Book Review: Black River Orchard
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Wow! What a book! There’s so much to say about it. This shocking and suspenseful story has so many twists, I’m going to take extra care not to give any spoilers. Be warned: Chuck Wendig is a trickster. He draws you in with likable underdogs and kind strangers, but then turns what you believe on its head.
In Black River Orchard, Wendig has created a number of memorable characters, but what he’s done with the apple is magnificent. I once wrote a paper on the golgi apparatus for my college biology class and found a book devoted to it for a resource. My professor was surprised that someone actually wrote an entire book about it. I was similarly surprised by everything there is to know about apples. There’s so much history there, and Wendig’s enthusiasm and historical references add extra dimensions to his novel.
I used to go to orchards to pick apples. I’d climb up a ladder and stick my unprotected head into the enticing deep shade of an apple-laden leafy bough, sometimes snapping a stem to eat one right off the tree. I don’t believe I’ll ever do that again.
Thank you muchly to Mr. Wendig, Random House, Ballantine, and Del Rey Publishers, and to NetGalley for a free advance reader’s copy. My opinions are my own, however, uninfluenced by any obligation to them. This is a deliciously terrifying read!
Cat's Game 