Author: Karen Viggers
ISBN: 9781760630584
RRP: $29.99
Publication Date: February 2019
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
Karen Viggers is an author who is new to me but the cover of The Orchardist’s Daughter captured my attention so we got it on the Book Club list and a selection of members have been reading the book. I look forward to their thoughts while I wait for the opportunity to pick this one up.
Synopsis from the Publisher’s Website:
Sixteen-year-old Mikaela has grown up isolated and homeschooled on an apple orchard in southeastern Tasmania, until an unexpected event shatters her family. Eighteen months later, she and her older brother Kurt are running a small business in a timber town. Miki longs to make connections and spend more time in her beloved forest, but she is kept a virtual prisoner by Kurt, who leads a secret life of his own.
When Miki meets Leon, another outsider, things slowly begin to change. But the power to stand up for yourself must come from within. And Miki has to fight to uncover the truth of her past and discover her strength and spirit.
Set in the old-growth eucalypt forests and vast rugged mountains of southern Tasmania, The Orchardist’s Daughter is an uplifting story about friendship, resilience and finding the courage to break free.
The Orchardist’s Daughter is published by Allen & Unwin and is available now where all good books are sold.
Thanks to Allen & Unwin 10 of our Beauty and Lace Club members will be reading The Orchardist’s Daughter so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
The Orchardist’s Daughter, by Karen Viggers, was a wonderful surprise. While the book incorporates some disturbing themes, it was a delight to read because of the author’s ability to create well-rounded and believable characters. The book centres around three main characters – Miki, a young woman who is at the mercy of her older brother; Leon, a new arrival whose presence in town is not welcomed by some townsfolk; and Max, a young boy with a challenging family and school life. Each character has his or her unique history and story, however there are overlapping themes among them. Viggers beautifully explores these themes through the journeys of each of the main characters, while also highlighting the uplifting and positive elements that allow each individual to remain strong. I particularly appreciated the depiction of minor characters within the book, with the author seeming to honour the role and story of every single character. I felt as though I could picture each person mentioned.
Thank you to Beauty & Lace and Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read The Orchardist’s Daughter. I had no idea what to expect when this book arrived, but I’m so glad that I was able to discover this beautiful story. I have been left to ponder a number of unanswered questions, but I don’t feel that these detract from the ending of the story, rather adding to the authenticity of the book. After all, isn’t “real life” full of unanswered questions?