Margot BerwinRezensionen

Scent of Darkness: A Novel I'm really at a loss as to how to explain my feelings about Scent of Darkness now that I've finished. There are so many things that I completely loved about this book, and so many others that just won't sit right in my mind. If there was one thing I could say definitely at this moment in time, it's this: Scent of Darkness is more than what it seems to be. Let me try to break it down for you.
 
First off I have to praise Margot Berwin's writing. Without a doubt, this is what really kept me reading above all else. Her sweeping prose draws the reader into a world that is rich in color, texture, and of course scents. The blood of New Orleans bleeds through this book and, even though Evangeline's grandmother isn't in it for long, her character is the embodiment of her culture. Berwin weaves a dark and mysterious tale. It's hard not to be drawn in.
 
However, despite the elegant and prosaic writing, it was the story itself that kept me wavering between utter love and total despair while reading. Evangeline is not a very well fleshed out character, and really neither are any of the rest of the people who make stops in and out of her life. I understood her well enough. A girl who isn't wanted by her mother, and looses her only mother figure, Evangeline ends up on a path to self-discovery with no one to turn to for advice. I couldn't hate her for her naivety, but I also felt like she never grew at all either.
 
Then there are the two male interests. In an effort not to give anything important away, I'll simply let you know that these two men are like night and day. Gabriel seems to be the epitome of good, Michael that of evil, and we watch as Evangeline is torn between the two. I would have been fine with this, but neither of them truly spoke to me as compatible with her. It's like they were there to simply fill space. I wanted sparks, I wanted romance, I suppose I just wanted her to feel something.
 
So, as you can see, my feelings about Scent of Darkness ended up rather conflicted. I think that this was a great premise, with wonderful writing. The execution of it all is what threw me off. For those of you who enjoy literary fiction, this might be more of a hit. I can't deny that I don't usually read books like this, so it is entirely possible I'm biased. Point being, give this a shot and decide for yourself! If nothing else you'll be allowed to dive into the beauty that is Margot Berwin's writing, and that is a treat in itself.

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Author/Blog Tour
Reviewer: AimeeKay

I’m torn. I loved the writing in Scent of Darkness; however I hated the main character.

Berwin’s writing was amazing. Her descriptions of the world, the people, their thoughts and emotions all were absolutely stunning. The way she put her words together was moving and kept me turning the page to read more.

However, I really disliked Eva. She was selfish and she just annoyed me. Maybe if the story hadn’t been told from her point of view and I didn’t have to listen to her thoughts I would have enjoyed the book more. She just seems to let things happen to her. She complains about the things that happen to her and she says she can’t stop them from happening. But she never seems to make a real effort to change anything; she just lets herself get dragged along.

I also didn’t seem to be able to connect with any of the other characters. They were all beautifully described, but the only one that seemed to be more than just a pretty shell was Michael. The problem with Michael is he was even more self absorbed than Eva. The only difference is he is supposed to be since he was the bad guy.

The writing was so beautiful though. I think if I had been able to connect with Eva I would have given the book the Royalty award along with 5 controllers. However all the beautiful writing couldn’t save that part, so I’m giving it 4 out of 5 controllers. I would recommend picking it up for the summer; maybe another reader can connect with Eva better than I could.

Reviewed by: April
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

A very unique story, Scent of Darkness is told in an abstract sort of way that almost leaves the interpretation of the story and its characters to the reader, allowing different readers to take away different ideas. This is how I felt as I read and finished the story in any case. The writing style that Margot Berwin uses in Scent of Darkness flows rather beautifully, almost like a novel in prose. Both of these aspects are what truly stand out for me and made the story unique and unlike anything else that I have read before. Was this a positive or a negative? Honestly, a bit of both. Let me explain. Overall, I enjoyed the story very much and found it to be entertaining. It was also a very quick read for me, grabbing from the beginning and intriguing me until the end. I also enjoyed the prose-like style. An example of the abstract type of prose is as follows: “Human beings are defenseless against scent. They can’t hide from it because they can’t see it, or touch it, or hold it. All by itself it crawls into their brains, and by the time they’re in love with it, or the person it’s coming from, it’s too late. They’re tied to it forever, through the long, tight leash of memory.” This is taken from the first page and sets a fairly representative tone of the entire story, I feel.

