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The Orchardist
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
A Best Book of the YearWashington Post Seattle Times The Oregonian National Public Radio Amazon Kirkus Reviews Publishers Weekly The Daily BeastAn Indie Next PickBarnes & Noble Discover Award WinnerAt the turn of the twentieth century, in a rural stretch of the Pacific Northwest, a reclusive orchardist, William Talmadge, tends to apples and apricots as if they were loved ones. A gentle man, he's found solace in the sweetness of the fruit he grows and the quiet, beating heart of the land he cultivates. One day, two teenage girls appear and steal his fruit at the market; they later return to the outskirts of his orchard to see the man who gave them no chase.Feral, scared, and very pregnant, the girls take up on Talmadge's land and indulge in his deep reservoir of compassion. Just as the girls begin to trust him, men arrive in the orchard with guns, and the shattering tragedy that follows will set Talmadge on an irrevocable course not only to save and protect them but also to reconcile the ghosts of his own troubled past.Transcribing America as it once was before railways and roads connected its corners, Amanda Coplin weaves a tapestry of solitary souls who come together in the wake of unspeakable cruelty and misfortune. She writes with breathtaking precision and empathy, and in The Orchardist she crafts an astonishing debut novel about a man who disrupts the lonely harmony of an ordered life when he opens his heart and lets the world in.
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review
Nebklvr
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Panpan

Too slow, too vague, and very little resolution. It felt incongruent to the time in which it was set.

DivineDiana That‘s too bad. 😕 1y
Nebklvr @DivineDiana Others liked it so if it sounds good, give it a whirl. Unless you like a wrapped up ending, then i would suggest giving it a pass. 1y
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
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StaceGhost
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Little Free Library scores from Southport, NC. It‘s been so lovely visiting my brother ❤️ he‘s still my hero, even though we‘re all grown up 😭I snagged him a copy of A Man Called Ove— what a great selection! These two look like tearjerkers too

Bec_lectic Love when you find good books in the Lending Library 😍 2y
Jess Loved The Orchardist. Enjoy! 2y
SamAnne I loved The Orchqrdist. 2y
StaceGhost @Bec_lectic yes! This one was fully stocked, too @Jess @SamAnne it looks excellent! I‘m really excited to read it 2y
37 likes4 comments
quote
Towanda
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin

When she entered a room that he occupied,or he entered an orchard row in which she worked,they did not greet each other with words but touched an appendage of the other with their eyes, and could tell by the others expression or posture if they were pleased or discomfited or bothered,or if they were sated by the day's weather or by the other's presence.

quote
Towanda
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin

He had shielded her from so much already.Whatevee speech he directed at her, whatever he asked her to do, could bring a myriad of consequences.Oh he was tired of thinking about it all.How his words and deeds affected her trajectory.She watched him.The girl ,as ever,had this particular effect on him.He spoke things to her, when she solicited them,that he was unaware of even himself.Opinions.Long- held beliefs and judgements.

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Towanda
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin

Mostly she learned from watching him.She watched him in everything she did,she was his shadow in the trees.

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Towanda
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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From the time she was a small girl,she wanted to be alone.The sound of other people's voices grated on her nerves.To interact with others who were Talmadge or Talmadge's father or sister,was torture to her.It subtracted days from her life.And so they walked;to find a place that would annihilate her,a place to be her home, and the home for her children.A place to show her children:and you belong to the earth, and the earth is hard.

review
StephMC82
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
Pickpick

A wonderfully sad book of grief and the things that go left unsaid.

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StephMC82
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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The storytelling in this book speaks to your heart. Sometimes the words make you smile, sometimes the words break your heart. But it's my favorite kind of book because it speaks of the truths of humanity, regardless of genre.

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Lauren890
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2. This is somewhere between a so-so and a pick I think. I‘ve had a physical copy for many years but finally listened to the audiobook. The narrator was exceptional, and I loved the first half of the book. It then became a bit too slow in my opinion and less compelling. It‘s beautifully and thoughtfully written. Overall I‘m glad I finally read it!

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LitStephanie
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Book: (The) Orchardist
Author: Oscar Wilde
Movie: Out of Sight
TV Show: (The) Outsider
Singer or Band: Our Lady Peace (I liked one album!)
Song: Out of My Head by Fastball
#letterO
#manicmonday

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LitStephanie
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
Pickpick

This is one of the very few books that made me ache that it was over. It's a book about a good, unremarkable man and the orphans he takes in. It also paints a vivid picture of actual life in the West in what popular culture tries to frame as romantic and exciting. Heroin addiction, child sexual slavery, isolation, the struggle for survival, technology moving too fast for humans to catch up, love that has nothing to do with blood. A beautiful book.

