The Flower Reader

Dec 10, 2012 Jemidar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I'm so happy because I just won a signed copy of this along with a gorgeous pressed flower bookmark over at Elizabeth Loupas' blog. Wow!! Thank you Elizabeth :-).

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Mar 27, 2012 Misfit rated it 5 of 5 stars

“It was not easy to search for a murderer when one was a queen's lady”

The Flower Reader is one of those books where the less you know about the story the better, so I'm keeping the plot description very brief and just will just tease instead with a few favorite quotes. Rinette Leslie of Granmuir is a very minor member of Mary of Guise's household, and as such she's the perfect choice when the dying regent needs someone to slip a casket of secret letters and other juicy stuff out of the castle an...more “It was not easy to search for a murderer when one was a queen's lady”

The Flower Reader is one of those books where the less you know about the story the better, so I'm keeping the plot description very brief and just will just tease instead with a few favorite quotes. Rinette Leslie of Granmuir is a very minor member of Mary of Guise's household, and as such she's the perfect choice when the dying regent needs someone to slip a casket of secret letters and other juicy stuff out of the castle and into its super-secret hiding place until it can be turned over to Scotland's new queen, Mary Stuart.

“No one paid any more attention to me. I walked out of the room with the silver casket and the masses of flowers in my arms.”

Well, let's just say things don't exactly go according to Hoyle, and Rinette's life is about to take some seriously unexpected twists and turns. Just about everyone is hot to get their hands on the casket and the secrets it contains (loved the Nostradamus twist!), and will go to any lengths to get their hands on them. No surprise, but Rinette finds herself right in the middle of it all dodging unknown assassins in darkened corridors.

“You have made an enemy, Mistress Rinette.”

And that is all I'm going to tell you - read it for yourself. I was hooked by the first chapter and loved every minute of it. I adored Rinette's voice, especially her *asides* on the young queen and her court, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end (it will keep you turning the pages). The floromancy twist was unique and a lot of fun (especially the flower she thought of when looking at Darnley :D). I'm one reader who is about as tired of Mary Queen of Scots as I am of the Tudors, but this was a refreshing look at her, and set during her first years as queen before all that Darnley/Bothwell melodrama. My copy came with maps, genealogical charts and a cast of characters (very much appreciated). 5/5 stars. Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore on April 3rd to get your hands on a copy.

Many thanks to the folks at NAL for an early copy, and a finished one at that. I love to quote so that was doubly appreciated.
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Dec 28, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-tour, historical-fiction, owned, spring-2012

I really liked this book, it was a nice quick read and had a lot of great aspects to it. This is the time period that I usually read, but I seldom read after Mary, Queen of Scots because I've always been such an Elizabeth fan and Mary tried to usurp her. I picked sides in this matter and I picked Elizabeth. Getting to read about Mary was exciting and fun.

I really liked Rinette, our heroine. She was flawed as a person which everyone is so she felt like a real person. I felt for her as she discove...more I really liked this book, it was a nice quick read and had a lot of great aspects to it. This is the time period that I usually read, but I seldom read after Mary, Queen of Scots because I've always been such an Elizabeth fan and Mary tried to usurp her. I picked sides in this matter and I picked Elizabeth. Getting to read about Mary was exciting and fun.

I really liked Rinette, our heroine. She was flawed as a person which everyone is so she felt like a real person. I felt for her as she discovered the truth about her life and how wrong she was about things. I felt for her as her quest to find her husbands murderer, her determination was inspiring. There were so many unsavory characters around her that it was hard to see how she could navigate it all.

I really liked how she did floromancy even if that made Rinette out to be a "witch". The idea of reading flowers and that they would speak to Rinette was really awesome and I think an original idea. If only she knew how much trouble her gift would get her into in the long run.

I will admit that there were moments that were predictable, but those didn't hinder my reading because I felt just a teansie-bit smarter for having figured it out. That being said, there were still a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming that ended with plenty of "Oh no they didnt!'s" (If you couldn't tell i'm a vocal reader). I had some trouble with the names since they were Scottish, and I could never be sure if I was pronouncing them right. (Like Mairi and Kitte I would pronounce Mary and Kit.)

My lastly biggest problem was the French, nothing irritates me more than when a book makes me work to understand what they are saying. I wish I spoke French, but I don't so the inclusion of these words once in a while didn't hinder my understanding or anything, it was just frustrating.

Like any good royal, the queen was so mercurial, that it was aggravating and there were moments where you just hated her for her actions. Of course, she would never apologize for what she had done to Rinette. I wish I could go into more detail, but I really don't want to spoil you because these twists and turns are what made me love this book.

The ending really sealed the deal for me, and is, again, something that I refuse to spoil because you really should just go out and read it. It is a great for anyone who loves history, especially the glitz of the Tudor era. There are so many fabulous names that come up in this book like Nostradamus and Catherine de Medici. I loved this book so much that when I get a chance I'm going to pick up The Second Duchess also by Loupas.
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Apr 20, 2012 Michelle/ The True Book Addict rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-tour-books, for-review, historical-fiction, owned, read-in-2012

I really liked this book. I am so impressed by the historical fiction that is being written these days. Pretty much every book is well-written and captivating and The Flower Reader is definitely up there with them.

This is the first novel I have read which features Mary, Queen of Scots. I was not overly fond of her in this book. I realize that this is an author's portrayal of her and may not be entirely factual, but Loupas is so good with her character development, I'm quite convinced that Mary m...more I really liked this book. I am so impressed by the historical fiction that is being written these days. Pretty much every book is well-written and captivating and The Flower Reader is definitely up there with them.

