I bought this book because I really enjoyed 2 other novels by this author- Eva and Keid, which contained subtle psychological analysis and and sort ofI bought this book because I really enjoyed 2 other novels by this author- Eva and Keid, which contained subtle psychological analysis and and sort of tragic romance. The Flesh of the Orchid is very different; its primary a thriller, with a heavy dose of violence (which I know many readers do not mind!), but its just not for me.
The story line was clever, the twists and turns unexpected, keeping you on your toes and guessing as to what happens next, so that was good.
I also enjoyed author showing us the transformative power of love, which brings out the best even from the darkest souls.
My major criticism though is the way mental illness is portrayed. The author seems to describe the main heroine in a "sexual fantasy sort of way", whereupon she is a " sweet normal girl most of the time" until she flips and suddenly becomes " a monster who will scratch your eyes out". Now, I've met many thousands of mental illness suffers in my line of work, and I've never seen anyone even remotely like that. If a mentally ill person is greatly distressed to a point of being violent , its because their suffering is immense and trying to "glamorise it" is simply unethical, in my opinion. Also, despite being seriously ill, she is apparently " stunningly gorgeous" and it just doesn't work this way. A severely mentally ill person usually suffers with significant self neglect, and the result is really not pretty. I have a lot of respect for a writer who carries out a thorough research and/or shares his own experiences in order to portray human phenomenon, such as mental illness, accurately, and this just was not the case. In author's defence, he wrote this book many years ago, when mental illness was much more of a taboo than it is now.
There were also a couple of racist comments, but, again, at the level that might have been " acceptable" at the time of writing.
To summarise, if you are quite thick skinned and love trillers, you will probably enjoy The flesh of the orchid. As for me, I'll re-read Eva, but I don't think I'll risk any new book from James.
Triggers: mental illness, racism, rape, murder, other violence....more
This book is great practical help for older people, who want to improve their fitness and mobility. It shows that the author is an experienced profes This book is great practical help for older people, who want to improve their fitness and mobility. It shows that the author is an experienced professional- he advices baby steps in terms of intensity; use of simple equipment- such as a chair, or water bottles; and to aim for specific achievements, such as “ so I can manage stairs at the church”. Structure of the book is great; its not text heavy, and has diagrams/pictures/tables and exercises; he recommends 12 weeks period to achieve the first aim, and weekly reviews/feedback, which I am sure will be very helpful for those whose memory might be on decline , as well. I would happily recommend this book to any older person whose mobility is worsening. ...more
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