The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova
Synopsis.
Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman, Isabel Allende, and Sarah Addison Allen, this is a gorgeously written novel about a family searching for the truth hidden in their past and the power they’ve inherited, from the author of the acclaimed and “giddily exciting” (The New York Times Book Review) Brooklyn Brujas series.
The Montoyas are used to a life without explanations. They know better than to ask why the pantry never seems to run low or empty, or why their matriarch won’t ever leave their home in Four Rivers—even for graduations, weddings, or baptisms. But when Orquídea Divina invites them to her funeral and to collect their inheritance, they hope to learn the secrets that she has held onto so tightly their whole lives. Instead, Orquídea is transformed, leaving them with more questions than answers.
Seven years later, her gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly’s daughter, Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings. But soon, a hidden figure begins to tear through their family tree, picking them off one by one as it seeks to destroy Orquídea’s line. Determined to save what’s left of their family and uncover the truth behind their inheritance, the four descendants travel to Ecuador—to the place where Orquídea buried her secrets and broken promises and never looked backed.
Alternating between Orquídea’s past and her descendants’ present, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is an enchanting novel about what we knowingly and unknowingly inherit from our ancestors, the ties that bind, and reclaiming your power.
The Review
The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina
By Zoraida Cordova
This book is out-of-this-world!!
This book is almost too good to be true. It’s fun and fast-paced and rich and immersive, and it has amazing roots and context. It’s a must-read!!
It is tough to describe the feeling you’re going to get when you pick this book up. It will feel familiar yet ethereal. It’s an incredible fusion of 3-D and 5-D world concepts. It will feel at some points like you’re reading a steamy and diverse version of THE NIGHT CIRCUS. And At other times, it feels like you’re reading the script for an episode of AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW mixed with WHEN A MONSTER CALLS.
The writing is enigmatic. There were magical creatures and even more magical characters with beautiful, tarot-card-like personalities, including The Star, Three of Swords, and Temperance. There is a lot of word-candy with juicy sentences and dialogue in passages that elicit emotions with sticky words like:
transmutation
mestizo
machete
ennui
sinew
lycanthrope
This is more than just your everyday average good book. It’s more of an experience!
So get your hands on it!
10/10 recommend
All the STARS!!
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this advanced readers copy!
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