3.0
Orchard
ByPublisher Description
From the bestselling author of Montana 1948 comes the explosive story of an artist, his muse, and the staggering price they pay for their chance at immortality.
Sonja Skordahl, a Norwegian immigrant, came to America looking for a new life. Instead, she settled in Door County, Wisconsin, and married Henry House—only to find herself defined by her roles as wife and mother. Destiny lands Sonja in the studio of Ned Weaver, an internationally acclaimed painter. There she becomes more than his model and more than a mere object of desire; she becomes the most inspiring muse Ned has ever known, much to the chagrin of the artist’s wife. When both Ned and Henry insist on possessing Sonja, their jealousies threaten to erupt into violence—as she struggles to appease both men without sacrificing her hard-won sense of self.
Sonja Skordahl, a Norwegian immigrant, came to America looking for a new life. Instead, she settled in Door County, Wisconsin, and married Henry House—only to find herself defined by her roles as wife and mother. Destiny lands Sonja in the studio of Ned Weaver, an internationally acclaimed painter. There she becomes more than his model and more than a mere object of desire; she becomes the most inspiring muse Ned has ever known, much to the chagrin of the artist’s wife. When both Ned and Henry insist on possessing Sonja, their jealousies threaten to erupt into violence—as she struggles to appease both men without sacrificing her hard-won sense of self.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesOrchard Reviews
3.0
“Orchard tells a story that at first glance, seems to be a simple taleof love, jealousy, and obsession but it is one of those books in which the sum is greater than its parts. In this book we are introduced to Ned Weaver, an acclaimed artist who is almost as famous for his dalliances with his models as for his paintings. He is married to Harriet, who was at one time his model, and has long since concluded that any suffering she experiences matters not at all in the face of the importance of his art. Henry House is the jealous husband of the woman who will become Ned's greatest muse, Sonja, following a tragedy that has driven husband and wife in two different extremes of sorrow.<br/><br/>As I said this book could have been a simple tale of jealousy and love.They overflow bookshelves and flood the stores. However, Larry Watson has masterfully crafted a complex character study that examines sorrow and the motivations of the human heart. The book is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of each of Harriet, Ned, Henry, and Sonja, while a couple come from the view of the House's daughter June. These chapters also travel back in forth in time, though not a large gap exists between the three timeframes which slowly lay bare the events that lead to the denouement. In some books this could create a big mess and confusion, but Watson handles it skillfully. I especially love that the explosive conclusion to their shared story was woven into the book, urging the reader forward, rather than being revealed all at once.<br/><br/>My one complaint was that the book could have even shorter. The final pages served as an epilogue of sorts, showing the reader what happens to each of our protaganists. The two chapters dealing with Harriet and Ned were quite well done and in keeping with the book. However the other two, Henry's especially, felt trite and uninspired. As these two were the last two chapters the have sullied my appreciation of this beautfully rendered novel just a touch, causing me to drop the rating a smidge. I highly recommend this stunning novel, and will definitely be reading more by Watson.”
About Larry Watson
Larry Watson is the author of In a Dark Time, Montana 1948, Justice, White Crosses, and Laura. He has won the Milkweed Fiction Prize, a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Association Regional Award, and many other literary prizes. Watson and his wife, Susan, live in Plover, Wisconsin.
Other books by Larry Watson
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