The Language of Flowers in Bound Together

Feb 20, 2014 B the BookAddict rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction

This child, this self-admitted odd-bod, Victoria has been in the foster system since birth. Ask her who her parents are and she will say the Foster System. At age ten, she has been in thirty-nine different foster homes. She is used to, at a moment's notice, being removed or rejected by her foster parents. She travels light, everything she owns is in a small canvas bag which includes her Dictionary of Flowers. The story is told in two sequences of time; when she is ten, going to a new foster home ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: five-star

Although this book isn't one I would have necessarily and ordinarily been attracted to, I'm so glad I decided to go with my heart and borrow it from the library, because I was utterly captivated by the storyline and the beautiful writing tone.

When troubled child Victoria is shuffled from group home to yet another failed foster family placement, she finds solace in the art of floristry. As a reader, I developed a new found appreciation for flowers and their meanings. I had no idea there were so m ...more

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Apr 09, 2018 Rebecca rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-reads

It started out as my type of story a girl with a secret linked to her past... And then there were the flowers and their meaning which was charming and interesting... So was the heroine with all her flaws... I couldn't put the book down till the end but as I mused about it afterwards some things felt a little silly so taking back one star from the five... Victoria and Grant, Victoria and Elizabeth what a beautiful relationship... ...more

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Dec 29, 2013 Meagan The Book Witch rated it it was amazing

Probably the greatest book I read in 2011. The story follows a young girl, Victoria. She's had a tough life, being fostered out to family after family, then being returned to government care when they can't handle her. a prickly and hateful child, the only pleasant memories she has are with a past foster mother, absent at this time. Victoria becomes of age, and is told she is now a legal adult, and therefore must move out of care. She quickly becomes homeless, supported only by her incredible ta ...more

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Dec 08, 2013 Barbara rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, read-2016

3*

I don't know if it's me but I've been having negative reactions to books that many have raved about. I was looking forward to this read, but I have to say that it fell short for me, although, I loved the meaning of flowers theme. I was marking them as I read along, and when I didn't have a pen or highlighter handy, I was dog earring pages then I reached the final pages and saw the glossary at the back. I will keep this book on my shelf just for that glossary.

I just couldn't get behind Victoria 3*

I don't know if it's me but I've been having negative reactions to books that many have raved about. I was looking forward to this read, but I have to say that it fell short for me, although, I loved the meaning of flowers theme. I was marking them as I read along, and when I didn't have a pen or highlighter handy, I was dog earring pages then I reached the final pages and saw the glossary at the back. I will keep this book on my shelf just for that glossary.

I just couldn't get behind Victoria, as this story's protagonist. I get that she had trust issues. I get that she probably had a difficult time showing love, trust, empathy, maturity, etc...,but I struggled with the way in which she acted. To me, she was incredibly selfish, and mean. You would think that being through the system she would have more empathy for people, especially those that reached out to her for reasons that baffled me.

(view spoiler)[She left everyone who ever cared for her in a lurch;

Meredith, (although, I don't not think Meredith cared for Victoria per se, she did try to place Victoria at great lengths, but Victoria was having none of it, and destroyed every placement made for her.

Elizabeth loved Victoria and acted almost selflessly when it came to V, but V just couldn't accept what Elizabeth was able to offer, and we all know what penalty Elizabeth paid for that mistake. Then at the end all is forgiven??? Not sure if I could do that. Elizabeth is a much bigger person than me.

Grant loved V unconditionally and was kept at arms length even at the end, but he's willing to give V her space, literally and figuratively, even when he knows the truth about what V did, and the price his mother paid for that most selfish and costly act. Not many men out there who would be that understanding, or at least I haven't met many or found one for myself.

Renata gave V every opportunity to stand on her own two feet. V pays her back by starting her own business, using Renata's connections to the flower world and cutting Renata out of the picture. I kept asking myself why Renata would ever have given V a chance...most employers wouldn't, especially because V showed up dirty and homeless. I feel like an awful person saying these things, but for me it didn't ring true.

Renata's sister, who gives her a weird blue room to rent, but V doesn't even respect that, and treats the room like she was living outside....I just didn't get it.

Mother Ruby, who helps with the birthing of Hazel , but no thanks from V, who ends up locking Mother Ruby out.

Marlena, the girl V hired to help her with the flower business, who also was in 'the system', but showed more maturity and life skills than V, was also left in the lurch every time V felt she needed to run away from something/someone, or to someone/something.

Hazel, (BTW, love that name!), her own baby, whom she leaves several times to get her own space. Again, I get it to some extent, as many women struggle with postpartum, colicky babies, hormonal imbalances, mastitis, etc..., but I couldn't get behind V just leaving Hazel with no one. There were many people in V's life who would have come over to take care of Hazel. Then to top it all off she leaves Hazel...but wait, then she wants her back, but not fully, because she still needs her space. Oh my goodness, I just couldn't!

In the end Victoria gets the man, the business, the baby, the 'mother', the house plus an extra space just for her....wow, I need me that life! (hide spoiler)]

I thought this book had much more potential than it ended up having, at least for this reader.

Loved the flower portion! ...more

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Sep 13, 2014 June rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I loved this story of Victoria, an angry young lady who was in the foster system until at age 18, was emancipated with nowhere to go. She ended up sleeping in a park among the flowers, which was the only thing she loved. I fell in love with Victoria, rooting and cheering for her all the way. The book was amazing and I highly recommend it.

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Apr 11, 2014 Wendy rated it it was amazing

I loved this novel. The story was sweet and mesmerizing. Well written characters that I came to care for and wish the best for. Don't even start me on the actual language of flowers… Love, love, love! ...more

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