Scan barcode
cristina14's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cindyshirld's review against another edition
2.0
Mainly wanted to read this because I was enticed by the cover TBH and was a little intrigued by the synopsis but the story was not really what I expected although I'm not sure what I was expecting. I did not care for all the references and tidbits about the different species of flowers and thought this was too long and did not need to be. I also felt at first that there were a lot of characters introduced, then you don't hear about them until the very end and that felt disjointed to me, like a lot of unfinished business. The book deals with heavy subjects of domestic and child abuse and I hate that the author repeated the pattern for Alice from her dad to her boyfriend. June's character annoyed me and did nothing more than to hold Alice back. Sally's storyline could have been talked about more and the bit about her having an affair with Alice's dad just felt extra and last minute.
lizeylu's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this one, it almost felt like I was reading two separate books; one of Alice age 7-9 and the other Alice age 27. I thought the ending was quite beautiful and I appreciate the different types of characters. I also really enjoyed the stories about the connection to the Australian land (even though at the end it is clarified that they aren’t real stories). One thing I wish we got was a more in depth story of the actual fire, I feel like they really brushed over this part. Overall a really beautiful, raw and interesting story.
natabella_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
holliewong's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
courtneyjx's review against another edition
2.0
I could rant about this for a while but I won’t. Definitely not glad I read it. To me, it feel into the trap of making the abusers seem stupid, which only works against the victims of the abuse. Anyway. I’ll keep it to myself and give this book away to anyone who wants it
twocollins's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
In the weatherboard house at the end of the lane, nine-year-old Alice Hart sat at her desk by the window and dreamed of ways to set her father on fire...
What an opening line... This was a devastating tale of abuse & loss, trauma, betrayal and family secrets. The use of flowers as a language is a beautiful way of telling the stories where the words cannot be spoken.
I found this book compelling and moving... But also found the ending unsatisfactory and rushed... I desperately wished for a more stronger and proactive (or more supported) resolution to Dylan...
At times the writing is beautiful, but other times a little disjointed. Some characters seem overdone in description with way too much extra information when their sole purpose was to be a vehicle to the next part of the story...
Ultimately I think I was still waiting for 'something to happen', some key action at the end.
What an opening line... This was a devastating tale of abuse & loss, trauma, betrayal and family secrets. The use of flowers as a language is a beautiful way of telling the stories where the words cannot be spoken.
I found this book compelling and moving... But also found the ending unsatisfactory and rushed... I desperately wished for a more stronger and proactive (or more supported) resolution to Dylan...
At times the writing is beautiful, but other times a little disjointed. Some characters seem overdone in description with way too much extra information when their sole purpose was to be a vehicle to the next part of the story...
Ultimately I think I was still waiting for 'something to happen', some key action at the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
sussiereads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
kat_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Nine year old Alice loses both her parents in a tragic event, and is taken to live with her grandmother on a flower farm. Growing up, Alice learns the language of Australian native flowers as a way to say the things that are too hard to speak. But she also learns that there are secrets within secrets about her past. Spanning twenty years, and set between sugar cane fields by the sea, a native Australian flower farm and a celestial crater in the central desert, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart follows the life of Alice as she discovers that the most powerful story she will ever possess is her own.
.
This was a very powerful and captivating story of Alice. Alice’s story was very compelling, and I really enjoyed the complexities of her and her family members. I switched on the audiobook, and the narration was great too. Definitely a book that sucks you in and spins you around before spitting you out- very enjoyable!
Warning- there is some pretty heavy content in this book; namely abuse.