Imagine a scent that is created just for you; a scent that takes over your body, your life and changes each and every aspect forever. Scent of Darkness is Eva’s story; the story of how a few drops of scent, created just for her, by her Grandmother, creeps through every pore, every vein, and every milliliter of her body. The effect not only changes her, but all of those around her – strangers, lovers, and friends, humans and animals are captivated and obsessed by Eva. Scent of Darkness is the story of how passion blinds and can create or destroy lives.

I truly loved the way that the author uses scent and the craft of creating scent to weave her story. I found this rather fascinating to be honest. The character development was interesting and I found myself really liking Gabriel, the friend turned lover of Eva. Michael, the passionate and rather greedy artist I found to be both on the likeable side as well as the distasteful side. Eva, I simply could not attach myself to. I actually found myself wanting to smack her a few times because, to me, she seemed incredibly self-centered. Keep in mind, this is completely my own personal opinion and thoughts and others may find themselves intrigued and like Eva. I do want to say that I loved the ending and commend the author on the excellence of it.

Overall, the story was very well crafted and enjoyable. I would recommend Scent of Darkness to anyone who enjoys paranormal/mystical types of stories and is looking for something unique. Would I read this author again? Yes, I would love to compare her writing style with this work with her other works.

This novel is a unique and sensual adventure. By that I don't mean that it's an erotic book. I mean that the narrative description (as well as the characters) openly delight in the senses. Brief plot: Lila is a New York City ad executive in her thirties who meets a) Exley, a hottie at the green market who sells Lila her first exotic plant and b) Armand, an eccentric owner of a business normally associated with drab and dreariness but which he has turned into a botanical garden filled with vibrant, flourishing rare plants. The lives of these three cross in a completely unexpected way, which leads to the three of them crossing paths again in Playa Del Carmen (Mexico's Mayan Riviera). There's a criminal act, a quest of atonement, another hottie, danger, possible tragedy, a lot of scorpions, and HUGE bugs. The nine plants are each described in a lavish and loving way that almost humanizes them. Legend says that anyone who has all nine plants at one time will receive every desire known to humankind. Plant obsessives will do ANYTHING to collect all nine, hence the crime, the journey, and the possible tragedy. A mistake of Lila's causes her to be central to this world of which she, only recently, was entirely ignorant. Her complete unsuitability for this adventure is pivotal to the novel's charm. I enjoyed it tremendously!

it's all here adventure, romance, pithy philosophy and humor with a quirky cast of characters

I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. The concept sounded very intriguing to me. The writing was very sensual and deliberately paced. While I enjoyed the beginning of the book, I found the wrap up of the story to be bewildering and unsatisfying.

Evangeline is eighteen when her grandmother passes away and leaves her her house. In that house Evangeline finds a gift from her grandmother, a scent that will make Evangeline incredibly desirably to all who smell her. Evangeline quickly finds that this scent is more of a curse than a gift.

This book was an interesting read. It was very sensual, beautifully written and deliberately paced. Evageline struggles with choosing between her current lover, Gabriel (who she is comfortable with and believes she may be in love with) and Michael, a painter who calls to Evangeline's dark side and doesn’t seem to notice her smell.

I had a bit of trouble relating to the main character in this story. Evangeline doesn’t ever really seem to have a purpose or something that drives her. The reason behind her decisions is never really explained or understood...she just kind of drifts from one situation to the next.

Neither male character is all that engaging either. Gabriel is obsessed with Evageline but in a oddly distance way; especially as he is further and further drawn into his medical studies. Michael is just plain strange, and I never really engaged with him as a character at all.

Despite the intimacy between the characters they all felt strangely distant to me. About two-thirds of the way through the book I found I just didn’t really care what happened to any of them.

There isn’t much of a plot per say...basically Evageline is trying to figure out if she will sucumb to Micheal’s darkness or not. There is quite a bit of sex in this book, it’s not incredibly explicit but it is definitely there...so just something to be aware of.

I did enjoy the beautiful writing style of the book. I also enjoyed the perfume lore sprinkled throughout. The perfume lore was very intriguing and interesting to read about.

