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The Flower Reader
Rinette Leslie of Granmuir has the ancient gift of divining the future in flowers, but her gift cannot prepare her for the turmoil that comes when the dying queen regent entrusts her with a casket full of Scotland's darkest secrets. On the very day she means to deliver it to newly crowned Mary, Queen of Scots, Rinette's husband is brutally assassinated.Devastated, Rinette demands justice before she will surrender the casket, but she is surrounded by ruthless men who will do anything to possess it. In the end, the flowers are all she can trust-and only the flowers will lead her safely home to Granmuir.
445 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2012
25 people are currently reading
2832 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Loupas
9 books249 followersI live near the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.
I hate housework, cold weather, and wearing shoes. I love animals, gardens, and popcorn. Not surprisingly I live in a state of happy barefoot chaos with my delightful and faintly bemused husband (the Broadcasting Legend™), my herb garden, my popcorn popper, and two beagles.
I hate housework, cold weather, and wearing shoes. I love animals, gardens, and popcorn. Not surprisingly I live in a state of happy barefoot chaos with my delightful and faintly bemused husband (the Broadcasting Legend™), my herb garden, my popcorn popper, and two beagles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
October 5, 2015
3.5* Mary of Guise, queen regent of Scotland lies dying in Edinburgh Castle in the year 1560. Knowing her life is seeping away she pleads with Rinette Leslie to hide a silver casket containing secret letters and documents. Afraid that many powerful people are desperate to get hold of the casket, Rinette must conceal it until the queen’s daughter Mary Stuart arrives in Scotland to take possession. With her knowledge of floromancy, Rinette uses this ability to see into the future to save herself and those she loves. The Flower Reader is a tightly constructed historical mystery with deception, murder, and intrigue.
March 27, 2012
“It was not easy to search for a murderer when one was a queen's lady”
The Flower Reader is one of those books where the less you know about the story the better, so I'm keeping the plot description very brief and just will just tease instead with a few favorite quotes. Rinette Leslie of Granmuir is a very minor member of Mary of Guise's household, and as such she's the perfect choice when the dying regent needs someone to slip a casket of secret letters and other juicy stuff out of the castle and into its super-secret hiding place until it can be turned over to Scotland's new queen, Mary Stuart.
“No one paid any more attention to me. I walked out of the room with the silver casket and the masses of flowers in my arms.”
Well, let's just say things don't exactly go according to Hoyle, and Rinette's life is about to take some seriously unexpected twists and turns. Just about everyone is hot to get their hands on the casket and the secrets it contains (loved the Nostradamus twist!), and will go to any lengths to get their hands on them. No surprise, but Rinette finds herself right in the middle of it all dodging unknown assassins in darkened corridors.
“You have made an enemy, Mistress Rinette.”
And that is all I'm going to tell you - read it for yourself. I was hooked by the first chapter and loved every minute of it. I adored Rinette's voice, especially her *asides* on the young queen and her court, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end (it will keep you turning the pages). The floromancy twist was unique and a lot of fun (especially the flower she thought of when looking at Darnley :D). I'm one reader who is about as tired of Mary Queen of Scots as I am of the Tudors, but this was a refreshing look at her, and set during her first years as queen before all that Darnley/Bothwell melodrama. My copy came with maps, genealogical charts and a cast of characters (very much appreciated). 5/5 stars. Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore on April 3rd to get your hands on a copy.
Many thanks to the folks at NAL for an early copy, and a finished one at that. I love to quote so that was doubly appreciated.
The Flower Reader is one of those books where the less you know about the story the better, so I'm keeping the plot description very brief and just will just tease instead with a few favorite quotes. Rinette Leslie of Granmuir is a very minor member of Mary of Guise's household, and as such she's the perfect choice when the dying regent needs someone to slip a casket of secret letters and other juicy stuff out of the castle and into its super-secret hiding place until it can be turned over to Scotland's new queen, Mary Stuart.
“No one paid any more attention to me. I walked out of the room with the silver casket and the masses of flowers in my arms.”
Well, let's just say things don't exactly go according to Hoyle, and Rinette's life is about to take some seriously unexpected twists and turns. Just about everyone is hot to get their hands on the casket and the secrets it contains (loved the Nostradamus twist!), and will go to any lengths to get their hands on them. No surprise, but Rinette finds herself right in the middle of it all dodging unknown assassins in darkened corridors.
“You have made an enemy, Mistress Rinette.”
And that is all I'm going to tell you - read it for yourself. I was hooked by the first chapter and loved every minute of it. I adored Rinette's voice, especially her *asides* on the young queen and her court, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end (it will keep you turning the pages). The floromancy twist was unique and a lot of fun (especially the flower she thought of when looking at Darnley :D). I'm one reader who is about as tired of Mary Queen of Scots as I am of the Tudors, but this was a refreshing look at her, and set during her first years as queen before all that Darnley/Bothwell melodrama. My copy came with maps, genealogical charts and a cast of characters (very much appreciated). 5/5 stars. Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore on April 3rd to get your hands on a copy.
Many thanks to the folks at NAL for an early copy, and a finished one at that. I love to quote so that was doubly appreciated.
April 13, 2012
There are not many authors who could convincingly tie together such diverse things as flower magic, Highland politics, and a hero who wears eyeliner - but Elizabeth Loupas is such an author. Her debut novel "The Second Duchess" was one of my favorite reads last year, and "The Flower Reader" proves that Loupas has successfully dodged the Sophomore Slump. As with "Second Duchess," "Flower Reader" revolves around the heroine's unraveling of a mystery - but the mystery here is rougher, the danger greater, and the heroine not so sheltered from harm. The result is a complex, gripping, sobering thriller with plenty of swordplay and politics for good measure.
Scotland is the setting this time around, and refreshingly, Loupas uses a rarely-explored period of Mary Queen of Scots's reign as backdrop: the years when she had just returned home from France as a teenage widow, before the mess of Darnley and Rizzio and Bothwell reared its ugly head. Queen Mary is not the heroine here, however: that role belongs to Rinette, a young lady-in-waiting entrusted with a casket of letters and prophecies intended to guide the new queen. But Rinette's adored young husband is murdered in a mysterious assassination, and Rinette demands his killer be found before she hands over the casket. It's a decision she'll have ample time to rue.
I like a heroine who is motivated by something other than love, and Rinette is an arrow bent on revenge, on protecting her children, and on saving her beloved home by the sea from rapacious lords. The man she should be with will be quickly evident to a sharp-eyed reader, and he's even evident to Rinette - but this girl is too focused, too careful, too busy, and too battered to make time for love. Her quest for her first husband's killer will lead her to heartbreak, imprisonment, a forced second marriage at swordpoint, and possibly death. Her one consolation is her gift of floromancy: the ability to read people and situations in the flowers she sees around them. This could have been a sentimental gimmick but it is subtle and lovely, woven into the story with grace and never used as a deus ex machina.
A tender, touching, sometimes brutal, always absorbing read. I wanted to hug Rinette for being so brave, and I wanted to choke Mary Queen of Scots for being such a callous mercurial cow. And thank goodness (for those like me who can't stand to read about animal deaths) that Elizabeth Loupas can be counted on never to kill the dogs in her books!
