The Rose Grower

by Michelle de Kretser

Writing with poignancy and mesmerizing detail, Michelle de Kretser has penned a haunting tale set against the madness of the French Revolution -- a wistful, elegantly rendered novel of unrequited love and personal triumph in a world gone tragically awry.

The 1789 storming of the Bastille has brought France to the brink of revolution. Yet in the serene heart of the French province of Gascony, little has changed in a hundred years -- and the events in Paris seem but a distant thunder.

Indeed, the dramatic crash landing of American artist and amateur balloonist Stephen Fletcher sparks far more excitement. Stephen lands in the pastoral world of a magistrate and his three daughters -- ethereal Claire, pert and precocious Mathilde, and plain, sensible Sophie, who lovingly tends her rose garden as she simmers with unfulfilled longings.

As the revolution brings murder, terror, and fear into the remote Gascon countryside, Stephen finds himself enchanted by the angelic Claire. Yet he is also strangely drawn to Sophie, whose courage and compassion sustain them all, from her family to the quixotic, tormented physician who silently adores her. And even as Sophie keeps a tender secret of her own, she works toward realizing yet another the miracle of an original repeat-flowering crimson rose -- a hopeful symbol of an unblighted future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, France, French Revolution, Australia, Novels

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Michelle de Kretser is an Australian novelist who was born in Sri Lanka but moved to Australia when she was 14.

She was educated in Melbourne and Paris, and published her first novel, 'The Rose Grower' in 1999. Her second novel, published in 2003, 'The Hamilton Case' was winner of the Tasmania Pacific Prize, the Encore Award (UK) and the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Southeast Asia and Pacific). 'The Lost Dog' was published in 2007. It was one of 13 books on the long list for the 2008 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. From 1989 to 1992 she was a founding editor of the Australian Women's Book Review.

Reviews

[Robert Lukins · Rating 5 out of 5]

De Kretser writing in a different mode here than her more recent work. This is a lush, nuanced portrait of five years of the French Revolution as happening to a family. It moves at its own pace; it is completely gorgeous.

[Maya Chhabra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed here: https://mayareadsbooks.wordpress.com/...
You may not know this, as I haven’t blogged about the nonfiction books I’ve read about it here, but I’m fascinated by the French Revolution. Two of my favorite fictional portrayals of that event are Victor Hugo’s Quatrevingt-treize and Hilary Mantel’s A Place of Greater Safety. Now I can add Sri Lankan-Australian author Michelle de Kretser’s The Rose Grower to that list.

The Rose Grower takes place in a small town in Gascony, where a liberal aristocratic family, an American artist, and a doctor active in the revolution interact with unexpected consequences. It’s written in a beautiful omniscient, like both of the other novels I mentioned, though closer in tone to the intimacy and complicity of A Place of Greater Safety than to the grandeur of Quatrevingt-treize. It sometimes directly addresses the reader, saying of one character, “Think carefully before you dismiss him as wrong or foolish.” Which is a good bit of advice about the period generally.

My favorite parts of the book focused on the doctor, Joseph Morel, who is a deeply good person without being overly perfect, a difficult balancing act for the author (she doesn’t quite manage the same trick with his love interest and co-protagonist, Sophie). He’s snaps at people unfairly, gets lost in his own happiness to the point of losing track of others, and is easily manipulated by the offer of friendship. Nevertheless, he’s honorable and selfless. When, following a provincial equivalent of the September Massacres, he’s on the point of falling out with his fellow revolutionaries, who don’t seem terribly upset about the murders, they offer him a chance to improve the local hospital. “They knew better than to offer him the world,” as the narrator puts it, “So they offered him the chance to improve it.” Unfortunately, easily manipulated as he is, he doesn’t realize he’s been used until tragedy strikes.

Setting the story in a small provincial town rather than Paris allows for the worst aspects of the revolution to be the work of a single villain, a total sociopath whom no one sees for who he really is until it’s far too late. This would be totally implausible as an explanation of what went wrong generally, and the author does show a larger problem as the tribunal’s jurors condemn people for minor acts of dissent, but it works as a compelling and believable plot in the environment of a single town, and makes for a tense lead-up to the climax.

