The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

A Novel

By: Zoraida Córdova

Narrated by: Frankie Corzo

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

National Best Seller

Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman, Isabel Allende, and Sarah Addison Allen, a family searches for the truth hidden in their past in this “expertly woven tale of family power, threaded with as much mystery as magic” (V.E. Schwab, number one New York Times best-selling author).

The Montoyas are used to a life without explanations. They know better than to ask why the pantry never seems to run low, or why their matriarch won’t ever leave their home in Four Rivers - not 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 into a ceiba tree, leaving them with more questions than answers.

Seven years later, her gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings and powers. 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, her descendants travel to Ecuador - to the place where Orquídea buried her secrets and broken promises and never looked back.

Alternating between Orquídea’s past and her descendants’ present, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is a “spellbinding tale, both timeless and fresh, that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Prepare to fall in love” (Kim Liggett, New York Times best-selling author).

©2021 Zoraida Córdova. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Corzo matches her dreamy tones to the story’s lush imagery of magical gardens, fantastical circuses, and monsters both human and otherworldly. She deftly handles the dialogue of Orquidea’s sprawling generations of ancestors and descendants, giving them an air of connection while making each character distinct. Corzo also keeps the listener grounded in the story despite the constant shifts in time and place as its short chapters unfold." (AudioFile Magazine)

Magical Realism Weirdness

Honestly this book is magical realism weirdness but it ended up working for me. Cordova delivers beautiful prose that gives me 10 thousand doors of January vibes.

Orquidea is dying so she invites her descendants to come collect their inheritance. Afterwards, three of Orquidea’s grandchildren left with so many questions, deal with the manifestation of their inheritances over the years. When people in their family start dying they hunt, desperate, for answers. We also follow a young Orquidea and see how all the weirdness started.

Adult content note: moderate swearing and mild sexual content

Not for me

I forced myself to finish this one and it really wasn't worth it. Too many characters with no real development, never felt a connection. the story was interesting and it could have been great however it was poorly executed. Save your Time.

Wow just wow!

What a performance! What an imaginative novel. Newest fan of this author! I’ve been a huge fan of the narrator though. Highly recommend.

Underwhelmed

I did love the idea of a strong Spanish matriarch being the center of the story. Generational issues was another thing that was relatable. Overall, I was underwhelmed. The story dragged, it was weird but in a boring way and you have sooooo many (Too many) unanswered questions while reading that reading in circles just made it more frustrating. If there were less chapters, less characters taking up space and more magic this book would’ve been wonderful.

Magical!

Loved this imaginative, fantastical story. It felt like a fairytale. The writing was superb and the narrator was perfect for the story. Highly recommend.

Incredible

This book. THIS book!! How dare it make me feel so incredibly much all at once?!
The way the words rolled after one another brought something so visceral to the table for me. That hasn’t happened in such a long time.
It was filled with mystery, magic, and tradition of families.
I look forward to listening to it again.

Loved the entire story

Loved the entire story! It took me to many emotional places nd left me feeling fulfilled and satisfied! I'm filled with gratitude!

A Tale of Love, Family, Magic and Mystery

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I started this book but I was quickly captured by the beautiful mystery that surrounds Orquídea Divina and her family. The intricate balance of the two heroines and their mysterious odyssey that spans generations engages the reader to find out what will happen next.

couldn't stop listening! I loved it!

The magic was beautiful, captivating, strange, mysterious and weird all throughout, I loved it! I want more stories like this.

Must read

Such a good book filled with magic, finding yourself and family. Worth the listen and high key recommend.

A story of Family roots with dark secrets

what an amazing book of whimsical realism, a strong story of family roots and how strong connections really are. I loved how the plot began to untangle and the secret began to reveal itself. All sorts of emotional responses throughout this book, sadness, excitement, shock, all rolled into one. Definitely a book that I will return to in the future.

Well-written, but slow paced

This story follows (mainly) two characters as they try to uncover their secretive grandmother's life to save their own. The story was beautifully written and I liked the analogies as they made the characters' voices distinct. The author did a great job of also making each character distinct (I couldn't quite remember anybody beyond the main characters but I chalk that down to listening - I think this would be even less of a problem if reading).

However, I think the story could have been a little better paced, as I felt it switched from a slow lumbering pace with character intros to breakneck speed at the crux too quickly. In some way the pacing let down the characters a little as well, as I found it hard to be very invested in them. The pacing might have been improved by shortening parts of the story to omit backgrounds about other family members, but I appreciate the point is to show how expansive the Montoya family had become over three generations.

Overall, I think this story is a great fit if you like intergenerational family stories with family secrets, reflection, and introspection.