What do you think?
Rate this book
The Forgetting Flower
Secrets and half-truths. These litter Renia Baranczka’s past, but the city of Paris has offered an escape and the refuge of a dream job. The specialty plant shop buzzes with activity and has brought her to a new friend, Alain. His presence buffers the guilt that keeps her up at night, dwelling on the endless replays of what happened to her sister.
All too suddenly, the City of Light seems more sinister when Alain turns up dead. His demise threatens every secret Renia holds dear, including the rare plant hidden in the shop’s tiny nook. It emits a special fragrance that can erase a person’s memory—and perhaps much more than that.
As Renia races to figure out the extent of the plant’s powers, she’s confronted by figures from her past who offer a proposal she can’t outright refuse. Bit by bit, she descends into a menacing underworld of blackmarket mobsters, navigating threats and fending off abuse to protect the safe peaceful life she’s worked so hard for. Desperate to outwit her enemies, Renia maneuvers carefully, knowing one wrong move will destroy not only the plant, but the lives of her sister and herself.
All too suddenly, the City of Light seems more sinister when Alain turns up dead. His demise threatens every secret Renia holds dear, including the rare plant hidden in the shop’s tiny nook. It emits a special fragrance that can erase a person’s memory—and perhaps much more than that.
As Renia races to figure out the extent of the plant’s powers, she’s confronted by figures from her past who offer a proposal she can’t outright refuse. Bit by bit, she descends into a menacing underworld of blackmarket mobsters, navigating threats and fending off abuse to protect the safe peaceful life she’s worked so hard for. Desperate to outwit her enemies, Renia maneuvers carefully, knowing one wrong move will destroy not only the plant, but the lives of her sister and herself.
278 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2019
11 people are currently reading
1908 people want to read
About the author
Karen Hugg
10 books107 followersKaren Hugg writes books inspired by magical plants. Her background is in horticulture and her passion is living green things. Her aim is to entertain and inspire readers.
The Forgetting Flower and Harvesting the Sky takes readers to Paris for intriguing stories and a touch of romance. The literary mystery Song of the Tree Hollow brings the spooky woods of the Pacific Northwest to life.
Her book, Leaf Your Troubles Behind: How to Destress and Grow Happiness Through Plants , explores how plants can help our mental health.
The Forgetting Flower and Harvesting the Sky takes readers to Paris for intriguing stories and a touch of romance. The literary mystery Song of the Tree Hollow brings the spooky woods of the Pacific Northwest to life.
Her book, Leaf Your Troubles Behind: How to Destress and Grow Happiness Through Plants , explores how plants can help our mental health.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 25, 2020
The Forgetting Flower is a well written and captivating story set in Paris. The main character, a young Polish woman named Renia, is the owner of a beautiful and mysterious plant. When bloomed and inhaled, the flowers cause you to forget...
I really enjoyed the premise of the story! I have a huge love for the African Violet and was immediately drawn to the cover. The characters are well written and the descriptions of Paris had me feeling as though I was there. Karen Huggs writing was beautiful ... I would definitely read more from this author.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Magnolia Press for my review copy!
I really enjoyed the premise of the story! I have a huge love for the African Violet and was immediately drawn to the cover. The characters are well written and the descriptions of Paris had me feeling as though I was there. Karen Huggs writing was beautiful ... I would definitely read more from this author.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Magnolia Press for my review copy!
June 18, 2019
Full disclosure: The author approached me to see if I wanted to write a blurb for her book, a literary thriller, and if so, she’d send me a copy. The book was about plants, and plants are my thing. I took a look at her other writing and decided I would probably enjoy the novel.
I was right. Here’s my blurb:
The delight and grit of Paris, the desperation of poverty, the love of plants and family – all beautifully and authentically told. The literary side of the novel brings sensitivity and texture to the struggling characters and their surroundings, and the thriller side kept me up late, anxious to find out what happens next.
Literary novels tend to emphasize character, and with only a few words, Karen Hugg creates people you might recognize if they came walking down the street. She presents the protagonist with complexity and depth. Renia is a poor Polish immigrant to Paris, working in a floral shop. She has a flower whose scent only seems to attract trouble and danger, but she has neither the resources nor strength to protect the flower and herself and her sister at the same time.
Thriller novels emphasize peril. Because Renia is trapped by poverty, by a conflicted and demanding family that she loves deeply, by other people’s bad decisions, and by a situation that requires more than she has to offer, her troubles grow until her life and the lives of others are in danger. She won’t surrender, but her choices become few and dire.
Those two sides of storytelling combine to become a potent combination.
I was right. Here’s my blurb:
The delight and grit of Paris, the desperation of poverty, the love of plants and family – all beautifully and authentically told. The literary side of the novel brings sensitivity and texture to the struggling characters and their surroundings, and the thriller side kept me up late, anxious to find out what happens next.
Literary novels tend to emphasize character, and with only a few words, Karen Hugg creates people you might recognize if they came walking down the street. She presents the protagonist with complexity and depth. Renia is a poor Polish immigrant to Paris, working in a floral shop. She has a flower whose scent only seems to attract trouble and danger, but she has neither the resources nor strength to protect the flower and herself and her sister at the same time.
