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Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens
Orchid Lovell is a young Romany woman haunted by a fear of being found out. Her family has been chased out of town before. After settling in a seemingly idyllic northern mining town that she soon understands as rife with unseen cruelty, Orchid finds solace in a lush orchid fen where she doesn’t fear the town’s judgement. Amid the green beauty of the fen, Orchid meets her beloved Jack, and marries him in a secret blackfly-infested ceremony.
But the town’s waters don’t only harbor life. In the nearby creek, dead girls take revenge on the men who murdered them, luring them into murky waters. Despite the unyielding nature of the water spirits, one man evades their violence. After a devastating attack linked to the expansion of the mine, Orchid’s fate is entwined with the panni raklies’ ruthless justice.
Written in over 100 dreamy mini-chapters, this novella explores the tenuous reality of the Romany diaspora living in troubled times on troubled lands.
But the town’s waters don’t only harbor life. In the nearby creek, dead girls take revenge on the men who murdered them, luring them into murky waters. Despite the unyielding nature of the water spirits, one man evades their violence. After a devastating attack linked to the expansion of the mine, Orchid’s fate is entwined with the panni raklies’ ruthless justice.
Written in over 100 dreamy mini-chapters, this novella explores the tenuous reality of the Romany diaspora living in troubled times on troubled lands.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2025
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219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 9, 2025
Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is a powerful novella blending folklore, botany, and horror elements by multidisciplinary artist/writer Lynn Hutchinson Lee. This is her first literary piece, although she has previously published works in poetry, short stories, and spoken word for artistic performances. From the start, I was fully immersed and loved every second of this book - from the endearing dedication to the heartwarming acknowledgements.
The story follows fen fanatic Orchid Lovell, a young Romany woman grappling with growing up secluded in an idyllic mining town, avoiding the townsfolk, and fearing exile once again. Lee invites the reader to get involved: check the world map, situate themselves, and look for a little town called Sudbury. A little further east, there is a marsh and a lake - Orchid Lake - nesting the protagonist’s beloved orchid fen, and so on. Further west lies Nurses Creek, poisoned by mining and haunted by panni raklies - water spirits, or dead girls.
At first, the word Romany might sound foreign, although one might recognize “gypsies,” a pejorative term used to describe this ethnicity - a frequent practice in the white-washing of Indigenous cultures. Racism is a recurring theme throughout the novella, laced with tender moments of reconciliation and friendship. As a woman of Romany descent, Lee proudly dismantles and demystifies some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding these people. By no means is this a “political” book, not in its narrative, but rather a dark fantasy with lyrical prose, snappy writing, and multifaceted storytelling that explores a series of themes, such as racism, identity, nature, corporatism, and folklore. It is surprising how much is contained inside this short novella.
Back to the story: Orchid finds refuge in the orchid fens, where she eventually meets Jack, an orchid lover - a future love. As the story develops, and the reader is immersed in the beauty of the orchid fen, Lee weaves in elements of folk horror, utilizing the water spirits as an allegory for common folk oppressed by corporatism. The ethereal and vengeful panni raklies are soon linked to both Orchid and Jack in this propulsive book written in over 100 tiny-chapters, cleverly subtitled, about the Romany diaspora in Canada, nature, and how we poison her.
The author’s inventiveness can be seen in the use of scientific literature to compose lyrical descriptions of orchid biology, one of the broader themes of this incredible novella. Dampness and water and rotten are recurring themes, with adequate use of similes throughout the book, giving it a unique voice and evocative quality to the text. Grief is masterfully portrayed in Lee’s hands, with sensitivity in describing loss, apathy, and confusion that seeps through the pages. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars: I wish the author had gone further, harder, more brutal in the themes.
Ultimately, Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens was a delight to read. I’ve learned a great deal about Romany people, their culture, and their history whilst immensely enjoying Lee’s writing style and voice. I’ll definitely be following this author closely.
Thank you, Lynn Hutchingson Lee and Stelliform Press for this ARC via BookSirens in exchange for my honest opinion.
Recommended
The story follows fen fanatic Orchid Lovell, a young Romany woman grappling with growing up secluded in an idyllic mining town, avoiding the townsfolk, and fearing exile once again. Lee invites the reader to get involved: check the world map, situate themselves, and look for a little town called Sudbury. A little further east, there is a marsh and a lake - Orchid Lake - nesting the protagonist’s beloved orchid fen, and so on. Further west lies Nurses Creek, poisoned by mining and haunted by panni raklies - water spirits, or dead girls.
At first, the word Romany might sound foreign, although one might recognize “gypsies,” a pejorative term used to describe this ethnicity - a frequent practice in the white-washing of Indigenous cultures. Racism is a recurring theme throughout the novella, laced with tender moments of reconciliation and friendship. As a woman of Romany descent, Lee proudly dismantles and demystifies some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding these people. By no means is this a “political” book, not in its narrative, but rather a dark fantasy with lyrical prose, snappy writing, and multifaceted storytelling that explores a series of themes, such as racism, identity, nature, corporatism, and folklore. It is surprising how much is contained inside this short novella.
Back to the story: Orchid finds refuge in the orchid fens, where she eventually meets Jack, an orchid lover - a future love. As the story develops, and the reader is immersed in the beauty of the orchid fen, Lee weaves in elements of folk horror, utilizing the water spirits as an allegory for common folk oppressed by corporatism. The ethereal and vengeful panni raklies are soon linked to both Orchid and Jack in this propulsive book written in over 100 tiny-chapters, cleverly subtitled, about the Romany diaspora in Canada, nature, and how we poison her.
The author’s inventiveness can be seen in the use of scientific literature to compose lyrical descriptions of orchid biology, one of the broader themes of this incredible novella. Dampness and water and rotten are recurring themes, with adequate use of similes throughout the book, giving it a unique voice and evocative quality to the text. Grief is masterfully portrayed in Lee’s hands, with sensitivity in describing loss, apathy, and confusion that seeps through the pages. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars: I wish the author had gone further, harder, more brutal in the themes.
Ultimately, Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens was a delight to read. I’ve learned a great deal about Romany people, their culture, and their history whilst immensely enjoying Lee’s writing style and voice. I’ll definitely be following this author closely.
Thank you, Lynn Hutchingson Lee and Stelliform Press for this ARC via BookSirens in exchange for my honest opinion.
Recommended
April 26, 2025
Heartbreaking, complex, rage-inducing and gorgeously written, this was quite a ride. It's actually difficult to believe that Lynn Hutchinson Lee managed to weave together so many elements and themes in so few pages, but here we are and it worked really well!
Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is a love story, an environmental story, a story about racism but also about solidarity, and about the impact of gold mining. It's rather brilliant to have Orchid, a Romany protagonist, an ethnicity which people would suspect of being thieves, in parallel to a rich, white family, extracting gold and poisoning the orchid fens at the same time (stealing both gold and natural beauty - like for realsies, we know who the real thieves are in this world and they're already rich and they never get punished), not to mention committing other crimes, like trying to union bust, wage theft, etc, etc (the rest would be more spoilery).
The racism part might not seem subtle enough or too direct, but since I come from Romania, infamously a very racist country with a large population of Romany people, I can say that I found it subdued here (it's much worse back 'home').
I loved the poetic writing and how the fens felt palpable to me after a few pages, like I was there. And it felt heartbreaking when this wild, incredibly ALIVE place started to be affected by the mine. It's rage-inducing that as humans we would literally invent so much value for a fucking metal, while not appreciating the organic beauty around us. And yet...
The speculative elements were super great as well, with the dead girls, water girls, panni raklies, the girls who died in the area and haunt the fens. It's another subtle parallel between the Romany and Indigenous people drawn and echoed in the beautiful friendship between Orchid and Rose, an Indigenous woman, a friendship that made my eyes watery. And somehow, with so few pages, Hutchinson Lee creates a whole community of people who feel alive and who respond in very realistic ways to the changes in their environment. So many relationships and groups, from the mine workers, including Orchid's partner, Jack, to the women that Orchid interacts with (a lot of them, symbolically named after flowers). The specificity of it all is staggering.
Many thanks to the publisher, Stelliform Press, for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is a love story, an environmental story, a story about racism but also about solidarity, and about the impact of gold mining. It's rather brilliant to have Orchid, a Romany protagonist, an ethnicity which people would suspect of being thieves, in parallel to a rich, white family, extracting gold and poisoning the orchid fens at the same time (stealing both gold and natural beauty - like for realsies, we know who the real thieves are in this world and they're already rich and they never get punished), not to mention committing other crimes, like trying to union bust, wage theft, etc, etc (the rest would be more spoilery).
The racism part might not seem subtle enough or too direct, but since I come from Romania, infamously a very racist country with a large population of Romany people, I can say that I found it subdued here (it's much worse back 'home').
I loved the poetic writing and how the fens felt palpable to me after a few pages, like I was there. And it felt heartbreaking when this wild, incredibly ALIVE place started to be affected by the mine. It's rage-inducing that as humans we would literally invent so much value for a fucking metal, while not appreciating the organic beauty around us. And yet...
The speculative elements were super great as well, with the dead girls, water girls, panni raklies, the girls who died in the area and haunt the fens. It's another subtle parallel between the Romany and Indigenous people drawn and echoed in the beautiful friendship between Orchid and Rose, an Indigenous woman, a friendship that made my eyes watery. And somehow, with so few pages, Hutchinson Lee creates a whole community of people who feel alive and who respond in very realistic ways to the changes in their environment. So many relationships and groups, from the mine workers, including Orchid's partner, Jack, to the women that Orchid interacts with (a lot of them, symbolically named after flowers). The specificity of it all is staggering.
Many thanks to the publisher, Stelliform Press, for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2025
The smell of that dead water. The ruination. Only a criminal would do this to a river. What if, as a punishment, you had to carry the smell of your crimes in your body? On your breath, your skin, your hair?
There are powers beyond powers that will settle the score, that will ensure those who commit outrage are punished. This novel details the biology of orchids, Orchid and her Mam who hide in plain sight, the panni raklies [water spirits?] who work toward revenge on the men who have murdered them with hands or fire. The panni raklies live in the fen with native orchids and speak to woman, Orchid, advise and ensure this place survives the depravations of men, will thrive in life and beauty. Orchid will suffer to serve them.
I have to say I was surprised by how much I loved this surreal novella. It is not strictly climate fiction, but a powerful magical realist story from the point of view of a young Romany woman. Her mother has hidden herself and this daughter, made them invisible in Carmineville because the bigotry they face as Roma makes this necessary. They are not safe, but then, like the First Nations and Polish people of their community, no one is safe in a world controlled by men determined to profit while others pay and pay and pay.
I thank Stelliform for giving me access to Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens in exchange for my honest opinion. It is a delight.
March 20, 2025
Where in a woman's body does shame the squatter reside?
Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is a tale of love, hurt and ecological revenge.
The future is a refuge hiding. Each being is a cell of the fen-body.
Fragmentary: dreamlike, thrown beyond itself. Featuring (fragmentary) fictive academic bibliography: a technique my geek heart beats for wherever I find it, that makes me salivate, that makes me want to chew through the paper and grow the words out on my skin in inky mycelia.
Lynn Hutchinson Lee seems to have been mostly writing short stories so far and Orchids shows a kind of sensibility towards the craft that is (more commonly, better) suited to shorter fiction: economical, masterly emotional, punchy, if a bit vague. Beautifully tactile: The clouds are like the teeth of a zipper fastened over a wound.
{Advanced reader's copy, provided by Stelliform Press and NetGalley.}
March 30, 2025
"The fen belongs to itself. Like us, it protects its own. It is a force like no other. It has no mercy."
Have you ever had this experience of waking up from a dream, where you remember you sort of remember its ghostly outlines, but not enough to grasp what it was fully about? Maybe you remember it was a pleasant dream, or maybe there was something ominous about it, yet when you try to return to that memory, it’s just out of reach. That feeling is very close to what I felt after finishing Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens.
The story follows a young Romany woman’s life in a seemingly idyllic mining town that hides its secrets just below the surface. Orchid finds solace in a lush orchid fen where she doesn’t fear the villager’s judgement. Here, she meets not only her future husband Jack, but a group of “panni raklies”; the spirits of dead girls that haunt the waters in which they were murdered. Through them, Orchid learns they history of the town; one filled with violence inflicted upon the girls and the lands alike, in pursuit of profit. As her own desire for revenge intwines with that of the panni raklies, it becomes clear that all roads will lead to eventual blood in the waters...
Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is told in lush prose and extremely short chapters, often not even a full page long. It adds to the distinct and ephemeral atmosphere I described at the start of my review, but it can also keep the reader from fully connecting to the story as a result. When you have imagery and language this slippery, it becomes hard for the story to stick, and I fear the novel will lose some readers here, regardless whether that was intentional or not.
For me personally, there were many elements to the book that I loved. Part folklore, part eco-fiction, coming-of-age with a ghostly touch, and all told through almost poetic prose: that’s basically a listing of my readers-catnip. Yet the intangibility of some of the images, the short chapters and the lack of character development in our protagonists kept me at a distance. The story never stuck with me, and whenever I put it down, I felt a little lost trying to pick it back up again.
I adore Stelliform Press and love how they publish eco-fiction that’s just a little outside the mainstream. I have yet to have a full miss with them. Yet with Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens, I can’t help but feel like I wanted to love this more than the sum of its parts, and I didn’t.
