The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina was so much fun to read. A magically-tinged creepy story that includes family secrets, a curse, a circus, AND some portal magic? SOLD.

The story is told is a dual narrative approach with both a past and present POV. The past is from Orquidea's own perspective and the future focuses primarily on her granddaughter, Marimar. These two pieces of the story were woven together really well and gave small glimpses into the past that slowly, but mysteriously unraveled the story.

The magical realism component is fun and intriguing. It pulls in some South American folklore and mythology, adding some regional color to the story and adding to the atmosphere (which by the way, is awesome). I loved the descriptions of Orquidea's house and the magic of the valley as well as the Orquidea's own fabulous bruja character.

The characters in this book were a really good time. The primary characters are super vibrant with strong personalities that shine through the pages. There were a lot of family members to keep track of and there are a few who really only act like red shirt characters, but for the most part it was easy to remember who was who thanks to some individualized traits. Orquidea herself has a wonderful character arc that takes her from meek to strong with some bumps along the way. This is somewhat paralleled by the future journey of her granddaughter, Marimar, and I enjoyed watching both of these characters work through issues with their pasts and who they are. There is a great message of family and love woven throughout the narrative.

Beyond the family and the magic, there is a LOT going on in the plot and it can sometimes get to be a little confusing, but it mostly straightens itself out as it goes along. It's one of those somewhat complicated reads that begs for a second perusal, but gives you a good time regardless. Don't stress too much about the details or uncovering the story on your own. Just enjoy the ride.

The ending felt a little bit rushed and I definitely could have used a little bit more to the conclusion, but most of the details get wrapped up well and in a way that both makes sense for the remainder of the story and is satisfying for the reader. I really enjoyed this from start to finish. In fact, I wanted (and would eagerly read) more.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *