Orchard

From the bestselling author of Montana 1948 comes the explosive story of an artist, his muse, and the staggering price they pay for their chance at immortality.

Sonja Skordahl, a Norwegian immigrant, came to America looking for a new life. Instead, she settled in Door County, Wisconsin, and married Henry House — only to find herself defined by her roles as wife and mother. Destiny lands Sonja in the studio of Ned Weaver, an internationally acclaimed painter. There she becomes more than his model and more than a mere object of desire; she becomes the most inspiring muse Ned has ever known, much to the chagrin of the artist's wife. When both Ned and Henry insist on possessing Sonja, their jealousies threaten to erupt into violence — as she struggles to appease both men without sacrificing her hard-won sense of self.

"This book will leave you illuminated....Every scene of Orchard is painted with deliberate, vivid strokes of radiance....Watson's sparse words and controlled prose turn a remote town and four lonely characters into a remarkable tale." Baltimore Sun

"Clear-eyed, close-to-the-bone, inherently dramatic and endlessly implicative...Watson's insights into his characters not only bring them to life, but also shed light on the nature of art, love and marriage." Los Angeles Times Book Review

"An enthralling, thought-provoking read....This is a story that comes together at its own internal pace, and when whole understanding dawns, it is with clear power." The Denver Post

"[B]eautifully written and textured....It's about great art, and how cruel, selfish people can be brilliant artists. It's about loss and grief and love, all played out on a rocky peninsula in northern Wisconsin half a century ago." Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today

"[Watson] occasionally strays from his story to update the reader on minutiae like the fate of the bullet Sonja could not fire at Henry's horse. Best of all, Watson expertly creates characters whose actions are at once inevitable and surprising." Don O'Keefe, The New York Times Book Review

"Henry is a bore, Ned a stereotype of the artist as egomaniac, and Harriet short-changed. Only Sonja stirs the soul. Watson's sixth is graced by his customary fine detail work, but it's not enough." Kirkus Reviews

"Watson vividly captures the special self-centeredness of the artist....Another fine effort from a master of plainspoken prose." Bill Ott, Booklist

The bestselling author of Montana 1948 spins an unforgettable story of obsession and betrayal, set against the stark backdrop of rural Wisconsin.

From the bestselling author of Montana 1948 comes the explosive story of an artist, his muse, and the staggering price they pay for their chance at immortality.

Sonja Skordahl, a Norwegian immigrant, came to America looking for a new life. Instead, she settled in Door County, Wisconsin, and married Henry House—only to find herself defined by her roles as wife and mother. Destiny lands Sonja in the studio of Ned Weaver, an internationally acclaimed painter. There she becomes more than his model and more than a mere object of desire; she becomes the most inspiring muse Ned has ever known, much to the chagrin of the artists wife. When both Ned and Henry insist on possessing Sonja, their jealousies threaten to erupt into violence—as she struggles to appease both men without sacrificing her hard-won sense of self.

The bestselling author of Montana 1948, Larry Watson, spins an unforgettable story of obsession and betrayal, set against the stark backdrop of rural Wisconsin. Like so many women who crossed the lonely Atlantic before her, Sonja Skordahl is told that she will have a new life in America. Yet once she comes to this country, she soon finds herself defined, like so many other midtwentieth-century women, by her roles as mother and wife. She marries Henry House, a third-generation orchardist, in picturesque Door County, Wisconsin, and together they set about the business of raising their two children. But tragedy soon interrupts that placid life, and out of a desperate concern for her family, Sonja agrees to pose for Ned Weaver, an internationally acclaimed artist. Under Weaver's gaze, Sonja gains a new identity. Her beauty has always made her an object of desire, but now she becomes a muse as well. When both Ned Weaver and Henry House insist on possessing her, their jealousies threatening to erupt into violence, Sonja must find a way to placate both men without sacrificing her hard-won sense of self. Obsession and possession, art and responsibility, the varieties of love and beauty--Watson weaves his provocative themes in prose both lyrical and rugged. Orchard has the drama of a classical tragedy and the texture and subtlety of an Impressionist painting.

Larry Watson is the author of In a Dark Time, Montana 1948, Justice, White Crosses, and Laura. He has won the Milkweed Fiction Prize, a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Association Regional Award, and many other literary prizes. Watson and his wife, Susan, live in Plover, Wisconsin.

From the Hardcover edition.