Note - I was lucky enough to meet Elizabeth in person at the Historical Novel Society Conference last year. A lovely lady, and I wish her all success with her second book. More, please!
Scotland is the setting this time around, and refreshingly, Loupas uses a rarely-explored period of Mary Queen of Scots's reign as backdrop: the years when she had just returned home from France as a teenage widow, before the mess of Darnley and Rizzio and Bothwell reared its ugly head. Queen Mary is not the heroine here, however: that role belongs to Rinette, a young lady-in-waiting entrusted with a casket of letters and prophecies intended to guide the new queen. But Rinette's adored young husband is murdered in a mysterious assassination, and Rinette demands his killer be found before she hands over the casket. It's a decision she'll have ample time to rue.
I like a heroine who is motivated by something other than love, and Rinette is an arrow bent on revenge, on protecting her children, and on saving her beloved home by the sea from rapacious lords. The man she should be with will be quickly evident to a sharp-eyed reader, and he's even evident to Rinette - but this girl is too focused, too careful, too busy, and too battered to make time for love. Her quest for her first husband's killer will lead her to heartbreak, imprisonment, a forced second marriage at swordpoint, and possibly death. Her one consolation is her gift of floromancy: the ability to read people and situations in the flowers she sees around them. This could have been a sentimental gimmick but it is subtle and lovely, woven into the story with grace and never used as a deus ex machina.
A tender, touching, sometimes brutal, always absorbing read. I wanted to hug Rinette for being so brave, and I wanted to choke Mary Queen of Scots for being such a callous mercurial cow. And thank goodness (for those like me who can't stand to read about animal deaths) that Elizabeth Loupas can be counted on never to kill the dogs in her books!
Note - I was lucky enough to meet Elizabeth in person at the Historical Novel Society Conference last year. A lovely lady, and I wish her all success with her second book. More, please!
April 14, 2012
Kate Quinn's review took the words out of my mouth. First of all, I am not a mystery story fan. I loved Loupas' The Second Duchess, so how could I pass this one up...heavy mystery or not? Loupas bravely took on the subject of Floromancy. It was never hokey or cheesy. Just the right amount was added to the story and it was very believable. The descriptions were fabulous. I will never look at flowers the same again. I also love how Loupas takes on unique characters and doesn't jump on current Historical Fiction themes. Overall, this was a unique read. Full of mystery, court politics, intrigue, violence and love. As a side note, I knew when the cute beagle puppy came ino the story, he'd have a happy ending, because I know of Loupas' love of dogs. Now we get to wait for her next one The Alchemist Prince.
December 11, 2012
I'm so happy because I just won a signed copy of this along with a gorgeous pressed flower bookmark over at Elizabeth Loupas' blog. Wow!! Thank you Elizabeth :-).
April 17, 2012
After loving the author's debut, The Second Duchess, I was less than impressed with the first thirty pages of The Flower Reader, which I thought were full of over-dramatic moments and sappy dialogue. I'd really been looking forward to this one and all my friends were raving, so I hung in there, and I'm glad I did because it wasn't long before the story began to show the strength and depth I knew this author was capable of.
Be warned: the back cover gives too much away, the above version from Goodreads is abbreviated. I wish I hadn't read the back cover of my paperback version so that at least one of the plot points could have been a surprise to me. I will try not to divulge too much of the plot for you! The story revolves around the contents of a silver casket that Mary of Guise gives to Rinette on her deathbed to keep safe until her daughter, Mary Stuart, can return to Scotland and claim her throne. Unable to resist, Rinette and her new husband take a peek inside and discover it's full of secrets Mary of Guise had been collecting to help her daughter rule Scotland. But that sneak peek proves deadly, and Rinette's husband is murdered over the contents of that casket. Riddled with grief and guilt and burning for revenge, Rinette sets her feet on the path to retribution, taking a place at court in an effort to determine who killed her husband. The only person she can truly confide in is handsome Nicolas de Clerac, one of the queen's most favored advisers, who has offered to help Rinette uncover the truth. But does he have motives of his own for revealing the murderer and discovering the hidden casket? Rinette plays a dangerous game as she tries to use the casket as leverage against a queen and all of the other players who'd like to get their hands on it. As her quest for vengeance turns deadly, and her plans begin to fall apart, everyone Rinette loves is placed in danger, and Rinette will have to decide if her mission is worth the cost.
Entwined throughout Rinette's story is her gift of floromancy. Flowers and plants "speak" to Rinette, giving her glimpses of the future and insights into the people she meets. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. It adds a nice touch of softness and mysticism and true beauty, and provides some much-needed hope in a story that is often hard and brutal. I loved that this book takes place in the early days of Mary Queen of Scots' reign, before all of the scandals and betrayals that would ultimately lead to her execution. The Scottish court is not often written about in fiction and I loved getting a glimpse inside it and seeing how it compared to its English counterpart. In Loupas' hands it's a fun court, full of everything an eighteen-year-old queen loves: music, plays, pageants, sumptuous food, beautiful clothes, beautiful courtiers . . . but it's also full of intrigue and suspicion, as Mary's half-brother James seeks more power, and as the Catholics seek to subvert the Protestants. It's the perfect setting for an adventurous, murderous plot, and as the story twisted and turned and raced along to its very satisfying conclusion, I could not put it down.
Be warned: the back cover gives too much away, the above version from Goodreads is abbreviated. I wish I hadn't read the back cover of my paperback version so that at least one of the plot points could have been a surprise to me. I will try not to divulge too much of the plot for you! The story revolves around the contents of a silver casket that Mary of Guise gives to Rinette on her deathbed to keep safe until her daughter, Mary Stuart, can return to Scotland and claim her throne. Unable to resist, Rinette and her new husband take a peek inside and discover it's full of secrets Mary of Guise had been collecting to help her daughter rule Scotland. But that sneak peek proves deadly, and Rinette's husband is murdered over the contents of that casket. Riddled with grief and guilt and burning for revenge, Rinette sets her feet on the path to retribution, taking a place at court in an effort to determine who killed her husband. The only person she can truly confide in is handsome Nicolas de Clerac, one of the queen's most favored advisers, who has offered to help Rinette uncover the truth. But does he have motives of his own for revealing the murderer and discovering the hidden casket? Rinette plays a dangerous game as she tries to use the casket as leverage against a queen and all of the other players who'd like to get their hands on it. As her quest for vengeance turns deadly, and her plans begin to fall apart, everyone Rinette loves is placed in danger, and Rinette will have to decide if her mission is worth the cost.
Entwined throughout Rinette's story is her gift of floromancy. Flowers and plants "speak" to Rinette, giving her glimpses of the future and insights into the people she meets. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. It adds a nice touch of softness and mysticism and true beauty, and provides some much-needed hope in a story that is often hard and brutal. I loved that this book takes place in the early days of Mary Queen of Scots' reign, before all of the scandals and betrayals that would ultimately lead to her execution. The Scottish court is not often written about in fiction and I loved getting a glimpse inside it and seeing how it compared to its English counterpart. In Loupas' hands it's a fun court, full of everything an eighteen-year-old queen loves: music, plays, pageants, sumptuous food, beautiful clothes, beautiful courtiers . . . but it's also full of intrigue and suspicion, as Mary's half-brother James seeks more power, and as the Catholics seek to subvert the Protestants. It's the perfect setting for an adventurous, murderous plot, and as the story twisted and turned and raced along to its very satisfying conclusion, I could not put it down.