Thriller novels emphasize peril. Because Renia is trapped by poverty, by a conflicted and demanding family that she loves deeply, by other people’s bad decisions, and by a situation that requires more than she has to offer, her troubles grow until her life and the lives of others are in danger. She won’t surrender, but her choices become few and dire.
Those two sides of storytelling combine to become a potent combination.
August 6, 2019
Horticultural mystery set mainly in PARIS
A plant – Violet Smoke – with an extraordinary aroma, a single bloom that can cause intoxication in humans. Is it a blessing or a curse?
Renia has moved to Paris from Kraków to manage a specialist flower shop, Le Sanctuaire and the book opens as she discovers the body of Alain, who lives nearby and who was a personal friend and one of the flower shop’s major clients. There is mystery over the manner of his death and Renia is most concerned that she might be implicated – she is hiding a secret! She keeps securely stored the only known example of Violet Smoke, a plant with opioid qualities, whose flowers (and their fragrance) can knock anyone in their proximity for six… and beyond.
There are flashbacks to her life in Kraków, where her twin sister, Estera, still lives. The latter got involved with serial abuser Zbiggy who has now, it seems, followed Renia to Paris. He accosts her there because she has something he wants. That something is the Violet Smoke plant. Renia has the plant well hidden behind a false wall, she tends it regularly but needs a mask to protect herself when she is plucking the flowers.
It is a plant that is in no directory and she engages an expert to try and identify its genus and provenance. Of course an unknown plant like this is presumed to be a great addition to the pharmaceutical industry’s resources; but it is also of interest to the unscrupulous members of the criminal underworld who can make a fast buck out of a powerful drug. And Zbiggy is after the flowers to sell on to a variety of thugs.
This is certainly an interesting premise and the author is clearly a connoisseur of the plant and flower world and she clearly delights in writing about the wonders of horticulture. The progression of the narrative could sometimes feel a little stilted, and the dovetailing of the stories between present day Paris and recollections of Kraków could on occasion be a little confusing – changes in location happened almost from one sentence to the next, which I found discombobulating. Those points aside, however, I enjoyed reading the book and setting was good, it felt very Parisian.
A plant – Violet Smoke – with an extraordinary aroma, a single bloom that can cause intoxication in humans. Is it a blessing or a curse?
Renia has moved to Paris from Kraków to manage a specialist flower shop, Le Sanctuaire and the book opens as she discovers the body of Alain, who lives nearby and who was a personal friend and one of the flower shop’s major clients. There is mystery over the manner of his death and Renia is most concerned that she might be implicated – she is hiding a secret! She keeps securely stored the only known example of Violet Smoke, a plant with opioid qualities, whose flowers (and their fragrance) can knock anyone in their proximity for six… and beyond.
There are flashbacks to her life in Kraków, where her twin sister, Estera, still lives. The latter got involved with serial abuser Zbiggy who has now, it seems, followed Renia to Paris. He accosts her there because she has something he wants. That something is the Violet Smoke plant. Renia has the plant well hidden behind a false wall, she tends it regularly but needs a mask to protect herself when she is plucking the flowers.
It is a plant that is in no directory and she engages an expert to try and identify its genus and provenance. Of course an unknown plant like this is presumed to be a great addition to the pharmaceutical industry’s resources; but it is also of interest to the unscrupulous members of the criminal underworld who can make a fast buck out of a powerful drug. And Zbiggy is after the flowers to sell on to a variety of thugs.
This is certainly an interesting premise and the author is clearly a connoisseur of the plant and flower world and she clearly delights in writing about the wonders of horticulture. The progression of the narrative could sometimes feel a little stilted, and the dovetailing of the stories between present day Paris and recollections of Kraków could on occasion be a little confusing – changes in location happened almost from one sentence to the next, which I found discombobulating. Those points aside, however, I enjoyed reading the book and setting was good, it felt very Parisian.
February 11, 2021
God, this was dull.
Three things about me: one, I'm obsessed with botany. Two, I'm obsessed with twins. Three, I'm obsessed with Paris. So a novel that combined all these three things was bound to be a winner, right?
WRONG.
I just kept waiting for something to happen the whole way through, and nothing really did except from at the 90% mark, by which point I had understandably lost interest. A lot of the suspense from the majority of the book comes from the conflict between Renia and Estera, and what Renia did to make Estera so mad at her. Of course, that doesn't work when it's extremely bloody obvious what Renia did. I was expecting some sort of twist, a sting in the tail, but instead I just had my suspicions that I'd had since 1% confirmed at 91%. Wunderbar.
There were also little things that annoyed me. This is going to sound so bitchy, but it was clear to me that the author was a horticulturalist and not a botanist. "A natural relative of fentanyl?" Really? She just picked the biggest, baddest drug that she could think of and made it part of the Violet Smoke, ignoring the fact that opioids come from poppies, and that opioids don't even WORK that way. It would have been far better if she'd just invented a chemical that didn't exist, instead of shoehorning it into something that does exist in a way that doesn't make any sense. Laziness and shock value.
Poland is also presented like a fucking gulag in Cold War Siberia, a miserable place where people "only eat boiled cabbage and slimy pierogi" and vodka-drenched hobos lurk at the end of every street corner being unpleasant to everyone. I get that there was this whole theme of Renia wanting to go to Paris because it was so much more glamorous than Kraków, but there were better ways of doing that than making Poland seem like a horrible wasteland. Slimy pierogi? The author does know you're supposed to fry them after boiling them and they're not slimy like, say, Japanese gyoza (which are kinda slimy ngl but delicious)? The author states somewhere that she has Polish relatives, but that doesn't excuse this horrible portrayal of Poland - one of my good friends at university was Polish, and one of my exes was half-Polish, so I know a lot of stories about what Poland's like. Instead of focusing on the specific poverty/miserableness of Renia's family, the author presented the whole of Kraków like that.
And let's not even go into Estera saying she was going to leave Zbiggy because "she has self-respect", implying that women who stay in abusive relationships have no self-respect, perpetuating the whole "well, if you were so unhappy why didn't you just leave?" narrative.
AND let's not even talk about the incredibly obvious plothole of - if Zbiggy was being so annoying and just generally ruining Renia's life, why didn't she just use the flower to make him forget she ever existed? Like, are you straight up fucking kidding me? Obviously she couldn't have done that because pLoT, but there should have been a big ol' reason why Renia couldn't do that, instead of just ignoring it and pretending there's not a plot hole the size of Cygnus X-1 in the middle of the narrative.
Oop, I kind of went on a huge rant here, didn't I? I'd make an excuse but y'all know I don't suffer fools lightly.
Three things about me: one, I'm obsessed with botany. Two, I'm obsessed with twins. Three, I'm obsessed with Paris. So a novel that combined all these three things was bound to be a winner, right?
WRONG.
I just kept waiting for something to happen the whole way through, and nothing really did except from at the 90% mark, by which point I had understandably lost interest. A lot of the suspense from the majority of the book comes from the conflict between Renia and Estera, and what Renia did to make Estera so mad at her. Of course, that doesn't work when it's extremely bloody obvious what Renia did. I was expecting some sort of twist, a sting in the tail, but instead I just had my suspicions that I'd had since 1% confirmed at 91%. Wunderbar.
There were also little things that annoyed me. This is going to sound so bitchy, but it was clear to me that the author was a horticulturalist and not a botanist. "A natural relative of fentanyl?" Really? She just picked the biggest, baddest drug that she could think of and made it part of the Violet Smoke, ignoring the fact that opioids come from poppies, and that opioids don't even WORK that way. It would have been far better if she'd just invented a chemical that didn't exist, instead of shoehorning it into something that does exist in a way that doesn't make any sense. Laziness and shock value.
Poland is also presented like a fucking gulag in Cold War Siberia, a miserable place where people "only eat boiled cabbage and slimy pierogi" and vodka-drenched hobos lurk at the end of every street corner being unpleasant to everyone. I get that there was this whole theme of Renia wanting to go to Paris because it was so much more glamorous than Kraków, but there were better ways of doing that than making Poland seem like a horrible wasteland. Slimy pierogi? The author does know you're supposed to fry them after boiling them and they're not slimy like, say, Japanese gyoza (which are kinda slimy ngl but delicious)? The author states somewhere that she has Polish relatives, but that doesn't excuse this horrible portrayal of Poland - one of my good friends at university was Polish, and one of my exes was half-Polish, so I know a lot of stories about what Poland's like. Instead of focusing on the specific poverty/miserableness of Renia's family, the author presented the whole of Kraków like that.
And let's not even go into Estera saying she was going to leave Zbiggy because "she has self-respect", implying that women who stay in abusive relationships have no self-respect, perpetuating the whole "well, if you were so unhappy why didn't you just leave?" narrative.
AND let's not even talk about the incredibly obvious plothole of - if Zbiggy was being so annoying and just generally ruining Renia's life, why didn't she just use the flower to make him forget she ever existed? Like, are you straight up fucking kidding me? Obviously she couldn't have done that because pLoT, but there should have been a big ol' reason why Renia couldn't do that, instead of just ignoring it and pretending there's not a plot hole the size of Cygnus X-1 in the middle of the narrative.
Oop, I kind of went on a huge rant here, didn't I? I'd make an excuse but y'all know I don't suffer fools lightly.
May 28, 2019
The Forgetting Flower is an engrossing, immersive read. An international thriller, Renia proved to be an endearing narrator with a strong voice. From her dealings with a condescending boss, volatile relationship with her sister, a family pushing their own goals and aspirations onto her--and the overwhelming desire to make her own way in the world--Renia's struggles are relevant, complex, and universal.
In spite of my anti-green thumbedness, Hugg found a way to make the horticultural content accessible and interesting. I still don't think I could keep a plastic plant alive, but I have a newfound appreciation for the art of gardening.
Beautiful, delicate, and dangerous, The Forgetting Flower is a must-read this summer.
In spite of my anti-green thumbedness, Hugg found a way to make the horticultural content accessible and interesting. I still don't think I could keep a plastic plant alive, but I have a newfound appreciation for the art of gardening.
Beautiful, delicate, and dangerous, The Forgetting Flower is a must-read this summer.
July 1, 2019
I was fortunate enough to read a review copy of the this novel, but I went ahead and purchased it anyway because I loved the story.
I fell in love with Renia because she is a woman with a goal, but no easy way to achieve it. Renia, a Polish woman with a dream and a complex family history is soft-spoken and simply trying to live the life she and her sister always wanted. But just because she’s soft-spoken, doesn’t mean she’s soft. Instead, Renia has a backbone of steal that was formed by struggle and growing up in poverty. There are no easy-outs for her, which kept me engaged and reading way past my bedtime.
Karen Hugg was able to show the multifaceted nature of people: not even the book's main antagonist was wholly bad (at the end you get to see a glimpse of his struggles and how he, like Renia, also struggled and grew up in poverty, but he chose to take the other path), and I respect a character who’s not one dimensional. I like the lyrical prose and the way the way Karen uses plants to create setting and mood. It's clear she knows her stuff about the horticultural world and she was able to weave that into a believable tale of hopes and dreams and persistent hard work and the bonds of family. In this book, we see a different side of Paris: the side that only an immigrant can show us.
It's a beautiful literary thriller.
I fell in love with Renia because she is a woman with a goal, but no easy way to achieve it. Renia, a Polish woman with a dream and a complex family history is soft-spoken and simply trying to live the life she and her sister always wanted. But just because she’s soft-spoken, doesn’t mean she’s soft. Instead, Renia has a backbone of steal that was formed by struggle and growing up in poverty. There are no easy-outs for her, which kept me engaged and reading way past my bedtime.
Karen Hugg was able to show the multifaceted nature of people: not even the book's main antagonist was wholly bad (at the end you get to see a glimpse of his struggles and how he, like Renia, also struggled and grew up in poverty, but he chose to take the other path), and I respect a character who’s not one dimensional. I like the lyrical prose and the way the way Karen uses plants to create setting and mood. It's clear she knows her stuff about the horticultural world and she was able to weave that into a believable tale of hopes and dreams and persistent hard work and the bonds of family. In this book, we see a different side of Paris: the side that only an immigrant can show us.
It's a beautiful literary thriller.
June 19, 2019
This book! I absolutely adored it. Full of so many elements: murder, finding yourself, sibling relationships and plants! Beautiful writing that kept me on the edge of my seat as the mystery unfolded. I can't wait to see more from this author.
May 19, 2019
Saturday afternoon. A busy day. I'll read for a bit, then go to bed early.
This plan would have worked had I been reading something other than Hugg's novel. The poisonous plant was a great hook, but the pile of mysteries, elegantly foreshadowed by Alain's landlord, kept me reading long past my bedtime.
Hugg unfolds the layers in an even, measured pace, giving the reader time to relax into Paris’s charm while she lifts the cover to show the dark underbelly that could be any large city: the immigrants barely scraping by, living off the books; the poor, trying to make their lives in the expensive city, always at the whim of the wealthy who don't think enough about the misery their inattention creates.
In Renia, Hugg captures the conflicting emotions of a non-Parisienne in Paris, the sad distance between the natives and all others, mellowed by the overwhelming charm of the scenes on the street. Who wouldn't want that life? Her estrangement with her twin, the despair of their lives before Paris, makes Renia likable from the beginning. Her painful introversion screams off the page, and the reader can't help but rejoice when Renia finally finds her voice. Anyone who has befriended an identical twin knows they are at their best when they are together.
I received an ARC from the publisher for this book, but I have not been in any way compensated for this review. My affection for the plot, the characters, the narrative, and the social commentary is genuine.
This plan would have worked had I been reading something other than Hugg's novel. The poisonous plant was a great hook, but the pile of mysteries, elegantly foreshadowed by Alain's landlord, kept me reading long past my bedtime.
Hugg unfolds the layers in an even, measured pace, giving the reader time to relax into Paris’s charm while she lifts the cover to show the dark underbelly that could be any large city: the immigrants barely scraping by, living off the books; the poor, trying to make their lives in the expensive city, always at the whim of the wealthy who don't think enough about the misery their inattention creates.
In Renia, Hugg captures the conflicting emotions of a non-Parisienne in Paris, the sad distance between the natives and all others, mellowed by the overwhelming charm of the scenes on the street. Who wouldn't want that life? Her estrangement with her twin, the despair of their lives before Paris, makes Renia likable from the beginning. Her painful introversion screams off the page, and the reader can't help but rejoice when Renia finally finds her voice. Anyone who has befriended an identical twin knows they are at their best when they are together.
I received an ARC from the publisher for this book, but I have not been in any way compensated for this review. My affection for the plot, the characters, the narrative, and the social commentary is genuine.
April 6, 2019
Paris, people, plants, passion—irresistible! Le Sanctuaire, an alluring botanical boutique in the Parisian literary and shopping mecca of Saint Germaine des Pres, has a secret carefully guarded and nurtured by its caring and conflicted manager, Renia. Renia’s past and present conspire to expose her secret, tempt her frailties, and threaten her family, friends, and once idyllic Parisian life in this well-crafted novel. Check it out!
September 5, 2019
Many thanks to NetGalley, Magnolia Press, and Karen Hugg for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of The Forgetting Flower. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.
This had such a solid premise. I mean a plant whose flowers make you forget? Yes!!! Think of all the possibilities and where do I sign up. Renia has left Poland, moved away from her whole family including her estranged twin sister. Trying to make a go of it in Paris, she works at a flower shop where, in the back, she has a special plant hidden away. When one of the shop’s best customer dies of an apparent suicide, Renia becomes worried the plant may be responsible. Around the time Renia is trying to avoid the police, the shop’s owner gives her some bad news. Renia is now going to be able to make ends meet financially.