The ending was ridiculous. It doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense. It’s one of these kind of endings that will make you scratch your head and think “Huh, well that’s totally inconsistent with what we were told happened in the rest of this story.” I really didn’t like it and pretty much thought it ruined the whole book.

Overall an okay read. The writing is very beautiful, the perfume lore throughout is intriguing, and the concept is interesting. However, the characters were distant and hard to relate to and there really wasn’t much of a plot. I also thought the ending left a lot to be desired. This book wasn’t a horrible read, but I can’t honestly say I would recommend it.½

This was pretty lame. I only read it because I had no other books checked out from the library at the time that I hadn't already read. Also, it was only like 4 pages or something, and it went quickly (because it was completely without meaningful substance). Also, it was in bed with me and I was too tired that day to get up, so I just kept reading. Really, if you put any effort into it whatsoever, you'll probably go get a different book.

A few weeks ago, I read a short review in Entertainment Weekly for Margot Berwin’s Scent of Darkness. It sounded intriguing and when I found out my local library had a copy, I quickly requested a hold. I can’t describe how I feel about Scent of Darkness because I just don’t know what to say.

Berwin’s Scent of Darkness is a coming of age story. Eva grew up with a mother who resented her because she was the product of a one night stand. Being Catholic, her mother didn’t get an abortion and made it her mission to spend little time with Eva. Eva was raised her by grandmother, Louise who is a perfume maker and teaches her about how scents play a central role in our lives. When Louise dies she leaves her house to Eva with instructions never to enter a specific room. The room was Louise’s workshop and Eva honors that wish. One day she finds the boy, Gabriel, from the coffee shop in Louise’s house. He apologizes for breaking in and tells her he’s only there to study because his house is too crowded. Gabriel comes over often to study while Eva spends her time cleaning out Louise’s items. He encourages her to enter the forbidden room and there she discovers a vial of a scent Louise made for her. It comes with specific instructions, “Don’t remove the crystal stopper, Evangeline, unless you want everything in your life to change.” Eva does remove the stopper, places a drop of the vial on her skin, and changes her life. Gabriel suddenly is interested in her and even she realizes it was the vial and the scent she now has. Everywhere she goes people cannot help but stop to smell her and can’t get enough. Gabriel suggests she go with him to New Orleans, where he is attending medical school. While in New Orleans, Eva meets a man who will do anything to possess her and she has to make a choice: him or Gabriel.

A majority of the plot takes place in New Orleans and I can’t imagine it set anywhere else. New Orleans and her history with the occult come to life. In terms of character development, it’s a bit weak. I can’t for the life of me figure out the appeal of Gabriel other than his looks. Eva comes off a bit naive and spoiled, but I attribute that to her home life. I also think we need to have an inexperienced Eva to take us through this journey because it is with her, that we experience her life as it happens.

We’re given two key clues at the beginning of Scent of Darkness. One of them has to do with the tarot card reading done for Eva and the foreshadowing about a man who is for her and the one who isn’t. I found it interesting when Eva first sees Gabriel because she’s told he’s not the one destined for her and yet the two of them get together. The other clue didn’t make any sense to me at the time, but now that I’ve had a few days to digest it all, it does. I’m not going to say what it is because it’s pointed out and I felt like banging my head against the wall when it all came together.

Berwin’s writing is rich and the prose is just beautiful. I found myself rereading sentences because of the prose and the rich details. Eva and Gabriel making love their first night in New Orleans, “Later that night, in bed we made love again. Cats screamed from the courtyard below, the spooky, pornographic, wailing cry of felines in heat.”

Eva is bitten by a dog and goes back to the apartment to clean her wound: “Liquid seeped from the puncture holes and dripped into the sink. The drop hitting the porcelain sounded like a boulder in my ear, and with a ferocious intensity, as though it was happing right at the moment. I remembered the sound of Gabriel’s sweat striking the bottom of the white room in Louise’s house. The rest of the blood in my body jumped and shuddered at the sound. I could tell because I saw the veins in my wrist rippling as if they had tiny ocean waves inside of them.”