September 2, 2012
I have been wanting to read this book for the longest time; and I felt all my waiting was not in vain.
"The Flower Reader" is a book to savor; it keeps you to the edge of the seat. The floromancy adds another angle to what is already a suspenseful and dark tale. The romance is wonderfully woven into the suspense, and while it is not the focus; it is intense and touching when it needs to be.
This book automatically puts Ms. Loupas on my auto-buy list. I am eagerly looking forward to more books from her.
"The Flower Reader" is a book to savor; it keeps you to the edge of the seat. The floromancy adds another angle to what is already a suspenseful and dark tale. The romance is wonderfully woven into the suspense, and while it is not the focus; it is intense and touching when it needs to be.
This book automatically puts Ms. Loupas on my auto-buy list. I am eagerly looking forward to more books from her.
April 21, 2012
I really liked this book. I am so impressed by the historical fiction that is being written these days. Pretty much every book is well-written and captivating and The Flower Reader is definitely up there with them.
This is the first novel I have read which features Mary, Queen of Scots. I was not overly fond of her in this book. I realize that this is an author's portrayal of her and may not be entirely factual, but Loupas is so good with her character development, I'm quite convinced that Mary may very well have been this sort of person. Of course, royal personages were often impertinent due to their social standing, especially female rulers who always had to stay a step ahead of the men who would try to place them under their thumbs. The behavior might very well have been a front to conceal weakness. All this being said, I am very interested in reading more fiction featuring Mary in the future.
The main focus of the story is Marina Leslie of Granmuir, called by her nickname, Rinette. Rinette was raised by Queen Mary's mother, Mary of Guise, and this fact leads to a rivalry between Mary and Rinette which manifests in Mary's ill treatment of Rinette after her mother's death. Mary of Guise entrusted a precious object meant for her daughter only to Rinette and it is this action that is the center of the story. There is much intrigue surrounding this object and Rinette is caught in the middle of it all. After her husband is murdered, she is determined to find out who murdered him and to also hold on to her precious Granmuir. Rinette is a strong woman who goes after what she wants and uses the object as a bargaining chip to that end. Rinette is also a flower reader. She can read 'prophecies' in the flowers. This adds another interesting element to her character. Is she really reading fortunes in the flowers or is it just her subconscious speaking to her? At one point, she even questions this herself.
"I was never entirely sure whether what I heard was truly the flowers, or just my own secret thoughts and hopes and fears rising up out of my heart when I stilled myself to listen."
The Flower Reader is rich storytelling and its characters are real and interesting. The historical details were obviously meticulously researched. Throw in some intrigue and scandal and we have a book that will appeal to all readers, not only fans of historical fiction. I look forward to future offerings from Ms. Loupas.
This is the first novel I have read which features Mary, Queen of Scots. I was not overly fond of her in this book. I realize that this is an author's portrayal of her and may not be entirely factual, but Loupas is so good with her character development, I'm quite convinced that Mary may very well have been this sort of person. Of course, royal personages were often impertinent due to their social standing, especially female rulers who always had to stay a step ahead of the men who would try to place them under their thumbs. The behavior might very well have been a front to conceal weakness. All this being said, I am very interested in reading more fiction featuring Mary in the future.
The main focus of the story is Marina Leslie of Granmuir, called by her nickname, Rinette. Rinette was raised by Queen Mary's mother, Mary of Guise, and this fact leads to a rivalry between Mary and Rinette which manifests in Mary's ill treatment of Rinette after her mother's death. Mary of Guise entrusted a precious object meant for her daughter only to Rinette and it is this action that is the center of the story. There is much intrigue surrounding this object and Rinette is caught in the middle of it all. After her husband is murdered, she is determined to find out who murdered him and to also hold on to her precious Granmuir. Rinette is a strong woman who goes after what she wants and uses the object as a bargaining chip to that end. Rinette is also a flower reader. She can read 'prophecies' in the flowers. This adds another interesting element to her character. Is she really reading fortunes in the flowers or is it just her subconscious speaking to her? At one point, she even questions this herself.
"I was never entirely sure whether what I heard was truly the flowers, or just my own secret thoughts and hopes and fears rising up out of my heart when I stilled myself to listen."
The Flower Reader is rich storytelling and its characters are real and interesting. The historical details were obviously meticulously researched. Throw in some intrigue and scandal and we have a book that will appeal to all readers, not only fans of historical fiction. I look forward to future offerings from Ms. Loupas.
October 16, 2012
This is my first time reading a Loupas novel and it won't be my last. I won't go into the story, but leave it to other readers to discover that joy on their own. Instead, I want to talk about Loupas and her incredible style. She has a unique voice that drew me in immediately.
Her heroine, Rinette, is strong, independent and charming. Rinette's ability to read people and the future is a fascinating addition that completely pulled me in. The cast of characters is as entertaining as they are diverse - both the historical and the fictional ones. The setting in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, is realistic, but easy to relate to by a modern audience. She balances the book's time and events with our modern language perfectly.
Loupas's writing style is clear, crisp and beautifully engaging. She paints pictures with words that I could easily see and felt were real.
I look forward to reading her other novel and waiting for her next one. I highly recommend THE FLOWER READER to anyone who loves historical novels.
Her heroine, Rinette, is strong, independent and charming. Rinette's ability to read people and the future is a fascinating addition that completely pulled me in. The cast of characters is as entertaining as they are diverse - both the historical and the fictional ones. The setting in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, is realistic, but easy to relate to by a modern audience. She balances the book's time and events with our modern language perfectly.
Loupas's writing style is clear, crisp and beautifully engaging. She paints pictures with words that I could easily see and felt were real.
I look forward to reading her other novel and waiting for her next one. I highly recommend THE FLOWER READER to anyone who loves historical novels.
December 19, 2013
Yet another gorgeous novel from Elizabeth Loupas. Having finished The Second Duchess last week and loving it, I knew I had to get my teeth stuck into her next. So, I already had this on my bookcase. Having re-read the back cover, I wasn't expecting it to be as good as the first book. Firstly, The Second Duchess was so good, was it a fluke? Secondly, I wasn't sure about the plot. A fictional character who can "read flowers"? I'm not a lover of fantasy at all. Anyway, I got myself settled and began.
Well, what can I say? Yes, it was as good as Loupas' first book. Yes I loved every single page. No, the book didn't read as a fantasy novel, just a cracking mystery. I don't want to spoil to plot for anyone. All I can say is I was on the edge of my seat for the whole book. Marina is a great leading lady. She seems very real, even with the flower reading thing. You can see how much research went into every single detail, every single page. There is so much information, both historical and botanical.
I eagerly await this author's next piece of work. I hope I don't have to wait too long.