This is the first novel I have read which features Mary, Queen of Scots. I was not overly fond of her in this book. I realize that this is an author's portrayal of her and may not be entirely factual, but Loupas is so good with her character development, I'm quite convinced that Mary may very well have been this sort of person. Of course, royal personages were often impertinent due to their social standing, especially female rulers who always had to stay a step ahead of the men who would try to place them under their thumbs. The behavior might very well have been a front to conceal weakness. All this being said, I am very interested in reading more fiction featuring Mary in the future.

The main focus of the story is Marina Leslie of Granmuir, called by her nickname, Rinette. Rinette was raised by Queen Mary's mother, Mary of Guise, and this fact leads to a rivalry between Mary and Rinette which manifests in Mary's ill treatment of Rinette after her mother's death. Mary of Guise entrusted a precious object meant for her daughter only to Rinette and it is this action that is the center of the story. There is much intrigue surrounding this object and Rinette is caught in the middle of it all. After her husband is murdered, she is determined to find out who murdered him and to also hold on to her precious Granmuir. Rinette is a strong woman who goes after what she wants and uses the object as a bargaining chip to that end. Rinette is also a flower reader. She can read 'prophecies' in the flowers. This adds another interesting element to her character. Is she really reading fortunes in the flowers or is it just her subconscious speaking to her? At one point, she even questions this herself.

"I was never entirely sure whether what I heard was truly the flowers, or just my own secret thoughts and hopes and fears rising up out of my heart when I stilled myself to listen."

The Flower Reader is rich storytelling and its characters are real and interesting. The historical details were obviously meticulously researched. Throw in some intrigue and scandal and we have a book that will appeal to all readers, not only fans of historical fiction. I look forward to future offerings from Ms. Loupas.
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Apr 17, 2012 Jenny Q rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, blog-tour

After loving the author's debut, The Second Duchess, I was less than impressed with the first thirty pages of The Flower Reader, which I thought were full of over-dramatic moments and sappy dialogue. I'd really been looking forward to this one and all my friends were raving, so I hung in there, and I'm glad I did because it wasn't long before the story began to show the strength and depth I knew this author was capable of.

Be warned: the back cover gives too much away, the above version from Good...more After loving the author's debut, The Second Duchess, I was less than impressed with the first thirty pages of The Flower Reader, which I thought were full of over-dramatic moments and sappy dialogue. I'd really been looking forward to this one and all my friends were raving, so I hung in there, and I'm glad I did because it wasn't long before the story began to show the strength and depth I knew this author was capable of.

Be warned: the back cover gives too much away, the above version from Goodreads is abbreviated. I wish I hadn't read the back cover of my paperback version so that at least one of the plot points could have been a surprise to me. I will try not to divulge too much of the plot for you! The story revolves around the contents of a silver casket that Mary of Guise gives to Rinette on her deathbed to keep safe until her daughter, Mary Stuart, can return to Scotland and claim her throne. Unable to resist, Rinette and her new husband take a peek inside and discover it's full of secrets Mary of Guise had been collecting to help her daughter rule Scotland. But that sneak peek proves deadly, and Rinette's husband is murdered over the contents of that casket. Riddled with grief and guilt and burning for revenge, Rinette sets her feet on the path to retribution, taking a place at court in an effort to determine who killed her husband. The only person she can truly confide in is handsome Nicolas de Clerac, one of the queen's most favored advisers, who has offered to help Rinette uncover the truth. But does he have motives of his own for revealing the murderer and discovering the hidden casket? Rinette plays a dangerous game as she tries to use the casket as leverage against a queen and all of the other players who'd like to get their hands on it. As her quest for vengeance turns deadly, and her plans begin to fall apart, everyone Rinette loves is placed in danger, and Rinette will have to decide if her mission is worth the cost.

Entwined throughout Rinette's story is her gift of floromancy. Flowers and plants "speak" to Rinette, giving her glimpses of the future and insights into the people she meets. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. It adds a nice touch of softness and mysticism and true beauty, and provides some much-needed hope in a story that is often hard and brutal. I loved that this book takes place in the early days of Mary Queen of Scots' reign, before all of the scandals and betrayals that would ultimately lead to her execution. The Scottish court is not often written about in fiction and I loved getting a glimpse inside it and seeing how it compared to its English counterpart. In Loupas' hands it's a fun court, full of everything an eighteen-year-old queen loves: music, plays, pageants, sumptuous food, beautiful clothes, beautiful courtiers . . . but it's also full of intrigue and suspicion, as Mary's half-brother James seeks more power, and as the Catholics seek to subvert the Protestants. It's the perfect setting for an adventurous, murderous plot, and as the story twisted and turned and raced along to its very satisfying conclusion, I could not put it down.(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Suze rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely love this author! As in her first book, The Second Duchess, she writes about her characters as if she has lived alongside them for years. With all the research that goes into her historical novels, in a way she has.

I couldn't put this book down! The storyline weaves history with romance and thrilling mystery, revealing Queen Mary of Scots as an 18 year old....spoiled, yet intelligent...and a legendary beauty. The lead character, Rinette, is easy to love as she copes with life at co...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Maer rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is my first time reading a Loupas novel and it won't be my last. I won't go into the story, but leave it to other readers to discover that joy on their own. Instead, I want to talk about Loupas and her incredible style. She has a unique voice that drew me in immediately.