I really enjoyed Margot Berwin’s Scent of Darkness. I’m looking forward to reading her debut novel, Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire. If you’re looking into trying a different genre from what you normally read, I highly recommend Scent of Darkness.

Something so original yet nostalgic. A book that intrigues you and opens your eyes to mysteries of the world intangible, haunting and realistic at once. This author is a master at making the taboo accessible and believable. The characters' dilemmas are those of human nature, yet cloaked in archetypes. Fate discovered through tarot cards, brave and reckless ventures, immortality sacrificed for authentic love. The possession of a scent which holds the power to create great desire yet destroy true love, and the knowledge that such a power will not set one free to discover authenticity and safety.

I wasn’t sure what to think about this book when it arrived on my doorstep some weeks back. I was worried that it was one of those books, like Chocolat, that goes so heavy on the senses, that bombards you with tastes or sounds or smells, that you almost feel the need to rinse your mouth or sit in a quiet chapel or spray some air freshener around.

It was a sensory experience, reading this book. Happily, it wasn’t overload.

On her eighteenth birthday, Eva’s grandmother places a drop of an amazing scent created just for her on Eva’s neck, and suddenly everyone is compulsively drawn to Eva.

It’s a mixed blessing, as most blessing are, and Eva, though at first thrilled with this new power, gradually comes to want others to be drawn to her in spite of, rather than because of, her scent.

I have to admit that I was intrigued by the plot. It sounded amazing, like a journey I wanted to be on. However, after a quarter of the book I realized I might have picked a different journey. The way it is written left me feeling as if I was missing pieces to the puzzle. The language and set up of the book was choppy and harsh, leaving me feeling slightly confused and filling in the blanks myself. Although the premise behind the book was a wonderful idea I didn't think the characters actually lived up to it. I never really got a complete grasp on them, they could have been so much more, but they fell a little flat. There was no climax for me and it stayed on the basic level the entire way through.

Eva is an unusual teenager, she lacks a connect with her mother, and seemingly any classmates, friends, neighbors, etc. But she holds a strong bond with her eccentric, aromata grandmother from New Orleans, who now lives in upstate New York. Eva finds a refuge in her grandmother and her grandmother’s home in the small NY enclave, the home she inherits when her grandmother dies during Eva’s senior year in high school. With no real direction or plans, Eva leaves for her new home the last day of school to find herself. What she finds is a mysterious man in her grandmother’s home, who becomes Eva’s fixation. But once Eva and Gabriel find the special perfume that Eva’s grandmother made for her that offered to change her life, Eva becomes not only Gabriel’s fixation – but the fixation of anyone who comes into contact with her hypnotizing scent.

This is just the beginning of Eva’s tale in Margot Berwin’s latest novel Scent of Darkness. When Eva moves with Gabriel down to New Orleans she finds herself in a classic pull between good and evil – as many stories that lead to New Orleans have a way of going. I can’t say that even when I suspended any disbelief and let the story just take me along, I fully enjoyed the ride. In some parts the story dragged, while others I wish I knew more. And then there was Eva, a main character that I just couldn’t get myself to like or dislike – she seemed just one note, and left me wanting to shake her so many times. But Berwin’s writing, especially when the characters got to New Orleans was so rich and lush, I felt the heat and humidity, I was enveloped in the aura that is New Orleans. Which could almost get me to care about Eva, almost.

*I received this book from the publisher for review.

This review is also on my blog: Bailey's and Books

I chose to read this because it sounded different; it would be a change for me from my usual type of book. I don't pick many literary novels as you well know because I'm not an allegorical thinker and I often find they go over my head. Sometimes I am rewarded with a book I adore, sadly this time I found myself drowning in confusion. It is not, I don't think, completely the fault of the author as the writing is in some parts very evocative of time, place and feeling. I think the problem was my inability to go beyond the literal and appreciate her magical and fantastic elements. So here we go, I'll try but this was not one of my favorites.

Evangeline is a woman born to a mother who really didn't care whether she existed or not. Her grandmother Louise gave her the only love she ever had. She would go and spend summers in her grandmother's house in New York where she heard stories of Louise's past in Louisiana and the powers of scent. Louise was an aromata - a maker of scents and she believed that it was the most powerful of the senses. Louise dies and leaves Evangeline (Eva) her house and all of its secrets.