Well, what can I say? Yes, it was as good as Loupas' first book. Yes I loved every single page. No, the book didn't read as a fantasy novel, just a cracking mystery. I don't want to spoil to plot for anyone. All I can say is I was on the edge of my seat for the whole book. Marina is a great leading lady. She seems very real, even with the flower reading thing. You can see how much research went into every single detail, every single page. There is so much information, both historical and botanical.
I eagerly await this author's next piece of work. I hope I don't have to wait too long.
May 30, 2012
What a wonderfully entertaining romp through the history of the middle 1600's when a very young Mary Stewart returns to Scotland to rule. When her mother Marie Guise dies, she entrust s silver casket to one her wards, Rinette, tells her to hide it and only give it to the Mary when next she sets foot on Scottish soil. What follows are the many plots, counter-plots, assassins, secret groups, political maneuvering and forced marriages. All that made living at court such a treacherous business. Rinette is the flower reader, she can read and sometimes hear the future from certain flowers and is more than once accused of witchcraft. I loved this element as it added something very special to this novel. I have never read this author's first novel, Second Duchess, but liked this one so well I will definitely read it soon. Also appreciated that the author included an afterword, telling the reader what was real or not and what people actually existed.
August 13, 2012
I absolutely love this author! As in her first book, The Second Duchess, she writes about her characters as if she has lived alongside them for years. With all the research that goes into her historical novels, in a way she has.
I couldn't put this book down! The storyline weaves history with romance and thrilling mystery, revealing Queen Mary of Scots as an 18 year old....spoiled, yet intelligent...and a legendary beauty. The lead character, Rinette, is easy to love as she copes with life at court, murder, and tragedy.
I wish Elizabeth Loupas had already written many books before I discovered her, so I could immediately dive into another wonderful story!
Highly recommended!
I couldn't put this book down! The storyline weaves history with romance and thrilling mystery, revealing Queen Mary of Scots as an 18 year old....spoiled, yet intelligent...and a legendary beauty. The lead character, Rinette, is easy to love as she copes with life at court, murder, and tragedy.
I wish Elizabeth Loupas had already written many books before I discovered her, so I could immediately dive into another wonderful story!
Highly recommended!
July 22, 2017
This novel started out a little slow for me as I was frustrated with some of the main character's choices. However the novel did get much better. Rinette turned out to be an extremely strong woman who had to go through things that no woman should ever have to endure. The author also did an excellent job transporting the reader back to the 1500s in Scotland. I also learned more about Mary Queen of Scotts. Overall not a bad read.
December 28, 2012
I really liked this book, it was a nice quick read and had a lot of great aspects to it. This is the time period that I usually read, but I seldom read after Mary, Queen of Scots because I've always been such an Elizabeth fan and Mary tried to usurp her. I picked sides in this matter and I picked Elizabeth. Getting to read about Mary was exciting and fun.
I really liked Rinette, our heroine. She was flawed as a person which everyone is so she felt like a real person. I felt for her as she discovered the truth about her life and how wrong she was about things. I felt for her as her quest to find her husbands murderer, her determination was inspiring. There were so many unsavory characters around her that it was hard to see how she could navigate it all.
I really liked how she did floromancy even if that made Rinette out to be a "witch". The idea of reading flowers and that they would speak to Rinette was really awesome and I think an original idea. If only she knew how much trouble her gift would get her into in the long run.
I will admit that there were moments that were predictable, but those didn't hinder my reading because I felt just a teansie-bit smarter for having figured it out. That being said, there were still a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming that ended with plenty of "Oh no they didnt!'s" (If you couldn't tell i'm a vocal reader). I had some trouble with the names since they were Scottish, and I could never be sure if I was pronouncing them right. (Like Mairi and Kitte I would pronounce Mary and Kit.)
My lastly biggest problem was the French, nothing irritates me more than when a book makes me work to understand what they are saying. I wish I spoke French, but I don't so the inclusion of these words once in a while didn't hinder my understanding or anything, it was just frustrating.
Like any good royal, the queen was so mercurial, that it was aggravating and there were moments where you just hated her for her actions. Of course, she would never apologize for what she had done to Rinette. I wish I could go into more detail, but I really don't want to spoil you because these twists and turns are what made me love this book.
The ending really sealed the deal for me, and is, again, something that I refuse to spoil because you really should just go out and read it. It is a great for anyone who loves history, especially the glitz of the Tudor era. There are so many fabulous names that come up in this book like Nostradamus and Catherine de Medici. I loved this book so much that when I get a chance I'm going to pick up The Second Duchess also by Loupas.
I really liked Rinette, our heroine. She was flawed as a person which everyone is so she felt like a real person. I felt for her as she discovered the truth about her life and how wrong she was about things. I felt for her as her quest to find her husbands murderer, her determination was inspiring. There were so many unsavory characters around her that it was hard to see how she could navigate it all.
I really liked how she did floromancy even if that made Rinette out to be a "witch". The idea of reading flowers and that they would speak to Rinette was really awesome and I think an original idea. If only she knew how much trouble her gift would get her into in the long run.
I will admit that there were moments that were predictable, but those didn't hinder my reading because I felt just a teansie-bit smarter for having figured it out. That being said, there were still a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming that ended with plenty of "Oh no they didnt!'s" (If you couldn't tell i'm a vocal reader). I had some trouble with the names since they were Scottish, and I could never be sure if I was pronouncing them right. (Like Mairi and Kitte I would pronounce Mary and Kit.)
My lastly biggest problem was the French, nothing irritates me more than when a book makes me work to understand what they are saying. I wish I spoke French, but I don't so the inclusion of these words once in a while didn't hinder my understanding or anything, it was just frustrating.
Like any good royal, the queen was so mercurial, that it was aggravating and there were moments where you just hated her for her actions. Of course, she would never apologize for what she had done to Rinette. I wish I could go into more detail, but I really don't want to spoil you because these twists and turns are what made me love this book.
The ending really sealed the deal for me, and is, again, something that I refuse to spoil because you really should just go out and read it. It is a great for anyone who loves history, especially the glitz of the Tudor era. There are so many fabulous names that come up in this book like Nostradamus and Catherine de Medici. I loved this book so much that when I get a chance I'm going to pick up The Second Duchess also by Loupas.
April 2, 2012
First, an admission: I was in love with Elizabeth Loupas’ first novel, The Second Duchess. It was one of the best books I read last year –even better than many of the offerings from more established historical fiction authors. I raved about the book to anyone who would listen and found virtually any excuse to recommend it to others. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited about Loupas’ follow-up novel, The Flower Reader.
Marina, known as Rinette, is the heir to a great Scottish estate, a relation to the French crown, and a close friend to Mary of Guise, the French-born Scottish queen. She also has the unique ability to divine the future from flowers, an ability that makes her an asset to the crown as well as a danger. When Mary of Guise trusts a casket filled with the secrets of the Scottish nobles and predictions from Nostradamas to Rinette, her life is changed forever. Rinette promises to protect the casket until it can reach the hands of Mary’s daughter, but soon finds the deadly consequence of that promise. Her beloved husband is killed, she becomes the target of numerous court schemes, and is forced to marry a man she hates.