Her heroine, Rinette, is strong, independent and charming. Rinette's ability to read people and the future is a fascinating addition that completely pulled me in. The cast of characters is as entertaining as they are diverse...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Tara Pollard rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved the book and plan to read more from this author. I was originally drawn to the book while I was doing geneology research on my mother's family Stewart of Scotland, and because the book featured Mary Queen of Scots, I just had to read it. Although it is fiction and many of the characters are invented, it still has historical accuracy and the author delves into what could have been the mindset of the young and immature queen.

From the deathbed of the dowager queen of Scotland, Rinette, the...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a well-written historical mystery, set in the reign of a young Mary Queen of Scots. The central character Rinette is fictional, as are the members of her family and household, however a large amount of the characters from Queen Mary's court are actual historical figures.
The story is loosely based upon the casket that was believed to have belonged to Queen Mary. The letters found in the casket were used as proof that she was guilty of the death of her husband, Lord Darnley, although histo...more This is a well-written historical mystery, set in the reign of a young Mary Queen of Scots. The central character Rinette is fictional, as are the members of her family and household, however a large amount of the characters from Queen Mary's court are actual historical figures.
The story is loosely based upon the casket that was believed to have belonged to Queen Mary. The letters found in the casket were used as proof that she was guilty of the death of her husband, Lord Darnley, although historians debate upon the truth of this. Ms Loupas has taken this one small part of history, this infamous casket, in order to create her thrilling page-turner. Therefore, the main body of this story is entirely fictional. This is not to say that it isn't good, it's brilliant, but this is just worth mentioning for those who prefer their historical novels to be based entirely on fact.
I really enjoyed reading Rinette's story. She was easy to relate to, and her love for her children, her pets, and for nature made her the true herione of the book. This is not to say that she did not have a fierce side; like all true heriones she was quick to defend those she loved. I had feared perhaps the floromancy would cause this novel to be a bit too fantastical and mystical, but this wasn't the case at all. Rather the flowers helped Rinette, and therefore the reader, to see a more realistic perspective of people behind their facade. It was a nice aspect to the book, and not overly far-fetched.
I am glad that Ms Loupas thought to include a list of characters at the beginning of the novel, otherwise I would have been completely lost. The sheer wealth of names in this novel, both fictional and historical, was a little overwhelming and I found myself flicking back to list quite a few times.
This novel kept me on the edge of my seat until the end, and it was very entertaining. It reminds me a little of the Poisoner novels by Sara Poole. If you like those, I'm pretty sure that you'll like this too.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 LuAnn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is another wonderful historical fiction novel by Elizabeth Loupas. I love how she makes these historical figures come alive on the page.
In the Flower Reader, the main character is a young woman who is adept at the art of reading flowers. It was an intriguing talent in the 15th and 16th centuries that sometimes had people screaming, “Witchcraft!” But it wasn’t used to cast spells or affect someone’s life. Each plant had certain characteristics and the reader sensed those same traits in peopl...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-kiwi

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A story of murder, mystery and flowers — with a touch of romance.

Opening Sentence: I hated the queen, hated her down to the deepest marrow of my bones.

The Review:

Rinette Leslie is a girl with a special power I haven’t previously heard of before. The myths surrounding the gift of floromancy have apparently been around for millennia. Floromancy is the ability to read flowers for the purpose of telling a person’s future, and Rinette does a damn...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Brenda Rupp rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. I was busy with other things so couldn't read this book in one sitting like I have done in the past so it seemed disjointed to me at some points and others i was able to pick up right where I left off and didn't miss a beat. The meanings of the flowers, I've never heard of anyone that could read or hear flowers.....

The scenes in the court are described so well, the dresses, you can almost see them. The story is very interesting, I think anyone intersted in unusal storie...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: couldn-t-put-down, european-setting, french-connection, new-author-for-me, paperback-i-own, woman-writer

I enjoyed this book immensely. From start to finish I found Rinnette one of the most engaging and feisty of heroines historical fiction has offered in a good while. There are many strong historical women characters in recent historical fiction I've had the pleasure of reading, and I'm not meaning to take my praise from them. However, the character of Rinnette bursts forth from the start, showing her strong resolve to keep herself, her loved ones, her property and her resolve under murderous pres...more I enjoyed this book immensely. From start to finish I found Rinnette one of the most engaging and feisty of heroines historical fiction has offered in a good while. There are many strong historical women characters in recent historical fiction I've had the pleasure of reading, and I'm not meaning to take my praise from them. However, the character of Rinnette bursts forth from the start, showing her strong resolve to keep herself, her loved ones, her property and her resolve under murderous pressures! I loved her brave spirit and her willingness to stare down death and queens despite her youth, power and lack of weapons. Because of this beautiful, mystically talented and unabashedly strong woman this novel is one of my favorite historical novels this season.

Rinnette is a brilliant character who will endear herself to readers and keep you hungry to finish her story.

Played out on the world stage of the courts where such historic figures reigned such as Queen Mary of Guise, Mary Queen of Scots and the Scottish clans...not to mention such notables as Nostradamus,
Elizabeth Queen of England, and Catherine de Medicis, this is a tapestry of time and intrigue that is absorbing in and of itself. Elizabeth Loupas has then laid a set of secrets and mysteries that rival the CIA! It's a plot that kept me reading, and that moved at a steady, rapid pace.

I appreciated her writing style and her development of a world within the real world with adjunct characters that didn't really exist but seemed plausible!

The relationships between her characters; Rinnette with her husband and her children, for instance, was palpable, striking at my heart strings. I felt a deep sense of loss with her at times, and a joy at other times. Ms Loupas has a strong gift of portraying emotion and personal relationships that gives her book depth and character.