SamAnne Really loved it too. It‘s worth a reread. (edited) 4y
4 likes1 comment
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heyitsMacall
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Pickpick

Beautiful writing, slow, thoughtful, and a little rambley. I do love the PNW

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Wife
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Mehso-so

Although the writing flowed nicely, I really didn‘t find a story here. Life in an orchard over seasons and years. There were characters that had potentially interesting storylines, but the stories just never happened or fizzled out.

I‘ve been doing most of my reading via audiobook or a few pages here and there of a print book. I actually took the time to pretty much read this straight through. #underwhelmed 2/5🍎s

Bklover I was underwhelmed as well! 5y
40 likes1 comment
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SilversReviews
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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FEATURING: The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

I can't give enough praise for this book. It was touching, tender, brilliantly written, mesmerizing, and one you will remember long after you turn the last page.

THE ORCHARDIST is not an uplifting book but the prose and the storyline are so exceptional that regardless of the book's mood it instantly grips you.

REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/y4mrul5o

#amandacoplin

BarbaraBB Wow great review. Stacked! 5y
Areader2 I really enjoyed it too! 5y
SilversReviews @BarbaraBB Thank you. ENJOY when you read this book 5y
See All 10 Comments
SilversReviews @Areader2 Gorgeous writing. 5y
AmyG Such a good book. 5y
Crazeedi Great book 5y
SilversReviews @AmyG It was very good. Has she written anything else? 5y
AmyG I don‘t recall seeing any other book she‘s written. 5y
SilversReviews @AmyG Thanks. I didn‘t either, but thought I may have missed them. 5y
51 likes1 stack add10 comments
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Dolly
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Oh Torie it was so much fun playing find the bookmarks! 😂 Some were handmade too! The setting of this book is perfect in my opinion and I look forward to reading it. Thank you so much @TorieStorieS ❤️
#Bookmarkswap
@LibrarianRyan

TorieStorieS Yay!! I‘m sorry it wasn‘t there yesterday!! But happy that you had fun finding the bookmarks! 😊🎉 5y
Dolly @TorieStorieS Opening one package each day would be even better. That way no sensory overload. 😊 5y
LibrarianRyan 😁👍🏻❤️ 5y
48 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
Areader2
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Pickpick

Finished my 1st book for #24in48 read for 8 hours.
What an beautifully written book with a sad and meaningful story! Next up Nevernight, but first going to see Cirque du Soleil / Luzia so exciting @24in48

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Areader2
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Outside this morning for only about 1/2 hour, too hot for me and the pups. Started reading at 630 until 8 then had to run errands 1/2 way through the orchardist great recommendation. Off to a 60 bday party but getting right back at it when I get home managed about 6 hours so far #24in48

25 likes1 stack add
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Areader2
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Here we go, ready for this hot day starting my first read #24in48

SilversReviews Awesome read. ENJOY!! 5y
Crazeedi Great book 5y
24 likes2 comments
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SilversReviews
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Heartache

#LITERARYLOVE
@AlwaysBeenALoverOfBooks
@Vkois88

A touching, tender book....have you read this one?

Talmadge lived alone in his family home until one day two girls arrived.

The book follows Talmadge through the stages of the girls' lives and how their being present in his life helped him be happy as well as allow him to experience the “heartache” of their growing up and his being a concerned parent.

Review: https://bit.ly/2DMYDyy

Crazeedi Yep I read this a few years ago, it was a really good story 6y
AmyG I loved this book. 6y
vkois88 Sounds good 6y
See All 13 Comments
SilversReviews @Crazeedi Yes...an excellent read. Thanks for commenting. 6y
SilversReviews @AmyG It is a beautiful read. Thanks for commenting. 6y
SilversReviews @vkois88 It is good...thanks for commenting. 6y
EmilyM An excellent book! 6y
SilversReviews @EmilyM It is...has she written anything else? Thanks for commenting. 6y
EmilyM @SilversReviews I am not aware of anything else she has written. I sure wish there were, though! 6y
SilversReviews @EmilyM That would be wonderful. I didn‘t think she had written anything else, but I wasn‘t sure. Thanks for commenting back. 6y
Crazeedi Just checked goodreads and I dont see that shes written anything else 6y
SilversReviews @Crazeedi Why thank you very much for checking. ♥️ 6y
Crazeedi @SilversReviews 👍😉😊 6y
68 likes2 stack adds13 comments
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Loric
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Mehso-so

This is a beautifully written, yet hauntingly depressing book... Slow, yet enjoyable for the first half, the writing was simple and plot entertaining, but the story climaxed about half way through and fizzled out for me after that. I tried listening to audio as I was struggling with reading and found the monotone made it even more depressing. I finished but it was a struggle

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Amanda4
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
Mehso-so

Read my 3-star review of The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1285200785

Reggie Sometimes they suck you in that way. Well, I‘ve been with these characters so long I have to care about them. Lol 7y
4 likes1 comment
review
violabrain
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Pickpick

Oh, what a beautiful book! I'm so sad that I just finished it! This is a quiet, deeply introverted novel that still manages to be driven by shocking, traumatic events. I absolutely loved this one: the landscape and atmosphere she conjures, the characters, and the relationship between them.

AmyG I loved this book!!!!! 7y
10 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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violabrain
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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It's the last week of classes before final exams and I am all caught up on grading for the time being, so I am enjoying my book under my nice, new, warm blanket that came in the mail from Amazon today. 😊

RebelReader I enjoyed this one a lot! 7y
violabrain Yes, I'm loving this book! 7y
7 likes2 comments
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BookishMarginalia
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Some books in acid green for @LibrarianRyan 💜💜💜 and a rainbow 🌈 #bookcolortag for @ReadingEnvy @4thhouseontheleft @MaleficentBookDragon @shawnmooney and @JSW 😊😊😊 (surprise me!)

JaclynW Cool latte art!! 7y
moranadatter I love all of the photos you post with latte art! 7y
monkeygirlsmama Pretty 7y
AmyG A great book, too. 7y
MrBook 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
132 likes3 stack adds5 comments
quote
Bookishgal71
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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"He regarded the world - objects right in front of his face - as if from a great distance. For when he moved on the earth he also moved in other realms. In certain seasons, in certain shades, memories alighted on him like sharp-taloned birds..."

SilversReviews Oh.....I loved this book. 7y
5 likes1 comment
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Bklover
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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#maybookflowers #fruit I read this one several years ago for a book group. Although I sometimes became frustrated with the MC, overall this was a beautiful book to get lost in.

85 likes2 stack adds
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SarahJoyce
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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My #readathon prize came yesterday! I'm all heart eyes and TBR piles. 😍📚😍📚😍

valeriegeary These covers are such eye candy! 8y
SarahJoyce @valeriegeary I know I can't wait to put them on my shelf! 8y
AAdamson Wow! Love those covers! Who's the publisher? I think I need them all. Loved The Orchardist BTW. 8y
8 likes1 stack add3 comments
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crhealey
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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The library book sale gives me so much joy! Less than $10 for the whole bunch!

BethFishReads Good job 8y
3 likes1 comment
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DyAnne
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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"When one was born, death was right there waiting for you, right there in the room."
I was not really looking forward to this book when my fiction book group chose it, but I quite like it now. Only about 20 pages in.

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Demelza
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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That lovely yet incredibly difficult moment when you approach your TBR stack. Today's little jewel - The Orchardist.

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Little_Reader
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Pickpick

I've read some disappointed reviews about this one, but I really liked it! There isn't a lot of dialogue in this one but the story still moves along smoothly. Talmadge is a lone man who crosses patches with two young girls. Their lives and struggles effect him in a way that changes his entire life. It's a great read for this time of year. You'll feel like you're in the orchard right with these characters.

MrBook Great review! This one's on my shelf waiting for me 😊. 8y
11 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Little_Reader
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Nothing makes me happier than reading at a brewery with my future husband. 😍

Kshakal Love love love this! 8y
18 likes1 comment
review
Maggim
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Mehso-so

This feels like a pretty accurate representation of the book: Why are we born? What does anything mean? Will we ever know the hows and whos of the world? Will this book ever end? Orchard, orchardist, fruit, description of the natural world, the end.

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Maggim
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
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Vacation reading. 90% of this very long, ponderous, light-on-dialogue book is characters asking themselves questions, no answers ever revealed.

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SistaPip
The Orchardist | Amanda Coplin
Pickpick

Deliciously sad, historically enlightening. WA state, early 1900s, 2 pregnant girls are found pilfering fruit in the orchard of a solitary yet gentle man. So begins a heartbreaking decades-long story of a "family". Rich love for nature + one of the fiercest craziest girl characters ever.