The Flower Reader takes a more unique approach to historical fiction than just about everything else on the shelf right now. Rather than being primarily biographical, Flower Reader is a historical mystery surrounding the perilous court of Mary, Queen of Scots, but explored through the eyes of a purely fictional character. In fact, many of the characters in this book are fictional (more than the average historical fiction novel, I’d say), as is the plot. And honestly, I thought this was incredibly refreshing for the genre, especially since Loupas made the characters feel so real. They absolutely came alive on every page, and I got completely engrossed in Rinette’s story and struggles. I was cheering for her the entire time, even when it seemed like all was lost.
Would I say that The Flower Reader is as good as The Second Duchess? That’s a tough one. Both novels are very different and follow very different subjects with unique approaches, but Flower Reader is a worthwhile follow up that is easily one of the best book I’ve read so far this year. I’d recommend it to any fellow historical fiction reader.
Marina, known as Rinette, is the heir to a great Scottish estate, a relation to the French crown, and a close friend to Mary of Guise, the French-born Scottish queen. She also has the unique ability to divine the future from flowers, an ability that makes her an asset to the crown as well as a danger. When Mary of Guise trusts a casket filled with the secrets of the Scottish nobles and predictions from Nostradamas to Rinette, her life is changed forever. Rinette promises to protect the casket until it can reach the hands of Mary’s daughter, but soon finds the deadly consequence of that promise. Her beloved husband is killed, she becomes the target of numerous court schemes, and is forced to marry a man she hates.
The Flower Reader takes a more unique approach to historical fiction than just about everything else on the shelf right now. Rather than being primarily biographical, Flower Reader is a historical mystery surrounding the perilous court of Mary, Queen of Scots, but explored through the eyes of a purely fictional character. In fact, many of the characters in this book are fictional (more than the average historical fiction novel, I’d say), as is the plot. And honestly, I thought this was incredibly refreshing for the genre, especially since Loupas made the characters feel so real. They absolutely came alive on every page, and I got completely engrossed in Rinette’s story and struggles. I was cheering for her the entire time, even when it seemed like all was lost.
Would I say that The Flower Reader is as good as The Second Duchess? That’s a tough one. Both novels are very different and follow very different subjects with unique approaches, but Flower Reader is a worthwhile follow up that is easily one of the best book I’ve read so far this year. I’d recommend it to any fellow historical fiction reader.
July 18, 2013
I have to admit I was a little sceptical about the premise of The Flower Reader before reading it. A fictional character with magical flower-reading powers in possession of the infamous casket? It all sounded too far-fetched to be pulled off, too much of a Mary Sue insert. What a surprise, Elizabeth Loupas has created a wonderful, delightful tale in The Flower Reader.
It’s written in first person present tense, which in my experience tends to be hit and miss, but it works better for stories like this, the personal tale of a fictional character in a historical setting. The success of this approach also depends on a well written fictional character who is both compelling in their own right and does not become a Mary Sue who warps the history. Rinette Leslie, I must concede, does warp history a little, but for me it was so slight that it didn't notice at all.
As a character Rinette was interesting, but I admit I didn’t find her compelling since her naivety wasn’t something I really identified with. I applaud Loupas for making her so flawed and human, however, and resisting the urge to give Rinette a bigger role in historical events, or more power over her fate than she in fact has.
The compelling motivation that kept me turning the pages was who were the forces that wanted the casket, who was the murderer, and how would the casket end up in the hands of Mary Queen of Scots. I do have to admit that I guessed straight away who Rinette would end up with by the end of the novel, and who took the casket from the original hiding place. I do like that the floromancy was not specifically magical, and could be interpreted as simply Rinette’s beliefs and feelings and character, and for that reason I haven’t filed this under my historical fantasy shelf.
Bit of a short review, but the book's main strengths are the characters and the mystery plot, and to be honest I didn't have any criticisms.
7 out of 10
February 9, 2014
"I hated the queen, hated her down to the deepest marrow of my bones...Now she was dying, Mary of Guise, queen regent of Scotland...And everyone in Edinburgh, everyone in the castle, everyone in the queen' s own bedchamber was waiting for the queen to die."
Before she dies, Mary of Guise secretly entrusts a silver casket to Rinette Leslie of Granmuir. The silver casket containing the queen's secrets is meant for her daughter, Mary Queen of Scots, but Rinette makes the mistake of showing the casket to her new husband Alexander. His knowledge of the casket creates a series of disastrous consequences that endanger Rinette and everyone close to her. Rinette can read flowers to predict the future, but her gift cannot protect her from assassins and intrigue, the ruthlessness of the court and impetuous Queen Mary.
When I first saw the book blurb and the general idea for this book, I admit I was hesitant. I don't typically like reading magical realism, and floramancy was, in my mind, a sort of magical realism. I was prepared to do my share of eye-rolling, but this book was fascinating. Despite the title, the floramancy aspect of the book doesn't drive the action; rather, it highlights certain things the narrator understands about other characters, another form of perception, I suppose. It worked. The mystery surrounding the casket and the unexpected plot twists kept my attention riveted to the page. I loved the blend of fictional characters with historical characters, and I thought the author did an excellent job with her interpretation of the queen and the court and her explanation of the complicated politics of the times. A great read and one that will likely appeal to historical fiction lovers.
September 28, 2013
Too much quasi history, not enough flower reading.
October 7, 2016
I must admit, although "high fantasy"-ish historical novels aren't quite my usual cup of tea, this book has touched my heart in a way!
June 21, 2018
I can't believe I wasted $5.99 on this book! I expected to love it as the idea of flowers being able to tell what a person was like and what would happen in their future sounded so good. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to the idea. It wasn't a horrible a book, just not what I was expecting. First of all, why didn't Rinette give the casket to Mary, Queen of Scots as Mary's mother instructed? That was where the book began to fall apart. The second thing about this book I hated was how Mary QOS was written! I've read a lot of books about Mary and while I will admit that she was sometimes clueless and she didn't think things through all the way, I never perceived her as stupid and/or mean. In this book, she was written as MEAN and there is no evidence I've ever seen that she was this way. That turned me off even more. Third, the hero or love interest. There were several red herrings that suggested that he knew a LOT more than he was saying and that he might even be the villain of the book! Last but not least the heroine of the book was just plain stupid. She knew ruthless men and Queens wanted that casket and would kill her to get it! She knew not to go out alone but what does she do? Takes off alone with ruthless men only to wonder why she was attacked! The writing itself was good, the plot idea was good but the between the idea and putting words to paper, the book fell apart.
March 14, 2021
Once I got past the weird flower thing (the flowers Rinette touched literally spoke to her with prophecies), I really got into this story about Mary Stuart's Scottish court. There was political intrigue galore surrounding the existence of the late queen's silver casket of state secrets that had been entrusted to Rinette for sakekeeping until her daughter Queen Mary returned to the throne. Because of this casket, there were several murders, a forced marriage and some rather hard bargaining/blackmail.