If dreamlike fiction with an ominous tone is your vibe, I recommend checking out this novel, or any of the previous works by Stelliform Press for that matter. I’m a big fan in general.
Many thanks to Stelliform Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Have you ever had this experience of waking up from a dream, where you remember you sort of remember its ghostly outlines, but not enough to grasp what it was fully about? Maybe you remember it was a pleasant dream, or maybe there was something ominous about it, yet when you try to return to that memory, it’s just out of reach. That feeling is very close to what I felt after finishing Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens.
The story follows a young Romany woman’s life in a seemingly idyllic mining town that hides its secrets just below the surface. Orchid finds solace in a lush orchid fen where she doesn’t fear the villager’s judgement. Here, she meets not only her future husband Jack, but a group of “panni raklies”; the spirits of dead girls that haunt the waters in which they were murdered. Through them, Orchid learns they history of the town; one filled with violence inflicted upon the girls and the lands alike, in pursuit of profit. As her own desire for revenge intwines with that of the panni raklies, it becomes clear that all roads will lead to eventual blood in the waters...
Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is told in lush prose and extremely short chapters, often not even a full page long. It adds to the distinct and ephemeral atmosphere I described at the start of my review, but it can also keep the reader from fully connecting to the story as a result. When you have imagery and language this slippery, it becomes hard for the story to stick, and I fear the novel will lose some readers here, regardless whether that was intentional or not.
For me personally, there were many elements to the book that I loved. Part folklore, part eco-fiction, coming-of-age with a ghostly touch, and all told through almost poetic prose: that’s basically a listing of my readers-catnip. Yet the intangibility of some of the images, the short chapters and the lack of character development in our protagonists kept me at a distance. The story never stuck with me, and whenever I put it down, I felt a little lost trying to pick it back up again.
I adore Stelliform Press and love how they publish eco-fiction that’s just a little outside the mainstream. I have yet to have a full miss with them. Yet with Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens, I can’t help but feel like I wanted to love this more than the sum of its parts, and I didn’t.
If dreamlike fiction with an ominous tone is your vibe, I recommend checking out this novel, or any of the previous works by Stelliform Press for that matter. I’m a big fan in general.
Many thanks to Stelliform Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 16, 2025
* Thank you to Selliform Press and Lynn Hutchinson Lee for this arc. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. *
I’ve been struggling putting together my thoughts on this book - partly because its beautiful and written in such a dreamy way, but also because the slow pace and dreamy prose had me settle into such a relaxed state I kept feeling like I needed to take a nap.
Reading Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is like going through someone’s dream journal, and I felt like I was somewhere else entirely while reading the story. It was a reading experience like any other I’ve ever had - however, I frequently felt like reading it took me too far away and it made it hard to read for too long at a time. The incredibly short chapters made it easy to pick up and put down, but could also make it hard to fully get into.
I loved learning more about romany folklore, the eerie and ecological touches were beautifully written, and I wanted to fall more in love with the story than I was able to due to how little you get to truly know the characters.
However, anyone who loves short stories would surely find a lot of joy reading what felt like an extended short story divided up into over a 100 mini chapters.
I’ve been struggling putting together my thoughts on this book - partly because its beautiful and written in such a dreamy way, but also because the slow pace and dreamy prose had me settle into such a relaxed state I kept feeling like I needed to take a nap.
Reading Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens is like going through someone’s dream journal, and I felt like I was somewhere else entirely while reading the story. It was a reading experience like any other I’ve ever had - however, I frequently felt like reading it took me too far away and it made it hard to read for too long at a time. The incredibly short chapters made it easy to pick up and put down, but could also make it hard to fully get into.
I loved learning more about romany folklore, the eerie and ecological touches were beautifully written, and I wanted to fall more in love with the story than I was able to due to how little you get to truly know the characters.
However, anyone who loves short stories would surely find a lot of joy reading what felt like an extended short story divided up into over a 100 mini chapters.
April 27, 2025
Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens takes folklore and wraps it in horror and complex family dynamics, while also extrapolating the everyday horror that's unleashed on women. There is small town drama, the few rich families that dictate livelihood of many townsfolk and the root for gossip, scandal and, well, stories.
Orchid, the protagonist of this novella, is named after the flower and herself being a caretaker of plants in an estate. Her thoughts meander everywhere - her sick mother at home, the contentment between plants and flowers and the events surrounding her town. Her Romany heritage comes up and drives the folklore of water spirits (of dead girls) that she is able to communicate with. Lee methodically elevates the storytelling by dismantling stereotypes surrounding the culture all the while telling a compelling story.
Personally, I feel this novella has accomplished what it set out to do - lyrical, mystical, horror and still manages to tell a good story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Stelliform Press for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
Orchid, the protagonist of this novella, is named after the flower and herself being a caretaker of plants in an estate. Her thoughts meander everywhere - her sick mother at home, the contentment between plants and flowers and the events surrounding her town. Her Romany heritage comes up and drives the folklore of water spirits (of dead girls) that she is able to communicate with. Lee methodically elevates the storytelling by dismantling stereotypes surrounding the culture all the while telling a compelling story.
Personally, I feel this novella has accomplished what it set out to do - lyrical, mystical, horror and still manages to tell a good story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Stelliform Press for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2025
I received this arc from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
This Canadian novel is a sombre and intense deep dive into corporate greed, using folklore as vengeance and a way to fight back.
I read this book in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. It seems on the large side for a novella, but the chapters are quite short and often end with a few lines on a page, so it flows faster than you expect. It’s also riveting.
It deals with several important themes, such as the lies corporations tell communities to be allowed to mine, diaspora, generational trauma, resistance, violence towards women, and racism. The way the latter is shown is as well-done as it is heartbreaking and sad. It pains me to think people are treated this way in my country, but I know it does happen.
Though these themes are very prevalent, the story is also one of love. Orchid finds her match in a young man who shares her love of nature, and one of the nice things about the novel is that it went against what I kind of thought might happen (given the presence of the Panni ralkies - water-bound ghosts of women murdered by men), he doesn’t end up turning into an abusive jerk and it becomes a story of domestic abuse. In fact, their story is one of mistakes and hardship and growing stronger despite adversity. It’s romantic, in that sense, and tragic.
The book is poetic and dreamlike at times, with chapters that flow into and out of one another in a way that reminds you of water, another theme of the book. The descriptions of not only the fen but also small details of Orchid’s life are intricate. And there’s so much going on in this small little novel. We have the folklore aspect, Orchid’s personal story, and then the broader story of the town besieged by a mining corporation that treats its workers and the environment with contempt. These three things are intricately woven together.