I really loved the element of the flowers and Rinnettes "reading" of them at every bend as she encountered friend and foe. This added a dimension to the book unlike any other historical fiction I'd read, obviously! In her section at the back of the book, Ms Loupas is interviewed about this element and she gives the history behind flower "discernment." I found it fascinating. The connection with herbal healing as we know it today and our use of "diffusion" for different states of relaxation and such, show us some small connection to the practice Rinnette must have been using.

On a deeper level, and with a immediate mystical response, Rinnette was a master "flower reader" foretelling the future constantly...it was so exciting to read this part of Elizabeth Loupas's story.

In summary, a great book of historical fiction which I absolutely adored reading. I highly recommend it to all lovers of the genre, and to others of you who are thinking of taking a step into historical fiction. It is a mystical, feminist, mystery and family dynamic of a book. Great reading!

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Apr 21, 2012 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction. Elizabeth Loupas did a lot of research to keep the historical facts correct while inserting fictional characters. Rinette is a strong woman but still has to fight to keep from being controlled by the men around her. She does not always win. This is also a look at Queen Mary as a young 18 year old new to ruling. Being able to read the flowers is something new to me. I was not sure what to expect when I saw that was part of...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Julianne Douglas rated it 4 of 5 stars

As I was reading Elizabeth Loupas's new novel, THE FLOWER READER (NAL, April 2012), this verse from the old nursery rhyme kept running through my head, and quite justifiably. For in Loupas's second novel, flowers have the power to foretell the future, and knowing what grows in one's own--and others'--gardens can quite literally be a matter of life and death. In order to heed the flowers' warnings, however, one must know how to read the blossoms. Luckily for Mary, the new Queen of Scots, her atte...more As I was reading Elizabeth Loupas's new novel, THE FLOWER READER (NAL, April 2012), this verse from the old nursery rhyme kept running through my head, and quite justifiably. For in Loupas's second novel, flowers have the power to foretell the future, and knowing what grows in one's own--and others'--gardens can quite literally be a matter of life and death. In order to heed the flowers' warnings, however, one must know how to read the blossoms. Luckily for Mary, the new Queen of Scots, her attendant, Marina Leslie of Granmuir, does. The flowers share secrets Rinette must use to extricate Mary--and herself--from the web of treachery that surrounds them.

This romantic adventure unfolds as a reverse quest--instead of seeking a sacred object, the heroine must prevent the object from being found. In question is a silver casket owned by Mary of Guise, Scotland's ailing queen regent, which contains ciphered secrets regarding Scotland's most powerful noblemen and personal prophecies penned by Nostradamus himself. Moments before her death, Mary of Guise calls Rinette to her bedside to prophesy, a pretext that allows her to entrust the casket to Rinette, who promises to smuggle it out of the castle and into the hands of the new Queen Mary. Rinette escapes with the casket hidden in an armload of flowers, but soon makes a fatal mistake--she shows the casket and its contents to her adored but power-hungry husband, who proceeds to offer it for sale, without Rinette's knowledge, to interested parties in Scotland, France and England. When her husband is murdered to prevent the transaction, Rinette refuses to surrender the casket to Queen Mary until his murderer is brought to justice. As she works with an unlikely ally to unmask the murderer and unravel the plot that threatens the queen, Rinette must rely on her ability to read the flowers to protect herself, her family and her heart.

I must admit I was a bit wary of the floromancy angle as I started this book. Not particularly drawn to fiction with a supernatural slant, I was afraid the flower reading might be little more than a gimmick that would overshadow the novel's historical content. However, Loupas quickly put my reservations to rest. Even though the sixteenth-century characters accept Rinette's powers unquestioningly, Loupas never forces the modern reader to do so. Rather, she intimates that Rinette's ability to read the future in flowers is little more than an uncanny ability to read people themselves, to intuit their basic moral strengths and character flaws from the slimmest of evidence. Rinette associates people with particular blooms based on what she perceives of their personalities and then devises a probable future for them based on what she has observed. While the early modern mindset of the characters envisions this as a supernatural ability (some see her as a witch), Loupas allows the reader to understand it as a particularly refined psychological acuity, one that waxes and wanes with Rinette's own psychological health. As her circumstances become ever more threatening, Rinette's powers fail; distress renders her confused, unable to make sound judgments about people and their motivations. Rather than being the distraction I feared, Rinette's floromancy provides interesting glimpses into her own and other character's psyches and projects these insights onto the canvas of the novel in a vividly visual way.

THE FLOWER READER is a strongly plotted, well-written novel that evokes a believable sixteenth-century setting replete with details of period dress, food, architecture and manners. The characters are well-drawn, from Rinette, thrust into the world of politics when all she longs for is her daughters and her castle by the sea, to Nicolas de Clérac, the enigmatic, urbane hero who in many ways recalls Dorothy Dunnet's Lymond, to Mary, the high-spirited, impulsive and, yes, often times contrary young queen newly transplanted from France to Scotland. The novel builds suspense to a satisfying conclusion; fully engaged as I read, I was eager to discover how the pieces fit together (Loupas does some interesting things with Catherine de Medici's spy network, the infamous Esquadron volant). Second novels are often harder to write than debuts, for many reasons; Elizabeth Loupas acquits herself quite admirably in this one. I am glad I have not yet read her well-received first novel, THE SECOND DUCHESS, for now I don't have to wait until she writes a third to experience more of her superb storytelling.(less)

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May 09, 2012 Kathleen Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished

This is the first novel I have read by Elizabeth Loupas and enjoyed it so much that I will be going back to read more of her work. The Flower Reader is about Rinette Leslie of Granmuir, Scotland. At the beginning of the story, Rinette is given a silver casket with secret information in it from the dying Queen Mary with instructions that Rinette is to give to Mary Queen of Scots when she comes back to Scotland.

