The author draws on her own experiences as a foster mother to portray the hardships and disappointments children in the foster care system have to endure and the odds that they face in being able to become productive members of society. The novel gives the reader glimpses into some of the harsh treatment Victoria gets in some foster homes. The role that a less intuitive social worker can inadvertently play in a child's placement and acceptance and confidence is portrayed very well. Victoria is emancipated from the system that morning of her eighteenth birthday (the exact date of her birth is no more than an estimate) with no job and limited means to feed and clothe herself. She sleeps in a public park and plants a small garden of her own there. She slips into restaurants and survives on food that diners have left behind on their plates. The front flap of the book jacket reveals, "Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them."
The book see-saws between two main time periods – the present and a fleetingly-brief, good-placement portion of her childhood. A substantial portion of the suspense in the novel is created by piecing together her path from one life situation to another while navigating the extremes of the emotions that motivate her – low confidence, guilt, forgiveness, and love – as she plods through her adolescent years toward adulthood. The Language of Flowers was a real page turner but with a much softer approach than the usual literary vehicle for suspense. There is no threat of violence or a fast-paced chase scene. There is a constant undertone of love and basic human kindness in several characters that supports a belief in the inherent goodness of humanity. Can Victoria find a self-supporting, fulfilling place in society? Since I liked this book one can guess yes, she does find her niche; but how she gets there is a spell binding tale. What role do flowers play in her journey?
The definition and interpretation of the meaning behind different species of flowers was enlightening and captivating. I enjoyed the depth they added to the novel. Read The Language of Flowers with a branch of Forsythia by your side. Forsythia means anticipation and you can look forward to a great read from this novel.
Sounds like a good book! Is there a guide to flower-meanings at the end?
ReplyDeleteYes, there is!
DeleteI, too, give the book 5 stars. I also give your review 5 stars! I think you should work for a newspaper as a reviewer - you really do such a good job at it!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you enjoyed the book as much as me. I'm reading this month's book - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (a Pulitzer Prize winner) - but I'm not sure if you'd like it. It's well written, but the topic is, of course, tough to read about.