Lo and behold, her sister’s ex-boyfriend shows up in Paris from Poland. He says he has customers who will pay dearly for the flowers of the plant and pay a lot of money. The boyfriend is bad news, treated her sister horribly, including beating her up. So, of course, Renia decides to do business with him. Now the Russians are involved and after a couple of deals, Renia can’t reconcile her conscience and wants to stop selling the flowers. She tries to work a couple of extra jobs to meet her financial commitments but is still having problems. But the really bad people want those flowers and are willing to do anything to get them. Including murder.
This story just didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t that interesting. The suspense never built up enough and I don’t think that I cared enough about the characters to be emotionally invested in their outcome. Renia tried to be a character with a moral compass. That never held true. She caved too easily when she was up against it. That’s when your moral compass has to kick in and stop you from doing things you know are bad. You’re supposed to hold onto what is right, even when it is the hard thing to do. She had a lot of options. She didn’t have to live in the expensive part of Paris. She could have found a different job. She could have left altogether. She knew the aftermath of using the flower.
Her decisions weren’t very sound. Why get into business with the one person whom you supposedly can’t stand. The one who beat up your twin sister and caused such a rift that you don’t speak to her anymore. The other characters in the story didn’t seem to be nice enough to care about. I didn’t have strong feelings one way or the other. The plant was the most interesting part, but it never developed. We knew it did something, but we never got to see it up close and personal. It would have been better to have a character in the story use it and for the reader to see the effects happen. Renia should have used it, maybe on the shop owner?
I can clearly see that I am in the minority but I didn’t really enjoy the story. I wasn’t caught up in it to care enough about the outcome. But I wasn’t railing against what was happening either. It just sort of plunked along. I was maybe a little bored? I was glad when it was over. I was hoping for much more.
This had such a solid premise. I mean a plant whose flowers make you forget? Yes!!! Think of all the possibilities and where do I sign up. Renia has left Poland, moved away from her whole family including her estranged twin sister. Trying to make a go of it in Paris, she works at a flower shop where, in the back, she has a special plant hidden away. When one of the shop’s best customer dies of an apparent suicide, Renia becomes worried the plant may be responsible. Around the time Renia is trying to avoid the police, the shop’s owner gives her some bad news. Renia is now going to be able to make ends meet financially.
Lo and behold, her sister’s ex-boyfriend shows up in Paris from Poland. He says he has customers who will pay dearly for the flowers of the plant and pay a lot of money. The boyfriend is bad news, treated her sister horribly, including beating her up. So, of course, Renia decides to do business with him. Now the Russians are involved and after a couple of deals, Renia can’t reconcile her conscience and wants to stop selling the flowers. She tries to work a couple of extra jobs to meet her financial commitments but is still having problems. But the really bad people want those flowers and are willing to do anything to get them. Including murder.
This story just didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t that interesting. The suspense never built up enough and I don’t think that I cared enough about the characters to be emotionally invested in their outcome. Renia tried to be a character with a moral compass. That never held true. She caved too easily when she was up against it. That’s when your moral compass has to kick in and stop you from doing things you know are bad. You’re supposed to hold onto what is right, even when it is the hard thing to do. She had a lot of options. She didn’t have to live in the expensive part of Paris. She could have found a different job. She could have left altogether. She knew the aftermath of using the flower.
Her decisions weren’t very sound. Why get into business with the one person whom you supposedly can’t stand. The one who beat up your twin sister and caused such a rift that you don’t speak to her anymore. The other characters in the story didn’t seem to be nice enough to care about. I didn’t have strong feelings one way or the other. The plant was the most interesting part, but it never developed. We knew it did something, but we never got to see it up close and personal. It would have been better to have a character in the story use it and for the reader to see the effects happen. Renia should have used it, maybe on the shop owner?
I can clearly see that I am in the minority but I didn’t really enjoy the story. I wasn’t caught up in it to care enough about the outcome. But I wasn’t railing against what was happening either. It just sort of plunked along. I was maybe a little bored? I was glad when it was over. I was hoping for much more.
June 24, 2019
Paris, mystery, danger - what more can you ask for? Karen Hugg's novel, The Forgetting Flower, was a fast-paced, excellent read - an intricately woven mystery about a flower that emits a scent that can erase a person's memory. Karen's main character, Renia, is the current owner of the plant and turns down a dark path when an old enemy shows up at the Parisienne flower shop where she works to demand petals from the flower for his own sinister purposes. But the subplots were equally as intriguing: a death - was it a suicide or foul play? A backstory between two sisters - why are they no longer speaking, especially since we discover Renia's twin sister was the original owner of the plant?
Renia, has a sharp mind and an even sharper tongue. I found myself smirking and applauding at her bite and strong female voice. If you are looking for a summer read, look no further than The Forgetting Flower, a book with a certain je ne sais quoi.
Renia, has a sharp mind and an even sharper tongue. I found myself smirking and applauding at her bite and strong female voice. If you are looking for a summer read, look no further than The Forgetting Flower, a book with a certain je ne sais quoi.
July 1, 2019
A great novel, beautiful depiction of the characters with some tense moments thrown into the mix. Will definitely pick more books by this talented author.
