Whorticulture
by Marie-Anne Mancio
Fiction
As a girl waits for the return of her disappeared father, the story of four migrant women unravels. In antebellum America: a daydreamer from the country gets an unexpected education on the Mississippi river; a storekeeper falls in love with a thief amid the chaos of Gold Rush San Francisco; a fugitive quadroon re-invents herself in a New York brothel; and a young bride is trapped on a Louisiana sugar plantation. Though they do not know it, their lives are inextricably linked by the men they encounter. Peopled by whores, tricksters, gamblers, do-gooders, liars, and fools, and with allusions to the coded language of flowers, Whorticulture is about prostitution in its myriad forms. Contains a helpful discussion guide for book groups and a flower dictionary.
The author provided a copy for my honest opinion.
Whorticulture gives us a glimpse into the lives of four women in nineteenth century America. They have never met, nor will they, but their lives are inextricably linked. Each woman’s tale is a piece added to the mosaic of a larger narrative, detailing the history, plight and choices of women in a male dominated society.
An incredible amount of research and thought went into this book. The format, title and use of historical flower dictionaries are as unique and clever as the women themselves. Mancio’s attention to detail is amazing. Her poetic description is beautiful and evocative. It drew me in and then it smothered me. Too much of a good thing, I think. The only other issue I had was the use of present tense. At first it felt awkward but halfway through the first story, I was acclimated.
My favorite story and character was the little devil, Seraphine. Her rambling way of telling her story was lively and entertaining. Abigail was my least favorite. Her frequent, short, jerky phrasing made it difficult to stay connected to her. As I finished the last line in the last story, I wanted to give Mancio a standing ovation. Nicely done. It’s a quote I want to remember. My memory being what it is, I’ll have to write it down.
Unknown
Thursday, October 22, 2015