Orchid’s personality is understandable from the get-go, and while this is less a character-driven story than a sort of ethereal dream, she is likable. The other three major characters, Jack, Orchid’s mom, and Rose, are also well-defined.
My only critique is that there is one thing Orchid does later in the book, which was important plotwise, but I didn’t fully understand why it happened. It seemed out of character, but perhaps I just didn’t get her motives at that time.
Overall, a wondrous, powerhouse of a novella that is as rich in its prose and purpose as it is beautiful.
This Canadian novel is a sombre and intense deep dive into corporate greed, using folklore as vengeance and a way to fight back.
I read this book in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. It seems on the large side for a novella, but the chapters are quite short and often end with a few lines on a page, so it flows faster than you expect. It’s also riveting.
It deals with several important themes, such as the lies corporations tell communities to be allowed to mine, diaspora, generational trauma, resistance, violence towards women, and racism. The way the latter is shown is as well-done as it is heartbreaking and sad. It pains me to think people are treated this way in my country, but I know it does happen.
Though these themes are very prevalent, the story is also one of love. Orchid finds her match in a young man who shares her love of nature, and one of the nice things about the novel is that it went against what I kind of thought might happen (given the presence of the Panni ralkies - water-bound ghosts of women murdered by men), he doesn’t end up turning into an abusive jerk and it becomes a story of domestic abuse. In fact, their story is one of mistakes and hardship and growing stronger despite adversity. It’s romantic, in that sense, and tragic.
The book is poetic and dreamlike at times, with chapters that flow into and out of one another in a way that reminds you of water, another theme of the book. The descriptions of not only the fen but also small details of Orchid’s life are intricate. And there’s so much going on in this small little novel. We have the folklore aspect, Orchid’s personal story, and then the broader story of the town besieged by a mining corporation that treats its workers and the environment with contempt. These three things are intricately woven together.
Orchid’s personality is understandable from the get-go, and while this is less a character-driven story than a sort of ethereal dream, she is likable. The other three major characters, Jack, Orchid’s mom, and Rose, are also well-defined.
My only critique is that there is one thing Orchid does later in the book, which was important plotwise, but I didn’t fully understand why it happened. It seemed out of character, but perhaps I just didn’t get her motives at that time.
Overall, a wondrous, powerhouse of a novella that is as rich in its prose and purpose as it is beautiful.
March 18, 2025
This was really lovely!
The prose was beautiful, very dreamlike. I’m noticing a lot of “nothing can ever be the same again” in books that I’ve been reading recently, and this is very much part of this novella. I find it somewhat comforting that I am not alone in grappling with this concept.
The relationships in this were incredible as well, particularly between Orchid and her mother, as well as Orchid and Jack. Orchid and her mother particularly got me; I think that’s just what being close to your mom is like sometimes. It was well-paced, just as long as it needed to be. I would love to read more from this author and publisher!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
The prose was beautiful, very dreamlike. I’m noticing a lot of “nothing can ever be the same again” in books that I’ve been reading recently, and this is very much part of this novella. I find it somewhat comforting that I am not alone in grappling with this concept.
The relationships in this were incredible as well, particularly between Orchid and her mother, as well as Orchid and Jack. Orchid and her mother particularly got me; I think that’s just what being close to your mom is like sometimes. It was well-paced, just as long as it needed to be. I would love to read more from this author and publisher!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
April 25, 2025
the concept of the writing really stood out to me—simple yet thoughtful. also, we love short chapters, always a win. the message was clear and well conveyed without trying too hard.
it’s not a heavy or super complex read, but definitely something i’d recommend if you’re in the mood for something short, poetic, and a little reflective.
thank you for BookSiren for providing the eArc in return of an honest review
it’s not a heavy or super complex read, but definitely something i’d recommend if you’re in the mood for something short, poetic, and a little reflective.
thank you for BookSiren for providing the eArc in return of an honest review
February 23, 2025
A little dreamy. At parts I didn’t know what was going on then the narrative thread picked up again. Sure Lee writes beautifully, but I sometimes think beauty can overshadow plot. This story sometime suffered from that.
I received this ARC from Book Sirens.
I received this ARC from Book Sirens.
March 29, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Hutchinson Lee, and Stelliform Press for giving me a copy of this book.
Content Warnings: Death, Murder, Self-Harm, Minor Gore, and Racism.
"Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens" by Lynn Hutchinson Lee is now a new favorite book in my library. The story is about a Romany woman named Orchid, who lives with her overly critical mother in a small, Canadian town called Carminetown. Orchid falls in love with Jack, one of the men who works in the local goldmines, and marries him surrounded by nature. That's the thing with the two of them; they fell in love over orchids and the orchid fen. It is their special place. It is where their hearts join.
The fen and nearby river are also haunted by a group of woman and girls who have been murdered over the history of the town. They are driven by revenge, ghosts of those who were wronged. They call to Orchid, begging her to help them. Begging her to end their plight.
"Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens" is told through a series of short chapters. Some of these chapters are text messages, poems, information on fens and orchids, or in normal prose, giving the overall narrative a sort of dreamy feel. Some chapters are disconnected, more thoughts than substance, but that's part of the feeling, the emotion of the overall piece. In exploring the thoughts of the main character, Orchid, as well as her connection with the women in Carminetown, her beloved Jack, her mother, and the Earth itself, Lynn Hutchinson Lee crafts a thoughtful, powerful, and enchanted narrative about the strength of community, love, and trust.
I sincerely loved this novel. I wish it could be longer, however; I will note that the ending is a bit abrupt considering the pace of the rest of the novella. Many of the names in the book were similar to other names as well, making it a bit difficult for me to keep track of the numerous characters.
Overall, I would highly recommend this novella to anyone looking for a solid, if not short, read.
Content Warnings: Death, Murder, Self-Harm, Minor Gore, and Racism.
"Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens" by Lynn Hutchinson Lee is now a new favorite book in my library. The story is about a Romany woman named Orchid, who lives with her overly critical mother in a small, Canadian town called Carminetown. Orchid falls in love with Jack, one of the men who works in the local goldmines, and marries him surrounded by nature. That's the thing with the two of them; they fell in love over orchids and the orchid fen. It is their special place. It is where their hearts join.
The fen and nearby river are also haunted by a group of woman and girls who have been murdered over the history of the town. They are driven by revenge, ghosts of those who were wronged. They call to Orchid, begging her to help them. Begging her to end their plight.
"Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens" is told through a series of short chapters. Some of these chapters are text messages, poems, information on fens and orchids, or in normal prose, giving the overall narrative a sort of dreamy feel. Some chapters are disconnected, more thoughts than substance, but that's part of the feeling, the emotion of the overall piece. In exploring the thoughts of the main character, Orchid, as well as her connection with the women in Carminetown, her beloved Jack, her mother, and the Earth itself, Lynn Hutchinson Lee crafts a thoughtful, powerful, and enchanted narrative about the strength of community, love, and trust.
I sincerely loved this novel. I wish it could be longer, however; I will note that the ending is a bit abrupt considering the pace of the rest of the novella. Many of the names in the book were similar to other names as well, making it a bit difficult for me to keep track of the numerous characters.
Overall, I would highly recommend this novella to anyone looking for a solid, if not short, read.
April 1, 2025
Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC from netgalley.
This novella explores the life of a young Romani woman surviving in an oppressive town, where she knows she has to keep her identity secret or else face ostracization and violence. The town is run by a mining operation and the narrative examines the forced invisibility of the Romani woman, as well as the ecological destruction and the violent strike breaks and unsafe labor conditions. Orchid also knows how to care for the plants that she is named after and the novel spends a significant time examining the nature that surrounds this mining town, rich in biodiversity and panni raklies (ghosts of murdered women).
One of the strongest points of this novella is its gorgeous writing style, lush and rich and full of descriptors that made it easy to picture the nature and feel the terror of its destruction vividly. It also felt a bit dreamlike, which added to the supernatural aspect of the story for me. The story dives deep into Orchid’s mental state, her fears and worries and rage, which was also beautiful. I also enjoyed the relationships she had with other people, especially the one with her mother and the one with her husband Jack.
Due to the narrative choice of telling this story in many, very short chapters, as well as the very descriptive prose the plot sometimes feels a bit barebones, which is the only reason this novella doesn’t get five stars from me. However, I still enjoyed reading it a lot and if you enjoy magical realism with a focus on ecological themes, you should check this novella out.
TW: animal attack, anti-romani racism, cancer, car crash, classism, death, forced sterilization, murder, racism, violence
This novella explores the life of a young Romani woman surviving in an oppressive town, where she knows she has to keep her identity secret or else face ostracization and violence. The town is run by a mining operation and the narrative examines the forced invisibility of the Romani woman, as well as the ecological destruction and the violent strike breaks and unsafe labor conditions. Orchid also knows how to care for the plants that she is named after and the novel spends a significant time examining the nature that surrounds this mining town, rich in biodiversity and panni raklies (ghosts of murdered women).
One of the strongest points of this novella is its gorgeous writing style, lush and rich and full of descriptors that made it easy to picture the nature and feel the terror of its destruction vividly. It also felt a bit dreamlike, which added to the supernatural aspect of the story for me. The story dives deep into Orchid’s mental state, her fears and worries and rage, which was also beautiful. I also enjoyed the relationships she had with other people, especially the one with her mother and the one with her husband Jack.
Due to the narrative choice of telling this story in many, very short chapters, as well as the very descriptive prose the plot sometimes feels a bit barebones, which is the only reason this novella doesn’t get five stars from me. However, I still enjoyed reading it a lot and if you enjoy magical realism with a focus on ecological themes, you should check this novella out.
TW: animal attack, anti-romani racism, cancer, car crash, classism, death, forced sterilization, murder, racism, violence
May 14, 2025
Orchid is a young Romany woman who prefers plants to other people... until she meets the eventual love of her life, Jack. Sharing an obsession with the local fen, the two are married deep in their beloved wilderness against all objections from friends and family. The blissful marriage and life they envision together begins to crumble as Orchid becomes increasingly entangled with the panni raklies--spirits of the murdered girls and women of her hometown whose bodies are dumped into the nearby acidic creek, which has been poisoned by a greedy man's gold mine.
Origins of Desire is delightful in its lush, poetic writing, which is broken into tiny chapters, revealing themes and characters and storylines bit by bit. Themes of racism and identity, environmental issues, and corporatism are all woven together to create a complex, melancholic novella
I really loved learning about Romany folklore; I feel I don't see this culture depicted honestly or accurately enough in most fiction, so I appreciate Lee's representation. I also enjoyed the blending of botany with all the dreamlike horror elements.
Thank you to Stelliform Press, NetGalley, and the author Lynn Hutchinson Lee for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Origins of Desire is delightful in its lush, poetic writing, which is broken into tiny chapters, revealing themes and characters and storylines bit by bit. Themes of racism and identity, environmental issues, and corporatism are all woven together to create a complex, melancholic novella
I really loved learning about Romany folklore; I feel I don't see this culture depicted honestly or accurately enough in most fiction, so I appreciate Lee's representation. I also enjoyed the blending of botany with all the dreamlike horror elements.
Thank you to Stelliform Press, NetGalley, and the author Lynn Hutchinson Lee for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2025
I was taken very quickly by the unique style of writing in these pages. This experience had me feeling like I was bouncing from literal to metaphorical terms which was enchanting. Having all mini chapters were wonderful and allowed me to feel like I read faster and could pause with a full thought being finished. Bringing to life the struggles and deep rooted emotions within the town. There is so much warning and insight that the details brought flow and description that blurred and yet was investigative. A secret amongst women that men shall not know yet when Jack is seeing and hearing the lost gone too soon souls by the hands of others; Orchid is caught in the unbelievable. What happens at the Orchid Fen and Nurses Creek is undeniable. Between reality of stories she was told and warned of, being honest with the only man she knows experiences this she finds herself in love with him. This book has creepy elements woven with beautiful writing. Although this was not as I believed it to be or what I personally enjoy; I honor, I respect and I applaud this author for their unique and beautiful way of writing. For that I am humbly grateful to have experienced this book.
Thank you BookSirens for this ARC. ✨️📚✨️
Thank you BookSirens for this ARC. ✨️📚✨️
March 16, 2025
I love orchids, so that title and synopsis by Lee combined with the incredible cover art by Jay Rasgorshek had me in a chokehold.
This is a darkly dreamy and atmospheric story. Short chapters, sometimes oddly styled prose, but totally enthralling. I felt like I was in the warm and muddy marsh waters at times and could picture myself as a bystander in many scenes.
I would’ve liked a tale more grounded in reality and less surreal, though, it was a beautiful read. The horror elements were more subtle, in varied creeping forms, so read this tale for all its elements, not just for fear inducing moments.
“In the fen there’s light. There’s life. Whirring air, shifting islets, motes of morning light on transparent wings, a haze of green things unfurling and opening to the sun. I’d rather be at the fen, that place where the laws are true, real, embedded in the underground networks humming from root to root.”
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Stelliform Press for a copy.
This is a darkly dreamy and atmospheric story. Short chapters, sometimes oddly styled prose, but totally enthralling. I felt like I was in the warm and muddy marsh waters at times and could picture myself as a bystander in many scenes.
I would’ve liked a tale more grounded in reality and less surreal, though, it was a beautiful read. The horror elements were more subtle, in varied creeping forms, so read this tale for all its elements, not just for fear inducing moments.
“In the fen there’s light. There’s life. Whirring air, shifting islets, motes of morning light on transparent wings, a haze of green things unfurling and opening to the sun. I’d rather be at the fen, that place where the laws are true, real, embedded in the underground networks humming from root to root.”
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Stelliform Press for a copy.
March 25, 2025
Thank you BookSirens and Stelliform Press for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Beautifully written to encourage women and showcase the effects of human-driven environmental change on communities. The story is told through short increments and many chapters by an intriguing protagonist. The book even featured a culture I was unfamiliar with, and I grew to love it immediately. Honestly, I would love to see a film adaptation of this story because it features strong characters navigating real-life situations.
However, I couldn’t help but not find the horror within the story. To me, one of the water spirits having a phone veiled the eeriness they were supposed to uphold. Because there was no horror element is why I am not giving this 5 stars. Their physical appearances and environment did provide enough detail to enjoy them whenever they appeared.
Beautifully written to encourage women and showcase the effects of human-driven environmental change on communities. The story is told through short increments and many chapters by an intriguing protagonist. The book even featured a culture I was unfamiliar with, and I grew to love it immediately. Honestly, I would love to see a film adaptation of this story because it features strong characters navigating real-life situations.
However, I couldn’t help but not find the horror within the story. To me, one of the water spirits having a phone veiled the eeriness they were supposed to uphold. Because there was no horror element is why I am not giving this 5 stars. Their physical appearances and environment did provide enough detail to enjoy them whenever they appeared.
April 29, 2025
i honestly feel like i shouldn't be allowed to review this book. so much of what is done here went over my head, and i feel as if i need months to process everything. maybe even a reread would be needed for me to fully grasp what is happening here and what is being said. from what i can say right now, i can say that this book reads quickly and fairly easily. a lot of the story can be gleaned from what is read, but there is still quite a bit you have to put together yourself, which is why i would say i would need a lot of time with this book specifically. overall, i liked the book, but i feel that so much escaped me trying to read it by a deadline that i cannot give a proper review.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 7, 2025
"The fen belongs to itself. Like us, it protects its own. It is a force like no other. It has no mercy."
This is a gripping tale of a small community fighting against the corruption of a ruthless mining company and the brutality they inflict on the town's citizens. The story unfolds through the eyes of Orchid, a Romany woman navigating a complex relationship with her mother, the injustices faced by her people, and her involvement with the panni raklies' quest for revenge.
Told in haunting, bittersweet chapters, this story hooked me far more than I initially expected, though I did struggle to follow it at times. The writing is stunning and deeply atmospheric.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
This is a gripping tale of a small community fighting against the corruption of a ruthless mining company and the brutality they inflict on the town's citizens. The story unfolds through the eyes of Orchid, a Romany woman navigating a complex relationship with her mother, the injustices faced by her people, and her involvement with the panni raklies' quest for revenge.
Told in haunting, bittersweet chapters, this story hooked me far more than I initially expected, though I did struggle to follow it at times. The writing is stunning and deeply atmospheric.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
March 7, 2025
This started out really strong and I had such high hopes for a super eerie and unsettling horror read.
What I got fell flat in the horror department, it was certainly unsettling but I really wish that I was given more in the action horror sense.
I found myself extremely confused a lot of the time at what was going, I don’t know if this was intended but at the end of the book I really couldn’t even tell you what happened, I’m so confused.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this early.
What I got fell flat in the horror department, it was certainly unsettling but I really wish that I was given more in the action horror sense.
I found myself extremely confused a lot of the time at what was going, I don’t know if this was intended but at the end of the book I really couldn’t even tell you what happened, I’m so confused.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this early.
April 6, 2025
Yeah I really didn’t like this book, although I finished it, I just didn’t really understand what was happening but in some parts I did so it was just really confusing. I think it was just the authors writing style and I just didn’t connect with the characters.
I received a free ARC copy of this book and I’m leaving this review voluntarily
I received a free ARC copy of this book and I’m leaving this review voluntarily
March 25, 2025
Thanks, Netgalley, for the e-ARC.
The prose in this story is dark, lyrical, and seductive. I loved it. I loved the danger that lurked in every corner, the panni raklies and their vengeance from beyond the grave, Orchid's deep connection to the fen. I'm excited for what this author will go on to write.
The prose in this story is dark, lyrical, and seductive. I loved it. I loved the danger that lurked in every corner, the panni raklies and their vengeance from beyond the grave, Orchid's deep connection to the fen. I'm excited for what this author will go on to write.
April 14, 2025
Publishing date: 22.04.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Stelliform Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR: A flowery book with central themes of climate and complex relationships. Confusing, but sublime atmosphere. 4 stars
Orchid and her mother have lived for a vile in the little mining town. She and her mother carry a secret they are set to guard, but so does the town. Soon enough tensions rise between the inhabitants and the miners, affecting Orchid and her family severely.
This might be one of the strangest books I have read so far this year. The writing is a little disjointed and can feel like it jumps a lot. But it had a story it tried to follow and I was a happy passenger on that journey. Talking much about the events at all will spoil the book and it really is something you should experience if you are interested. But be aware that the story can feel a little messy and confusing.
Characters were both the most wonderful people I have read and the most horrible. They all had likeable and dislikeable aspects and made them feel all the more real. Including the main character ...
Pacing wise ... Messy. Some of the chapters are really short and very start-stop. Some of the longer chapters also have abrupt endings and subplots that just end. Or they are forgotten for a long while and picked up again much later. It reads a little messily and can leave you confused of when you are.
However, something this book does really well is atmosphere and putting you in the book. I was constantly visualising the surroundings in my head. Heard the water, smelt the orchids, wandered the streets of the town, sat in the dim rooms of the different buildings and houses, smelt the swamp, it was stunning to be transported so easily into an entirely different world. This book is a masterclass in vivid descriptions that don't drag on too long.
A little downr is the fact this was marked as horror but didn't feel like it. It felt more like surrealism to me, or an uncanny read. Not scary, just hopeless. That might just be me.
Intended audience for the book is definitely adult. It has a lot of heavy adult themes and events that aren't suitable for younger audiences. Adults that enjoy a slow, whimsical, but despair filled book will like this.
I am giving this 4 stars. Beautiful writing, stunning atmosphere, just the kind of swamp book I usually enjoy, and has lots of heavy themes that make me feel that certain way. Highly recommend it to my fellow weirdos.
Thank you to NetGalley and Stelliform Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR: A flowery book with central themes of climate and complex relationships. Confusing, but sublime atmosphere. 4 stars
Orchid and her mother have lived for a vile in the little mining town. She and her mother carry a secret they are set to guard, but so does the town. Soon enough tensions rise between the inhabitants and the miners, affecting Orchid and her family severely.
This might be one of the strangest books I have read so far this year. The writing is a little disjointed and can feel like it jumps a lot. But it had a story it tried to follow and I was a happy passenger on that journey. Talking much about the events at all will spoil the book and it really is something you should experience if you are interested. But be aware that the story can feel a little messy and confusing.
Characters were both the most wonderful people I have read and the most horrible. They all had likeable and dislikeable aspects and made them feel all the more real. Including the main character ...
Pacing wise ... Messy. Some of the chapters are really short and very start-stop. Some of the longer chapters also have abrupt endings and subplots that just end. Or they are forgotten for a long while and picked up again much later. It reads a little messily and can leave you confused of when you are.
However, something this book does really well is atmosphere and putting you in the book. I was constantly visualising the surroundings in my head. Heard the water, smelt the orchids, wandered the streets of the town, sat in the dim rooms of the different buildings and houses, smelt the swamp, it was stunning to be transported so easily into an entirely different world. This book is a masterclass in vivid descriptions that don't drag on too long.
A little downr is the fact this was marked as horror but didn't feel like it. It felt more like surrealism to me, or an uncanny read. Not scary, just hopeless. That might just be me.
Intended audience for the book is definitely adult. It has a lot of heavy adult themes and events that aren't suitable for younger audiences. Adults that enjoy a slow, whimsical, but despair filled book will like this.
I am giving this 4 stars. Beautiful writing, stunning atmosphere, just the kind of swamp book I usually enjoy, and has lots of heavy themes that make me feel that certain way. Highly recommend it to my fellow weirdos.
May 25, 2025
An ecological horror of violence, violation and vengeance and yet filled with such stunning, lyrical and gorgeous beauty, this novella is hard to pin down if you’re trying to find a genre. There is horror, grief, ghosts, loss of loved ones and loss of the natural world.
I live in British Columbia, and the horror of the Mount Polley Mine disaster is still fresh, and the ongoing epidemic here of missing and murdered women never fades – and honestly maybe that’s why the horror hits hard for me? Yet the story also abounds with a graceful underlying supernatural presence, brimming with ephemeral and dreamy characters as the spirits of murdered women gather in an ecologically destroyed Ontarian river caused by the greed of corporate mining (aka r*p*) of the natural world as they plan and plot vengeance.
This is not your average horror. It's beautiful and disturbing and I want more of this author. I loved the fragmentary chapters, told like musings of memories with the lushness and odour of death, decay and rebirth… I want more of this story and this town and these characters. I want this in a graphic novel. I want this in a perfume…
Clearly, the spell of Orchid Fens is powerful…
I live in British Columbia, and the horror of the Mount Polley Mine disaster is still fresh, and the ongoing epidemic here of missing and murdered women never fades – and honestly maybe that’s why the horror hits hard for me? Yet the story also abounds with a graceful underlying supernatural presence, brimming with ephemeral and dreamy characters as the spirits of murdered women gather in an ecologically destroyed Ontarian river caused by the greed of corporate mining (aka r*p*) of the natural world as they plan and plot vengeance.
“The elemental desire of these spirits — dead girls, water girls, the panni raklies — is to drown the men who betrayed or killed them.”
This is not your average horror. It's beautiful and disturbing and I want more of this author. I loved the fragmentary chapters, told like musings of memories with the lushness and odour of death, decay and rebirth… I want more of this story and this town and these characters. I want this in a graphic novel. I want this in a perfume…
Clearly, the spell of Orchid Fens is powerful…
June 2, 2025
"They're just ordinary girls."
"Ordinary, yes," says Irene. "But what ordinary girl wouldn't be dangerous, holding all them memories of her last breath?"
The dark, swamp-like atmosphere instantly sucked me in. What initially drew me to the story was its focus on the role women—and particularly the water spirits, the panni raklies—play in this town. Their haunting presence felt both unsettling and yet intriguing at the same time.
As the story progressed, certain moments took on a fever-dream quality, which, while sometimes hard to follow, ultimately added character to the narrative. However, the story often felt haunting and eerie rather than genuinely scary, and I craved a deeper dive into the darker, creepier aspects hinted at throughout.
The short chapters made the story move quickly, and I ended up reading it all in one sitting.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable and fast-paced read, perfect for fans of literary fiction with a hint of horror.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the e-arc!
"Ordinary, yes," says Irene. "But what ordinary girl wouldn't be dangerous, holding all them memories of her last breath?"
The dark, swamp-like atmosphere instantly sucked me in. What initially drew me to the story was its focus on the role women—and particularly the water spirits, the panni raklies—play in this town. Their haunting presence felt both unsettling and yet intriguing at the same time.
As the story progressed, certain moments took on a fever-dream quality, which, while sometimes hard to follow, ultimately added character to the narrative. However, the story often felt haunting and eerie rather than genuinely scary, and I craved a deeper dive into the darker, creepier aspects hinted at throughout.
The short chapters made the story move quickly, and I ended up reading it all in one sitting.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable and fast-paced read, perfect for fans of literary fiction with a hint of horror.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the e-arc!
July 21, 2025
A captivating story told through gorgeous prose
April 19, 2025
A little bit eco-horror, a little bit love story and a lot of payment due for crimes against women and nature make this a haunting novella. This debut hits many of the elements I enjoy in literary fiction: short chapters that each feel like a vignette filled with poetic prose, several thematic arcs, and a pace that gives me time to contemplate as I read.
Orchid Lovell lives with her mother in a northern Ontario mining enclave, where they’ve fled after being chased out of previous places due to their Romany heritage. Orchid finds solace in tending greenhouse orchids, but also in the orchid fen that borders one side of the town. Along the other side of the town runs Nurses Creek, home of the panni raklies, dead girls that haunt the waters (“Here they are before me, skin sliding off their bones, whooping, calling, tearing out from the river, swinging from the birch branches, dancing among the ferns.”). When Orchid meets Jack in the fen their love will flourish, then be challenged, and battle lines drawn.
The writing is beautiful. Here is the end of a poem that made me want to visit the fen: “Also (always) at the shore: a whispered history of the many beings of the fen as they hunt, feed, dig, hide, wait, love.”
Desire in this novel takes many forms. Orchid and Jack’s desire, the fecund desire of damselflies and orchids, the desire of flora to flourish… and the desire of the mining company to excavate gold. The orchid fen is a foil to the town’s mining operations; violence fights with beauty; greedy capitalism battles nature. Sacrifices to the dead will have to be made.
There is a feminist core to the novel, and a centering of the natural world. A circularity begins with beauty, detours to violence and results in nature and the feminine squaring accounts. "The dark of the mine with its claws in the earth, in the people. The mine batters the men, the men batter the women and children, and the dead take their revenge.”
