The Forbidden Orchid was a well-written story with a rich, realistic and incredibly detailed historical setting, but it failed to grab my attention. The plotline was not unenjoyable by any stretch of the imagination but it certainly lacked that special something needed to make it truly shine. I just… I didn’t get anything from it. It was one of those rare books that was so easy to fly through but if I had put it down and somehow, accidently, forgot to ever pick it up again, I wouldn’t have spared a second thought wondering what would happen next. I didn’t feel particularly connected to the characters or the story so I wouldn’t have particularly cared whether Eloise wandered the Chinese wilderness forevermore. Waller just failed to hit that sweet spot between enjoyable and enthralling, between merely entertaining and actually engaging.

With the being said, the detail and accuracy of the historical setting were so flipping well done that it did make we want to keep reading. It was - by far - my favourite aspect of the book. I have read a lot of historical fiction set in this same time period and while some of those stories have managed to capture the Victorian culture of the time, I don’t think I have ever been so impressed with the richness of that portrayal. Everything from the dialogue to the characters’ mannerisms and the setting itself was perfect, even Eloise’s internal monologue was distinctively Victorian. It even mentioned how women dealt with their periods and the lack of birth control in this time (!!) which is something too many books gloss over. I appreciated the incorporation of the era’s sexism, homophobia and racism, even if that sort of language and thinking was difficult to read at times its erasure would be inaccurate. I also just simply enjoyed seeing how the characters - all of different ethnicities and backgrounds - navigated the language barriers and the clash of their cultures and customs. The exploration of the science vs religion debate in this era was also cleverly incorporated; understanding how Eloise balanced her faith (which was not written in an overpowering or preachy way, thank goodness; it was just accurate to the times) with her interest in science was oddly fascinating, especially with Darwin’s recent scientific revelations/theories. Waller definitely has a knack for historical fiction.

The reason I struggled to enjoy this book as a whole was the plotline. It was so unmotivated! The pacing itself was quite slow, which I did not expect with this premise, and the dense beginning didn’t really help, but even the expedition itself - which should have been exciting - was quite dull. It lacked a sense of urgency that was much needed. I didn’t feel like that Waller managed to quite capture Eloise’s desperation or the pressure she had on her shoulders to succeed with their expedition. There needed to be something really driving the plotline along and there was nothing that did that. It was unnecessarily boring and I just could not shake that… stillness, that not quite vibe of the story. The ending was also a little rushed.

Eloise was a steadfast, headstrong protagonist who was admirably loyal and hardworking. She was a little naive at times but I felt that was completely appropriate given the historical setting and her gender if a little frustrating. I found Alex sweet but lacking personality and the other secondary characters were just too meh for me to even remember their names. I just… I don’t know. I didn’t really connect to any of the characters. They weren’t bad or unlikeable characters, just ultimately forgettable, and the romance was incredibly wishy washy. Maybe it was just Alex’s lack of personality but I didn’t think his and Eloise’s relationship was anything other than bland. They had no chemistry, whatsoever, and it was rushed and awkward.

I do need to say that I absolutely loved that there was a bibliography at the end of the book. Honestly, I wish that all books had to do this because I know when I write, I do a shit ton of research on everything from the cultural quirks of my characters to what year the toilet was invented in, from the plotline of Downton Abbey to the medical symptoms of radiation poisoning and the science of supernovas. I loved knowing how much the author read about the era: the Opium Wars, Chinese culture/language and even the Orchid Fever! It was good to know that they put the effort into making their story as believable and authentic as possible.

Overall?

The Forbidden Orchid was a well-written story and I had to admire Waller for her historical setting. It was so, so well done. However, I struggled with the plodding plotline and how dull the expedition turned out to be. I desperately wanted more urgency from the story or at least a faster pacing. Eloise was a decent protagonist but the cast, as a whole, was pretty meh and unmemorable. I was especially disappointed by the romance, which was a flop. I do want to read more of Waller’s stories because I think I her writing has so much potential. I just wanted more from this particular book.