The Orchard
Ratings2
Average rating4
15
Ratings2
Average rating4
Four teenagers grow inseparable in the last days of the Soviet Union—but not all of them will live to see the new world arrive in this powerful debut novel, loosely based on Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. “Spectacular . . . intensely evocative and gorgeously written . . . will fill readers’ eyes with tears and wonder.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: New York Post Coming of age in the USSR in the 1980s, best friends Anya and Milka try to envision a free and joyful future for themselves. They spend their summers at Anya’s dacha just outside of Moscow, lazing in the apple orchard, listening to Queen songs, and fantasizing about trips abroad and the lives of American teenagers. Meanwhile, Anya’s parents talk about World War II, the Blockade, and the hardships they have endured. By the time Anya and Milka are fifteen, the Soviet Empire is on the verge of collapse. They pair up with classmates Trifonov and Lopatin, and the four friends share secrets and desires, argue about history and politics, and discuss forbidden books. But the world is changing, and the fleeting time they have together is cut short by a sudden tragedy. Years later, Anya returns to Russia from America, where she has chosen a different kind of life, far from her family and childhood friends. When she meets Lopatin again, he is a smug businessman who wants to buy her parents’ dacha and cut down the apple orchard. Haunted by the ghosts of her youth, Anya comes to the stark realization that memory does not fade or disappear; rather, it moves us across time, connecting our past to our future, joys to sorrows. Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry’s The Orchard powerfully captures the lives of four Soviet teenagers who are about to lose their country and one another, and who struggle to survive, to save their friendship, to recover all that has been lost.
Reviews with the most likes.
I cannot rightfully describe how much I love this book. Preface: I listened to this as an audiobook.
For starters, Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry is an incredible writer. Each time I pressed play I felt like I was right there with the characters. Everything felt so tangible and real, it was beautiful. The way the characters are composed and put together are just as good. I fell in love with each of them, as if they were friends of my own. As a 20 year old American, I know absolutely nothing about Europe, yet alone Soviet Russia. History classes were poorly taught, and often acted as nap time for students like me who could skid by high school with A's and B's. I feel like, although a piece of fiction, I have learned more reading (well, I guess listening?) to this book than I have all history classes I've sat through. I never knew the Soviet Union was more than just Russia. I never knew it was happening during the 80's. I had never known what anyone had went through during those times, young or old.
Not only did I get to learn a lot in this book, but it felt all the more sentimental and genuine coming from someone who was there. I made sure to stay for the Author's Note, as other reviews had suggested, and by god was it worth it. I hope Kristina knows just how much I love and appreciate this piece of work. I will be reading, and maybe even watching, The Cherry Orchard someday, and I will be telling all my friends about this book. It tugged on my heart strings, had me gasping in the car, and googling all sorts of places and people during this time period. I will be thinking about Anya, Milka, Trifonov, and Lopatin for the next few weeks, and I will be thinking of Kristina, who had went through it all herself too.
TLDR: This book is awesome please read it rn if you love historical fiction and coming of age 5/5 stars
TW: rape, abuse
