The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

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.

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

Vanessa Diffenbaugh is the author of The Language of Flowers, a New York Times best-selling novel that has been translated into over forty languages. She is a mother of four and lives in Monterey, California, with her husband. Vanessa Diffenbaugh is a dedicated foster care advocate and sits on the board of Youth Villages, where she supports their aim to fundamentally transform outcomes for America's most vulnerable children and families, in addition to being a writer.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780345525543
ISBN 10	034552554X
Title	The Language of Flowers
Author	Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Random House USA Inc
Year published	2011-08-23
Number of pages	322
Prizes	Short-listed for Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers 2013
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.