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capsicum 's review for:
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
by Holly Ringland
This book is beautifully written. The language is so lush and powerful, vividly painting emotions and worlds. I particularly enjoyed how flowers, fire and the ocean were pivotal connections to Alice, and were the main imagery used in the book. This is a book I would study for now it uses language.
The book did make me uncomfortable at times because of its subject manner. I didn't know what to expect when diving into this book. I had picked it up because it had a pretty cover, and it definitely had a pretty gut. But what really took me by surprise was how well Ringland portrays abuse. I feel like she did so very articulately and carefully. I found myself panicking when Clem was particularly violent and broken when Agnes and even Alice couldn't break the cycle.
I really enjoyed the world building, especially the history of Thornfield. I was so enthralled by Ruth, June and Agnes. It also explored how sometimes an individual's life can just be utter shit. Alice was so traumatised yet pulled through.
I actually did enjoy June was a character. She was flawed and traumatised and did her best to make decisions based on her own context rather than Alice's. She so desperately wanted to do right by Alice that she ended up hurting her. While it was heartbreaking to learn she died after Alice left, I loved the tragedy of it. Death doesn't care if you've had a fight; it'll take bed use it can. It was heartbreaking she died without closure and it fit the tragedy of Thornfield.
The only things I didn't enjoy:
• Adult Alice's section of the book wasn't as enjoyable as child Alice. I really enjoyed reading her as a child and her struggle with identity. I felt like Alice as an adult was very boring and passive. She has more fire as a child.
• The emphasis on Dylan. I understand abuse can isolate you, but even before him, Alice was so absorbed by him that we barely got to interact with Lulu and Ruby. Alice thrives with female connections, so this was disappointing.
• How rushed the revelation of Charlie was. I barely got to know him. The ending was sweet but I felt disconnected from it.
• How we brushed over Clem and Sally (that's fucked up).
• How we brushed over Candy and Clem. There was such emphasis on this relationship yet it was never explored and was seemingly replaced by Sally's relationship with him.
• How we never learned more about Agnes.
• Did I miss the part where Alice decided to write?
• Moss was barely there and yet was such a healthy relationship for Alice.
I felt the book dove deep in storylines that ended up abandoned or tied up too neatly in a handwave, and spent less time on the interesting bits that I felt defined Alice's journey.
The book did make me uncomfortable at times because of its subject manner. I didn't know what to expect when diving into this book. I had picked it up because it had a pretty cover, and it definitely had a pretty gut. But what really took me by surprise was how well Ringland portrays abuse. I feel like she did so very articulately and carefully. I found myself panicking when Clem was particularly violent and broken when Agnes and even Alice couldn't break the cycle.
I really enjoyed the world building, especially the history of Thornfield. I was so enthralled by Ruth, June and Agnes. It also explored how sometimes an individual's life can just be utter shit. Alice was so traumatised yet pulled through.
I actually did enjoy June was a character. She was flawed and traumatised and did her best to make decisions based on her own context rather than Alice's. She so desperately wanted to do right by Alice that she ended up hurting her. While it was heartbreaking to learn she died after Alice left, I loved the tragedy of it. Death doesn't care if you've had a fight; it'll take bed use it can. It was heartbreaking she died without closure and it fit the tragedy of Thornfield.
The only things I didn't enjoy:
• Adult Alice's section of the book wasn't as enjoyable as child Alice. I really enjoyed reading her as a child and her struggle with identity. I felt like Alice as an adult was very boring and passive. She has more fire as a child.
• The emphasis on Dylan. I understand abuse can isolate you, but even before him, Alice was so absorbed by him that we barely got to interact with Lulu and Ruby. Alice thrives with female connections, so this was disappointing.
• How rushed the revelation of Charlie was. I barely got to know him. The ending was sweet but I felt disconnected from it.
• How we brushed over Clem and Sally (that's fucked up).
• How we brushed over Candy and Clem. There was such emphasis on this relationship yet it was never explored and was seemingly replaced by Sally's relationship with him.
• How we never learned more about Agnes.
• Did I miss the part where Alice decided to write?
• Moss was barely there and yet was such a healthy relationship for Alice.
I felt the book dove deep in storylines that ended up abandoned or tied up too neatly in a handwave, and spent less time on the interesting bits that I felt defined Alice's journey.