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A review by bookishsamsch
Send Flowers by Emily Buchanan
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Simply put, remarkable.
Fi is grieving the loss of her boyfriend, Ed, an environmental activist tragically killed in the middle of a protest. When a potted plant arrives on her doorstep with an anonymous note, Fi believes it to be Ed reincarnated.
Say Flowers is set on near-future earth when climate change is worse than now, yet the country is full of those who still do not believe it is an issue. Add in a government intent on imprisoning anyone who protests about anything, family members caught up in a web of conspiracy theories and an apparent talking plant guiding Fi on her way, and you have all ingredients for an excellent novel. It doesn't shy away from key issues, acknowledging corrupt governments, climate deniers and the impact global warming is having on the planet.
It is a beautifully written novel, rich in detail and well researched. You can't help but love Fi and want to bundle her up in a hug. Her immense loss is handled well, you truly get a sense of the pain she is in. The characters she comes across - positive and negative - on her journey are well developed and feel like real people. There is a nice, slow build up to the climax of the story until the last few chapters which hit a powerful punch - they were so tense and really detailed. and I sat on the edge of my seat, knuckles white from gripping my tablet so hard. I can see it being adapted for the screen, such is the impact of the story. All too real and not quite dystopian enough to feel 100% fiction.
An extraordinary debut, Emily is an immense talent. My thanks to Verve books for sending me an e-arc and a physical copy, this is truly one I'll treasure.
Fi is grieving the loss of her boyfriend, Ed, an environmental activist tragically killed in the middle of a protest. When a potted plant arrives on her doorstep with an anonymous note, Fi believes it to be Ed reincarnated.
Say Flowers is set on near-future earth when climate change is worse than now, yet the country is full of those who still do not believe it is an issue. Add in a government intent on imprisoning anyone who protests about anything, family members caught up in a web of conspiracy theories and an apparent talking plant guiding Fi on her way, and you have all ingredients for an excellent novel. It doesn't shy away from key issues, acknowledging corrupt governments, climate deniers and the impact global warming is having on the planet.
It is a beautifully written novel, rich in detail and well researched. You can't help but love Fi and want to bundle her up in a hug. Her immense loss is handled well, you truly get a sense of the pain she is in. The characters she comes across - positive and negative - on her journey are well developed and feel like real people. There is a nice, slow build up to the climax of the story until the last few chapters which hit a powerful punch - they were so tense and really detailed. and I sat on the edge of my seat, knuckles white from gripping my tablet so hard. I can see it being adapted for the screen, such is the impact of the story. All too real and not quite dystopian enough to feel 100% fiction.
An extraordinary debut, Emily is an immense talent. My thanks to Verve books for sending me an e-arc and a physical copy, this is truly one I'll treasure.