Thoroughly enjoyed The Language of Flowers it turned out to be ...
926332
Thoroughly enjoyed The Language of Flowers  it turned out to be much more captivating than I expected and have already recommneded  it to others.
2597509
Just finished reading it and enjoyed every word and twist of language. I especially like the way the author makes each column personal.  It's very clear that he is realy CRAZY about words and gets great enjoyment from them. Got to give it 5 stars!
3061370
I purchased this book after hearing the author read at a public event.  I fear  that  poetry tends to go over my head, but hearing it read out loud, emphasis and cadence where intended, made me fall in love with the selections that day. And there on page 7 is my situation in reverse (in part):
"The poet was protected from
Precipitation and recited the poem
That made me weep days earlier.
his voice moved over me
Like strains from a cello."

The poetry here is lyrical, descriptive, complex, yet comprehendable. Some challenged more than others, but in creating my own meaning, I feel confident I have finally understood poetry. And more important, found pleasure and enjoyment in reading it. The occasional touch of humor doesn't hurt, "You opened your mouth to touch me in French - the language, not the kiss."
3888975
I loved this story.  With each page I loved each character and the language of flowers written into each story line.  An amazing book by and amazing author.  You will not be disappointed.  An excellent book club choice so much to discuss
4804629
This was recommended by a friend as an excellent book. It gripped me from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. I have a new knowledge and appreciation of flowers and their meaning.
1606113
I think that the language in this book was beautiful.  She did a fantastic job of creating a picturesque scene of her island setting.  I loved the voice of the main character and her emotional ride.  I thought the story was a bit unbelieveable at parts and the ending was a bit forced.  But I really enjoyed it and would read again.
485983
A very good read.  It was our book club's selection and remarkly, everyone enjoyed it.  I found it quirky but enjoyable.  I am not a great fan of "time travel", but once I caught on to the author's pattern it did not bother me. I was fascinated by the research that the main character went thru in the pre-internet era, to discover the different meanings of the flowers. When the author was describing the library, I could almost smell the room.
I am intrigued to find out more about the language of flowers.
All in all a good summer read!
2813247
This book was recommended to me by a friend a few weeks ago, however I put off reading it because I thought it was going to be all about flowers which did not interest me. One night last week when I could not sleep I decided to give it a try, and the next morning I was 3/4 of the way through the story and still going strong.  While there is, of course, talk about flowers, they are by no means the main character or focus of the story.  The flowers are the supporting cast, supporting the characters throughout their stories and lives.  I do not want to give anything away because I found this book to be such an enjoyable journey, and unpredictable.
300047
The words are like flowers, as is perhaps appropriate in a story where
fragrance and its composition is nearly a character in and of itself. But
there are moments of casual cruelty hidden within the flowery language. There
is darkness, mystery and and the whispering of the ghosts of lifetimes lived and left.

He called her Eve. They met in the depths of a labyrinth and that too, was appropriate,
given that that their life together was wound between secrets she dared not explore. She
was happy enough, more than happy, in fact. At least in the beginning. Before the darkness
that secrets exude began to swirl around them. She was happy before the doubts began to creep in,
before the bones were uncovered in the garden.

This story is a journey that begins in the distant past, and ends with a promise for the future. IT
is a journey that I recommend that you take, if you like mystery touched with romance and dusted with
petals of flowers long since gone.
3552714
Once I figured out the language of this book, it became alot more enjoyable to read. At first it was like trying to understand a foreign language. But once I got the hang of it, I couldn't put it down! When I finished the book, I was sad because it was over and I craved more. I can't wait to read the rest of the stories that go with this one.
4675382
I liked the descriptions of flowers, scenery, facial expressions, and gestures.
I enjoyed the progression of the story, not too fast and not too slow.
3691103
Reading this book was like being immersed in a painting, the language sensual, evocative, textured.  Since it is about painting and a relationship transcending time and background events, and because of its unusual prose/poem presentation, it made me feel the dreamlike quality of the experience of life.
I will definitely be reading it again to see if it has the same effect on me.
951375
The flowers that came up were something other than pansies.
8362
The language in this book is evocative and creates an amazing sense of place and time.  I plan to read it again simply to savor the turn of a phrase. The characters come to life i their complexity and are truly unique.  Weeks later, I still feel like I met many of them in person.  While I did not like many of the characters and their actions, they lived and breathed throughout the pages.
665297
I loved this book. It has all the elements of a story that keeps you reading. I cannot even explain why I liked it. Even though some of the incidences were horrific in nature, they seemed plausible and made me want to know more. The love of a beautiful flower could keep someone going and create a relationship. Also, jealousy is depicted in all its ugliness. I found it well written and delightful to read.

It is impossible to write like this nowadays since people do not speak that way and women do not swoon as often. Still that is my favorite kind of book to indulge in my fantasies. I just loved it.
3035630
I loved the character development in this book.each character was richly described . The plot unfolded from two perspectives giving us the reader the opposites.  My only complaint was the descriptive narrative of flowers,colors and landscape was repetitive.
4842381
I was impressed by its poetic format and its phonetic language.  I was also impressed by the characters created by the author.