Rinette is a "flower reader", meaning that she is able to "see" things about people by...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, for-review

If I had to pick a genre of book that is my absolute favorite, it would be historical fiction. More specifically, historical fiction that takes place in Europe between the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. I find the history between England and Scotland during this time to be absolutely fascinating! When I was offered the opportunity to join the blog tour for The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas I immediately said yes, knowing it took place during my favorite time period!

Rinette Leslie has...more If I had to pick a genre of book that is my absolute favorite, it would be historical fiction. More specifically, historical fiction that takes place in Europe between the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. I find the history between England and Scotland during this time to be absolutely fascinating! When I was offered the opportunity to join the blog tour for The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas I immediately said yes, knowing it took place during my favorite time period!

Rinette Leslie has quite the interesting gift. She can read flowers as if they are Tarot cards, divining the future through her connection with all things floral and plant related. Additionally, she is one of the ladies in waiting to Mary of Guise, the Queen of Scotland. On her deathbed, the Queen asks Rinette to use her gift to tell her what her future holds, yet once everyone leaves her alone with the Queen, she encounters a different task: the Queen gives Rinette a small casket full of important letters and documents that she instructs Rinette to keep safe until her daughter, Mary Stuart, can return to Scotland and ascend to power. Unable to resist a look at their important cargo, Rinette and her husband open the casket and find that the letters and documents are meant to help Mary Stuart in her quest to take over the throne, and contain very important secrets. As a result of his knowledge of the contents of the coffin, Rinette’s husband is murdered by an unknown assailant. Distraught and filled with vengeance, Rinette takes a place at the new Queen’s court in order to hunt down her husband’s killer. Will her plans succeed? Will she too be killed over the casket’s contents?

When I first finished this book, I was struck by the Loupas’ creativity. It’s not every day that you hear of a character that has the power to read futures in flowers! I think it added an interesting touch to Rinette’s personality, and helped make her character seem more mysterious and powerful. Granted, as a woman who has lost her love and vows revenge she is quite powerful on her own, but this touch seemed to make her quest that much more adventurous and really made the chapters fly by. The plot moves as a break-neck pace, and events are constantly swirling. When you think things have calmed down for a moment, it picks right back up again. There is definitely no shortage of action in this story.

Another thing I noticed was the correlation between Loupas’ writing style and Phillipa Gregory’s. I definitely think that fans of Phillipa would enjoy this work, as there are similarities in how intricate and exciting the plots are. The anticipation and antsy feeling that I got while reading about Rinette’s adventures definitely reminded me of Phillipa’s works. And being that Phillipa is one of the best known writers of this genre, that’s a good thing! One slight detraction I did notice was that the sheer amount of characters in this work tended to confuse me at parts. The character index in the front of the novel did help a bit, but I still was scratching my head at some points.

Overall, Loupas’ tale is an excellently written story of love, betrayal, revenge, and loyalty. Couple this with an exciting plot that leaves you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what will happen next, and you have a recipe for a great hit. I definitely recommend this one, especially to all the Phillipa fans out there. You won’t be disappointed!

Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
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May 08, 2012 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this tale of Scotland just as Mary, Queen of Scots is taking her throne we meet Rinette Leslie, a young woman with the ability to read people and their futures with flowers. She wants nothing more than to live in peace at her estate in Granmuir but that is not to be. She is entrusted with a silver casket full of letters from Mary's mother to present to Mary upon her return to Scotland from France. She is to show it to no-one and to give it only to Mary. As Rinette leaves the old queen's servi...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rinette is devastated when she has to leave her home at Granmuir and say good-bye to her childhood love, Alexander Gordon. Her foster mother, and aunt by marriage, Mary of Guise, queen regent of Scotland, brings her to her castle in Edinburgh. Now, three years later, the Queen is dying and has an important request for Rinette: hide a silver casket and keep it safe until the Queen's daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, can return home from France to claim it. The Queen warns Rinette that the box holds...more Rinette is devastated when she has to leave her home at Granmuir and say good-bye to her childhood love, Alexander Gordon. Her foster mother, and aunt by marriage, Mary of Guise, queen regent of Scotland, brings her to her castle in Edinburgh. Now, three years later, the Queen is dying and has an important request for Rinette: hide a silver casket and keep it safe until the Queen's daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, can return home from France to claim it. The Queen warns Rinette that the box holds many secrets, including prophesies from the great Nostradamus, and that others will try to steal it. Rinette agrees to take the box, but has no idea the type of danger she is putting herself and her loved ones in by accepting responsibility for this box of secrets.

"The Flower Reader" is a complex historical novel set in Tudor, Scotland. I was at first intimated by the four-page cast of characters list, both fictional and real people from history. However, from the first chapter, I saw this would be an entertaining and very "readable" book. When Rinette accepts the box from the Queen, that is just the beginning of her adventures and she undergoes unspeakable tragedies to keep her promise to deliver it to Mary, Queen of Scots.

The book is filled with interesting characters. The main character, Rinette, can read the future from flowers and sees flowers and their associated personality traits when she looks at someone. For example, she sees a peony when she looks at Mary, Queen of Scots - glorious, but fragile. Even though the book takes place in 1560, Rinette is a character to which modern readers can relate. She tries to do the right things for the Queen and for her family, but her choices don't always work out the way she intends. She experiences danger and duplicity throughout the book, and the reader is kept guessing right along with Rinette about who can be trusted.

