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emicree's review against another edition
3.0
This book was enjoyable and hard to put down. I really liked learning the meanings behind flowers and am looking forward to reading through the Victorian flower dictionary companion to this book.
moonbabie's review against another edition
5.0
Super tragic story but came to a full circle and happy ending that I really enjoyed.
Definitely worth the read!
Definitely worth the read!
kimreadz's review against another edition
3.0
I had heard really good things about this book, and knew a very little bit about the meanings of flowers, so this was an easy book to pick up. But sadly, for me, this story got off to a slow start and it took a long time for it to click with me. Also, for much of the story, the main character, Victoria, is not very likeable at all.
Victoria is an orphan, abandoned at birth, who bounced in and out of foster homes throughout her young life. She has a case worker who really seems to want to help her. Victoria had one last chance at adoption into a permanent home, with a mother she seems to remember with fondness, but for some reason, it did not work out. Much of the book is spent telling this story in bits and pieces. The book alternated between current day events and flashbacks of Victoria’s earlier life.
Victoria does not seem to be able to relate to other people at all in a normal way, and is not trusting when others attempt to be kind to her. She finds work with a flower shop owned for a Russian woman who attempts to befriend her. On one of their trips to the flower market, Victoria runs into a young man, Grant, who she remembers as the nephew of the woman who almost adopted her. She has difficulty relating to both of these people.
One thing I really enjoyed about the book was how meaning was conveyed with flowers. Victoria learned the meanings from her almost-mother, so when Grant presents her with a flower, she immediately realizes he is using it to deliver a message. However, it turns out that the meaning Victoria learned are not exactly the ‘conventional’ meanings associated with the flowers. So she and Grant work together to come up with a meaning for each flower that they mutually agree upon. It took determination and intelligence to develop that system, showing us that Victoria is capable of complex thought and study if she wants to be.
Even though the story got off to a slow start, once I got into it, I found it to be a good story that ended with hope. I’m glad I stuck it out.
Victoria is an orphan, abandoned at birth, who bounced in and out of foster homes throughout her young life. She has a case worker who really seems to want to help her. Victoria had one last chance at adoption into a permanent home, with a mother she seems to remember with fondness, but for some reason, it did not work out. Much of the book is spent telling this story in bits and pieces. The book alternated between current day events and flashbacks of Victoria’s earlier life.
Victoria does not seem to be able to relate to other people at all in a normal way, and is not trusting when others attempt to be kind to her. She finds work with a flower shop owned for a Russian woman who attempts to befriend her. On one of their trips to the flower market, Victoria runs into a young man, Grant, who she remembers as the nephew of the woman who almost adopted her. She has difficulty relating to both of these people.
One thing I really enjoyed about the book was how meaning was conveyed with flowers. Victoria learned the meanings from her almost-mother, so when Grant presents her with a flower, she immediately realizes he is using it to deliver a message. However, it turns out that the meaning Victoria learned are not exactly the ‘conventional’ meanings associated with the flowers. So she and Grant work together to come up with a meaning for each flower that they mutually agree upon. It took determination and intelligence to develop that system, showing us that Victoria is capable of complex thought and study if she wants to be.
Even though the story got off to a slow start, once I got into it, I found it to be a good story that ended with hope. I’m glad I stuck it out.
secretmagic's review against another edition
4.0
I loved 'The Language of Flowers'.
The text itself was simple, but the story was so complex. Vanessa Diffenbaugh powerfully depicts the troubled life of an eighteen year old girl emerging into adulthood with major insecurities about how to live. As a protagonist, Victoria fits the build of a flawed child; a person who was loved once and has lost hope because of it. Diffenbaugh takes us on a journey of discovery. Discovering hope, acceptance and most importantly forgiveness. Victoria struggles with the choices she's made in life, believing that once you've picked your path you are stuck with the result, a habit she picked up as a child by falsely learning flowers only have one meaning. 'The Language of Flowers' explores the idea that all paths (and flowers) have more than one meaning and Diffenbaugh shows that it is never too late to change your path.
I loved the alternating chapters between the past and present. We're given a hint in the very first chapter, that Victoria's future was almost secure in one of the foster homes she was placed in. However, as she exits the group home - a 'home' where children over the age of 10 are placed into when they've been removed from foster homes and are unlikely to be adopted - we can guess that an event occurred to disrupt the future she wanted. It is in these alternating chapters that the mysterious even is retold, and we find out where Victoria was happy and how it was ruined.
To see the passing of flowers between lovers unfolded within the novel was addictive. While I'd heard of the Victorian language of flowers before, it was not something I was familiar with. But watching Victoria express herself through floral arrangements, and begin to really believe in the flowers' meanings, made me appreciate the messages flowers can have so much more. It was also extremely tempting to use the Flower Dictionary at the back of the book to determine what secret messages were hidden in my back garden. (Unfortunately there is no Wattle in the dictionary, but I've got 'Protection' with my Eucalyptus)
Victoria's skill with determining a person's flower needs reminded me of Joanne Harris's 'Chocolat', it was like Vianne's "I know all your favourites" and I loved it.
4/5 stars. A Fabulous and emotional read.
The text itself was simple, but the story was so complex. Vanessa Diffenbaugh powerfully depicts the troubled life of an eighteen year old girl emerging into adulthood with major insecurities about how to live. As a protagonist, Victoria fits the build of a flawed child; a person who was loved once and has lost hope because of it. Diffenbaugh takes us on a journey of discovery. Discovering hope, acceptance and most importantly forgiveness. Victoria struggles with the choices she's made in life, believing that once you've picked your path you are stuck with the result, a habit she picked up as a child by falsely learning flowers only have one meaning. 'The Language of Flowers' explores the idea that all paths (and flowers) have more than one meaning and Diffenbaugh shows that it is never too late to change your path.
I loved the alternating chapters between the past and present. We're given a hint in the very first chapter, that Victoria's future was almost secure in one of the foster homes she was placed in. However, as she exits the group home - a 'home' where children over the age of 10 are placed into when they've been removed from foster homes and are unlikely to be adopted - we can guess that an event occurred to disrupt the future she wanted. It is in these alternating chapters that the mysterious even is retold, and we find out where Victoria was happy and how it was ruined.
To see the passing of flowers between lovers unfolded within the novel was addictive. While I'd heard of the Victorian language of flowers before, it was not something I was familiar with. But watching Victoria express herself through floral arrangements, and begin to really believe in the flowers' meanings, made me appreciate the messages flowers can have so much more. It was also extremely tempting to use the Flower Dictionary at the back of the book to determine what secret messages were hidden in my back garden. (Unfortunately there is no Wattle in the dictionary, but I've got 'Protection' with my Eucalyptus)
Victoria's skill with determining a person's flower needs reminded me of Joanne Harris's 'Chocolat', it was like Vianne's "I know all your favourites" and I loved it.
4/5 stars. A Fabulous and emotional read.
ange11's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing. I fell in love with the language of the Victorian age.
After reading this I have trouble deciding which is my favorite flower
After reading this I have trouble deciding which is my favorite flower
shailydc's review against another edition
5.0
I couldn't put The Language of Flowers down - I sped my way through it. I've never been a flower person but it was really interesting to have each flower represent a feeling rather than focusing on the aesthetics, which is all I've ever done. The two time periods played against each other really well and I was equally curious about both of them. Victoria's life and how it progressed may not be the most realistic story in the world but this is a fiction novel and it was a great story.