The Orchardist
{{Short description|2012 novel by Amanda Coplin}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book
| name = The Orchardist
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = The_Orchardist.png
| caption = First edition
| author = Amanda Coplin
| illustrator =
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| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Fiction
| publisher = HarperCollins
| release_date =
| media_type =
| pages = 448
| isbn = 978-0-06-218852-6
| oclc = 898064848
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
The Orchardist (2012) is a novel by American author Amanda Coplin set in the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century.
Synopsis
Haunted by the disappearance of his younger sister forty years earlier, William Talmadge has taken refuge in the careful tending of his isolated apple orchard. His solitary life is shared only with the local midwife, Caroline Middey, and Clee, a Nez Perce horseman and childhood friend. Then two half-wild, starving and very pregnant teen-aged girls arrive. They are Jane and Della, sisters who have escaped the abuse of a brothel and its proprietor Michaelsen. Curious, but respectful of their wariness, Talmadge patiently cultivates their trust and creates a haven for them among his trees. A series of tragedies leaves Jane's baby daughter, Angelene, in Talmadge's care and sets Della on a lifelong journey to reconcile her own demons.
Reception
On Book Marks, from eight critics: eight "rave".{{Cite web |title=The Orchardist|url=https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/the-orchardist/|access-date=16 January 2024 |website=Book Marks}} Culture Critic assessed critical response as an aggregated score of 96%.{{Cite web |title=Amanda Coplin - The Orchardist|url=http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/books/amanda-coplin-the-orchardist/|access-date=12 July 2024|website=Culture Critic|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116044753/http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/books/amanda-coplin-the-orchardist/|archive-date=16 Jan 2013}} On the November/December 2012 issue of Bookmarks, the novel was scored four out of five stars. The magazine's critical summary reads: "A powerful and disturbing debut, The Orchardist is, critics hope, the harbinger of even better Coplin works to come".{{Cite web |title=The Orchardist|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Orchardist.-a0324763528|access-date=14 January 2023 |website=Bookmarks}}
Awards
- 2013 American Book Award
[http://www.beforecolumbusfoundation.com/press_releases/ABA2013PressRelease.pdf "The Before Columbus Foundation announces the ... {2013 winners}"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204014506/http://www.beforecolumbusfoundation.com/press_releases/ABA2013PressRelease.pdf |date=2013-12-04 }}. Before Columbus Foundation. Press release September 19, 2013. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- 2013 Washington State Book Award for Fiction{{citation | url = http://www.spl.org/about-the-library/library-news-releases/wa-book-awards-910 | last = Seattle Public Library | title = Washington Center for the Book announces 2013 Washington State Book Award winners | accessdate = 4 March 2014}}
- 2012 Barnes & Noble Discover Award{{citation | url = http://www.barnesandnobleinc.com/for_publishers/discover_program/discover_program.html | last = Barnes & Noble | title = Discover Great New Writers Program | accessdate = 4 March 2014}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|author=Amanda Coplin|title=The Orchardist|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R-XgYsuOobIC|date=21 August 2012|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-218852-6}}
References
{{reflist}}
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Category:Novels set in Washington (state)