June 23, 2019
This book was quite the sneak attack. It starts off with this dreamy luscious slow burn and then before you realize what's going on it has you by the throat and won't let go. Renia's relationship with her sister was magnificently portrayed, and the way it was woven together with the darkness and fear of the Parisian underworld was just wonderful. Renia's growth by the end of the book was so satisfying, especially her new relationship with her sneaky-horrible rich lady boss. I was cheering for that victory almost more than her triumph over the scary thugs!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2019
Interesting and complex story with a satisfying ending. Characters were well-developed. I have never been to France but the descriptions painted clear pictures in my mind of all the locations mentioned in the book - the flower shop in Paris, the nursery in the countryside, the abandoned industrial buildings where the evil doers ruled.
June 16, 2019
The Forgetting Flower by Karen Hugg is a beautiful, intricately woven story of a young Polish woman named Renia and a mysterious plant who’s scent can make you forget. Vining between her past and present, Renia will do anything to keep her dream of a Parisian life alive especially when the thorns of her past find her and threaten the future she longs for.
As a lover of plants I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Filled with vivid imagery of flowers, plants, Paris and Poland I felt like I was there in Renia’s world. Hugg’s fast pacing kept me turning page after page all the way until the end. If you enjoy plants and thrilling tales then I highly recommend The Forgetting Flower.
As a lover of plants I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Filled with vivid imagery of flowers, plants, Paris and Poland I felt like I was there in Renia’s world. Hugg’s fast pacing kept me turning page after page all the way until the end. If you enjoy plants and thrilling tales then I highly recommend The Forgetting Flower.
June 9, 2019
This book intrigued me as it was described as a slow-burn thriller, and it certainly was. Author Karen Hugg expertly juggles secrets, half-truths, lies, and flashbacks while gradually leading the reader into the labyrinth of the gritty underground of Paris. Renia Baranczka has a secret: she’s hiding a unique hybrid plant whose odor can cause amnesia. She ostensibly left Poland with the plant to save her twin sister who has fallen under the spell of the plant and whose boyfriend is dealing the flowers. Renia has slowly built a sanctuary in a botanically-oriented boutique, Le Sanctuaire.
An international thriller, The Forgetting Flower, is set between Paris and Poland, with vivid details of each. Overlying the setting is the role of the immigrant in large cities. Renia tries to fit in, but with her Polish accent, she really doesn’t. She has a rich French boss whose out-of-control spending threatens Le Sanctuaire. Working with Renia is Minh, a Vietnamese immigrant who’s forced to work under-the-table to help pay for her mother’s chemotherapy. Renia’s life spins out of control when her friend Alain is found dead and her sister’s old drug-dealing boyfriend finds Renia in Paris and pulls her into the dark underworld of drug dealing. I stayed up half the night reading this and was engrossed the whole time.
An international thriller, The Forgetting Flower, is set between Paris and Poland, with vivid details of each. Overlying the setting is the role of the immigrant in large cities. Renia tries to fit in, but with her Polish accent, she really doesn’t. She has a rich French boss whose out-of-control spending threatens Le Sanctuaire. Working with Renia is Minh, a Vietnamese immigrant who’s forced to work under-the-table to help pay for her mother’s chemotherapy. Renia’s life spins out of control when her friend Alain is found dead and her sister’s old drug-dealing boyfriend finds Renia in Paris and pulls her into the dark underworld of drug dealing. I stayed up half the night reading this and was engrossed the whole time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2019
Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.
June 1, 2019
Great read! I am by no means a plant person and can honestly say this is the first time I was interested in how plants work and the impacts they can have on people. This story kept my interest from page one until the very end! I got sucked into Renia’s world and loved it.
Renia tries to navigate through this atmosphere in Paris of family struggles, a boss that pushes her buttons, danger, death, and greed all while still trying to manage a plant shop she loves. She is such a relatable character – even if you’ve never touched a plant – one I wasn’t ready to let go of at the end of this story. Renia has this quiet bravery and resiliency that makes her so strong in my opinion. Can’t wait to read more amazing stories from Hugg!
Renia tries to navigate through this atmosphere in Paris of family struggles, a boss that pushes her buttons, danger, death, and greed all while still trying to manage a plant shop she loves. She is such a relatable character – even if you’ve never touched a plant – one I wasn’t ready to let go of at the end of this story. Renia has this quiet bravery and resiliency that makes her so strong in my opinion. Can’t wait to read more amazing stories from Hugg!
April 4, 2019
I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of The Forgetting Flower. I am a memoirist whose mother died of young-onset dementia, which means I'm a bit obsessed with everything having to do with memory, so the notion of a literary thriller centered on a rare plant whose flowers can erase a person's memory was intriguing to me. The Forgetting Flower does not disappoint. Author Karen Hugg is also a master gardener and knows Paris and Poland well; both are important to the story, which revolves around twin sisters, one of whom stayed in their native Poland and the other who lives in Paris and works at a high-end plant shop. Hugg has a precise eye for detail, and she builds suspense quietly and carefully, keeping the pages turning. She also reveals, gradually and poignantly, the sisters' fraught relationship and its bearing on the plot. I will say no more because I don't want to spoil a good, nail-biting read!