Kretser also has a realistic way of showing the hypocrisies of the time even in her sympathetic characters–the artist Stephen and his lover end up living on a plantation as slave-owners despite Stephen’s liberalism. This isn’t because they’re evil or uncaring people, but it’s a refusal to make the characters completely modern or even the best examples of their time. Joseph Morel by the end seems to have abandoned, for understandable reasons, the efforts at large-scale improvement of conditions that he undertook earlier. In his new town, the narrator notes from his point of view, “People starve here,” and it’s not clear what he’s doing about it beyond being a good doctor. Despite this, the characters are loveable.

I had a few bones to pick with minor historical details– the position of nuns during the revolution, the portrayal of women’s revolutionary societies, the description of why the Girondins fell–but the historical background is basically accurate despite relying on Simon Schama’s flawed Citizens (I should note that I never actually made it through Citizens, but a variety of sources lead me to believe that it is not exactly a great work of history).

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the period, or anyone just looking for a well-written, heartbreaking story.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

De Kretser's last two novels - The Lost Dog and Questions of Travel - have been knockouts. This, her first, is an enticement into the history and issues of the French Revolution. The writer is interested in identity, class and power and the question 'when does the end justify the means?'. She explores these issues through her characters which include the rose grower of the title, Sophie, her father Pierre (a minor aristocrat), Joseph (a doctor) and Ricard (the local butcher and leading revolutionary). She approaches the issues with a light hand. The characters - and their love affairs - are not deeply developed and the detail about rose growing can become wearisome. Nonetheless, a clarity of vision and a delicate use of language, as well as the history itself, make for a pleasurable and interesting reading experience.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this story confusing and flat. There’s not enough character development for me to care about any of them. Narrative randomly switches from third person to first person so it’s often hard to figure out which character we’re talking about. I don’t know much about the French Revolution and had hoped to learn, but this book offers no enlightenment on the subject; it’s as if the author assumes you just know. Maybe it’s a better story for those who do. Can’t recommend.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is set during the French Revolution. An American balloonist crashes in the field of a aristocratic widow with three daughters. The balloonist falls for the eldest married daughter Claire). The middle daughter is Sophie and she is a rose grower who is developing hybrids in an attempt to make the perfect red rose. She has caught the eye of the doctor who is also a member of the revolutionaries.

I thought this was ok but it didn't wow me. What I did like was the short chapters which seemed to keep the book moving along fairly quickly.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michelle de Kretser writes a paragraph, creates a world and the reader is enveloped by atmosphere and beautiful language. A look at the French Revolution and the Terror from the countryside. A look at the growth of love and of understanding. A lovely, sad book.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

quotes#555765 from my notebook:

Married life was like the walnut inlaid drawers that lined one wall of the pharmacy; you slid them open one at a time, hooking your little finger into the hollow under the brass handle, and so learnt which ones were best left shut. p204

Autumn has always been his favourite season. His grandfather used to tell him that as he grew older he would long for springtime, for blossom and quickening green. But spring promises so much, how can it help not living up to expectations? Autumn is unexacting, dependable, its leaves like so many responsibilities discharged and now unloosed, drifting quietly earthwards. p168

[Marguerite Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

The French revolution in microcosm, as seen through the eyes of a small town in the south west. I wanted to enjoy this more, but though it was really well-written, and evoked the sheer stupidity and horror of The Terror, at some level I just failed to connect with this book, which overall left me feeling a bit cold. It shouldn't have. Apart from anything else, it is set in an area of France I know pretty well and love a lot. If you know nothing about the French Revolution, you'll maybe struggle a wee bit with understanding some of the references too. A bit disjointed, this review. I think it's because my feelings about this book are the same. Hmm

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this as it's set in the South of France, near Toulouse, and I'm a sucker for pretty much anything French.

But this was disappointing, I have to admit. The writing style is inconsistent (probably intentionally but that doesn't make it any easier to read) and actually very dull. Nothing much seems to happen throughout it and just as finally it looks like there's about to be some resolutions, everything changes suddenly - the events aren't even described very well either.

