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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Dear Orchid by Carol Van Den Hende is a collection of epistolary short stories that recount personal experiences, encounters, and fictional extensions of her Goodbye, Orchid series. In My Wild, Wild Twin, she remembers her childhood best friend in a Maryland housing complex, recalling their imaginative games, independence, and sudden separation after her father’s death, later learning of her friend’s violent death and her son’s suicide. In Essay No. 3: Bryan Anderson, she describes meeting a U.S. Army veteran who lost both legs and a hand to an IED in Iraq, chronicling his recovery, public work, and the way his story shaped her fictional character Phoenix. In Orchid Dear, she writes from Orchid’s perspective, portraying her efforts to support Phoenix by finding adaptive clothing that acknowledges his physical reality.
Carol Van Den Hende’s Dear Orchid: Letters and New Beginnings—True Stories and Fiction filled with Heart, Humor, and Hope is a delightful anthology brimming with variety, warmth, and imagination. Each story brings its own personality, offering readers a wide range of deeply personal thoughts and experiences, all of which feel, in some way, relatable. Some are uncomfortable, others stir thought and curiosity, and all have touching moments that remind us of the many ways people connect. My favorite piece, Dear Handsome Hansen, stood out for its honesty and surprising direction, yet it is only one of many gems here. The book balances true accounts with inventive storytelling, creating a mix that feels both entertaining and uplifting. Van Den Hende shows a talent for sharing stories that complement one another, resulting in a collection that is both memorable and rewarding for anyone who picks up this book. Recommended.
