Title: The Ghost Orchid
Author: Carol Goodman
Pub: Ballantine Books; 2007
Pages: 368
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery
Have you ever read a book and truly loved it....and then held off reading another book by the same author just in case you find out that you really don't love the author as much as you thought you did? So, essentially by not reading anything else by said author, you can still pretend that she is the best ever?
(Yes, I'm that neurotic that this thoughts come into my brains!)
Anyway, that's how I felt about Carol Goodman. I read Arcadia Falls last year and totally absolutely dug it. And then it occurred to me that I might not like everything (or anything) else that she's done. So, even though I went out and added her to my Book Mooch and PBS wish lists I held off.
Until I caved. And that's when I read The Ghost Orchid.
Man, why didn't I just have faith in Ms. Goodman? She did not let me down. Everything that I loved about her shined through in this earlier novel. Yes, it's the same format - flashback story that ties into the present tense story. And sure, sometimes the passages are overly flowery and adjective-y. BUT she knows how to tell a tale.
The Ghost Orchid's setting immediately perked my ears - a rustic estate in upstate New York where artists convene for the months at a time to become inspired? Yes please. An estate that has its own name - Bosco? Yes, yes, please. And get this...the estate has HIDDEN PASSAGES. Secrets within secrets!
And there are ghosts that haunt Bosco and hidden identities and mysteries of the estate and artists who once lived there. Oh and mediums! Plus, the main character's name is Ellis. I love androgynous names, don't you?
Fun times ya'll. Just enough depth that you feel satisfied, but enough fluff where you feel relaxed and airy.
Dude, I do this all the time! I still haven't read anything by Chuck Palahniuk other than Fight Club because I don't want its spectacularness to be destroyed! Also, oooh, hidden passages! I feel like all english stories for kids (like Enid Blyton and stuff) always had to include hidden passages :) those were the days!
ReplyDeleteDon't you love when an author proves just how wonderful they really are? I haven't read anything by this author but I'm thinking I really should.
ReplyDeleteoh this sounds really good! And I haven't read ANYTHING by her!! Must correct that!
ReplyDeleteOh goody, I am hoping to feel the same way about Carol Goodman. I've got one of her books out of the library right now but I can't read it because it's all water-damaged and sticky and smells bad. I will swap it out for a different Goodman book soon and THEN, it will be ON. (I hope.)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I feel like Carol Goodman is one of those authors whose books I will want to own as mass-market paperbacks. Not everything needs to be in trade paperback! Do you know the sort of author I mean? Where their books are comforting and you want to read them a bunch of times and be able to carry them with you and read them one-handed on the subway because you just don't feel like carrying a whole hardback around? Or is that just me? :p