Unfolding over the course of a single day in which Maisie and her husband take their children to pick apples, In the Orchard is luminous, masterfully crafted, revelatory—a shining exploration of motherhood, childhood, and love. A novel about womanhood, modern family, and the interior landscape of maternal life, as seen through the life of a young wife and mother on a single day.

I did not like this book--page upon page of the main character's erratic thoughts. The timeline jumped back and forth with no good transitions. I spend enough time in my own head, I don't need or want to be in someone else's.

An absolute highlight of my reading year. Motherhood was such a strong theme in 2023 books, and this one hit home in so many ways. It was just beautiful—aching, propulsive, raw, honest. It peeled back so many layers that have not always been explored this way in literature, and I enjoyed and appreciated it so very much.

It was ok - for me, oddly, there were way too many metaphors that they all felt a bit unimportant rather than impactful. Also made me feel so anxious about parenthood which probably wasn't the intention.

This book cover is a dream and when I received my copy in the mail, I was so eager to pick it up. As a new(ish) mom, the description - "a shining exploration of motherhood, childhood, and love" - caught me hook, line, and sinker.

But, what we really get with In The Orchard is someone's stream of consciousness. It was a little hard to follow, a lot of pointless, and overwhelmingly underwhelming. I wanted this story but maybe over the course of a year, not a single day because we got just too much fluff, no conclusions to anything, and not enough insight to ever feel connected.

Right off the bat I knew I would struggle to connect to the story because this isn't a book about new motherhood, it's a book about having many kids, a supportive husband, and financial troubles. Maisie's new baby is only a couple weeks old, yet as a seasoned mother of now four kids, she doesn't hesitate to leave the house with her or struggle with many of the things new mother's face.

It took me ages to read this incredibly short novel because I really struggled to pick it up. The format was hard to digest - two or three super long chapters that just ran and ran. Furthermore, the only parts that really resonated were the horrific comments made in passing as Maisie was feeling anxiety (think infant loss). I think I'll have nightmares about some of those passages!

Overall, this book wasn't for me. There are definitely audiences perfect for this novel, but I'm not one of them unfortunately.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the copy.

If you’re a mother or otherwise obsessed with this topic of motherhood, this one’s for you. For the rest of us, the book’s narrow and obsessive focus, refined down to a single day, might seem limited. Pleasantly written but pretty circumscribed.

This book gave great insight onto the joys and worries of raising a family in tough economic times. I was reminded of my own anxieties, frustrations and loneliness raising children. I found the story relatable but often random and lacking cohesive thought. Thanks #NetGalley

Imagine standing under a tree during a thunderstorm of words. Some readers are going to like the thunderstorm and appreciate its beauty. The others are just going to want it to end so they can get to where they are going. Minot's stream of consciousness-style of writing isn't for everyone, but as a reader, I couldn't help but be intrigued to see where it would go next and I was there for the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I do feel it will find its readers.

While I was drawn in by the cover and the premise of a family trip to the apple orchard, this book did not quite live up to my expectations.

First of all, it is written in stream of consciousness, which is just not my thing. It was hard for me to tell what is actually happening and what is a memory with how it jumps back and forth between the past and present so quickly with little or no rhyme or reason. I’ve read a few books of this style and I’m always left disappointed.

Secondly, I just could not get into this book. I would read a few pages at a time and then not come back to it for days because it felt like a chore to read. Not much was happening and what was there was graphic and repetitive. Around 50% in, once they actually go to the orchard, it started to pick up and finally get interesting.

And third, the ending was confusing. I’m not exactly sure what happened. I’ve read some other reviews of this book and that seems to be the consensus that the ending was unclear, which I also wasn’t a fan of.

Overall, this isn’t the worst book I have read. With some persistence and perseverance, I was able to finish it. I think I’d the first half of would have been trimmed down some it could have been a more enjoyable read.

"She does know one thing though, that she didn't used to know: that the special, close attention that she is learning to pay toward her children, is actually toward her own heart, and her own universe. She is learning that the closer she gets to their small smells, their little humor and mischief and verve, the closer she is getting to an unfound mystery. Hitting it from time to time like a vein of gold, a trickle thin branch of a mother lode, vibrant and dazzling in dark rock."


In the Orchard is a beautifully written snapshot of the fever dream that is motherhood. The author captures the disorientation of the early postpartum weeks well and also describes the introspection, uncertainty, and enlightenment that motherhood brings in a way that is as entertaining as it is accurate. I admit that sometimes the stream of consciousness of Maisie the main character is a little abstract and tough to follow but overall I thought that the author provided a rather accurate portrayal of the sleep deprived thoughts of a new mother.

As a mother in the fourth trimester myself and with an older child I could easily relate to the main character Maisie. The book is a diary of Maisie's thoughts jumping back and forth from present moment baby snuggles with her 2 week old Esme at a family trip to the orchard and past memories of Maisie's older children and of her own childhood. Maisie thinks about how she relates to other mothers, her own financial hardships, her relationship with her husband, and overall broad philosophical ideas about life.

If you are a fan of literary fiction and on the motherhood journey, this book may be for you!