Overall, I had high hopes for this but it was just flat the entire way through and didn't improve at all.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is rather a delightful historical novel set in the time period of the French Revolution.It was a bit difficult to read on a kindle- as it switches between different characters- without signposting the switch- except for a gap in the type. I am sure it would be more obvious in a print book.
Never the less, the characters draw you in and the details of life in the countryside during the revolution fleshes out the particulars of this time period.

[Lukrezia Cosimo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book. My main gripe would be that it's rather jerky. The chapters are short, and, with each new chapter, the author jumps to another character or group of characters, So you're always spending the first few sentences working out where you are, which interrupts the flow. Many sympathetic and well-drawn characters.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this one because it was set in the French Revolution. I found the short chapters and lots of characters annoying and confusing at times. Usually I don't mind short chapters, but this time it didn't seem to let the characters develop. I wanted to like it a lot more than I did and was disappointed, not to say that it was awful, just disappointing overall.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Normally I love historical fiction, but I just couldn't get into this one. Sophie's story was entertaining and what encouraged me to finish the book, but I really didn't connect with any of the other characters or care to.

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical novel takes place in the small village of Castelnau in southwest France. It starts in 1789 as the French revolution begins with the storming of the Bastille, but is set far from the urban areas, focused on how the events affected the Saint-Pierre family. Although the rural areas have not yet experienced the obscene violence of the public guillotine executions in Paris, there is evidence of political unrest everywhere. On this day, the Sainte-Pierres, who were once very comfortable but now live a more frugal life on a rundown country estate, are among the villagers who watch as a man falls from the sky into a field. Some hail it as a supernatural event, but the wounded man who emerges is American balloonist and artist Stepehen Fletcher, who after crashing his hot air balloon in a farmer’s field regains consciousness on the sofa in the Saint-Pierre home. There he meets the three Sainte -Pierre daughters and life soon changes for all of them.

The first person Fletcher sees when he recovers consciousness is Claire, the eldest and prettiest daughter in the family. She is married to Hubert de Monferrant, a wealthy but pompous noble and the couple have a young son. Fletcher immediately falls in love with Claire and since he is an artist, convinces her to pose for him so he can paint her portrait. Claire, unhappy in her marriage to her pompous husband, is vulnerable to Fletcher’s charms and it is not long before he has lured her into his bed.

Mathilde, the youngest daughter, is only eight years old, but is also taken in by Fletcher and believing him to be a romantic adventurer, he immediately becomes her hero. The second daughter Sophie is twenty-two, the plainest of the sisters and already considered a spinster. She also develops feelings for Fletcher but keeps them to herself, burying the passion she feels into her desire to develop a perfect rose, a crimson hybrid never before seen in Europe. She is also the one in the family who, in her capable and kind way, takes care of their father Jean-Baptiste, a widowed magistrate.

As a wealthy group of revolutionaries gather in the background, they attract the attention of Joseph Morel, an idealistic and forward-thinking young physician from the poorest section of the village, who wants to right the wrongs in the world and is committed to reform. He becomes involved with the pro-revolutionary faction who assign him to clean up conditions at the local hospital where filth is everywhere and disease runs rampant. But he is soon overwhelmed by the enormity of his task, and disillusioned, buries himself in wine to ease his torment. When he is invited to dinner at the Saint-Pierre residence, he meets Sophie and becomes attracted to her. The attraction continues after Sophie takes a nursing position at the hospital.

Several events follow which compromise the family’s safety as their village falls under the control of a revolutionary who creates carnage and upheaval in his determination to get rid of every perceived enemy of the movement. Sainte-Pierre is appointed to investigate a horrific event at a convent and Claire’s husband becomes a counter revolutionary as de Kretser concentrates on the small events in their lives and the turbulent days of the revolution unfold. There is a large cast of characters and their personal histories, betrayals and tragedies, but de Kretser’s narrative excels when it comes to portraying the small historic details of eighteenth-century everyday life. She describes everything from the social customs to the regional politics and the brutality of local officials who fervently support the revolutionaries. As drama unfolds, Kretser describes their meals, their conversations and the changing conditions in the rose garden while the family navigates their way through this brutal historic period and a child is born, romances flourish and an engagement is announced.

