December/January Selection: The Language of Flowers

In The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh tells the tale of Victoria Jones, someone who has had to work at surviving.

From the publisher:

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

About the author:

Vanessa Diffenbaugh was born and raised in northern California. After studying creative writing, she went on to teach art and technology to youth in low-income communities. She and her husband PK have four children: Donovan, Tre'von, Graciela and Miles. Vanessa is also the co-founder of Camellia Network, whose mission is to create a nationwide movement to support youth transitioning from foster care. She and and her family live in Monterey, California.

The Language of Flowers, her first novel, was published in over forty countries, and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller in the UK.

The amount of food in this novel is staggering.  Truly.  As you read, you'll notice that the "mysterious stranger" is quite the baker.  If you're like me, you will find that you are keeping two lists:  one of the food mentioned and one for the meaning of flowers.

The deadline for this round of Cook the Books is January 31, 2020.  I can't wait to see what everyone cooks up.  Leave a comment here with a link to your post or email me at eliotseats@gmail.com.  

Participating in Cook the Books is simple.  Pick up a copy of the selection from your local bookstore or library, then cook and post your inspired-by dish. We love to have new members read and cook along with us.  Everyone is welcome!!!   Be sure to check out our Guidelines page if you have any questions (or leave a comment here).