44 pages • 1 hour read
Vanessa DiffenbaughThe Language of Flowers
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2011A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh follows Victoria Jones, a young woman who ages out of the foster care system and navigates life using the Victorian-era language of flowers to communicate. The story unfolds in dual timelines—Victoria's transformative relationship with foster parent Elizabeth in the past and her attempts to build a future in the present. The book contains depictions of child abuse.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Vanessa Diffenbaugh's The Language of Flowers intertwines emotional storytelling with botanical symbolism. Reviewers praise its rich character development and engaging plot, but some feel the narrative can be melodramatic and predictable at times. Despite this, the novel's exploration of forgiveness and redemption resonates strongly with many readers.
Who Should Read The Language of Flowers?
A reader with a passion for emotional depth, themes of love, loss, and redemption, and an interest in Victorian flower dictionaries will enjoy The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Fans of The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd or The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards will find similar appeal.