the inheritance of Orquídea divina by Zoraida Córdova

82nd book of 2021

Reading period: 05th October 2021 – 09th October 2021

Summary

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.

Trigger Warnings:

Death, infidelity, sexual content, child death, child abuse, Alcohol

Rating

Review

This book is a page-turner; you don’t see the time pass with it.

I liked the construction of the book. First, you have a content table. I need them more in books, especially in books divided into parts. Second, as it’s a big family, you have a family tree and let me tell you, I used it a lot while reading the first part of the book. Speaking of it, you discover the four pov you will follow through the whole book. You also see the entire family and their bonds. Then the ending of it really starts the book and the search of who is Orquídea Divina.

The second part was less interesting for me but useful as you follow the story’s three main characters during a specific period, which helps understand all the changes they have had in their lives. However, this part wasn’t the most exciting. You don’t have a lot happening, but as a lot happen after in the two remaining parts, it’s like taking a breath.

Some problems I had was that sometimes you skip time, and some helpful characters appear, stay for a specific time and disappear forever. For the first problem, you have a scene, and then in the next paragraph, you have another one but no connection between them, even if they are part of the same scene. It doesn’t happen a lot, but when it happens, it’s disconcerting. For the second, I found it a little sad as I was attached to them.

The ending is, at the same time, surprising and predictable. It’s not a complex story, and you have all the clues before the end as you have two timelines: Orquídea’s past and the present with her descendants. You learn a lot with both of them, and many clues are given; this is the predictable part of it. But, then, even if you are prepared for it, I didn’t think it would happen like that, like no way. The thing is that you have a lot of fantasy elements in this book, so the ending can only be surprising.

It was a good discovery and perfect for this spooky season.

Liz.