About the book
Written By: Holly Ringland
Published On: March 19th 2018
Publisher of the Novel: Harper Collins Books Australia
Pages: 400
Genres: Australian, Fiction, Contemporary
Price: $32.99
Rating: 5 stars
About the Book’s Subject
In 2018, a debut novel caught the hearts of readers with its clear narrative of a young girl’s strength in the face of her father’s abuse. This beautiful tale highlights the power of breaking free from past traumas, living life on one’s own terms, and finding inner strength.
The novel explores the haunting power of untold stories and the narratives we make for ourselves to survive.
Following a family tragedy, Alice Hart, a nine-year-old girl, is uprooted from her peaceful seaside home. She finds a new home with her grandmother, June, a cultivator of Australian native flowers. June teaches Alice to communicate through the language of these flowers, a method to express the unspoken.
Under June’s vigilant care and the women who help run the farm, Alice finds stability but grows increasingly curious about her family’s history. As Alice enters her early twenties, she experiences a devastating betrayal and loss that upends her life once again. In an attempt to escape her sorrow, Alice retreats to the beautiful central Australian desert. She believes she has found peace in this alien landscape until she faces a charming yet potentially harmful man.
The narrative spans twenty years and takes place in diverse settings – from seaside sugar cane fields and a native Australian flower farm to a heavenly crater in the central desert. “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” chronicles Alice’s amazing journey, highlighting that her own story is the most important one she will ever hold.
My reviews
“The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” is a heart-touching first novel by Holly Ringland. It tells the tale of Alice Hart, a young girl who learns through life’s trials and problems that she can break free from her past, live on her own terms, and discover her inner strength.
When a family tragedy strikes, Alice must leave her home by the sea. She finds refuge with her foreign grandmother, June, who is a flower farmer. June nurtures Alice, teaching her the language of Australian native flowers, a unique way to express emotions that are too difficult to put into words. As Alice matures, she finds secrets about her past that cause her deep pain. Feeling deceived, she runs away from the flower farm, stepping into the unknown.
The narrative beautifully twists with the ever-changing Australian landscape, from the coastal regions of Queensland to the expansive outback and the language of native Australian flowers. It delves into themes of abuse, death, and redemption, all set against the background of Australia’s native wildlife.
The book takes you on a journey of self-discovery and survival. It highlights the power of stories, the ones we inherit, the ones we choose to define us, and the ones we decide to conceal. It shows that the most powerful story Alice will ever hold is her own.
In conclusion, I want to say that “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” is an emotionally charged read that keeps you engaged, hoping that Alice will find her equilibrium. It is a story that will stay in your thoughts for long.