Alexander is Rinette's first love and their story is interesting, even though the adult Alexander does not live up to Rinette's childhood memories of him. However, another man, Nicolas de Clerac, the French secretary to Mary of Guise and then Mary, Queen of Scots, seems to be on Rinette's side. Nico is flamboyant, clever, and not entirely trustworthy, but keeps showing up whenever Rinette needs him. Their story is suspenseful and is my favorite part of the book. Mary, Queen of Scots, also plays a huge role in this story and she shows many different facets to her personality which is very entertaining.

In her efforts to protect the silver casket and her family, Rinette gets mixed up with an evil man, Rannoch Hamilton. While the scenes between Rinette and Hamilton are not graphic, the descriptions leave no doubt about the violence of what is occurring, which could be disturbing to some readers. I hated the fact that her involvement with this man was set up by her sometime friend, Mary, Queen of Scots, and that there was nothing Rinette or anyone that cared about her, could do anything about the situation. Many parts of the book were upsetting to read. While I would have preferred more romance and less tragedy, there are some very touching scenes such as Nico staying by Rinette bedside when she is very ill. I also admire Rinette's resilience and loyalty to her family. While she experiences much suffering, I love that she ultimately finds the strength to put her past behind her and take a chance on a happy life.

"The Flower Reader" is a well-researched, well-written historical novel. There are excellent extras at the end including an author's note regarding the history of the story, an interview with the author, and discussion questions for the book. While there is much darkness, there is hope at the end that Rinette will have the happiness she deserves.

This review was originally written for The Season EZine. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Apr 14, 2012 Tish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved this! A fun, sympatico main character, an interesting twist with her flower reading, and a fresh take on MQoS as a young, ruling monarch.

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May 30, 2012 Diane S. rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a wonderfully entertaining romp through the history of the middle 1600's when a very young Mary Stewart returns to Scotland to rule. When her mother Marie Guise dies, she entrust s silver casket to one her wards, Rinette, tells her to hide it and only give it to the Mary when next she sets foot on Scottish soil. What follows are the many plots, counter-plots, assassins, secret groups, political maneuvering and forced marriages. All that made living at court such a treacherous business. Rine...more

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May 01, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, tudor-period

Despite the novel's title, flower reading, or floromancy, takes a backseat to the drama and suspense permeating the plot. The dying queen of Scotland gives Rinette Leslie, her ward, a silver casket. Rinette is instructed to do two simple things: hide the casket in a secret vault under the castle and ensure that Mary Stuart, the future Queen of Scots, receive the casket on her first day back in Scotland. She is to show the casket to no one and certainly not to look inside. It takes little more th...more Despite the novel's title, flower reading, or floromancy, takes a backseat to the drama and suspense permeating the plot. The dying queen of Scotland gives Rinette Leslie, her ward, a silver casket. Rinette is instructed to do two simple things: hide the casket in a secret vault under the castle and ensure that Mary Stuart, the future Queen of Scots, receive the casket on her first day back in Scotland. She is to show the casket to no one and certainly not to look inside. It takes little more than ten pages for the reader to see that Rinette's promise is shredded to bits. She does not hide the casket in the vault. Instead, she runs home to Granmuir as quickly as possible to wed her lover, casket in tow. Feeling guilty about her broken promise, Rinette returns to court the first day the young queen arrives, and this is where the story takes off. Soon, Rinette's husband is dead, she is using the casket as a bargaining chip, and she is falling for another man.

All things considered, this book is a pleasant read. I was often confused about who was related to whom and how Rinette knew certain people, but by the end of the novel, I sort of had the hang of it all. I am not well-read in this period of Scotland, though, so perhaps someone who knows more about the time period would not have trouble keeping up with the characters. Nico de Clarac was a different sort of hero from the ones writers usually describe. He is completely the flamboyant courtier, yet he was raised in a monastery by monks. He wears make-up and more jewelery than the heroine, yet he engages readily in sword fights. This slightly effeminate and yet hardened man was a nice departure from the usual alpha males read about in so many historicals.

The plot was well-paced, and it kept me reading. For some reason, though, I just can't give this book 4 stars. I can't pinpoint one thing that I didn't like about the book, but there are several small things that may have prevented me from falling in love with it. The writing style on occasion got on my nerves. The author would repeat entire pieces of dialogue from earlier in the book as if we hadn't read it at all or as if the reader wouldn't remember what was said. Also, I couldn't quite get on board with the characters. Something about them seemed 2D throughout the entire book as opposed to coming to life. While the suspense of the book kept me reading, I really didn't care what happened to anyone in the book. In fact, the best-written character in the novel was probably young Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. Loupas portrayed her so wonderfully mercurial and impulsive. She, out of everyone, sprang to life on the pages.(less)

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Apr 22, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Dorothy Dunnett, Mary Queen of Scots history

I don't normally do narrative reviews but since I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway I promised in good faith to do an honest review and so here we are.

Fortunately it was not hard to like this book! The author cites the late Dorothy Dunnett as one of her main influences. Since Dunnett is my favorite author bar none, work by any author who likes Dorothy Dunnett is bound to resonate with me! And so it was with The Flower Reader. The hero of the story, Nicolas de Clerac, is the author's acknowl...more I don't normally do narrative reviews but since I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway I promised in good faith to do an honest review and so here we are.

