Assessment:
Plot: Excellent pacing backed by precise execution, plot point by plot point, infuses this riveting tale with a sense of immediacy and inherent dread, a commendable novel that shows promise in a lucrative genre spearheaded by Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. While delving into the mundane aspects of maintaining a plant shop and floral delivery service in Paris, the protagonist escorts the unassuming into a treacherous world of blossoming toxins.
Prose/Style: Planted in this ominous prose garden is the ability to draw a jaded maven of suspense fiction into a world where flora takes on destructive capability. Candid introspection enhances the story, while at times the narrative lingers too long on descriptive trivialities insignificant to the plot.
Originality: This innovative author has established a unique niche in a field that flaunts familiar scenarios and predictable outcomes. By narrowing her creative line of vision to catalyst plants, such as the hybrid Violet Smoke, a blooming weapon with an intoxicating aroma, she has built her foundation for endless stories.
Character Development: This plot-heavy mystery focuses on sinister events through the eyes of the protagonist Renia at the expense of in-depth portrayal, while minor characters are maneuvered according to the storyline. Intriguing details emerge at opportune moments, capturing attention as bits of information reveal more than personality.
Date Submitted: August 22, 2019
"Superb characters and alluring prose make for a truly exceptional read."
--Kirkus Reviews
