Book Review - The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

Just wrapped up The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin!

Brief synopsis from Goodreads: At the turn of the twentieth century, in a rural stretch of the Pacific Northwest, a reclusive orchardist, William Talmadge, tends to apples and apricots as if they were loved ones. A gentle man, he’s found solace in the sweetness of the fruit he grows and the quiet, beating heart of the land he cultivates. One day, two teenage girls appear and steal his fruit at the market; they later return to the outskirts of his orchard to see the man who gave them no chase.

My review: 3.5 stars, the writing was beautiful and engaging. Set in the PNW in the late 1800s, this one touches on the hope and (mostly) grief of one man’s life. Loved the descriptions of the orchards and his careful tending to them. Our main character, Talmadge, was careful in all things, sometimes to his detriment, but I appreciated this realness about him.

Content warnings for death, suicide, and sexual assault of minors

Read if you like: Animal Kingdom by Barbara Kingsolver or River, Sing Me Home