April 4, 2019
A fun read set in Paris. It’s a thriller from the first pages when a body is discovered but it’s more layered than a straight mystery/thriller with questions about the plant’s origins, issues of memory and morality, and an interesting back story about Renia’s sister. As the action builds in the present, the questions about the past are answered until both stories come together for a satisfying end.
It definitely held my attention and the premise is original. I’ve never read a novel where a plant is the star of the story. And I liked that Renia was a Polish transplant in Paris trying to make a better life. Unusual profile for a protagonist.
I also read Song of the Tree Hollow, the author’s bargain book. Of the two, this one’s better. More speculative and less paranormal. If you want to go to Paris this summer but you can’t afford a flight, read this instead. It brings to life more than just the touristy districts. Highly recommended.
(I received an ARC.)
It definitely held my attention and the premise is original. I’ve never read a novel where a plant is the star of the story. And I liked that Renia was a Polish transplant in Paris trying to make a better life. Unusual profile for a protagonist.
I also read Song of the Tree Hollow, the author’s bargain book. Of the two, this one’s better. More speculative and less paranormal. If you want to go to Paris this summer but you can’t afford a flight, read this instead. It brings to life more than just the touristy districts. Highly recommended.
(I received an ARC.)
July 4, 2019
The Forgetting Flower by @karenhugg
Rating:🌺🌺🌺🌺
Dig into the past and present of a poor Polish girl Renia as she tries to make the life she dreams of in Paris. Renia works in Paris at a lovey flower shop called Le Sanctuaire but inside the shop she has a hidden treasure called the Violet Smoke. Not much is known about this plant except it has mysterious properties which can make you forget. Renia struggles to make her dream life in Paris come true until a man from her past emerges from the shadows and offers to help her sell the blossoms to some shady character to put money she desperately needs in her pocket. But with the man comes the horrible reason her and her twin sister are no longer talking. What would you do to accomplish your dream of living the perfect Parisian life and to get your beloved sister to speak to you again?
I enjoyed the fast pace of this book and how the character development is set up. From present day to past where you learn valuable snippets of what happened to make ones own sister not speak to you at all. The way you connect to Renia as she struggles to do what is best for herself even when she is scared for her life. I highly recommend you pick up a copy and set sometime aside cause once you pick this book up even with it being fast paced you will not want to set it down!
Rating:🌺🌺🌺🌺
Dig into the past and present of a poor Polish girl Renia as she tries to make the life she dreams of in Paris. Renia works in Paris at a lovey flower shop called Le Sanctuaire but inside the shop she has a hidden treasure called the Violet Smoke. Not much is known about this plant except it has mysterious properties which can make you forget. Renia struggles to make her dream life in Paris come true until a man from her past emerges from the shadows and offers to help her sell the blossoms to some shady character to put money she desperately needs in her pocket. But with the man comes the horrible reason her and her twin sister are no longer talking. What would you do to accomplish your dream of living the perfect Parisian life and to get your beloved sister to speak to you again?
I enjoyed the fast pace of this book and how the character development is set up. From present day to past where you learn valuable snippets of what happened to make ones own sister not speak to you at all. The way you connect to Renia as she struggles to do what is best for herself even when she is scared for her life. I highly recommend you pick up a copy and set sometime aside cause once you pick this book up even with it being fast paced you will not want to set it down!
July 5, 2019
The Forgetting Flower by author Karen Hugg is a dark, intense read! I absolutely loved it!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
June 7, 2021
Hi all,
I poured my heart into The Forgetting Flower so I hope you enjoy it! It was, if nothing else, a five-star effort.
News
Sign up for my quarterly digest, to get recommendations for books, gardening and plants, music, environmental news, inspiration, and more. Plus, I often give away books!
If you liked the The Forgetting Flower, you can check out the following posts to get a sneak peek on my ideas and process for it.
Several people have asked me how I got the idea for The Forgetting Flower. You can read my three-part series about the origins here.
I've always thought it would be dreamy to own a plant shop in Paris. That dream helped launch the setting of the story.
I have a few character introductions as well. There's one on Renia and Estera, and her client friend Alain and her boss Madame Palomer, and coming soon, the plant itself: the Violet Smoke.
Music dips in and out of the story. Mostly classical. I wrote a two-part series on the music that inspired me and ended up as part of the story. You can read it here.
In the first pages of the book, Renia sees something on a wall that freaks her out and launches the story. You can read about a similarly odd experience I had in Russia, which inspired the first big problem in Renia's life.
There are a couple of special sites in Paris that I included in the book. First, where Renia's plant shop and apartment exist and the second, on the little square where she must meet up with a not-so-nice person.
Finally, I did a little world tour of The Forgetting Flower T-shirt. It started in Seattle with me and ended in Paris with my friend Pierre.
Thank you for reading! If you have a question or would like me to write on a particular topic on my blog, let me know in the comments!
I poured my heart into The Forgetting Flower so I hope you enjoy it! It was, if nothing else, a five-star effort.
News
Sign up for my quarterly digest, to get recommendations for books, gardening and plants, music, environmental news, inspiration, and more. Plus, I often give away books!
If you liked the The Forgetting Flower, you can check out the following posts to get a sneak peek on my ideas and process for it.
Several people have asked me how I got the idea for The Forgetting Flower. You can read my three-part series about the origins here.