September 7, 2022
Loved all the brush-up-againsts of real people from history. Initially, I thought the flower reading - dismissed as floramancy - was going to be very fun and interesting, but it just didn’t work for me. But Mary Queen of Scots, John Knox and a few of the other folks ameliorated the awfully mean power hungry rude people around. I didn’t buy the hero, I guess. And while the lady is inspiring, I’m ultimately unsatisfied. The bargain and then the denouement…. I don’t want to give anything away. Bit of a cop out.
December 20, 2023
Atmospheric yes but did I care enough to finish it? I am sorry to say I didn’t.
I was 50% of the way through before I realised I no longer who killed her husband.
There was so many characters and they were hard to keep up with . One had a name change which left me forgetting who he was altogether when he appeared again. They were all of similar nature and this made it hard for me to remember who they all were to the main character. Maybe this is something I need to get used to with historical books.
Parts of the story were quite thrilling but the main story was just not for me.
I was 50% of the way through before I realised I no longer who killed her husband.
There was so many characters and they were hard to keep up with . One had a name change which left me forgetting who he was altogether when he appeared again. They were all of similar nature and this made it hard for me to remember who they all were to the main character. Maybe this is something I need to get used to with historical books.
Parts of the story were quite thrilling but the main story was just not for me.
June 12, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A story of murder, mystery and flowers — with a touch of romance.
Opening Sentence: I hated the queen, hated her down to the deepest marrow of my bones.
The Review:
Rinette Leslie is a girl with a special power I haven’t previously heard of before. The myths surrounding the gift of floromancy have apparently been around for millennia. Floromancy is the ability to read flowers for the purpose of telling a person’s future, and Rinette does a damn good job of it.
In the beginning of the book, Rinette is a ward of Mary Guise, the queen regent of Scotland, and upon her death, reverts to the “protection” of the lord of her father’s family, or the lord of her mother’s family, as these two are apparently at war over the matter. Both want custody of her so they can marry her off to their choice of husband, and thereby take control of her family estate. But Rinette has her own choice for her future, and so she sneaks back to her home, and marries Alexander Gordon, the one and true love of her life. And they are happy together, and merrily making babies, until the return of Mary, Queen of Scots to her native homeland.
You see, upon her deathbed, with her very last breaths, Mary of Guise has entrusted Rinette with a dangerous task. She gave Rinette responsibility for a silver casket full of papers, that is to be handed over to the new Queen upon her arrival. This is no ordinary family heirloom, however. This casket is full of some of societies most dangerous secrets, and a secret set of prophecies from Nostradamus himself. These papers must be kept secret from everyone but the new queen herself — so says the dying queen regent.
There is only one teensy problem. Rinette’s beloved husband Alexander has convinced Rinette to open the box, and at once he recognizes the content’s potential retail value. So he sends out a set of letters to those he knows are willing to pay real coin for the casket and its contents.
On the day they arrive in Edinburgh to hand off the casket, they are brutally attacked. An attack that sends Rinette into labor and a delivery that almost costs her life. When Rinette wakes she finds herself a widow and new mother, and in the middle of some sort of super secret spy thriller. People are after her secrets and no one cares whether they have to take lives to get them.
Rinette can now think of nothing but finding her husband’s killer. And now that she is a widow, her “protectors” are back on her case. So, she makes a deal with the new queen. She will only relinquish the silver casket after her husband’s murderer is found, and if she is allowed to retain her estate and her status as a single woman.
As time goes on her husband’s killer remains undiscovered, and her family more anxious. Mary forces Rinette to give up the casket, and she agrees. But when she goes to retrieve it, it is no longer in its hiding spot. So the queen reneges on the whole deal, and Rinette is left without justice and with a husband she never wanted.
Fast forward some time spent in a small portion of hell. Rinette finds a way to run from her husband back to her estate, and for a time is content. Until one day fortune steps on her door in the shape of Nico De Clerac, who was also a member of the court of both Queen Marys. With him is a message from the queen, and a chance at a better life and a new love.
I will admit, this particular brand of book is a bit outside the realm of my everyday reading habits. Not a bad book though, not bad at all. The writing is well done, the story line complex and intriguing. And you can tell, without reading the foreword and reader’s guide at the end, that the author really did her homework. Woven into this story is just the right amount of actual historical fact. Heck, even the silver casket is based on a real item that you can still find in a museum.
Notable Scene:
“Are you here to spy on me Nico?”
“No. I want to stay because I feel stillness and peace here.”
I looked into his eyes and I knew what he was going to say and I wanted him to say it and I was terrified he was going to say it.
“And because I love you,” he said very gently. “Surely you know that? I want a few days with you, here at Granmuir—it may be all I will ever have.”
My heart stopped.
“Oh, no,” I said. “Nico, no. Please, no.”
He let go of my arms and lifted his hands away from me. “What, do you think I am asking you for anything? I am not, other than perhaps your presence, or a chance to look at the sea with you and talk a little. And you need not so that, even, if it does not please you. My precious soul, my love, to breathe the same air that you are breathing will be enough.”
I started to cry, as much like a child as Màiri or Kitte. I could not help myself, and I put my hands up to cover my face so he could not see how contorted it was. “It pleases me,” I managed to choke out. “I am glad you are here and I want you to stay, if we can…if we can…keep apart from each other. To simply look at the sea and talk with you sounds like heaven.”
FTC Advisory: Penguin/New American Library provided me with a copy of The Flower Reader. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A story of murder, mystery and flowers — with a touch of romance.
Opening Sentence: I hated the queen, hated her down to the deepest marrow of my bones.
The Review:
Rinette Leslie is a girl with a special power I haven’t previously heard of before. The myths surrounding the gift of floromancy have apparently been around for millennia. Floromancy is the ability to read flowers for the purpose of telling a person’s future, and Rinette does a damn good job of it.
In the beginning of the book, Rinette is a ward of Mary Guise, the queen regent of Scotland, and upon her death, reverts to the “protection” of the lord of her father’s family, or the lord of her mother’s family, as these two are apparently at war over the matter. Both want custody of her so they can marry her off to their choice of husband, and thereby take control of her family estate. But Rinette has her own choice for her future, and so she sneaks back to her home, and marries Alexander Gordon, the one and true love of her life. And they are happy together, and merrily making babies, until the return of Mary, Queen of Scots to her native homeland.
You see, upon her deathbed, with her very last breaths, Mary of Guise has entrusted Rinette with a dangerous task. She gave Rinette responsibility for a silver casket full of papers, that is to be handed over to the new Queen upon her arrival. This is no ordinary family heirloom, however. This casket is full of some of societies most dangerous secrets, and a secret set of prophecies from Nostradamus himself. These papers must be kept secret from everyone but the new queen herself — so says the dying queen regent.
There is only one teensy problem. Rinette’s beloved husband Alexander has convinced Rinette to open the box, and at once he recognizes the content’s potential retail value. So he sends out a set of letters to those he knows are willing to pay real coin for the casket and its contents.
On the day they arrive in Edinburgh to hand off the casket, they are brutally attacked. An attack that sends Rinette into labor and a delivery that almost costs her life. When Rinette wakes she finds herself a widow and new mother, and in the middle of some sort of super secret spy thriller. People are after her secrets and no one cares whether they have to take lives to get them.
