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The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
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4.08  ·  Rating details ·  185,285 ratings  ·  19,144 reviews
A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.
The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: h A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.
The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it's been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.
Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what's been missing in her life, and when she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness. ...more
Published August 23rd 2011 by Ballantine Books
The Language of Flowers
San Francisco, California (United States)
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction (2011)
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Do you think this is a book to introduce into high school curriculum? Not so much for literature purposes but to teach teenagers that they are worthy of love and forgiveness.
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Lisa Maxwell My opinion, as the mom of two young twenty-something men, is that I wouldn't have wanted them to learn about "love and forgiveness" from this book. It…moreMy opinion, as the mom of two young twenty-something men, is that I wouldn't have wanted them to learn about "love and forgiveness" from this book. It sets up the YA reader for an unrealistic expectation. The heroine, Victoria, is rewarded for her churlish, anti-social behavior by a too-good-to-be-true cast of supporting characters who treat her with a God-like agape-type of love that is rarely found in this world. She is continually the beneficiary of others' generosity without ever giving back; and she never acknowledges the gifts that others have given her, never thanks them. She is a "taker" throughout, and she cuts and runs too often. As a mom, I don't see that as a constructive lesson for teens. As chick-lit and book club fodder, it's a good read. For YA readers, not so much, IMO.(less)
I read this book a while ago. Am I correct in remembering that it explains that if you give someone an orange, they will fall in love with you? I can't remember and it's driving me crazy.
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Alexandra The book you are thinking of is "Ill Give you the Sun" by Jandy Nelson...great book
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Average rating 4.08  ·
·  185,285 ratings  ·  19,144 reviews
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Jun 17, 2013 Anrie rated it it was ok
The Language of Flowers vertel die verhaal van Victoria, 'n weeskind wat haar hele jeug lank emosioneel misbruik en verwaarloos is en van pleeggesin tot pleeggesin geswerf het. Haar lewe verander egter ingrypend toe sy onderdak kry by Elizabeth, wat self ook as kind verwaarloos is, en Victoria alles oor die taal van die blomme leer. Hierdie deel van die verhaal word deur terugflitse vertel, terwyl die hede toegewy is aan haar ontvoogding, haar nuwe werk as bloemiste en haar pogings om die gebrok The Language of Flowers vertel die verhaal van Victoria, 'n weeskind wat haar hele jeug lank emosioneel misbruik en verwaarloos is en van pleeggesin tot pleeggesin geswerf het. Haar lewe verander egter ingrypend toe sy onderdak kry by Elizabeth, wat self ook as kind verwaarloos is, en Victoria alles oor die taal van die blomme leer. Hierdie deel van die verhaal word deur terugflitse vertel, terwyl die hede toegewy is aan haar ontvoogding, haar nuwe werk as bloemiste en haar pogings om die gebroke verhoudings in haar lewe te herstel.
Die taal van die blomme is deur die Engelse tydens die Victoriaanse tydperk uitgedink en is eintlik 'n lawwe onderneming - daar is groot onenigheid tussen die verskillende blomensiklopedies oor wat elke spesifieke plant nou eintlik simboliseer, sodat 'n geel roos beide "jaloesie" en "ontrouheid" kan beteken en laventel óf toewyding óf wantroue versinnebeeld. Die karakters se onwrikbare geloof in hierdie taal, selfs nadat Victoria van die teenstrydigheid leer, laat hulle bietjie naïef (of liewer, idioties) voorkom. Victoria spandeer die res van die boek besig om die "regte" betekenis van elke blom te agterhaal, alhoewel dit uiteindelik neerkom op watter betekenis sy meeste van hou.
Die boek skryf ook 'n magiese krag aan hierdie blommetaal toe: deur Victoria se ruikers word familie- en romantiese verhoudings op wonderbaarlike wyse herstel, bloot deur Victoria se vermoë om die korrekte blomme saam te rangskik. Keer op keer, op keer. Mettertyd het dit net bietjie té dik vir 'n daalder geword. (Een van die karakters noem dat gedroogde blomme slegs die lyke is van iets wat eens lewendig was. Nou wonder ek of Victoria dink dat haar ruikers tot in ewigheid vars gaan bly, blykbaar verstaan hulle nie dat, sodra hulle 'n blom pluk of sy stingel afsny, hy begin doodgaan nie.)
Victoria self is 'n gemene, slinkse persoon; iemand vir wie ek met moeite simpatie opgebou het (en wat sy later in die boek weer verloor het). Ek besef dat sy uit gebroke huise kom en emosioneel vreeslik baie gely het, maar haar selfsugtigheid en "ek-kan-niemand-liefhê-nie"-houding het my geïrriteer, veral nadat al die ander karakters oor hulle voete val om haar te help: hier is vir jou werk, hier is vir jou woonplek, hier is vir jou kos, ens. En al die tyd het sy so 'n traak-my-nie-agtige houding dat mens haar net bietjie wakker wil skud. Dis moeilik om 'n boek te lees wanneer mens soveel minagting vir die hoofkarakter het (die verhaal word ook in die eerste persoon vertel, sodat sy al haar gedagtes met die leser deel).
Ten einde wil ek net 'n paar opmerkings maak oor die blommehandel, iets wat mynsiens een van die nutteloosste en duurste ondernemings ter wêreld is. Ons word daagliks vermaan om te let op ons "food miles" en aangespoor om seisoenaal te eet, om Fair Trade te eet... sogenaamde "SOLE food": Sustainable, Organic, Local, Ethical. Blomme word ook buite seisoen in kweekhuise gegroei, met kunsmis; versorg deur mense wat te min betaal word. En tog is daar nie veel ophef oor die miljoene hektaar wat deur hierdie ligsinnige besigheid gebruik word nie. Dit terwyl daar blykbaar nie genoeg land in die wêreld beskikbaar is om ordentlike kos vir al die nasies te groei nie.
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VANESSA DIFFENBAUGH was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After graduating from Stanford University, she worked in the non-profit sector, teaching art and technology to youth in low-income communities. Following the success of her debut novel, The Language of Flowers, she co-founded Camellia Network (now Lifeset Network), a non-profit whose mission is to connect every youth ag VANESSA DIFFENBAUGH was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After graduating from Stanford University, she worked in the non-profit sector, teaching art and technology to youth in low-income communities. Following the success of her debut novel, The Language of Flowers, she co-founded Camellia Network (now Lifeset Network), a non-profit whose mission is to connect every youth aging out of foster care to the critical resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive in adulthood. She currently lives in Monterey, CA, with her husband and four children.
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“Anyone can grow into something beautiful.” — 183 likes
“Perhaps the unattached, the unwanted, the unloved, could grow to give love as lushly as anyone else.” — 128 likes
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