The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova.

Pages: 324 pages

Length: 1 month (June)

Participants: D.L., TerryJane, Beth, Lorraine

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

[D.L.]

I'm looking forward to this one, but there's a bit of a wait on Libby, so I expect to get it towards the middle of June. :)

[D.L.]

Miracle of miracles, Libby decided it was my turn to get a copy long before I thought I would, so I have it now. I'm going to start reading it soon, maybe Tuesday :)

[Lorraine]

I hope to start on Thursday or Friday.

[D.L.]

Lorraine wrote: "I hope to start on Thursday or Friday."

Awesome!! Last week was really chaotic so I haven't started it yet but I think I might be able to tomorrow.

[TerryJane, Challenges]

I'm looking forward to reading this with y'all. I'll likely start by the end of this week.

I haven't read any of the author's novels, but I did read an anthology that she contributed to, Come On In.

Someone in my local book club nominated this novel several months ago, but it didn't get enough votes. I thought it sounded interesting enough to add it to my TBR, and it fits our A-Z: Women Authors so well.

[D.L.]

I am starting this tomorrow for sure :)

[TerryJane, Challenges]

I started today. It's been hard for me to get into it so far, with so many characters, but it seems like it's about to pick up quite a bit with (view spoiler)[ the arrival of family ghosts. *rubs hands together* (hide spoiler)]

[TerryJane, Challenges]

I finished this book a few days ago, but it never really resonated with me. Magical realism tends to be a hit or miss genre, but I have read enough hits that I keep going back, just in case. Unfortunately, this one was a miss. I hope it's is a better fit for you three.

[Beth]

I'm starting today. I'm with you, TerryJane; I have rather a rough time with magical realism. But as you say, enough I try are good that it makes it worth trying. Crossing my fingers for a good result!

I've never read this author before.

[Lorraine]

I finished Orquídea a few days ago and waited to see if my rating would shift from 4 stars to 3. I’ve decided to settle on 3. Like both of you, TerryJane and Beth, I find magical realism can be hit or miss—and in this case, it was a bit of both.

(view spoiler)[While the story itself was compelling and the magical elements were well done, I found it difficult to truly connect with the characters. My main complaint is that it took far too long to understand what had happened to Orquídea and what the driving force behind the story really was. If the author had revealed that sooner, I think I would’ve been more engaged with the characters and their fates from the start.

That said, I’m still curious enough to try another of her books. (hide spoiler)]

[Beth]

Lorraine, I'm also on a 3-star rating with this one. I thought it was an interesting enough story without the supernatural/magical elements... a woman who braved the wilderness to create a homestead for herself and her family. I was into it! I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second because I was much more invested in Orquidea's story than in how all the magic resolved.