I was pulled right into this fascinating novel because of the beautiful writing style, the complexity of Victoria's character, and the mesmerizing story that unfolded. A lovely bonus included at the end is a Dictionary of Flowers and their meanings. If I could make a bouquet for the author, Vanessa Diffenbaugh, I would fill it with bouvardia (enthusiasm), lisianthus (appreciation), and bellflower (gratitude).

Surprisingly, this heart-warming story of relationships was hard to put down! The heroine, Victoria, reaches out and grabs you from the very beginning and you are left wondering what happened to her, what will happen to her, and how she finds the courage and resilience she displays in facing life's difficulties. As a foster child, she lacks many of the coping skills that most of us have, yet she not only survives but thrives in her own way. I highly recommend this book for book clubs, young adults, and other adults.

Constantly rejected and mistreated in foster homes, Victoria, at the age of ten has become mean and vicious; difficult to handle. She is given one more chance when she is taken to live with Elizabeth. However, mistrust and jealousy on her part, cause her to be removed, and once again tossed into the foster care. On her own at the age of eighteen, she learns "that the unattached, the unwanted, the unloved could grow to give love as lushly as anyone else". This is a heartbreaking, beautifully written book!

After reading The Language of Flowers, I now have the one and only word which so vividly describes the impact Vanessa Diffenbaugh's novel had on me and I am positive will have upon every mother and daughter who experiences this captivating and wonderfully charming novel - Alyssum.

I wish there was something higher than a 5 to rate this book. I received it around 5:00pm on a Friday and am writing this review less than 24 hours later. This book is one of the best I've ever read. The story of Victoria is engrossing and compelling. The story of flower language opens up a new world to explore. I would recommend this book to book clubs and anyone who wants to read a truly remarkable book and enjoys stories of hope and forgiveness.

Although I would recommend this book as very interesting reading, I found it a little lacking. In dealing with Victoria's life in the "system" was not very revealing. Too much time in the contradictory meanings of the flowers. The back and forth timing serves to make me confused about who is talking and about what.

The Language of Flowers is a perfect summer read! The foster home part of the story is told with a heartbreakingly authentic voice. Some of the later events in Victoria's life are a bit of a stretch to believe. However, I couldn't put it down, and I just had to know what happened in the past, and what the future will hold for this complex character.

Victoria is a difficult child evidenced by her aversion to touch and her unwillingness to communicate but there is ample explanation for her characteristics as we read into the book and understand her history in the foster system. It's no wonder she puts up barriers and refuses to love when she has been rejected and returned to the system so many times. I was almost instantly drawn to this character and her story.

Generally I don't like books that mix up the chronology of the story line but in this book it added an element of suspense as I wondered what happened to make Victoria the girl she is in present day; I liked it in this case. I also love the language of flowers and I was so happy to find it detailed so carefully in a book that is not a Victorian romance.

I would summarize by saying this a wonderful story that speaks to the heart and feeds the brain. It is white carnation.