Rinette can now think of nothing but finding her husband’s killer. And now that she is a widow, her “protectors” are back on her case. So, she makes a deal with the new queen. She will only relinquish the silver casket after her husband’s murderer is found, and if she is allowed to retain her estate and her status as a single woman.
As time goes on her husband’s killer remains undiscovered, and her family more anxious. Mary forces Rinette to give up the casket, and she agrees. But when she goes to retrieve it, it is no longer in its hiding spot. So the queen reneges on the whole deal, and Rinette is left without justice and with a husband she never wanted.
Fast forward some time spent in a small portion of hell. Rinette finds a way to run from her husband back to her estate, and for a time is content. Until one day fortune steps on her door in the shape of Nico De Clerac, who was also a member of the court of both Queen Marys. With him is a message from the queen, and a chance at a better life and a new love.
I will admit, this particular brand of book is a bit outside the realm of my everyday reading habits. Not a bad book though, not bad at all. The writing is well done, the story line complex and intriguing. And you can tell, without reading the foreword and reader’s guide at the end, that the author really did her homework. Woven into this story is just the right amount of actual historical fact. Heck, even the silver casket is based on a real item that you can still find in a museum.
Notable Scene:
“Are you here to spy on me Nico?”
“No. I want to stay because I feel stillness and peace here.”
I looked into his eyes and I knew what he was going to say and I wanted him to say it and I was terrified he was going to say it.
“And because I love you,” he said very gently. “Surely you know that? I want a few days with you, here at Granmuir—it may be all I will ever have.”
My heart stopped.
“Oh, no,” I said. “Nico, no. Please, no.”
He let go of my arms and lifted his hands away from me. “What, do you think I am asking you for anything? I am not, other than perhaps your presence, or a chance to look at the sea with you and talk a little. And you need not so that, even, if it does not please you. My precious soul, my love, to breathe the same air that you are breathing will be enough.”
I started to cry, as much like a child as Màiri or Kitte. I could not help myself, and I put my hands up to cover my face so he could not see how contorted it was. “It pleases me,” I managed to choke out. “I am glad you are here and I want you to stay, if we can…if we can…keep apart from each other. To simply look at the sea and talk with you sounds like heaven.”
FTC Advisory: Penguin/New American Library provided me with a copy of The Flower Reader. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
July 11, 2018
not bad..
November 6, 2017
I may like this even better than Loupas's debut novel, The Second Duchess. This one is great fiction set in a well-researched 1500s Scotland, during the early years of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. The reader is never in any doubt that the story itself and a great many of the characters are the author's invention, but, apart from the gift of floromancy which the main character is endowed with (She can read people's character and the future through flowers but it's a very low key part of the whole story), everything and everyone and every situation seems like an "oh that could have happened even if it didn't". And you have author's notes and a Cast of Characters at the beginning of the book to set you right about what's real and what's not.
This begins in June of 1560 when Mary of Guise, queen regent of Scotland while her daughter Mary is in France, on her deathbed calls in young relative and lady-in-waiting Rinette Leslie to charge her with the delivery of a silver casket into the hands of Mary (18 years old at the time) who is soon to arrive back in Scotland after the death of her young husband, King Francis II. Mary will assume her responsibilities as queen of Scotland.
That silver casket! Oh, that silver casket! It has special papers meant only for Queen Mary, with sensitive info about lots of Scottish bigwigs and even some private prophecies made by Nostradamus. And once word gets out about its existence (and you'll be sorry to hear how that happens), everybody and his uncle wants to get hold of it. That includes the English, the French, the Italians, and ambitious Scots.
What an exciting, enjoyable read this is. Poor Rinette, a very sympathetic and likeable character, finds herself involved in intrigues, plots, murder and threats to her happiness and safety and that of her children. Along the way she loses her first love and finds another and she suffers greatly in the 5-year time span of this book. There's lots of skulduggery and enough bad guys to keep mystery lovers guessing for a good long while. And a great romance for the romance lover.
The silver casket which plays such an important part in this book actually did exist historically but its contents are not known. During Queen Mary's trial in England much later on, mention was made of it. That, however, is not the time period covered in this novel.
This was a great read and I can't wait for more Loupas novels. She writes in the Readers Guide at the end of this that her next book will be set in Renaissance Italy. I'm very much looking forward to it.
This begins in June of 1560 when Mary of Guise, queen regent of Scotland while her daughter Mary is in France, on her deathbed calls in young relative and lady-in-waiting Rinette Leslie to charge her with the delivery of a silver casket into the hands of Mary (18 years old at the time) who is soon to arrive back in Scotland after the death of her young husband, King Francis II. Mary will assume her responsibilities as queen of Scotland.
That silver casket! Oh, that silver casket! It has special papers meant only for Queen Mary, with sensitive info about lots of Scottish bigwigs and even some private prophecies made by Nostradamus. And once word gets out about its existence (and you'll be sorry to hear how that happens), everybody and his uncle wants to get hold of it. That includes the English, the French, the Italians, and ambitious Scots.
What an exciting, enjoyable read this is. Poor Rinette, a very sympathetic and likeable character, finds herself involved in intrigues, plots, murder and threats to her happiness and safety and that of her children. Along the way she loses her first love and finds another and she suffers greatly in the 5-year time span of this book. There's lots of skulduggery and enough bad guys to keep mystery lovers guessing for a good long while. And a great romance for the romance lover.
The silver casket which plays such an important part in this book actually did exist historically but its contents are not known. During Queen Mary's trial in England much later on, mention was made of it. That, however, is not the time period covered in this novel.
This was a great read and I can't wait for more Loupas novels. She writes in the Readers Guide at the end of this that her next book will be set in Renaissance Italy. I'm very much looking forward to it.
November 26, 2012
Ci troviamo in Scozia alla corte della regina Maria Stuarda, intorno al 1560.
Non credevo possibile che giunta alla fine di questo libro, potessi sentire la mancanza di corti, balli, castelli e usanze che vengono così meticolosamente descritte in questo libro, ma è successo proprio questo.
Si vede che la scrittrice ha fatto i compiti a casa, ogni cosa viene descritta rispettando, per quanto possibile, gli episodi storici e le ambientazioni del periodo.
La protagonista di questa storia è Rinette Leslie di Granmuir, chiamata dalla regina Marianette, in quanto il suo nome richimava troppo reinette, appellattivo con il quale veniva chiamata la regina quando ancora era in vita la madre.
Rinette possiede una dote particolare, riesce a leggere il futuro tramite i fiori che le parlono.
La sua arte della floromanzia però non l'ha salvata dal destino che la voleva custode di un cofanetto della regina madre pieno di segreti e di una profezia, cofanetto da molti bramato che ha messo la protagonista di fronte a incredibili disavventure.
La scrittrice in questo romanzo è riuscita a mettere in evidenza tutti gli aspetti negativi che venivano storicamente imputati alla regina Maria Stuarda: era egoista, capricciosa, lunatica e, perchè no, anche molto ingenua.
Dall'altra parte invece troviamo la nostra protagonista, Rinette, molto determinata, sicura di se e piena d'amore e speranza nonostante le disavventure che è costretta a subire.