When Eva goes to the house for the first time after her grandmother's death she finds a young man there - Gabriel. She knows him from town but why is he there? He says it's the only quiet place in town he can study. He's in med school and he didn't think Louise would mind. Eva thinks this is a sign the Louise has "left" him to her. In their explorations of the house they find Louise's work room and a box she left for Evangeline with a note telling her to only open it if she wants her life to change completely. Guess what?

The box contains a vial with a liquid that when applied gives Eva a scent that draws people to her. Especially Gabriel. They soon become a couple, move to New Orleans so Gabriel can go back to Tulane and Eva is now bored every day while he is in school. So she goes off and starts sitting for their landlord, a mediocre portrait artist who has nefarious plans in mind.

Bad things happen. Weird things happen. There is a fortune telling 14 year old boy in the mix.

Over.My.Head.

I also felt that it didn't live up to the synopsis in that the power of this scent of Evangeline's was truly never fully explored or to me anyway, explained. There is an explanation but it too went over my head. I am not saying don't read it because there are some good reviews for it, I am just saying it was not for me.

Evangeline spends every summer with her grandmother, Louise, because her single mother doesn’t want her around. Louise lives in a stone house in a tiny town, hanging out with her Tarot reading friend and making scents. While Louise loves Evangeline and teaches her many things, she never lets her into her workroom. That area is closed to her until Louise dies and leaves her house to 18 year old Evangeline.

Evangeline, arriving at the house the day after she graduates from school, finds a young man sitting at the kitchen table- it’s the only quiet place he has found to study for med school. Gabriel is a beautiful young man, and Evangeline is drawn to him and allows him to continue coming to the house to study. But there is a problem: Gabriel has a girlfriend.

Louise has left Evangeline another item: a tiny vial of ruby glass with a small bit of scent, with a note: “Don’t remove the crystal stopper, Evangeline, unless you want everything in your life to change” Evangeline feels her life sucks, so how can she resist? Of course she opens it and applies the scent, which penetrates her skin and becomes one with her. The scent starts coming off her in waves, even several showers and days later.

The scent makes her irresistible. Gabriel leaves his girlfriend for her, strangers are drawn to her, women put their noses in her hair, cats and dogs want to get close. Suddenly, Evangeline is the special girl that she has never been. But being universally attractive has its problems- bad is attracted along with good. Evangeline must decide between bad and good, while trying to decide if she is loved for herself, or just for her magical scent. What is real and what isn’t?

This is a coming of age story in magical realistic style. Evangeline has come to the point in her life where she must find her own identity. The author paints her as an empty vessel into which the scent is poured; Evangeline has no friends, no interests, no ambitions. Will she allow the scent to continue to be all she is, or will she chose to fill herself with something more?

The story itself is interesting; the scent is a unique idea. But Evangeline herself never came to life for me; her lack of interests and drive made her flat. Gabriel isn’t very deep either; he exists to study for med school and to love Evangeline. The villain is well done; he is warped and made my skin crawl. I give this one 4 stars.

I confess. I read Harlequin romances at the rate of about one a year. After reading this novel I don't have to read one for this year as this book qualifies. Basically it is a romance novel. It has a little plant lore, botany, and mysticism thrown in for good measure. The romance was annoying as I think it got in the way of the story. Overall, it is a nice light fun read.

