The Language of Flowers
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
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 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 with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger 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.
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Praise for The Language of Flowers
"Instantly enchanting . . . [Diffenbaugh] is the best new writer of the year."—Elle
“I would like to hand Vanessa Diffenbaugh a bouquet of bouvardia (enthusiasm), gladiolus (you pierce my heart) and lisianthus (appreciation). In this original and brilliant first novel, Diffenbaugh has united her fascination with the language of flowers—a long-forgotten and mysterious way of communication—with her firsthand knowledge of the travails of the foster-care system. . . . This novel is both enchanting and cruel, full of beauty and anger. Diffenbaugh is a talented writer and a mesmerizing storyteller. She includes a flower dictionary in case we want to use the language ourselves. And there is one more sprig I should add to her bouquet: a single pink carnation (I will never forget you).”—Washington Post
"A fascinating debut . . . Diffenbaugh clearly knows both the human heart and her plants, and she keeps us rooting for the damaged Victoria."—O Magazine
"Diffenbaugh effortlessly spins this enchanting tale, making even her prickly protagonist impossible not to love."—Entertainment Weekly
- Pages
- 323
- First published
- August 23, 2011
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Shelved by 2 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished August 26, 2024
5/5 ⭐ 1/5 🌶️ 📖 My Thoughts What a beautiful book, omg. I was constantly tearing up. This book is for all the women who have known trauma & regret. Who have struggled with mental health and who have done things to self-sabotage. Women who do things to please others when not knowing if it pleased them first. Women who feel unworthy. Women learning to love themselves one step at a time. If you’ve ever felt these things, you will love this story. Even if it’s not exactly the same story as yours, it makes you feel less alone in this messy world as a WOMAN 💖 This will be going on my bookshelf and I NEED Victoria’s dictionary of flowers. ⚠️ Triggers Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail 🌶️ Spice The spice in this was vague as it wasn't the main focus of the book. The main character has a hard time with intimacy and most of the scenes show this. I loved that because it felt so relatable as someone who has went through trauma.
Started August 25, 2024 · Finished August 26, 2024
This was really beautifully written and executed. The FMC was so flawed and relatable. There were times where I wanted to dislike her, but really couldn't help but justify her behavior with some of the past trauma she has had to endure. There were also many times I teared up reading this, it was so moving and hard to relive even some of my own struggles through Victorias eyes. I loved how the characters were woven in in such a way that was good for her, even if she was constantly pushing them all away. This made me really want to root for V. She was resilient, and this is a great story of her finding her own way, overcoming some of those self sabotaging tendencies that were deep rooted like a layer of protection she built up around herself. The ending was tied up nicely and suited her personality giving a sense that things could only go up from there. 🌶️ 1/5 Theres a few scenes, not super descriptive of spice. It's not particularly "sexy" but they are also not icky. It just is what it is. A rose is a rose is a rose.