Ho adorato anche il personaggio di Nico de Clerac, me lo potevo immaginare alto, biondo, vestito elegantemente con il kajal nero intorno agli occhi e un gioiello all'orecchio, così misterioso eppure così evidente nei suoi sentimenti!!
Lo stile mi ha letteralmente rapito per la sua scorrevolezza e mi portanto nella corte di Maria Stuarda.
L'arte della floromanzia fa da contorno a tutta la storie e su questo posso solamente dire che anemoni e belladonna stanno davvero bene insieme!!!
Non credevo possibile che giunta alla fine di questo libro, potessi sentire la mancanza di corti, balli, castelli e usanze che vengono così meticolosamente descritte in questo libro, ma è successo proprio questo.
Si vede che la scrittrice ha fatto i compiti a casa, ogni cosa viene descritta rispettando, per quanto possibile, gli episodi storici e le ambientazioni del periodo.
La protagonista di questa storia è Rinette Leslie di Granmuir, chiamata dalla regina Marianette, in quanto il suo nome richimava troppo reinette, appellattivo con il quale veniva chiamata la regina quando ancora era in vita la madre.
Rinette possiede una dote particolare, riesce a leggere il futuro tramite i fiori che le parlono.
La sua arte della floromanzia però non l'ha salvata dal destino che la voleva custode di un cofanetto della regina madre pieno di segreti e di una profezia, cofanetto da molti bramato che ha messo la protagonista di fronte a incredibili disavventure.
La scrittrice in questo romanzo è riuscita a mettere in evidenza tutti gli aspetti negativi che venivano storicamente imputati alla regina Maria Stuarda: era egoista, capricciosa, lunatica e, perchè no, anche molto ingenua.
Dall'altra parte invece troviamo la nostra protagonista, Rinette, molto determinata, sicura di se e piena d'amore e speranza nonostante le disavventure che è costretta a subire.
Ho adorato anche il personaggio di Nico de Clerac, me lo potevo immaginare alto, biondo, vestito elegantemente con il kajal nero intorno agli occhi e un gioiello all'orecchio, così misterioso eppure così evidente nei suoi sentimenti!!
Lo stile mi ha letteralmente rapito per la sua scorrevolezza e mi portanto nella corte di Maria Stuarda.
L'arte della floromanzia fa da contorno a tutta la storie e su questo posso solamente dire che anemoni e belladonna stanno davvero bene insieme!!!
May 8, 2012
In this tale of Scotland just as Mary, Queen of Scots is taking her throne we meet Rinette Leslie, a young woman with the ability to read people and their futures with flowers. She wants nothing more than to live in peace at her estate in Granmuir but that is not to be. She is entrusted with a silver casket full of letters from Mary's mother to present to Mary upon her return to Scotland from France. She is to show it to no-one and to give it only to Mary. As Rinette leaves the old queen's service she rushes home to marry her love, Alexander Gordon. Despite her instructions she shows him the casket trusting him to keep her secret.
Alexander is brutally murdered and Rinette is saved and kept at Holyrood castle where everyone seems to know about the casket! Her Alexander turns out to be a less an adequate secret keeper. She has hidden it well, though and uses it as a bargaining chip to keep her from a forced marriage and from losing her beloved home.
The Flower Reader is a refreshing take on a frequently covered period in historical fiction. Ms. Loupas inserts a number of fictional characters into history quite well. You never feel as if these made up people don't fit in or belong. The story takes the reader on an interesting ride through the early part of Mary's reign doing a very good job of explaining the politics of the time without boring the reader.There are a number of unexpected twists and turns and Rinette searches for her husband's killer although I must admit that I did see the final twist coming long before it was revealed in the story. That did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the tale. Rinette is a complex character and I would love to see her come back for another mystery in Mary's reign and with another opportunity to use her special gift with flowers.
Alexander is brutally murdered and Rinette is saved and kept at Holyrood castle where everyone seems to know about the casket! Her Alexander turns out to be a less an adequate secret keeper. She has hidden it well, though and uses it as a bargaining chip to keep her from a forced marriage and from losing her beloved home.
The Flower Reader is a refreshing take on a frequently covered period in historical fiction. Ms. Loupas inserts a number of fictional characters into history quite well. You never feel as if these made up people don't fit in or belong. The story takes the reader on an interesting ride through the early part of Mary's reign doing a very good job of explaining the politics of the time without boring the reader.There are a number of unexpected twists and turns and Rinette searches for her husband's killer although I must admit that I did see the final twist coming long before it was revealed in the story. That did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the tale. Rinette is a complex character and I would love to see her come back for another mystery in Mary's reign and with another opportunity to use her special gift with flowers.
September 21, 2019
This book started off wonderfully, it grabbed me from the first page and I thought it was going to be one of the better historical fiction reads I had tried in a while. However, it soon became apparent that this book was going to degenerate into a repetitive, circular, murder mystery, with very little flower reading and too many characters that were fictional. After Mary of Guise leaves Rinette the silver chest, and Rinette, briefly, builds a life with her husband and new daughter, everything falls apart. Once it does, all Rinette has is a bargaining chip is the chest so, the entire rest of the book becomes a case of using the chip to bargain with Mary's daughter Mary, the new queen, for justice for her husband and securing her estates. Basically, almost every chapter is a case of Rinette investigating the court, the courtiers disliking her, the new queen vacillating between wanting to help and being in a dark, cruel, uncooperative mood, and Rinette saying I won't hand over the chest until I get what I want. The book, in my opinion, was just too long to sustain this one, repetitive, thin plot thread. Not to mention Rinette, and her entire family are all fictional characters, so there was no way to draw on real history surrounding them to fill out the plot. Finally, there was so little flower reading actually done, in fact flowers were so rarely mentioned that that entire aspect of the book felt like a cheat. Slow, dull and after a while, uninteresting.
March 30, 2015
I became a Elizabeth Loupas fan after thirstily reading The Second Duchess last year and " The Flower Reader" did not disappoint. Our main female protagonist is Rinette Leslie of Granmuir and our story opens at the bed of the dying Mary of Guise, regent of Scotland. Before dying, the queen asks Rinette to pass on a precious silver casket with her personal papers to her daughter, Mary, living in France and not to give it to anyone else. But Rinette isn't able to keep her promise to her dying mistress right away. Instead, Rinette sees the opportunity to leave the court and marry her childhood love, Alexander Gordon. Now, fellow readers, if you're not a fan of Mr. Gordon, don't despair because he is not going to last long. In fact, on the day that a very pregnant Rinette and Alexander are to have their audience with Mary, now back in her Scottish homeland, Alexander is murdered and this puts Rinette on a road of revenge and betrayal to track down her husband's killer.
Strong female protagonist, romance is tastefully done and does not overshadow the main plot, and our focus is about the early days of Mary's reign, a refreshing departure from the very well exhausted love woes she found herself in.
Strong female protagonist, romance is tastefully done and does not overshadow the main plot, and our focus is about the early days of Mary's reign, a refreshing departure from the very well exhausted love woes she found herself in.
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