Orchid Child

I enjoyed this book and truly appreciated a story where a person’s schizophrenia diagnosis is treated as special and interesting as opposed to a death sentence. I’m not sure I liked switching between characters points of view, but it didn’t distract much overall. A really nice melding of science a folklore, wish there were more books like it!

Orchid Child is a very impressive debut novel from the author Victoria Costello. This complex and intriguing story is told via dual timelines and in dual settings, New York and Ireland. In one timeline, it is 2002 and Kate is a neuroscientist that is escaping to Ireland after a scandal in New York has forced her to leave her research lab and abandon her beloved research project. The second timeline begins in 1920s Ireland with the backdrop of the Irish troubles brewing.

Kate’s relocation to Ireland is not without trouble. She is the guardian for her teenage nephew - an ‘orchid child’ that hears voices and experiences hallucinations and the locals are not exactly welcoming of her research, which examines the high levels of schizophrenia in their community. Add in run-ins with the local Druid community and suspicions surrounding her familial links to the community and you have a virtual time bomb waiting to go off.

The earlier timeline centers around Michael and Ellen who flee Ireland under a cloud of suspicion. They work hard to establish a new life for themselves in NYC but their history will never fully let them escape the past.

This novel is well written and blends elements of science, Celtic mysticism, neurodiviersity, strained family relationships, imperfect characters, and history to create a captivating tale of human resilience and acceptance.

Thank you NetGalley and Between the Lines Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book for review consideration.

A contemplative and intriguing story is told via dual timelines and in two plot lines based in New York and Ireland. Kate is a neuroscientist that is escaping to Ireland. She is the guardian for her teenage nephew who is known as the "Orchrid Child". There were a lot of time lines in the book which grappled with one another, but not as seemlessly as I'd hope. She is clearly a gifted writer with a wild, versatile imagination, and I feel this book wasn't my cup of tea, but it might be to your liking! I did, however, not put it down and saw it through as her writing style is magic.

It's a hard book to critique when there is so much to say.

If you are into Celtic lore, neurodivergency, science, and science--this ARC is for you.

The Orchid Child is Victoria Costello’s debut novel that comes out in June 2023. I was lucky enough to get approved by NetGalley and the publisher for this book. This book is told in 2 timelines, New York and Ireland. Kate is a neuroscientist and has taken custody of her nephew, who seems to have schizophrenia. It’s a heartwarming story about family and healing.

The Orchid Child by Victoria Costello caught my eye because of the interesting title. I had never heard the term 'orchid child' before but it intrigued me. The story is told in alternating time periods throughout the book. The present day for most of the book is 2002 from the perspective of the main character, Dr.Kate Callahan Jones. The flashbacks are told from the perspective of Kate's grandmother and begin in 1920 in western Ireland. Kate's extended family goes back generations in Ireland and many of them make an appearance in the story in one way or another. In 2002, Kate, a 31 year-old neuro-scientist had been working in New York on a project concerning epigenetics. Her epigenetics project is a study of genetic modifications in descendants of sufferers of mental health disorders (or other shared characteristics) and their ability to withstand instability and trauma. Suddenly, after unwise decisions, Kate finds herself fired from her job and the story begins when Kate travels to western Ireland to join a similar project at the National University of Ireland Galway. The study takes place in a small town called Ballymore. There, she will collect data in a follow-up study of a population of schizophrenics and other residents who are related to families in the original study. With Kate is Teague, her teenage nephew for whom she has guardianship after the death of his mother, Kate's step-sister. Teague has also been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
As Kate begins her interviews of residents, she finds that long-held feuds and biases rise to the surface and Kate eventually discovers that she is actually related to current Callahans and her ancestors figure in incidents during a violence-filled time in the 'troubles' between the Irish and English. During the 1920s, Kate's family had been forced to flee Ireland for safety in NY. The local population of Ballymore never forgot the scandals and continued to harbor grudges against the Callahans.
Among the Callahan family are some who are gifted with 'second sight' - what we would refer to as premonition. The gift, or burden, of second sight passes down through generations in various forms and Teague has inherited that ability.
Teague participates in group therapy at the institute where Kate works, and there he becomes close to other teens who share many of his symptoms of schizophrenia. Many of them share a reluctance to rely on medications to manage their symptoms. One of his friends is Liam, a boy who introduces Teague to a group of Druids in the area. Liam also introduces Teague to computer hacking while infiltrating the the project's data files. Kate begins to doubt her ability to parent Teague when she becomes aware of the hacking and confronts the threat to her project's longevity.
Kate finally becomes reconnected with a significant close relative whom she hasn't seen or heard from in twenty-three years. She is shocked to learn of his defection from Kate's family and his return to Ireland to live a completely different llfe. During this time, Teague suffers a life-threatening accident and Kate realizes
that she does, indeed, love Teague, though she has never professed it to Teague, himself.
The parallel story to the past and present events in Kate's life is the theory of Orchid children and Dandelion children that underscores much of the psychiatric study in which Kate is employed. For me, this is the most fascinating aspect of 'Orchid Child'. The theory suggests that while some children are rather immune to trauma and upheaval in their familial lives (Dandelions), other children (Orchids) are torn apart by unhealthy elements in their upbringing. There appears to be a genetic variant among children involving seratonin that is involved. Kate's project attempts to show that negative effects of generations of trauma and destructive behaviors can be overridden by supportive and caring behaviors of loving caregivers.
We finally learn, as does Kate, of the actual history of Kate's family and we see Kate and Teague come to terms with painful revelations and their own resulting compensating behaviors. Kate evolves from a defensive, immature woman to one who is open to love and commitment. Teague learns to take responsibility for his mental health treatment and and he blossoms amidst a stable and loving family unit.
There are quite a few story lines running in this novel and I sometimes had trouble remembering which relative was which. The Celtic lore and philosophies were both interesting and a bit too detailed. For me, there was a bit too much time spent on the war between Ireland and England, though some of it was necessary to complete the backstory. I would like to have known more details about the therapeutic process the project employed with the teens in the study. Also, beyond Kate's first failed attempt at interviewing locals about their lives, Kate is not shown to continue her work on the project. How much more was she responsible for the completion of the study? There is a satisfying ending to the story, though, and a reassuring epilogue that ties everything up for Kate and her new immediate family. Other lives, though, are left unexplained.
This is an enjoyable and enlightening read, for the most part.

