The Seven Orchids

by Ian MacMillan

Fiction. A young woman tries to rebuild her life after moving away from Waikiki and the excesses of a self-destructive lifestyle with her drug-dealing boyfriend. She moves temporarily to her father's Molokai beach home, a ramshackle old house complete with an overgrown orchid hothouse and an ancient koa canoe. There she uncovers the remnants of a tragic love storywhich inspires a ragtag team of paddlers to take on the channel race and in so doing rebuild their lives. "I may never race a koa canoe from Molokai to Oahu, but if there's any writer in the world that can make me feel the blisters as though I alreadyhave, that writer is Ian MacMillan. This is also a novel of the deepest concern for the human condition, of the importance of love and dignity, a novel that strikes at the heart of why we keep at being alive"--Robert Barclay.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

IN ONE LINE: The Seven Orchids features a cast of female characters all dealing with inner turmoil who pull together in an old koa canoe - which itself carries a tragic past.

FAVORITE QUOTE: The large orange buoy was there, and sat there, seemingly at a fixed distance as she paddled. She knew they were narrowing the distance to it, but it felt as if the ball were also shrinking in size as they approached, or they were simply not moving. Her breathing now stung her throat, and her arms felt so weary that they felt as if they might drop off involuntarily, but she held to the stroke, and behind her everyone else held to theirs. pg 126

WHY 4 STARS: This was my second book by Ian MacMillan, and I loved it just as much as The Bone Hook . He has a talent for taking troubled but relate-able protagonists and putting them on the path to redemption via ancient Hawaiiana in a sensitive and non-kitschy way. I love the realism in his portrayal of Hawaii today (or at least a decade ago). I love his descriptions that bring long distance paddling to life - not Moana style romanticism but bloody seasick struggle. The only thing that held me back from giving it 5 stars was the underdevelopment of some of the characters. Several of the paddling girls have similar voices that are indistinguishable from each other. Overall, however, you want to cheer them on and kick their demons and doubts to the curb.

READ IF YOU:
- Want an authentic taste of Hawaii in the modern day
- Ever tried out an outrigger canoe or wondered what the Molokai/Oahu race would feel like
- Enjoy stories of redemption from the insecurities of self-induced fallout
- Anything else by Ian MacMillan

[Jenny Lyn Senter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up years ago after a trip to Molokai. I regret not reading it earlier! I found it just the right mixture of Hawaiian culture, human challenges, and a lesson in resilience without being trite. This book is going into my top 10% of books I've read this year.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possibly the only novel about the Na Wahine O Ke Kai (Women of the sea) canoe race across the Kaʻiwi channel from Molokai to Oʻahu so gets high points for that. The pidgen (Hawaiian creole language) was great and fitted perfectly with the story. I did find myself pondering the question: if one doesnʻt know pidgen, would it be possible to understand? I donʻt have an answer. The character development and the outcome was a little predictable. I would place this book as a Teen or Young Adult. Main protagonist overcomes alcohol dependency issues and destructive relationship, by participating in canoe race. Multiple characters mirror this. Predictably the group won. The actual race is a bit repetitive, a lot of being in the water, changes, a bit of drama with a huli... very true to canoeing. Would this work for a non-paddler? Donʻt have an answer for that either. However the overcoming obstacles, teamwork and bit of romantic mystery make it a worthy title to recommend. For teen readers who want to find out more about life in Hawaii too.

[Gail Baugniet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just because a book isn't billed as a mystery doesn't mean there isn't one lurking between the pages.
I tend to attribute the mystery genre to every book I read, one way or the other.
Surely you'll discover the built-in mystery of Ian MacMillan's story, which combines the Hawaiian Island of Moloka'i and a symbolic koa canoe with a misfit crew of paddlers dealing with their own plithora of demons.
I thoroughly enjoyed the rough ride from Moloka'i to O'ahu and am saving the book to reread on a rainy Hawaiian day.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The character development in this book was definitely lacking. However the authors description and obvious passion for the sport of OC paddling and the feat of crossing the Kaiwi still made it a worthwhile read.

[Tiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

magic*