Fortunately it was not hard to like this book! The author cites the late Dorothy Dunnett as one of her main influences. Since Dunnett is my favorite author bar none, work by any author who likes Dorothy Dunnett is bound to resonate with me! And so it was with The Flower Reader. The hero of the story, Nicolas de Clerac, is the author's acknowledged 'sort of' homage to Francis Crawford of Lymond. He is without Lymond's rapier wit and edgy humor but I can live with that as no one else can or ever should be Lymond! Nico de Clerac certainly channeled Lymond's inner turmoil, angst and family loyalty, all of which added depth to his character.

Protagonist Rinette's strength was in her growth as a character, from immature self-centered floromantic to a grown woman with bridges to burn and build. I will admit that I found the floromancy angle to be a bit distracting (and I hasten to add that this has everything to do with my personality and nothing to do with the structure of the book), while nonetheless appreciating how Loupas skillfully worked it into the story and acknowledging that such folk magic was contemporarily accepted as much as was the cult of Nostradamus.

The probable eventual fate of the Guise casket delighted me, as I've long been fascinated by the complicated life of Mary Stuart. I felt that Loupas' young adult Mary could very much have been the grown-up little girl readers first met in Dunnett's series during Lymond's sojourns in France. Without the steady and honest support of the cast of characters around her, Rinette could easily have remained a self-absorbed, immature creature like Mary. It took a lifetime of isolation to bring Mary to maturity. It took less than that albeit much trauma to bring Rinette into adulthood as someone capable of facing what mattered most in life. I'm not sure Mary ever made that latter transition but Rinette's growth process was an engrossing journey for the reader.

I only wish we'd had some tying of loose ends for the oldest child, who had to have been traumatized by the violence she witnessed. Then again, Dunnett never gave her readers an emotional resolution for what young Kuzum endured, so again there's that link.

Both authors ask us to trust that their adult characters are ultimately finally mature and whole enough to care for their young charges. By story's end, Rinette and Nico de Clerac are as capable as were Lymond and Philippa Somerville. The advantage of historical perspective allows modern readers to recognize that there are a few more brutal twists and turns of fate yet in store for Scotland and all of these characters. I think the mark of good fiction for historically knowledgeable fans is to wonder "what will they do when" and come up with some reasonable guesses based upon how well-drawn the characters are. That I could imagine possible scenarios for Rinette and Nico de Clerac as Mary's queenship disintegrates in the coming years is a credit to Loumas' strong character development.

All in all a satisfying read. Not as complicated as Dunnett's word-painting prose, but then, very little else ever is! This book is satisfying all its own.

NOTE: I was also dismayed to find a major spoiler in plain sight in the Cast of Characters, which I religiously read before cracking open a book. I hope that the last names of certain characters will be removed in future editions to avoid the spoiling for those of us who pay attention to such things.(less)

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May 14, 2012 Jessica VA rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Originally posted on The Daily Bookmark

Elizabeth Loupas worked wonders with The Flower Reader. This is historical fiction at its finest: rich, alive fictional characters set to the backdrop of real historical events, woven superbly with the lives of well known historical figures. Loupas created a completely plausible, fact-based and amazing story that is sure to keep the genre alive and well.

Wow, the action never stops in this one! From page one, Rinette was thrown into a world not her own and s...more Originally posted on The Daily Bookmark

Elizabeth Loupas worked wonders with The Flower Reader. This is historical fiction at its finest: rich, alive fictional characters set to the backdrop of real historical events, woven superbly with the lives of well known historical figures. Loupas created a completely plausible, fact-based and amazing story that is sure to keep the genre alive and well.

Wow, the action never stops in this one! From page one, Rinette was thrown into a world not her own and strongly coerced to take the dangerous route to the truth. The intrigue and action turned the pages feverishly and the mystery added another dimension to the historical backdrop. Slowly but surely, the puzzle pieces begin to fit together and Rinette begins to unravel what really happened with her husband, the young Queen and everybody in between.

The protagonist for The Flower Reader, Rinette, is resilient to a fault. She's strong and determined and capable. She's quick witted, smart and always considering options and consequences. She values her family above anything and will do anything for them to survive - and the limits of her 'anything' are most definitely tested. She makes the book absolutely wonderful, alongside a cast of secondary characters, both fictional and historical.

There were just a few things that proved less than agreeable...

- The blurb on the back of the book contains so much information that it's almost spoilery, making many of the big plot twists predictable and foretold.
- The beginning pages were so action packed and stuffed to the brim that no character development occurred. While this definitely grabs the reader from the start and refuses to let go, the major events that set the stage for the rest of the novel seemed light and rushed and I cared little, if at all, for the characters in those first pages. This is however, rectified in the following pages.
- Rinette has the old ability to read the flowers. She can listen to them and get a sense of a person based on their respectable flower. I would have liked to have seen more use of this unique ability as it sets the story apart from the abundance of Tudor HF and those like it.

Beyond those small hiccups, I found The Flower Reader to be a thoroughly enjoyable read, one I could not put down. The mystery and subtle clues leaves readers just one half-step ahead of the protagonist, yet in such a way that the reader never really knows for sure until the very last words. Elizabeth Loupas is definitely one to keep an eye on for future works.(less)

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Apr 19, 2012 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I won this book on goodreads and I am so glad I did because it introduced me to Loupas, and I will be reading everything she writes. This is my favorite kind of historical fiction. An engrossing tale set up around real events and people. I loved the detailed character outline at the beginning to let you know who was real and who was fictional, and the map. I also loved the afterward. As for the story, it held my attention gave me characters I adored and was happy to root for, as well as villians...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Siobian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, magical-realism, read-in-2012, review-copy