Mystical novel of plants and love is a pleasure to read.Margo Berwin’s tale revels in the magic and mysticism of tropical plants. Lush descriptions and tight plotting make for a delightful reader experience that is both artistic and sensual. However, certain metaphysical aspects fail to deliver on the initial promise of the story.Story: New York ad woman Lila Nova, increasingly disillusioned with her job and the city, becomes enchanted by David Exley, a handsome guy selling plants at a green market. Soon, she's hooked on him, and her budding fascination with tropical plants leads her to a Laundromat that has a rare fern displayed in the window. Proprietor Armand quickly befriends Lila and gives her a trimming from the fern to take home, telling her if it forms roots, he'll show her the nine special plants he keeps in the back room. When Exley sees the fern trimming, Lila tells him about Armand's special plants, and soon the plants have been stolen and Exley has disappeared. Armand guilts Lila into coming to Mexico with him to find replacement plants, and there's magic, romance, greenery and greed as Lila and Armand venture through the Yucatan, hooking up with potential love-interest Diego and running into the devious Exley. (from Publishers Weekly)Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. In the preface, Berwin explains that her knowledge of plant magic and shamanism is drawn from her experiences with a friend named Armand. I know little of the art of herbal magic, but her descriptions are fascinating. Armand’s knowledge of plants makes me wish I knew more. Although the material is extremely intriguing, I found myself wanting to learn more about Armand’s experiences in the spiritual realm that I could learn from and apply in my own life.Debut author Margot Berwin has produced an excellent novel. The plot is tight and moves quickly, her language pleases the senses, and I particularly enjoyed how she structured the chapters around the plants that are vividly described in the book. The introduction to each chapter contains a quirky introduction to the plant that aptly sets up the story to follow. The exotic setting perfectly complements the story’s mysticism.My take: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot is a page turner, and the lush and lascivious descriptions of plants made the novel a pleasure to read on several levels. However, although I felt engaged by the book, I never did connect to the main character. Lila seems cold and remote from the beginning, and her later actions prove her to be greedy, ruthless, and destructive. The ending was definitely unexpected, which is always good. However, it was not entirely satisfying from a metaphysical perspective. More people than just Lila and Exley were revealed to have selfish motives, and Lila did not seem to learn or change very much as a result of what should have been truly profound spiritual experiences.For more reviews of new age novels, see Fiction For A New Age.

Thought this was okay. Kept me reading, but not memorable.

An uneasy mix of magical realism and older chick lit, I think. Starts off intriguingly when Lila Nova, an ad writer and new divorcee in New York, meets David Exley, a handsome plant salesman in the green market. She becomes enchanted with the world of tropical plants, and when she walks past a steamy, magical looking, plant-filled laundromat with a rare fern in the window, she is drawn inside. The sage-like proprietor, Armand, tells her he has the mythical "nine plants of desire" locked away in a back room , and if she tells no one and is able to have the cutting of the fern he provides her take root, then he will show her the plants. Her cutting does root, but unfortunately she spills the beans to her lover Exley, and he breaks in and steals the plants. Out of guilt and a desire for adventure, she travels to Mexico with Armand to replace the plants for him, and much magical realism adventure (plus a new love interest) ensues in the tropical jungle. While the jungle is rendered in an appealingly descriptive way, the magical parts didn't quite gel for me. Kept me reading though & was fun.

當生命充滿問號時，就勇敢冒個險吧！

In your own backyard, start out by placing a terracotta pot in direct sunlight. Grab seeds for magical realism, women's fiction and erotic romance (!), bury into the rich soil, water and cultivate . . . what sprouts will be Margot Berwin's Hothouse Flower, an incredibly strange but engrossing read that killed a six-hour plane ride for me in no time.

Lila is a damaged, crazed and especially vulnerable woman. As she tries to change and move on, she feels a kinship with the plants she purchases from David Exley -- an unusual man who doesn't seem interested in our heroine until he discovers her connection to the Nine Plants of Desire. Desire is a funny word in this book, because it's everywhere . . . love and raw sensuality run through the novel like a current, drawing readers into a supple world where plants inspire amour and urges won't be denied. I'll be frank: I didn't expect so much sex in this book, but sex was there to be had. All over the place. Like, a lot.

Ahem.

But there was plenty more to this story, too. The novel takes an incredibly weird turn halfway through as we journey to the Yucatan Peninsula with Lila and Armand, and it's there that we learn more about the Nine Plants and their properties. The descriptions were absolutely intoxicating: dreams the plants can help you discover; fears you can overcome; love you can inspire, all with a cutting from a fern. It's too fantastical to be believed, though, right?

Right?