The promise of a new rose becomes the distinct symbol of the narrative, a means by which Sophie honors her mother, seeks the approval of her father and expresses her passion and creativity. It is also the promise of a new future as the common man rises up against the tyranny of the monarchs in the search for a better life.

De Kretser’s prose excels in this debut novel of malice, counterrevolutionaries, tragedy and hope, a writer to watch, for those who enjoy historical fiction.

[Anne Tucker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it was me reading in a heatwave, but i found this book curiously hard to get into for long. It felt very disjointed; chapters began and ended and I was not that clear who was the protagonist in each.
The politics was by far the most interesting aspect, how the politics in the country began to fragment after 1789, mixed in with the range of 'classes' and interests - aristocrats falling on harder times; women who were still being excluded from anything; reluctance to see the revolutionary importance of public health and sanitation; poor people hoping for a leg-up if they became more Jacobin than their neighbours; the lure of treachery to gain wealth; the consolidation and splintering of power at the top; the gulf between Paris and the rest of the country (here Languedoc) and the resulting resentment. All these came to life very well when in the hands of real characters.
But the intricacies of the romances; the rose growing; and much of the direct action was cloaked in pretty obtuse writing I felt.
In .Some chapters my interest revived well; then followed by others that left me confused
Disappointing

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this as it was a 'discussion' of a fanatical moment in history but seen from the point of view of people not living at the centre but in the countryside. I was particularly interested in Sophie, the rose grower, and from there, her family. The story unfolds slowly with each new character given time to be introduced. It was interesting to follow the effects of the revolution as just reports from Paris. But then you see how the venal and the fanatic use the precepts of the revolution for their own benefit. Sometimes humanity is really depressing. The Doctor adds another thread to the story by bringing science into a very superstitious world. There were moments when I wasn't sure who was 'talking' and at the end I had to re-read it to try to understand exactly what had happened. The story wasn't really about roses, that became incidental. But it was an engaging story of a terrifying time for a lot of people.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beautifully written story of three sisters at the time of the French revolution. It's a period of history I'm not really familiar with but it was brought to life so well - though I can't comment on the historical accuracy it convinced me!

The story revolves round the three Saint-Pierre sisters & their relationships with Stephen, an American artist, & Dr Morel, the young idealistic local medic. When Stephen falls (literally!) into the sisters lives, he also falls for the married Claire, while Stephen himself is adored by Sophie who in turn is secretly loved by Morel.

While on the whole I did enjoy the book I have to say I did not like the ending, or at least the ending as I understood it - I had to re-read it to make sure I wasn't mistaken about what happened.

[Melinda Charlesworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow build and then this story had me in its clutches. Still thinking about the end. Still thinking about seemingly minor events and comments that held weight. Still flicking through to reread small scenes that now mean everything.
Exquisite.

[Sreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story in an interesting setting and time.

[Joy Corwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned so much about the aftermath of the French Revolution outside of Paris. The story of Joseph and Sophie was poignant and beautiful in many ways.

[Danielle Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

This love story is filled with provides a detailed view of life in rural France during the revolution era, with glimpses across society from the poorest peasant to those on the edges of aristocracy.

[Jane Routley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous well researched but a devestating book.

[Trudy Haak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious, pretentious

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

“In bleak December Sophie lopped back long side-shoots with the ruthlessness that is the hallmark of true desire,” Michelle de Kretser writes early in this novel. The ruthlessness of the rose-grower is mirrored by the ruthlessness of the French Revolution, which is the theme as much as the setting of this novel. Sophie, the middle de Monferrant daughter, is the rose grower of this novel’s title; her quest is to produce a hybrid rose that will have dark red petals, while the quest of the Revolution is to produce a hybrid society in which all citizens are equal. This is a story of those who believe in the Revolution, not of those who oppose it, which makes the horrible massacres finally more painful. In the foreground of the novel there is romantic longing: The American Stephen Fletcher longs for Sophie’s married sister Claire; Sophie longs for Stephen; a young doctor named Joseph Morel longs for Sophie. Ultimately, the relationships evolve and resolve in satisfying ways (though I’m not promising any happy endings). The child Mathilde, passionately attached to her dog Brutus, may be the most interesting and attractive character of the book.

