The daughter of Owen and Leonora Quine, Orlando Quine is learning challenged as the result of a complicated premature birth that left her twin brother dead. Born in 1986, Orlando is about 25 years old during the timeframe of The Silkworm.
Orlando has a close relationship with both of her parents, who lovingly nicknamed her “Dodo.” Orlando spent a lot of quality time with her father, and Leonora is extremely devoted to her. Orlando is naturally curious and has a tendency to “nick” things from people that she finds interesting, like postcards, small purses and refrigerator magnets. She doesn’t like to be touched by other people and is very set on her surroundings, becoming easily upset if she is forced out of her daily routine.
Physically, Orlando is described as “a tall, gangling girl with sallow skin, a mop of curly light brown hair, a wide mouth and an ingenuous expression. Her eyes, which were a clear, pale green, were large and set far apart.”
Her favorite toy seems to be a large plush orangutan, Cheeky Monkey, given to her by Owen that she often wears hanging around her neck by its Velcroed hands. She enjoys drawing and painting pictures. Orlando is amused by the gigantic Cormoran being named after a giant, and she makes it known that she doesn’t like Strike’s tightly curled hair (but she does like Jerry Waldegrave’s and Robin’s hair). Strike is not comfortable interacting with Orlando on his own — he feels inadequate trying to communicate with her — so he solicits Robin’s help in doing so later in the book. Orlando is warmly intrigued with Robin and by the fact that they’re both named for birds.
In the Strike TV series (C.B. Strike), Orlando Quine is portrayed by actress Sarah Gordy. You can read out interview with her here.