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

In The Orchard is a novel about life as told by Maisie Moore. Maisie is a married mother of four young children and through each page of this book she reveals her private worries and personal past experiences that have made her into the woman she is. This book is filled with poetic lines, and beautifully written memories that made me stop and go back to let the words sink in just a bit more. I found at times while experiencing life through Maisie's descriptions it could feel disorienting because the transitions do happen quickly from her present state to a past memory, but it brought me back to a time in my life when my children were small and the days would blur together in exhaustion and a roller coaster of emotions. I had forgotten that feeling of letting my mind wander while caring for an infant, and how a smell or sight could summon a memory you were not expecting. I particularly enjoyed the passages with her Grandmother, and the older mothers she would befriend. I found that there was a tremendous amount of knowledge and wisdom in those pages. I would recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a lyrically written story describing motherhood in all its emotions. I would not recommend this book if you are looking for a mass produced story of a family in an apple orchard, it is much more than that. Thank you to Net Galley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the advanced digital copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

In the Orchard follows Maisie Moore and her thoughts on motherhood and searching for the perfect life, over the course of one day. For me, the story was okay. It's a quick read, and easy to follow along, but at times felt more like stream-of-consciousness writing without much of a flow. Just thoughts on paper. Which very well could have been the plan for this book.

It's certainly a tome about motherhood - the ups and downs and in-betweens. I'm not a mother, but it seems like Minot did capture some of the essences of it well, and the writing was strong and almost lyrical at times. There are also some beautiful passages.

All in all, I'd say it was an okay read for me. I don't have strong feelings about it either way.

Thank you, Knopf and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

2.5 Stars
This is one of those stories told over the course of one day that follows the stream of conscious thought of a mother from up in the middle-of-the-night nursing her baby, to a day with her family at the apple orchard. It is her reflections on mothering, money, marriage, family life, and while there are some poignant moments that would be worthy of discussion in a book group or amongst friends. Those moments, to a mom of 3 under 7 like me, felt relatable, but they got lost a little bit in all the other random thoughts. I would find that much like this mom's mind, mine would wander as I read, and I would have to force myself to attend back to the book. Without spoiling the ending, literally on the very last pages a big thing happens (maybe?) and the book ends with ambiguity about what exactly is happening to the mom at the apple orchard. So overall I left this feeling a bit relieved and confused.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a free E-Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I know a lot of people had a hard time grasping the point of this book but it was a beautiful story however what needs to be understood is it's just the thoughts of one mom, one day, at an orchard while reflecting on her life as a mom, wife and human in this world. It's poetic and her writing is very strong and her memories touching. As a mom 'I could relate and understand her worries and concerns and the blur of life after a baby. While this felt a little slow and I didn't connect with a lot of it, if you are looking for a glimpse of motherhood filled with wonder and emotion, at a slower pace without the glamourization, this would be for you. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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In the Orchard: A Novel
Author: Eliza Minot
Knopf ARC – NetGalley
Publication Date: April 25, 2023
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In The Orchard: A Novel by Eliza Minot will get mixed reviews because of the subject, the run-on sentences, and the unusual format. But I liked it. The story centers around husband and wife Neil and Maisie, parents of four young children. Specifically, we get into Maisie’s mind as she goes through one day when they take the kids to an apple orchard. I remember when my three girls were little, and the days seemed endless. Now, I wonder where time has gone and how they have their children now. There is never enough sleep; a baby always breastfeeding, fights, tantrums, hugs, kisses, early morning wake up, late night nightmares, wiping butts, and blowing noses. All the while comparing your efforts to other mothers who seem to operate so efficiently and “better” than you do. The author calls it porous sleep, and I recall it with dread because sleep is such a precious commodity, and mothers don’t have the luxury of “blackout sleep.” Debates with husbands about the division of labor, lack of funds, juggling finances, and endless hours of loving slave labor. The author writes: “Having children was being at a blurred precipice where living and dying meet all the time.” That made me laugh, and it almost made me cry because I would gladly go back and do it all over again. It was my highest calling and the best of days. I think Maisie feels the same. As the writer states: “It’s the people we love who teach us the most.” #motherhood #sweetness #families #wife #husband #labor #jobs #lifelessons #lackofmoney #lackofsleep #kindness #comparison #children #dreams #life #literaryfiction #ramblings #fiction @eliza.minot @aaknopf @netgalley #InTheOrchard
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Knopf Books, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub. Date: April 25, 2023.
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#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader

This is not at all what I expected. Every couple of paragraphs the topic changes and it is all completely random, no plot at all. It is just Maisie thinking about parenthood and life in general. Some parts are insightful but Maisie also has some really bizarre and disturbing thoughts. The book is comprised of two sections, no chapters, but I don’t see what the difference is between them because nothing changes. There is also a lot of language and references to sexual organs. I don’t like to leave a low rating but this was not for me. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy to use for my review.

Whew. This novel is one long stream of consciousness blah blah blah about life as a new mother and so many other things but honestly, nothing happens, Maisie's a new mom and she's in an orchard, And she has a lot going on in her head. I'm usually up for interior monologues but usually there's forward movement. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Gorgeous cover.

The writing style in this book is highly descriptive and difficult to follow. I had absolutely no idea what was going on in the first few pages and quickly realized I couldn't manage a whole novel written in that way. This would be a good fit for readers who enjoy stream-of-consciousness and more experimental types of writing, but I didn't read past those initial few pages.

Taking place over about 12 hours, this is a deep dive into a 2 week post partum(with her 4th) stream of consciousness in a world of exhaustion. With a few flashbacks/memories this is one woman's thoughts and reflections on motherhood. I enjoyed it and related to parts of it, it felt like a realistic interpretation of those exhausting, hormonal weeks of life with a newborn.