The Language of Flowers: A Novel

This is a fabulous book. There were times when I felt sorry for Victoria and times when I felt immense frustration with her sometimes incomprehensible actions. But I liked her, even loved her, throughout the book.

Victoria has struggled with life. Given up at birth, she has been tossed from home to home, never finding a family. Now aging out of the system at eighteen, it is time to make life her own and do with it as she please. She is lucky enough to have a few very important people enter life (Renata gives her a job, and Grant gives her his heart), and instead of following a traditional path, she creates a new one of her own.

The title of this book comes from Victoria's love for what flowers have to say to those that can hear them. Back in Victorian times, people would use flowers to send secret messages. Lovers would use them to communicate love and passion, or the desire to meet. People would use flowers to express grief and joy. The aptly-named Victoria understands their language and speaks it fluently. She can bring people's deepest desires to light through the use of flowers.

Victoria is damaged by her tragic childhood, and this has left her with a detachment disorder that doesn't permit her to connect with people. But she can speak to them through flowers.

I loved this story. Some aspects were a little far-fetched, such as the fact that a baby girl in the system would not have been adopted in a flash, and would instead spend her life in foster care, given up over and over again. But it was sweet and touching, Victoria was just quirky enough (I love quirky characters!), and I really loved the language of the flowers. My favorite moments in the book were the ones where Victoria and Grant debate the meanings of the flowers, when there is more than one documented meaning. Fascinating!

My final word: Delightful! That's it. Just "delightful"!

This book was a pleasant surprise. The more the story developed, the more I liked it. Victoria has spent her childhood in the foster care system & is unable to get close to anyone. Now 18 & emancipated from the system, Victoria must learn how to survive in the world. She has a special gift for helping others through flowers. When a mysterious flower vendor forces her to confront her painful past, Victoria has to decide if she able to forgive others but more importantly forgive herself. This is a wonderful love story between mothers & daughters & couples and what it means for the heart to fully heal & connect with others. It is a great debut novel-I'll be looking for more from this author. :)

What an absolutely incredible book. I just love how the little girl expresses her feelings through the language of flowers. This is my favourite book to date.

I liked the style of the author. The story was sad yet redemptive and it is always good when there is a positive resolution to the angst. I also was drawn into the language that flowers speak and the message that can be sent by them.