Heller usually writes books with male protagonists who are a bit hard-boiled and live to enjoy the natural world. The Orchard is different. First, the protagonist is a woman, as are most of the characters. The book is about family, community connections, and friendship. The book also includes some very good original poetry (as one of the characters is a translator of 9th century chinese poetry). Heller’s descriptions of nature continue to be quite breathtaking. Read it! (Spoiler alert: the ending will break your heart).