Rinette Leslie has a special gift of being able to read the future in flowers. She has not led a normal life, not only because of her ability, but also because of being a ward of the queen. When Mary of Guise gives Rinette a casket filled with letters and prophecies intended for Mary's daughter, Mary of Scots, Rinette takes it with the intention of following the queen's instructions and allowing no one to see it until Mary of Scots returns to claim regency over Scotland. However, after marrying...more Rinette Leslie has a special gift of being able to read the future in flowers. She has not led a normal life, not only because of her ability, but also because of being a ward of the queen. When Mary of Guise gives Rinette a casket filled with letters and prophecies intended for Mary's daughter, Mary of Scots, Rinette takes it with the intention of following the queen's instructions and allowing no one to see it until Mary of Scots returns to claim regency over Scotland. However, after marrying the man she has had her heart set on since childhood, Alexander, Rinette shows him the casket and its contents. Months later, when Alexander and a very pregnant Rinette arrive to hand over the casket, Rinette is told she will have to wait to meet the queen. Angry at being put off, Rinette hides the casket in a secret place known only to herself and the late Mary of Guise. When they leave, Alexander is attacked and killed and the trauma sends Rinette into labor. Widowed and a new mother, Rinette realizes that she has little to keep her from being married to the first person to come along and her estate taken from her, she uses her only playing card to broker a deal with Queen Mary that her husband's murderer must be found before she will hand over the casket.

I cannot explain how quickly this novel drew me in. It was fantastic! Though there were times that I did not particularly care for Rinette and thought she might be making a bad decision, I couldn't help but be completely sucked into her story. The story moved and flowed so well with suspenseful moments being thrown in to keep the reader on their toes, not to mention the wonderful way with words Loupas has. I never cared for Alexander, the husband, and completely felt justified for my feelings as the novel progressed, though I could see why Rinette was drawn to him. All of the characters were realistic causing me to have equal love/hate relationships with all of them. Rinette's floromancy was interesting, added a lot of depth to the story, and it left me wondering what flower Rinette would have seen when she looked at me. Overall, it was a great story and I can't wait to try Loupas's other novel, The Second Duchess.

*Please note, I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, as part of a blog tour, in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Ana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, historical-fiction

"The Flower Reader" is the story of Marina Leslie (also known as Rinette), a girl in the court of Mary of Guise, who is entrusted by the dying queen with a silver casket full with the prophecies of Nostradamus. The casket and its contents are intended for Mary Stuart only. All Marina has to do is hide it in a vault under St. Margaret's chapel and then look it up and give it to Mary Stuart upon her return to Scotland. But Marina, out of ignorance, desperation and hatred towards life in court, fle...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads, 2012-challenge, on-my-bookshelf

I have heard plenty of praise for Elizabeth Loupas' first book, The Second Duchess, but this is my first time reading her work. I have not spent a lot of time reading historical novels in the past but I found myself intranced by this well-written story filled with floromancy, romance, and deceit.

I will admit the back flap of the book itself gave away a tad bit too much. I found myself able to put pieces together I might not have been able to if I hadn't read the synopsis.

Being new to historical...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Caitlin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, scotland, 16th-century, real-life-characters, to-read-again

I was captivated from beginning to end. The writing was great, the mystery and romance was everything I could wish for, and the characters felt honest and had great motivation. A truly enjoyable historical fiction novel.

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Jan 01, 2013 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rinette Leslie of Granmuir has the ancient art of divining the future in flowers, but even her gift down not prepare her for the turmoil that comes with a casket full of Scotland's darkest secrets that is entrusted to her. Soon, her husband is brutally assassinated and she is demands justice before she will surrender the casket, but she is surrounded by ruthless men who will do anything to possess it. In the end it is only the flowers she can trust and only they will lead her safely home to Gran...more Rinette Leslie of Granmuir has the ancient art of divining the future in flowers, but even her gift down not prepare her for the turmoil that comes with a casket full of Scotland's darkest secrets that is entrusted to her. Soon, her husband is brutally assassinated and she is demands justice before she will surrender the casket, but she is surrounded by ruthless men who will do anything to possess it. In the end it is only the flowers she can trust and only they will lead her safely home to Granmuir

The Flower Reader had a superb combination of poetic writing and vivid imagery that really captures you in the lush surroundings of Scotland and truly allows you to imagine yourself, through the character's eyes, into the many castles and towns that are weaved brilliantly through this novel. I felt I could connect to almost each of the character's, especially our protagonist Rinette and it was so interesting to see the interactions in court as well as their struggle to achieve power. Even character's who were portrayed as doing the 'wrong thing' had strong self-reasoning making the book feel all that more realistic. One of my favorite character's by far was Mary, Queen of Scots and I loved how Loupas portrayed her more as a younger almost naive Queen yet still gave her that drive for ambition that strengthened her personality. Rinette was a strong hearted and courageous character that refused to back down in the face of adversary and it was great to see her take situations into her own hands instead of being the 'Damsel in the Distress'

I did wish to see more integration of the ancient art of Floromancy spread consistently but the integration of the art itself was done with great clarity and fit into the plot perfectly. It was great how we could see the effects of the flowers having serious repercussions and I loved the little insights we got into into characters personality. Mystery, the book revolves around it and it's consistent, puzzling and kept me guessing me until the end. Nicolas de Clerac, one of the characters Rinette closely associates with had a vibrant personality and it was interesting to see his mood shift depending on who he was surrounded by. You can tell the novel has been researched well and I'm really thankful for that because it added the depth and understanding that is needed to bring to life such a vivid historical setting.

Overall, The Flower Reader was an intriguing assortment of history, romance and a consistent and well-written mystery. I would definitely recommend reading this and I look forward to reading more work from this author.(less)

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