I've always thought it would be dreamy to own a plant shop in Paris. That dream helped launch the setting of the story.
I have a few character introductions as well. There's one on Renia and Estera, and her client friend Alain and her boss Madame Palomer, and coming soon, the plant itself: the Violet Smoke.
Music dips in and out of the story. Mostly classical. I wrote a two-part series on the music that inspired me and ended up as part of the story. You can read it here.
In the first pages of the book, Renia sees something on a wall that freaks her out and launches the story. You can read about a similarly odd experience I had in Russia, which inspired the first big problem in Renia's life.
There are a couple of special sites in Paris that I included in the book. First, where Renia's plant shop and apartment exist and the second, on the little square where she must meet up with a not-so-nice person.
Finally, I did a little world tour of The Forgetting Flower T-shirt. It started in Seattle with me and ended in Paris with my friend Pierre.
Thank you for reading! If you have a question or would like me to write on a particular topic on my blog, let me know in the comments!
November 21, 2019
The Forgetting Flower was a good read. At times when the main threat of the plot lulled, I was delighted with details about horticulture. I found the characters to be infuriating at times, but actually (and unfortunately) quite realistic. Most of their growth was wrapped up in the last chapter. The transitions into a flashback were not obvious enough for me and left me confused at times. While the plot was simple with a few surprises, I like that the author didn’t get distracted with leaping twists and connections just to get a shock. As the daughter of an avid gardener, I look forward to reading more of her books centered around horticulture.
July 12, 2019
Renia dreams of escaping her somewhat boring life in Poland; her dream is to live in Paris, a life full of independence where she can study art and perhaps have her own apartment and work in a pleasant environment where she can develop her creative skills. A dream she shares with her sister. Somehow her dream comes true and she is now employed to run a small boutique selling flowers, plants and gifts. Fortunately she rents the accommodation above the shop for a reduced rent.
Now comes the necessary ingredient for all books – a secret! Renia’s secret is a plant – a hybrid plant whose flowers have a unique, magical power: a power so strong that when she tends the plant she must wear a mask. To help her sister she has brought the plant to Paris to protect it from her sister’s handsome, but violent boyfriend. Then, he finds her.
I am not enthusiastic about this book. I acknowledge that it is well-written, with an extensive knowledge of botany (without becoming too burdensome) and it is well-structured. It also has a wide range of characters that I found believable but I was not endeared to any of them. Renia slightly irritated me – she is strong enough to move to Paris, work numerous jobs to survive and indeed seems to be kindness herself in her relationships with others. So why can she not deal with her employer who is so selfish and self-absorbed? I know that we need that device to make it all work but…
So what did it lack for me? I really don’t know. I was interested enough to want to find out what happened and acknowledge the author’s skill, but it just left me a bit cold. With that said, quite a clever plot – a forgetting plant! Huge apologies to Ms Hugg but I am sure other readers will find it hugely entertaining.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
Now comes the necessary ingredient for all books – a secret! Renia’s secret is a plant – a hybrid plant whose flowers have a unique, magical power: a power so strong that when she tends the plant she must wear a mask. To help her sister she has brought the plant to Paris to protect it from her sister’s handsome, but violent boyfriend. Then, he finds her.
I am not enthusiastic about this book. I acknowledge that it is well-written, with an extensive knowledge of botany (without becoming too burdensome) and it is well-structured. It also has a wide range of characters that I found believable but I was not endeared to any of them. Renia slightly irritated me – she is strong enough to move to Paris, work numerous jobs to survive and indeed seems to be kindness herself in her relationships with others. So why can she not deal with her employer who is so selfish and self-absorbed? I know that we need that device to make it all work but…
So what did it lack for me? I really don’t know. I was interested enough to want to find out what happened and acknowledge the author’s skill, but it just left me a bit cold. With that said, quite a clever plot – a forgetting plant! Huge apologies to Ms Hugg but I am sure other readers will find it hugely entertaining.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
August 9, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The rhythm of Hugg's prose is absorbing as it carries you into an underground world where a dark mysterious flower, the Violet Smoke, has the power to destroy its users lives. From page one this story captured my imagination with its authentic feeling and sincerity. There are no cardboard characters here; Hugg's characters pulse as you grow to truly care about their relationships an the final outcomes of their actions. A satisfying ending that grabs you by the throat and gives a good shake!
June 30, 2019
This was a good book that was a fast paced thriller set in Paris . It is a slow burning kind of novel that keeps you guessing till the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book I
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book I
July 23, 2019
Renia has a dream job in Paris but is haunted by secrets and half truths. She has a special plant that has powers she doesn’t completely understand, then her friend Alain unexpectedly dies and she has doubts about what really happened. A terrific mystery filled with suspense and surprise twists.
Thank you NetGalley and Magnolia Press for this early edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner
Thank you NetGalley and Magnolia Press for this early edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner
Want to read
June 21, 2019This book sounds very interesting and mysterious. I can't wait to read it!
Read
October 28, 2019 This book is hard to describe. It needs it own unique category. The story is about a plant with unusual powers. Karen Hugg's "...stories are set in worlds where plants, real or imagined, affect people in strange new ways." (About the Author, The Forgetting Flower) If you like a good mystery this is a wonderful read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews