This book had been lurking on my kindle for many months before I had a chance to read it. I am not the fastest of readers, nor do I ever have much time to read, but, this weekend, being very tired after starting a new job, I settled down with it and, within the first two pages, was hooked.
The style at the beginning reminded me of The Waltons or Little House on the Prairie, sweetly old-fashioned and full of home-spun wisdom, and I settled in for an enjoyable read in the past. However, it soon jumped to modern day and at first I was unhappy about that, wanting more from the past, however, the characters the author has created are so real and compelling, that I quickly forgave the time jump.
This book is listed as a book of faith, and that alarmed me a little. Not being overly religious myself, beyond the "why can't we all just be nice to one another and get along" mindset, I was afraid I might be preached at, and I was, but for the most part I didn't mind that. Almost like reading a book about another race or culture, Armor for Orchids, gives a fascinating glimpse into the lives of devout, practicing Christians, how they structure their days and motives around the Bible and the teachings of Jesus.
But please don't think that is all there is to this book, because there is more, so much more. An intriguing three strand love story, that dips seamlessly into the past and then back again, with a twist in the tale I did not see coming, but, once the secret was revealed, I could have done with a bit more about it, and, if there is one tiny criticism about the book, it is that the author doesn't explore her characters far enough. I wanted more of them, I needed to know what happened to these three women I'd invested a whole weekend in, and felt a little shortchanged at the abrupt ending and the loose threads left hanging. I don't know if the author is planning a sequel, I really hope so, to clear up the unresolved issues in the main characters lives.
The author's style of writing is smooth and flowing, especially Poppy's remembering of the past, and made for a very pleasant, easy going read. Nothing alarmed or shocked in the telling of this sweet and simple tale, and the book was exactly what I needed to escape from the pressures of life and relax. This book is the equivalent of a hot bath, or a cozy evening by the fire, and offers an escape, for a few hours at least, from the busy existence most of us have.
There is a great deal of religious and spiritual references, and I can see how that might annoy some readers, that sensation of being preached at, but, the book should be viewed for what it is, a story set in an alternative way of life that is clearly very important to the author. As such, the reader shouldn't take the preaching personally, in the same way that any book depicting a lifestyle you do not agree with or understand, should be taken personally. Just because something is different, it doesn't make it wrong.
Overall, I found Armor for Orchids a unique and fascinating read. The intimate stories of the four very different women, and the way the contrasting strands of their lives came together and merged into one, was clever and intriguing. Although there were male characters in the book, it was the women that were its strength, and the title and its concept - rather like the film, Steel Magnolias - says all you need to know about this book. When life becomes too hard to bear alone, it is the other women in her life that very often gives a woman the backbone to carry on. That, in the friendships of women, lie solidarity and strength.