The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon Biggs Waller

TL:DR lucrative flower hunting was a thing

TBR #1330, added Jul 18 2015

finished 7/21/16

I honestly didn't think I would finish The Forbidden Orchid. Historical fiction isn't really my type in the first place, and I had a whole bunch of motivation issues trying to read anything, let alone the library books I'd already renewed and not touched. 

The book was really slow to pick up steam. I also hated how Elodie had no autonomy -- which I understand is a result of the time period, but it was frustrating nonetheless. I'd read up to page 80 and still didn't have much of a reason to continue on because her society was like "lol nice try, being a girl in this day and time." 

(And yet somehow the world still feels like that sometimes. It's awful.) 

The book does pretty well at keeping the pace up once Elodie comes to the decision to go with her father back to China. Elodie makes some decisions and meets some people and it became much more interesting for me after that. The plot was definitely more concise and directed. 

I'm totally unfamiliar with the history of plant-hunting, or even the time period in general, so I can't say how historically accurate it is. It felt accurate to me, but I'm not a reliable opinion for that. 

I wasn't really sold on the romance aspect, but I could appreciate the relationship they had otherwise. They seemed like a good pair. (Also, I'm a sucker for the trope they used. I thought it was done nicely.) There were hints of a love triangle at times, but it was refreshing in that it never became a Team vs Team thing. It was a true triangle. More than once if you really think about it, but hey, I never felt bitter about the inclusion of them, and normally I despise them. I think it was done tactfully and realistically. 

TL;DR I wasn't really in the target audience in terms of preferred genre, but it was still a solid 3 stars for me. I think it would be enjoyable if you like 1860s (right?) England and the aesthetic of exploring uncharted territory Lewis-and-Clark style. 

(I probably mixed up two different significant periods in time. Feel free to correct me. I liked history class but I've never had a great sense of time itself, if you couldn't tell.)