 |
| Final Rating: 2.8/5 |
The sentimental language of flowers intertwined with a story of sisters.
A Memory of Violets is a delicate lovely story that may have you shedding a tear by the last touching passage. Overcoming loss, finding strength and allowing forgiveness are general themes in this novel, along with the fascinating weaving of the awful plight of the 19th to early 20th-century flower and watercress sellers of London and the sentimental language of flowers. Reflections, journal entries and ethereal reminisces hold the reader's hand as forgotten worlds and lives are shared with the curious and tug at sensitive heartstrings. Readers familiar with the children's tale The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen may find a creative adult version to cherish in A Memory of Violets with its various similarities, beautiful messages and final experience for the reader.
In the end, I didn't expect to have this mixed reaction. In all honesty I was ready to rate this novel lower what with the unfortunate repetitious elements, pacing, a few anachronisms and predictability that haunted every other chapter but then a poignant quote about roses bringing those memories in December touched on a personal loss and whispered so much meaning to me. At that point I just took the story as it was- a sentimental tale of flowers and sisters. I was imagining a completely different story that packed another kind of punch but what I experienced was a quiet understated lovely tale that although had some serious negatives against it somehow quite unexpectedly gave me a small piece of support for these cold days to come. I guess A Memory of Violets is one of those novels that it all depends on the reader, I invite those curious to give this one a chance-you may find something special within.
* I would like to thank William Morrow Paperbacks and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and enjoy A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers
No comments:
Post a Comment