June Meeting, "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Appropriately back in June, when flowers of all kinds were in full bloom around the country, we read Diffenbaugh's story about the meaning and significance of flowers. It sounds weird, the idea that flowers have meaning, other than the common ones we all know about. Like red roses for love, orchids for beauty, baby's breath for innocence. It turns out there really is a language of flowers, also known as floriography, a way of communicating through the use or arrangement of flowers. Interest in the meaning of flowers became very popular in Victorian England and in the US during the same period. Plants, blooms, and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages to the recipient as a secret way of getting around the moral strictures of the period that prevented lovers from expressing their feelings publicly. 

This story has a rocky start. We're introduced to Victoria, a very flawed young girl who has just been “emancipated” from a life spent in foster care, which means being dumped on the streets on her 18^th birthday with no support or services (apparently how it actually happens). She comes across as rude, angry, and unpleasant, not the most sympathetic or likable character. However, her behavior becomes more understandable as we get to know her through alternating chapters about her mostly horrific foster care experiences and her current struggles to adapt to the world. Initially, Victoria sabotages every good thing that happens to her but she eventually comes to terms with the people closest to her who hurt her and even begins to forgive herself for her own bad behavior. Although it sounds like another sappy story, it’s actually well done so you come away satisfied. 

The most interesting part was learning about the meaning of flowers, which can change depending on the reference source you use. When Victoria uses to her knowledge to become a floral consultant, helping brides pick out the most appropriate flowers for their relationships, you really begin to understand the importance of the meaning of flowers. I’m glad my favorites are lilacs (first emotions of love) and Lilly of the Valley (return of happiness)! Victoria’s flower dictionary is included at the end of the book, a good thing to know as your start learning about flowers since it gets very confusing about which flower means what! Diffenbaugh also has included it on her website devoted to the book.

The book group’s unanimous complaint was that the book could have used some editing, specifically the many pages devoted to Victoria breast-feeding. We get that she was unprepared to have a baby, but did we need to have so much gory detail about the physical pain and suffering that it can cause? I guess we had to feel Victoria’s pain to be able to sympathize with her plight!