The Orchardist
Ratings15
Average rating3.7
"At the turn of the twentieth century in the Pacific Northwest, reclusive orchardist William Talmadge tends to his apples and apricots. One day, two teenaged girls steal his fruit and later return to his orchard to see the man who gave them no chase. Feral, scared, and pregnant, they take up on Talmadge's land and indulge in his deep reservoir of compassion. But just as the girls begin to trust him, men arrive in the orchard with guns ..." --P. [4] of cover.
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Stark. Well crafted. For me probably not a true four but more than a three.
20 minutes later. Sorry couldn't do it. Turn's out it is only a three.
3.5 stars really. Not a bad read, well written but quite slow and plodding in the middle. It could have maybe used some tighter editing? I'm not sure I would have finished had I not been listening to the audiobook.
The novel is the story of William Talmadge who arrives in Western Washington with his mother and sister following the death of his father, a miner. The family settles on a homestead and begins to develop and orchard, and when the mother dies the brother and sister continue on their own. The disappearance of the sister one day shapes who Talmadge becomes as a man. Two girls arrive, pregnant runaways, and Talmadge is inclined to help them even when they steal from him. The rest of the book reveals his relationship with those girls and the daughter of one of them.
Read my full review here: Review of The Orchardist at Perpetual Folly
