The Orchardist

Genre: Fiction

This is the story of Talmadge who is raised by a single mother until she dies when he and his sister, Elsbeth, are very young. They live in western United States in the early part of the 20th century. Talmage and Elsbeth, using land their mother left them, slowly grow and tend a fruit orchard and support themselves with the sales of the fruit at the local market. As a confirmed bachelor who has created a community of friends around him, including Caroline Middey and a group of horse wranglers, Talmadge encounters two young sisters, Della and Jane, hungry runaways. He feeds them and through slow and steady interactions, the girls begin to trust him. He investigates the girls’ origins and discovers their horrific past (that’s an understatement!) and vows to help them. In a tragic set of events, the girls and Talmage are forever separated and things may never go back to what they were. This is a story of love, horror and family bonds, even when that family doesn’t share the same DNA.

The writing in this book is exceptional. It is a love letter written to the earth and to those who make a living and a life tending it. The first half of the story is so intriguing and will pull you in. The second half gets a little long and meanders too slowly through the story line, but ultimately, it’s a story worth sticking around for. It’s a good book club selection as there are many good themes running through the story line. It’s a hard read, at times, but I enjoyed this book nonetheless.