Orchid & the Wasp

Orchid & the Wasp by Caoilinn Hughes delivers a stunning debut that intricately weaves together themes of ambition, family dynamics, and societal upheaval with an astute eye and a biting wit. The novel follows the indomitable Gael Foess, a witty and resourceful young woman whose journey takes her across Dublin, London, and New York. As she navigates the glittering yet treacherous realms of high society and art, Gael is determined to keep her fractured family afloat amidst the rippling tides of economic collapse.

Beginning in Dublin, Gael grows up under the shadow of her ambitious parents. Her father, a high-flying financier, leaves the family abruptly during the catastrophic economic downturn of 2008, leaving a profound fissure in their lives. Her mother, once a celebrated orchestral conductor, dissipates into a shadow of herself, leading Gael to take on the role of the family anchor. Meanwhile, her younger brother Guthrie, talented yet vulnerable, faces his own struggles, leaving Gael fiercely protective.

With her family teetering on the brink of disintegration, Gael embarks on a personal odyssey. Her travels lead her to the glitzy social circles of London, seducing and bargaining her way through opulent, drug-laced parties. As the story unfolds in Manhattan’s pulsating art scenes during the tumultuous Occupy movement, Gael's exploits reveal her shrewd survival instincts and her gradual estrangement from those she holds dear.

Hughes' narrative style is electrifying, her prose both lyrical and sharp, infused with moments of anarchic humour and profound insight. Orchid & the Wasp tackles pressing issues such as class disparity, the fluidity of identity, and the tensions of a capitalist world grinding against human virtues. The novel poses profound questions about the moral obligations we hold to ourselves and others and explores the transformative nature of life's unpredictable events.

This captivating first novel heralds Caoilinn Hughes as an extraordinary voice in contemporary literature, offering readers a story that is as fiercely intelligent as it is deeply moving. Orchid & the Wasp is not just a tale about the pursuit of ambition; it is a vivid exploration of what it means to construct a life of value amidst chaos and change.