Dual stories of Kate/Teague and Ellen, set in Ireland. Great book, which gets a little muddled toward the end, but clears up to answer every question. See review on Instagram for full review.

"Orchid Child" is the debut novel of Victoria Costello, a tale of love and hatred, family and ghosts, science and mysticism, all skilfully woven together.

Kate Callahan is a neuroscientist who is forced to resign from her job in New York when her affair with her married boss is exposed. To salvage her career, she accepts to co-lead a family mental health study in Ireland and moves there with her nephew Teague, a sixteen-year-old boy diagnosed with "schizoaffective disorder with audio hallucinations and paranoid tendences" (cit. pg. 106); he is the titular "orchid child", a term used to describe a child who can either prosper or struggle, depending on whether the environment they live in is good or bad. Upon arriving in the small town of Ballymore, Kate faces the community's scepticism over the study and its prejudice against outsiders, while Teague struggles with his worsening symptoms, which seem to be linked to something more ancient and occult than just his diagnosis.

Apart from this storyline set in 2002, there is also another one set from 1920 onward, and though their connection is not very original, the underlying supernatural theme still managed to make it quite interesting. I found it refreshing that the main storyline in 2002 begins in "medias res", after Kate and Teague have arrived in Ireland, and that we only flashback when it's needed, letting the story to flow naturally, even during the more scientific conversations on therapies, medicines and side effects or genetic and sociological theories.

What really made the book for me are the characters, all beautifully flawed humans, and that the main theme is family, what we do for those we love and how our actions change us. For example, Kate is very smart and capable at her job, when it means researching in a lab, but not when dealing with people and relationships; as she has only recently obtained guardianship of Teague, she makes many mistakes with him and ends up falling back into old destructive habits. Still, when the past comes back to haunt her, in more than just the metaphorical way, she soldiers on and keeps fighting, for her family, her new community and, more importantly, herself.
Just like his aunt, Teague doesn't know how to deal with other people either, though he too is very bright, with a great passion for painting. After moving in with Kate, he finally has someone on his side, who doesn't dismiss him as a difficult teenager who only seeks attention, and yet he is reluctant to trust her. As a young man without a father figure, Teague is drawn to the mysterious Finn Mitchell, a former IRA soldier-turned-Chief Druid, who openly voices the community's scepticism toward the study and, more in general, neuroscience. On the other hand, Teague is slow to trust his new therapist, Ryan Quinn, who is also Kate’s study colleague, but at least respects his authority.

The book is compelling and very well-written, though some parts could have been explored more, especially the end. Still, I think that the author managed to tell the story she wanted to tell, without leaving loose ends or open endings. I honestly don’t know what I expected, as I ventured outside my comfort zone of pure fantasy fiction, but I feel that this book has been a nice breath of fresh air for me.

I highly recommend it because, while the story and the characters are deeply rooted in reality, there is also this otherworldly message that not all things can be explained by science, and that sometimes we just have to change our perspective and see the world through a different lens, may it be faith, fate or hope.

"Hope is one of the threads connecting you and your ancestors through time" (cit. pg. 231)

Thanks to NetGalley and Between the Lines Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review

"Orchid Child" is a case study in genealogy, psychology, family dynamics, and mysticism all masterfully blended onto the backdrop of Ireland. Winding its way through time, special abilities work their way to the surface and find an outlet in a mystical setting. "Orchid Child" is magical, mysterious, and a little bit of romance. Recommend for YA, Crossover, and Adult fiction lovers.

Writing: 3/5 plot: 4.5/5 characters 3.5/5

Kate is a neuroscientist, on her way to a new position in Ballymore, Ireland having been fired from her prestigious New York City based position after an ill-advised affair with her married boss. Ballymore has an historically high rate of schizophrenia, and she has been hired to work on a new followup study on the descendants of the original 1970 work. She brings along her newly adopted nephew, Teague, who is suffering from schizophrenic symptoms and whose therapeutic care is part of the new job package.

