The Language of Flowers is Diffenbaugh's first novel, beautifully written and emotionally compelling. At eighteen years of age, Victoria Jones is emancipated from the foster care system after having spent years in a group home. Victoria is a strange character, focused, suspicious, intelligent, and antisocial. She has a strong affinity for everything connected with flowers, especially the Victorian era custom of using flowers as a means of communication. After creating a temporary home and garden for herself in a park, Vanessa is hired on a trial basis by a local florist and finds herself strangely drawn to a reticent flower vendor who seems as familiar to her as the language of flowers that represents their initial communications. She also develops a following of customers who believe that her flower arrangements have the power to change their lives.
Diffenbaugh weaves the past and present together in Victoria's story, which is as much about motherhood in all of its aspects as it is about flowers. Victoria knows nothing about her own mother and at the age of 10 had anticipated adoption by Elizabeth, who longed for a family of her own. Now Victoria, a misanthropist, views the idea of commitment to another human being, parent, child, or lover, as an impossibility for herself. Mother figures and mother-love permeate the novel despite Victoria's isolation.
This wonderful first novel is like a mixture of different varieties of flowers that blend together into a lovely bouquet. I'd recommend it wholeheartedly.
To put it simply, this book is brilliant. Any book that can make me cry, yell, gasp in horror, and feel such compassion for its characters is exceptional. Because this story was told, a part of me has been changed forever.
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