical for a first person narrative. It made it really hard to make an emotional connection with the main character, which is something I find is important for me to enjoy a book. I felt sorry for some characters, but I didn't like any of them. It was definitely a commentary on capital punishment and the perils of chronic drug use, but other than that I find it hard to find any redeeming quality for me in this book.

[Léa Taranto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sensuous, brutal, sorrowful a meditation on addiction, desperation, crime, life and death as well as and most profoundly, a mother’s love. This first person journal/fictional memoir immersed the reader into select moments of the life of a woman in death row and the events (which some would consider worse than death) that put her there

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many layers in this book. The love of a mother for a child, the drug world in South America, the punishment system in the USA, friendship, cruelty. It's a lot!

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, the concept wasn't quite enough for me - it was beautifully written, and the craft itself was wonderful. The idea was intriguing. And I did read it, but it was hard going. I had a very hard time wanting to empathize with the 'heroine,' and it just didn't fly for me - I don't have to like a character in a book to enjoy the book as a whole, but I just couldn't connect with anyone here.

The violence seemed extreme, and at the end of it all, I couldn't quite decide on the point of the tale. It was very well written, and evocative of the emotions that I think the author intended to portray, but I just didn't quite get into to any depth.

I'd try Musgrove again, but I think the pseudo-non-fiction is too hard a subject to write with enough realism to make it work. That, or I'm a total innocent and don't realize just how awful people can really be...

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't really know where to start, so this might be patchy, but I'll keep it as brief as possible. I was very disappointed by this novel. I was intrigued by the plot, but once I jumped into it I became mostly depressed by the protagonist. I grew to dislike her more and more as the novel progressed and then once I realized how it was going to conclude, I felt conned out of a thoughtful ending. Unless you're a totally oblivious reader, you will see what's going on before you reach the climax of this book. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. The overwhelming dirty atmosphere left me itchy and the lethargy I experienced from this stress bomb wasn't worth it in the least bit. I'm giving it two stars instead of one because Susan Musgrave is a good writer, and I do respect her abilities.

[Rebecca]

I don't quite know why, but I loved this book! I loved the author's ability to capture both the heartache and the psychodelia of her main character's life. She makes us sympathise with and want to slap the woman up the side of the head for making such lousy choices; but somehow I think we can see her as a most hapless and optimistic victim in the middle of absolutely horrific circumstances. The "Tranquilandians" are among the most grotesque characters I've ever read, but I read the book twice and it was my recommendation one year for the Brantford book club, the best book club I've encountered.

[Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel of Susan Musgrave that I have read. Great! Now onto 'Given'.
East side Vancouver..familiar in a long ago way..only as a 'onlooker' or passerby. Amazing how time seems to have such long pauses in life!
Hope to see and hear Susan M. as she tours through the territory this month.
I renewed my acquaintance with the song La Jolie Blonde..nice.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tough one to read. It's a sad story rich with detail that will leave you with images. I gave it to my mother to read and she was mad at me for giving her such a difficult book but then she thanked me because she loved it.

[Carly Svamvour]

Got this at a yard sale on Saturday - hope she's as good as her poetry.

If she is, I'm gonna' love this novel.

[Parthena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disturbing.

[Allie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a really entertaining read the whole way through, but the symbolism was pretty over-written.

[Tara Levesque · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't even finish it. Found nothing relatable in any of the characters & even attempting to understand how a mother kills her children was just too much.

[Tricia Dower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly imaginative and powerful book. I'm fascinated by Susan Musgrave's mind.