Lila doesn't think so -- and, confronted with hard proof, she knows Armand's crazy stories about the plants must be true. othouse Flower is richly atmospheric and interesting, but it also left me deeply unsettled -- especially after a certain drug- and dog-related scene toward the latter part of the novel (awful). It felt sort of like an acid trip: all Technicolor scenes, strange occurrences, magical plants and sexy sex time in the rain forest. What started out as a simple post-divorce story in New York City morphed in a wholly unexpected way . . . and I'm not sure I dug it.

But I did tear through this like the hounds of hell were on my trail, and that's saying something. I consumed the entire book on my plane ride home from London -- hours in which I could have been getting some precious and much-needed sleep. Once I'd started, I couldn't set it down.

Say what you will about it, but I doubt you'll ever read another book like Hothouse Flower -- like Armand's flowers, the premise and product are one-of-a-kind. And that makes it worth a read for me.½

I am not a big fan of this book. I don't think I am ever going to be able to suspend disbelief enough to buy into a storyline like this one. And even if I did, I still don't think it would have been enjoyable.

Lila Nova has just gotten divorced from her husband and moved into a sterile and boxy New York apartment. One day as she is perusing the outdoor market, she comes across a plant stall run by the outdoorsy and rugged David Exley. When Exley convinces Lila to purchase an expensive tropical plant, she quickly becomes enamored both of her new bird of paradise and the handsome man who brought it into her life. Though things with Exley don't go as planned, Lila soon discovers a strange and charismatic man named Armand who runs a laundromat overrun by tropical plants and discovers the potent myth of the nine plants of desire. When Exley uses Lila to gain access to Armand and the nine plants, Lila is left responsible to replace the powerful and magical nine. Soon she is traveling to the jungles of the Yucatan with Armand, steeped in danger both from the people who protect the plants and the jungle and wildlife surrounding it. It is in this exotic locale that Lila not only finds the secrets she is searching for, but also finds a chance at a once in a lifetime love. In this clever and visceral novel, Berwin brings to life the magic and myth of the nine plants of desire and the powerful struggle that Lila must face to regain them all and bring them home.

About a year ago I made the great discovery of an independent bookstore in the downtown area of my city. When I went in to check it out, I discovered this book, just released in hardcover, on one of the front tables. The gentleman behind the counter told me it was a wonderful book and I quickly took it to a comfy chair and began checking it out. Though I didn't leave with it that day, I added it to my ever-growing wish list and told myself that it would definitely be a purchase sometime soon. So, when I saw that TLC was doing a book tour of this title, I quickly asked Trish if I could join in. I was really excited to get the chance to read this book, and despite some mild setbacks, I found that it truly didn't disappoint.

When the story first opens, Lila is wandering around the confines of her life and it is obvious that she is searching for something. Though she has a great job and interesting friends, there seems to be a hunger in her to connect more fully with the world around her. It is about this time that she discovers Exley and his plants and really begins to get embroiled in the events that will change her life. I felt I could really sympathize with Lila. For one, she was a smart cookie who felt an inexpressible longing to break out of her boundaries. Though at times she could be a little myopic, she seemed to have good intentions and was ever struggling to make more of herself and to encounter new situations. I felt a little anxious for her as she realized that Exley had used and duped her, and also felt that although her new friendship with Armand was a positive thing, there was something a little fishy about him. Armand saw a very different side of Lila and it wasn't exactly flattering. At first I was confused about his perceptions of her, but later on in the book, Lila seemed to shed the nice girl attitude and become a more fully realized and complex character who was at times manipulative and conniving. This was harder to get used to because I felt like I was sure I knew Lila and this new attitude didn't really fit with my experiences of her. Once Lila had begun to morph though, the wild ride of her adventure was set to begin.

As Armand and Lila head off into the Yucatan, the story starts to flower, so to speak. Lila's task is to locate the nine plants of desire. Once the plants are collected, the magic combination promises to bring untold rewards to the owners of the plants. I really began to sit up and pay attention once these adventures began. For the most part, the rain forest and jungles that Lila explored became a character in itself. It was full of life, both the quiet and peaceful kind and the violent and destructive kind. Reading about the oppressive heat and insects made me feel like I was right there alongside Lila, cutting my way through the vegetation and slapping the bugs away. Though I enjoyed the adventurous trek through the jungle, other parts of Lila's quest were a little harder to handle. There is a small part of this book that deals with the unfortunate fates of the dogs that are used in harvesting one of the nine plants. Coming across this section and its bizarreness and violence actually made me very angry and made me want to abandon the book. I didn't feel like there was a reason for this plot device other than to provoke and inflame the reader, and as it stood, this one piece of the the book did end up tempering my enjoyment of the whole.

