Coming of Age | Book Chatter

The Language of Flowers
By Vanessa Diffenbaugh
(Ballantine Books, Hardcover, 9780345525543, 336pp.)

The Short of It:

Expressive and full of promise.

The Rest Of It:

Victoria Jones has lived in more foster homes than she’s willing to admit. Bounced around from home to home, she’s encountered all types of people, but no one has ever really cared about her, including her own mother who abandoned her as an infant. Her social worker, Meredith, continues to place her, hoping that one day, she will find a home that works for her. At nine-years-old, her options are running out and with a stern warning from Meredith, she is placed with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is not like the others. She is a lonely but stable woman who takes pleasure in her vineyards. She teaches Victoria the language of flowers and how each flower conveys a specific meaning. Although battling her own demons, Elizabeth loves Victoria with all her heart, but Victoria does not trust her completely and when she misunderstands a phone conversation, Victoria sets out to destroy everyone and everything around her.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this one up.I know in theory, that the foster care system is in place to protect children, but so often, I’ve seen it go the other way and that is why I was so hesitant to read this book. What makes this book readable, is that the chapters alternate between the nine-year-old Victoria and the grown-up Victoria who is emancipated and homeless. As a reader, I kept reading and hoping for a happy ending.

That said, I had a few issues with the adult Victoria. Granted, she was hurt numerous times and I could certainly understand her mistrust in nearly everyone she encounters, but there were a few times where I just wanted to shake some sense into her. What she considers a sacrifice, I considered a huge misstep on her part. Those who have read the book, will immediately know what I am referring to.

As frustrating as the adult Victoria was at times, I took great pleasure in knowing that with just a turn of the page, the story would turn back to the flowers and their meaning. This “language” was both comforting and fascinating and served as a means of communication for more than a few characters in the book. I never even knew such a language existed.

In the end, this is a book that I ended up liking quite a bit. It only took a few pages for me to get into the story and the writing was simple and effortless. A very impressive debut if you ask me.

Source: Sent to me by the publisher via Net Galley.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Lamb
By Bonnie Nadzam
(Other Press, Paperback, 9781590514375, September 2011, 288pp.)

The Short of It:

Stunning and dangerous with sharp, rusted edges.

The Rest Of It:

David Lamb is no stranger to hardships. His marriage failed miserably and he’s just buried his father. While taking a moment after the funeral to gather his thoughts, eleven-year-old Tommie stumbles into his path. She’s all limbs and freckles, yet there’s something about the girl that Lamb finds inviting. He decides to take her on a trip. To show her all the things that I girl her age should experience at least once.

And there was nothing wrong with all that, was there? With a guy like him, buying a kid like her a nice lunch, spoiling her a little? It was good for her. It was just a little tonic for his poisonous heart.

Although it might sound like a re-telling of Lolita, it is far from that. Lamb is a delicately written novel that explores appropriateness and friendship in a way that at times has you questioning Lamb’s true intentions. Tommie is hitting that awkward tween stage where every question is answered with a shrug. She’s seemingly floating along without direction, so when Lamb offers her a trip to his cabin, a place where she can experience everything a young girl her age should, it doesn’t take long for her to decide that it’s what she wants to do. In Lamb’s eyes, he’s giving her the guidance and attention she so desperately needs. In her eyes, she’s getting out of her Godforsaken town to see the world.

When they begin their trip, it’s impossible to know what his intentions are. Early into the novel, I felt sure that he was having some sort of a nervous breakdown and although the decision to take the trip was not a wise one, I could see his logic and his reasons for wanting to take it. But as the trip progresses, and as they get to know one another, insecurities and all, things take a turn and that is where I began to question if Tommie was going to make it out of this okay. These moments of doubt were excruciating to read. I literally had internal conversations with myself over what was going on. What disturbed me more, is that there were times where I found myself relating to Lamb. Making excuses for him, if you will. Somehow I wanted this trip to be okay and for them both to be better for having taken it.

What makes this novel so complex is that Lamb is good for her, as she is good for him. But what makes this a dangerous, edgy tale is the fact that this fifty-something has taken an eleven-year-old girl across the country and against his better judgement, has fallen in love with her. All of a sudden, his care of her becomes a slightly dark, disturbing affair that had me sitting uneasily on the edge of my seat. When you find your soulmate, does age matter? I got mad at myself for even asking such a question but that is what Nadzam does. She works her magic and makes you question right and wrong.

I can’t go into anymore detail than that, because you must read it to get the full effect, but when a book like this has you cheering for the old guy, you stop and take notice. Lamb is wonderfully complex and rich. It’s everything that I look for in a book.

Content Note: If you shun books that center around child molestation, do not let that keep you from reading this book. This book (in my opinion) does not fall into that category and is not graphic in any way.

Source: Sent to me by the publisher via Net Galley.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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