I read this novel with a moderate amount of pleasure and interest; it was competently done, though I suspect the multiplicity of viewpoint characters diluted what could have been a more powerful story. In the end, the book didn’t have any of the plus factors that make me want to recommend it to others: It was neither compelling nor weighty. It remains to be seen whether I will find it memorable.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book suited the way that I think perfectly. It was a resonably light read with a lovely balance of interesting facts, narrative and characterization. Each chapter began and danced around the point it set out to make, saving it for the last sentence or two, affirming what you thought the chapter had been suggesting for the last couple of pages. In this way it felt like a nice gossip amongst friends, not the mean stuff but the interesting catchup on what everyone has been up to.

Unfortunately the last couple of chapters lost this light and refreshing way of telling the story and I thought the wrap up was a little flat.

But that doesn't stop me smiling as I remember the way de Kretser told the story of a quirky bunch of characters navigating their way through the terrifying and tumultuous period of the French Revolution. To tell this review back-to-front... the story follows three aristocratic though poor sisters, all different, a little quirky but all interesting, their father and several friends and lovers as they try continue living their life while in the midst of great social change. The horror cannot be escaped but it is laid alongside other aspects of life, such as the obsessive need to breed the perfect new kind of rose...

[MariaK · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried really hard to finish this book but I couldn't. I really wanted to like it, I had very high hopes for it. I had just moved to Paris, I was feeling homesick for Boston, so I went to one of the very few English-language bookstores in Paris (Shakespeare and Co.) and this was the first book I grabbed. So it instantly became special to me. Beautiful cover, interesting story (so it seemed from what was written on the back cover), and that smell of old paper that I love. And so I started reading it. And after a few pages I put it down. Grabbed it again some time later, put it down again. This went on for ...years. I just couldn't read more than 4-5 pages at a time. I found the writing style so trying, so boring. All that jumping from 1st to 3rd person, from character to character, made it hard to follow. I finally gave up on it. It's now in my "to donate" box; I'm having trouble parting with it because of what it meant to me at the time I bought it, but even so, I don't think I'll give it another chance, I already gave it too many.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful book! Great writing, excellent atmosphere, and interesting personalities. The narrative takes place in a small French town during and slightly after the French Revolution. Sophie is one of three daughters of a French gentleman—a nice man, high enough on the aristocratic scale to be almost in danger of execution but not quite. Sophie grows roses, loves (at a distance) an American painter who is in love with her older sister, and is loved in turn by Joseph, a young doctor born on the wrong side of the river. And don’t forget Mathilde, Sophie’s precocious younger sister who dotes on their aging dog, Brutus. As the Revolution becomes infected by its own fervor, Sophie tries to live her own life, one which is filled with quiet courage. This book was a runner up for the Booker Prize several years ago. Too bad it wasn’t submitted last year. It would have been the front runner for sure.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters of the sisters and the relationships between them are well drawn and the background of the revolution in a remote part of France makes for an exciting setting. As a keen gardener I delighted in the details of the roses.

[Hollidae · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) This is the third time I've read this book. I really like the spareness and subtlety of the novel - yes it leaves a lot of work in filling in the gaps to the reader, but I think that really made me think about the characters more deeply. Every time I have read this I become immersed in it. Really well done, I think the author captures the feeling of living through the days of the Revolution in France from many different perspectives. I also like that it's not set in Paris, so much of what I've read about the Revolution is about it in Paris. I'm sure this is not to everyone's taste - but I would give it a chance, especially if you like historical fiction.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michelle De Kretser as an author has a delicate touch and a deft, succinct turn of phrase. She is able to weave sub-plots gently, giving intriguing detail about the French Revolution from a number of perspectives, but without overwhelming the reader. The bibliography is testament to the deep research undertaken to bring to life a story set within the French Revolution, and the power of gardens, roses, love and life.
This is a book where both the plot and the characters interest the reader.
I think it is highly accomplished, and I very much enjoyed reading and re-reading it.