What ensues is a tangled, multi generational story (the narrative follows two timelines — Kate’s story in 2002 and the history of her family from 1920 through 1974). Between the two, we are exposed to Irish folklore, long term feuds based in the Irish “Troubles,” druids, and (most interesting to me) multiple approaches to treating and supporting schizophrenics. These approaches include support from therapists following real (I checked) research results, recommendations from “Mad Pride” activists who avoid medical intervention for mental illness, and the consideration that those who claim to hear the voices of their dead ancestors, really can.

There were enough interesting (and new to me) concepts to keep me reading to the end — I really wanted to know what happened. I thought the writing could use some editing — it was messy with a lot of rambling details and I found the dialog a bit stilted. I liked some of the characters more than others and definitely found the different attitudes towards schizophrenia fascinating. I didn’t personally like the main character, although I know I’m supposed to! Of course, I’ve never walked in her shoes (and the author’s bio suggests that she has), so I can’t really judge. My favorite part was reading about treatment modalities based on new (around the 2002 timeframe) research in neuro-epigenetics and the Orchid Child hypothesis (google it). The focus was primarily on the help people need and mostly avoided any discussion of the very real danger some mentally ill people could be to others when not adequately supervised / managed — I always wish reports and stories could be more balanced in this regard.

Some quotes, which reflect more of the plot than the writing style:

Quotes:
“In the parlance of researchers, they were the orchids, prone to dysfunction. When faced with the stressful choice of which lever to push to get their next drink of syrupy water, orchids sat and trembled with indecision. Their luckier peers, her control group, born with a longer form of the same gene, were hardy like dandelions — a group with which she wholly identified.”

“The Celts called it second sight. In our profession, we throw it all under the label of psychosis. Or we assigned patients different positions on a spectrum of abnormality.”

“You all suffer from the same wound, which festers as each generation fails to face it head on.”

“Let’s say you re-enter your body with the intention of telling the story of what happened to you today in whatever medium you choose. You can be sure that one of your ancestors is seeing and feeling that story in his on time as a powerful premonition.”

In the past few months, I kept hearing about a new book called Orchid Child by Victoria Costello. The setting in Ireland caught my interest, but so did its unique premise of intergenerational trauma, epigenetics, and schizophrenia. I was intrigued to see where these interconnecting themes would go!

Orchid Child follows two timelines: In 2002, Kate is researching mental disorders across families, and her nephew Teague is grappling with his increasing hallucinations and early-stage schizophrenia. In 1920, Ellen and Michael are a young Irish couple forced to flee to New York, but life doesn’t get any easier for them there. Between the two, I preferred the 2002 narrative; it also gets a lot more page time than the historical timeline. Although Ellen and Michael are Kate’s grandparents, the past story never fully congealed with the 2002 story that well for me. I wish there had been some more connectedness between them.

I did like learning about Irish history and culture here, though it’s less detailed than in other books I’ve read. I had some prior knowledge of the Irish War of Independence. While that part moves quickly here, it was also interesting to see how it was for Irish refugees living in the United States in the aftermath. Ellen and Michael are part of the Irish diaspora, and their Irish culture and history runs strong, even in their new home. Unfortunately, tragedy follows them to America in major ways.

Moreover, I loved learning about epigenetics and intergenerational trauma throughout this novel. Another book I’ve read about that is The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford, and it was fascinating to see that research expanded on in Orchid Child. It’s a principal plot point here, and as the author notes at the back of the book, the research Kate and Ryan are conducting here is based on a real study done in Ireland between 1996 and 2003. Wow!

This novel explores the parallels between schizophrenia (and other mental disorders) with the concept of “second sight.” What is the overlap, if any? How do the perspectives of modern-day scientists contrast with Druids or traditional thinking? Related to all of this is the concept of orchids versus dandelions (in terms of genetic predispositions to environmental sensitivity versus survival). Teague is considered an orchid child; Kate is a dandelion. How can orchid children get a better chance at thriving despite the odds?

Although Orchid Child explores a range of fascinating topics, from science to Irish history, it’s a somewhat uneven book. The first half was slow reading for me, though it picked up a lot in the second half. It may have woven in too much, and the ways some plot points tied together didn’t completely work for me. There are also numerous characters to keep track of, and they make mistakes and have difficult lives. Even so, I ultimately liked the main characters, flawed as they may have been.

Orchid Child is an interesting book about science, mental disorders, family history, and intergenerational bonds. Though it’s a bit uneven in places and the characters aren’t always likable, it is thought-provoking and original.

As a mythology lover and neurodivergent, I really enjoyed reading a story that touched on both. This is definitely one I will re-read at some point.

Review will be linked on goodreads review once posted (probably a couple days from now).

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

I've been struggling with finishing anything but audio books lately and this got me out of that rut! Quick read, with an interesting premise. It was at times confusing when perspectives would change with nothing indicating that, but that's one of my only complaints. I would read more by this author.

Slow-paced book for me. I enjoyed the characters and appreciated the representation of the neurodivergent character.