There was a lot of raw sexuality and carnality in this book, which although I didn't expect, actually heightened my enjoyment of it. I thought it was very cleverly done and not at all inappropriate or gratuitous, when it could easily have been both. As it was, it gave the narrative a sexy and provocative vibe and did a lot to demonstrate the chemistry and passion between two of the main characters. This didn't feel like any cheesy old romance; instead it felt more like a natural progression of the attraction that the last half of the book focused on. It was a great culmination of all that had come before and these aspects felt very organic and well written. Additionally, the sexuality of the book was not confined to the humans in the plot. In what I can only describe as an amazing feat of creativity, the personalities and aspects of certain plants also spoke of desire, attraction and sexuality. This specific function and behavior of some of the plants was intensely interesting and thought-provoking to read about and did a lot to take the story to the next level.

There was also a lot of action and adventure in this story and these sections kept me involved and wondering just where this story was heading. I will say this for Berwin's writing, it is not in the least predictable and it has an originality that often pleased and awed me. Most of the action was set in the jungle/rain forest sections, making these sections doubly interesting and pleasing for me to read. I often found the action riveting and it captured my interest not only for its quirkiness but for its ability to transform my prior expectations and its power to get me to suspend my sense of disbelief. It was a great book to get lost in and an entertaining read all around, and as Lila hunted her way through the Yucatan, the plants and animals that came out of the woodwork to challenge her brought a feeling of exoticism and novelty to the book.

While I was less than happy with once aspect of the plot, the majority of the book managed to enthrall and excite me. I think this is a book that straddles many genres, including romance, adventure and women's fiction, and I am happy to say this made a great summer read. I think many different types of readers would enjoy this book, and for those who are looking for a story that excites and will keep you guessing, this would make a wonderful read. Perfect in its inventiveness and its action, Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire is a entertainingly stellar read.

This is a really original, high-concept book about the "nine flowers of desire," which are supposed to satisfy the nine human desires - for immortality, love, sex, etc. In a New York laundromat, the protagonist stumbles upon them by accident - only to lead to their theft. To recover the plants, she goes on a journey in the Yucatan peninsula. The author has a simple yet profound writing style, and the descriptions of exotic plants and Mexico are fascinating.

I was with it until they killed the dog.

New Yorker Lila Nova is increasingly disillusioned with her job, her life, and the men in it. Her boss is a creep, her best friend is a flaky surfer-type, and her ex-husband—well, he’s an ex for a reason. Looking to add a little life into her life, she heads down to the Green Market and buys a bird of paradise from hunky tropical-plant seller David Exley. The plant is a success, and she finds herself returning to the Market for more plants…and more Exley. Her interest in tropicals sparked, her eye is caught by a rare fire fern hanging in the window of a laundromat. Inside, she discovers a paradise of plants, with moss growing on the floor, flowers blooming everywhere, and butterflies and bees pollinating their hearts out. The proprieter of this strange laundromat, Armand, gives Lila a cutting from the fire fern and tells her that if she can successfully root the plant, he’ll show her the special nine plants he keeps in a back room—the nigh-mythical Nine Plants of Desire. Overcome by her attraction to Exley, Lila shows him the fire fern cutting and tells him about the nine plants in the laundromat. The next thing she knows, the laundromat has been robbed, the nine plants are missing, and Exley is gone. Armand guilts Lila into coming to Mexico with him to replace the rare plants, and the adventure of her lifetime begins. Romance, danger, and lots of plants (as well as a few panthers, a snake or two, and hordes of scorpions) surround her in the Yucatan as she hikes the jungle, falls for a local shaman named Diego, and re-encounters the treacherous Exley, all while Lila tries to grow up and evolve a little.

Escapist, at times goofy, and fun, Hothouse Flower and the 9 Plants of Desire is chick-lit with a magical realist twist. Entertaining.