The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

Believe the hype.

4.4 - I really enjoyed this story. I knew I'd be a lover of magical realism and whimsical writing and this is a great example I think! Loved the emphasis on family and the superstitious aspect -being a hispanic/Latino descendant I very much related to that. I think the ending was a bit rushed (the climax of the story was shortish) but overall, very great listen on audiobook!

Loved this. Beautifully written and I got thoroughly hooked. The dual timeline moved the story along with great pace and it's one of those books that rewards you if you just go with it (like a lot of magical realism I guess). Highly recommended.

I loved this book. I loved the almost fairy tale quality to it but also rooted in reality. I loved that magic didn't solve everything and came with a price. I loved the big family although I was SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT sad when Rhiannon was made an orphan.Great story I'm glad I read it.

I have a complicated relationship with magical realism - it's either a hit or a miss. Having said that, I'm happy to report The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina is a definite hit, similar to Isabel Allende and Garcia Marquez. Incorporating magical realism into a world that still felt grounded contributed to a fascinating read that was hard to put down.

My only complaint is towards the end. Spoiler alert!!! The entire final battle felt a bit too much like a Hollywood screenplay and took me out of the story. By the end, Londoño Bolivar felt too much like a caricature of a villain instead of a three dimensional person.

Overall though, really great read - 4.5