It's a gorgeous novella, filled with beauty but dark enough to satisfy.
Thanks to Stelliform Press and BookSirens for a gifted copy for review.
Orchid Lovell lives with her mother in a northern Ontario mining enclave, where they’ve fled after being chased out of previous places due to their Romany heritage. Orchid finds solace in tending greenhouse orchids, but also in the orchid fen that borders one side of the town. Along the other side of the town runs Nurses Creek, home of the panni raklies, dead girls that haunt the waters (“Here they are before me, skin sliding off their bones, whooping, calling, tearing out from the river, swinging from the birch branches, dancing among the ferns.”). When Orchid meets Jack in the fen their love will flourish, then be challenged, and battle lines drawn.
The writing is beautiful. Here is the end of a poem that made me want to visit the fen: “Also (always) at the shore: a whispered history of the many beings of the fen as they hunt, feed, dig, hide, wait, love.”
Desire in this novel takes many forms. Orchid and Jack’s desire, the fecund desire of damselflies and orchids, the desire of flora to flourish… and the desire of the mining company to excavate gold. The orchid fen is a foil to the town’s mining operations; violence fights with beauty; greedy capitalism battles nature. Sacrifices to the dead will have to be made.
There is a feminist core to the novel, and a centering of the natural world. A circularity begins with beauty, detours to violence and results in nature and the feminine squaring accounts. "The dark of the mine with its claws in the earth, in the people. The mine batters the men, the men batter the women and children, and the dead take their revenge.”
It's a gorgeous novella, filled with beauty but dark enough to satisfy.
Thanks to Stelliform Press and BookSirens for a gifted copy for review.
May 29, 2025
I wanted to re-start my reviews with this book, because it mended something broken in me that I didn't know needed fixing. I'm not going to re-hash the plot for you, there are plenty of reviews that do that here. Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens (just say that aloud, will you, for the poetry of the words) has been dubbed eco-horror, and I think that's a brilliant description, but horror doesn't quite encompass the magic and fairy tale-like qualities of the story. The ecological disaster highlighted in the book are but one of many in our world; by focusing on the fictional Fen, a wondrous and otherworldly place that breathes with life and death, we find our way into human impact on the environment in a non-preachy way. I appreciated the intimate view of the Roma and their feelings of displacement, a subject I've not spent enough time with. I was swept up in the love story: complicated and deep, it resonated with hard truths about commitment and family. There are other hard truths: dead women feature prominently, and I appreciated their presence and power. But more than anything, I was carried away by the writing. I've encountered Hutchinson's prose before, read her short stories, and already knew she was masterful with speculative fiction. But this was something else. Not only could I not put it down, I re-read it immediately.
As a child, I would ask to be read a certain story a second time, and again the night after. I needed to embody the story, to be in the place I didn't want to leave, a world so wondrous and magical I felt like I'd looked through a microscope and there was the inside of my heart. I had this feeling again after reading this book. I often feel bereft at the way we are destroying the planet; this story shares some of my sadness. But it also offered me beauty, and hope, and a satisfying end, and I was so moved it made me want to share a review for the first time in years.
As a child, I would ask to be read a certain story a second time, and again the night after. I needed to embody the story, to be in the place I didn't want to leave, a world so wondrous and magical I felt like I'd looked through a microscope and there was the inside of my heart. I had this feeling again after reading this book. I often feel bereft at the way we are destroying the planet; this story shares some of my sadness. But it also offered me beauty, and hope, and a satisfying end, and I was so moved it made me want to share a review for the first time in years.
March 28, 2025
I find it hard to express my thoughts and feelings about this book. I walked away from the book with a feeling of bittersweet vindication. I've described the book as compulsive, meandering, ephemeral, and evocative, but it is also none of those things. Rather, it exists in some space between all of those where we drift between the harsh reality of a small mining town trying to fight an uncaring corporation and the main character, Orchid's, enchantment with the fen the corporaiton is trying to destroy and her husband, Jack, who is intimately connected to the fen literally and in her mythos of him.
The book follows Orchid, a young Romany woman, who lives in Carminetown, a mining town in Canada. In part because of her name, she has an affinity for orchids. In the fen, she meets Jack, a non-Romany man, falls in love, and marries him, against her mother's wishes. This summary does nothing to capture the spirit or atmosphere of the book which is where its power comes from. The reader is walking through Orchid's dreams and mightmares as she navigates a situation beyond her control, in a town that will only conditionally accept her, along with the normals up and downs of young love and early marriage.
This book is a feeling: a feeling of loss, of love, of survival, of despair, of heartbreak, of resurrection, of resentment, of anger. There is definitely a plot, but the importance of the plot only registers in terms of what matters to Orchid. And that deep investment in a singular character will leaves enduring marks on you, the reader.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book follows Orchid, a young Romany woman, who lives in Carminetown, a mining town in Canada. In part because of her name, she has an affinity for orchids. In the fen, she meets Jack, a non-Romany man, falls in love, and marries him, against her mother's wishes. This summary does nothing to capture the spirit or atmosphere of the book which is where its power comes from. The reader is walking through Orchid's dreams and mightmares as she navigates a situation beyond her control, in a town that will only conditionally accept her, along with the normals up and downs of young love and early marriage.
This book is a feeling: a feeling of loss, of love, of survival, of despair, of heartbreak, of resurrection, of resentment, of anger. There is definitely a plot, but the importance of the plot only registers in terms of what matters to Orchid. And that deep investment in a singular character will leaves enduring marks on you, the reader.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 4, 2025
I discovered Lynn Hutchinson Lee's writing in "Wagtail: The Roma Women's Poetry Anthology" (ERIAC), a book I discussed with the Roma Words, Roma Worlds Book Group at the New Providence Memorial Library. (Go to the library's website to learn more about the group. We love to get new members!) I'm looking forward to discussing "Origins" at our October 2025 meeting. Here's what I plan to put on the flyer: "Orchid Lovell learned the hard way never to tell anyone that she is Romany. She and her mother have finally found a home in the mining town of Carmine, and Orchid has found love with young miner Jack. It looks like Orchid might even find happiness, but first, the undead girls in the polluted creek have a job for her." I read "Origins" in half a day. It was an easy read, for all the language is beautiful, the short chapters passing as in a dream sequence. As the story progresses, the veil between dreams and waking life thins, even as Orchid deals with some brutal, all-too-real events. I'm tempted to call this ecological horror, but this book is too literary to be pinned to a genre; "It is a force like no other. It has no mercy." (p.194) Note: I LOVED the panni rakle, and I loved that they had "swamp phones." (See also Jessica Reidy's poem "my grandmother warned me of river spirits" in "Wagtail.")
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