My physical tbr is horrendously out of control, but I can at least mark this stack off as read! Not too bad for 3 months work.

(not pictured: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black)

“She wondered, did everyone have such a fraught relationship with the places they came from? Did anyone else have a grandmother who might as well have been a legend, a myth, a series of miracles that took the shape of an old woman?”

🌹🌹🌹🌹

“We don't talk. None of us. Why don't we ever talk? Silence is a language of its own in this family. A curse of our own making. That's the inheritance my daughter got from me, and I am so very sorry.”

Title: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

Author: Zoraida Córdova

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2021

Genres: fiction, fantasy, magical realism, horror, paranormal, contemporary

Blurb: 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 back.

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book review || The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova

video review || Raid My Shelves 6: Reading Vlog — BOTM Books

After rereading this physically, I can definitely say that the writing is absolutely beautiful and the exploration of Orquidea’s character is spectacular.

This alternates between exploring the history of Orquidea and how she came to be this witchy woman in her house that appeared out of nothing and then three of Orquidea’s grandchildren who are left a magical inheritance. The character work around Orquidea and Marimar is particularly wonderful, with each of them receiving a fleshed-out background, morally gray personalities, and trauma that’s shaped them. The other two grandchildren, Rey and Tatinelly, receive the same treatment, but they don’t jump off the page in quite the same way, though Rey did grow on me more as the story progressed. I particularly loved his relationship with Marimar, cousins so close you’d think they’re siblings.

I love how this rides the line of contemporary and fantastical, with whimsical writing and a soft magic system that could easily be excused away as superstitious practices. It feels almost fairytale-ish. The setting of a magical house in this small country town is really brought to life and is filled with childhood whimsy through the memories of Orquidea’s grandchildren.

The story is a family drama, exploring the trauma of Orquidea and how it has impacted her life and now, the future generations, wrapped up in lyrical writing and layered characters. I was pretty impressed at how much has been established and taken place within only 160 pages, but a fantastical mystery develops in the second half that had me all the more enthralled with disturbingly beautiful imagery and stakes that grew as we neared the end. I didn’t see the reveals coming at all, gasping at the turns this took, but I absolutely loved the heart-wrenching ending.

5 / 5 stars

top books of the first quarter

Time to play a game called 'does this fictional relationship make no sense or am I just too ace for it?'

October reading. 🍂🍎📚

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Cordova

A standalone Magical Realism book about legacies and family and terror (and love). I won’t lie, it was hard to get started. The first 20% or so of the book is a little bit, not exactly dense but possibly opaque. Once the plot starts really rolling, and we switch between the time perspectives of Orquídea’s youth and the modern times of her grandchildren and great granchild, the book evens out and we get a very compelling story.

By the end, it was also all I could want in a book. Not quite of course, but Marimar happily gardening away with just enough magic to make life sparkle is about all I could ask for in a book. I just wish for some of the details, even if they weren’t the real focus of the book. The characters were distinct and human enough to make me care, and the plot was reasonable and driving, even with the magical elements. The book celebrated family, especially an open one with honesty and kindness, and not just fear and respect, which I think we can all understand wanting. If you like family curses, and clear imagery, and just good writing with light fantasy, I highly recommend it. Please enjoy your reading, and Happy New Year.

Book Review: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

A cross between Stardust and One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is a lush, imaginative, and magical family saga about the Montoyas. It mostly centers around the matriarch, Orquídea, who is dying and has called everyone home to Four Rivers so she can bestow them with their inheritance. They hope to learn the secrets she has been guarding closely her whole life. Instead, they leave stunned and confused: with far more questions than answers.

Seven years later, some of Orquídea's magic manifests among a few of her descendants in beautiful but unnerving ways. At the same time, an unknown figure cloaked in darkness begins to terrorize the family, picking them off one-by-one. With danger lurking, Marimar and her cousins Rey, Tatinelly, and Rhiannon set off for Ecuador, determined to save their family as well as learn the secrets of their inheritance.

I really liked how this book was rooted in family, in multigenerational expanse. There was an invocation of "family trees" and "ties that bind" that I found to be a compelling part of the tapestry. Quite powerful. The story's richness also came from its ability to blend the inexplicable with the explicable, giving life to the characters through the magic they had at their fingertips but also through the hardships they had to traverse with grit, with courage of heart. The magical realism could be too ambiguous in spots, impossible to untangle. Other than that, I thought this was a detailed, transportive, slowly unfolding tale steeped in South American folklore and culture.

Many thanks to Atria Books and Edelweiss for the ARC.

3/5 stars

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OFF MY NIGHTSTAND: I don’t have a nightstand. That’s it, that’s the title.

Read: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, Zoraida Córdova

The Montoya matriarch sends invitations to her numerous family to witness her death and receive their inheritance. While Orquídea gives each of her children and grandchildren a gift, she also saddles them with every secret and danger she’s hidden herself away in her valley to protect them from. Come and collect. Beware those after what Orquídea has to offer. Includes the tree branch from Evil Dead, Howl Pendragon but a legitimate threat, a smoking skeleton, and an Ecuadorian-American family who chooses.

Holy shit do I miss covers with so much splash and character. Props to Erick Davila on the hardback cover art shown above. The official description giving away Orquídea ’s fate is honestly a solid hook and I think holds enough close that there’s no sense of feeling cheated of the reveal. The book’s oscillation between media res and Orquídea’s backstory, running parallel narratives as the mystery unravels, is so well strung as to be effortless. Another author might fumble this choice, poor planning making it so the main plot stalls just to include exposition. Every swap Córdova makes is skillfully deployed. It’s the sort of honed technique that flows with ease but must have been a pain in the ass to keep track of. 

Now I just want to reread Labyrinth Lost and hunt down Córdova’s other collection. She’s got such a sense of when to include detail. Every member of the Montoya family, even those we only meet briefly, have life breathed into them in their habits and ticks. Córdova knows just how much to show and how much to leave open. It’s so warm and human. When destructive behaviors rear their heads, I’m horror movie shouting at the pages. I know flaws and resentments are going to strike, and every time I understand why, and still I’m hoping the characters will communicate and come to grips. Marimar, Reymundo, and the other Montoyas are compelling in those all ugly, lovely personal touches that she adds.

Anyways, I avoided a shower and dinner to get to the end of this one. I’ll probably do another read after my roommates get their hands on it. I’m willing to bet the parallel plots will have even more to unearth when you know where it’s all going.

"And why stop at the world, when she might have a chance to see the galaxy?"

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

Next read! It’s been on my TBR since it came out, but I’ve been really wanting to read it since watching Encanto. It seems like they have similar setups.

Erick Davila’s illustrated book cover for Zoraida Córdova’s The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.

Read of The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova (2021) (322pgs)

The Inheritance of Orqídea Divina is quickly becoming a favorite based on aesthetics alone, tbh