Book Review: We Never Asked for Wings By Vanessa Diffenbaugh

WE NEVER ASKED FOR WINGS

By: Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Published: August 18, 2015

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Fiction




Diffenbaugh came into the book world with a highly successful debut novel, THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, leaving readers anxiously waiting for her second novel. See my review, HERE.  In WE NEVER ASKED FOR WINGS, Diffenbaugh tackles the issue of illegal immigrants and their American-born children as well as single-parenthood. The novel begins with fifteen-year-old Alex realizing that their mother has left him and his six-year-old sister alone in their house to fend for themselves. Their mother, Letty, has left in the middle of the night, leaving behind a note stating she has gone to Mexico to try to convince her parents to come back to California. She is hoping her parents will come to their senses and return to the US to continue taking care of her and her two children like they have done for the last fifteen years. While Letty is in Mexico, Alex and Luna are struggling to feed and care for themselves. After an unfortunate accident that causes severe burns on Alex's arm, he isn't sure they are going to survive until their mom returns...if she returns. But, Letty does eventually return and she is left to figure out how to raise her children on her own, without her parents doing everything for her.

Of course, there are a lot of struggles, financial difficulties, and parenting mishaps, but Letty eventually starts to get the hang of living her life without the control and direction of her parents. I became extremely frustrated with Letty's ignorance related to parenting, wondering where she had been for fifteen years. I had a difficult time grasping the idea that Letty didn't know how to cook or care for her children at all. While Letty is adjusting to single parenthood, she becomes involved in a romantic triangle. Alex also has a romantic interest and even though their relationship is very sweet, it is a bit unrealistic.

Alex becomes curious about who his father is and begins to search for him. After stalking him for a few months, they officially meet. Their relationship picks up a bit too quickly and easily, even though this is where the storyline picks up. But, unfortunately, it is short-lived and I became bored with the characters again. This story was off-and-on for me. I would enjoy it and then something would happen and my frustration with the characters would make me disinterested. Then I would become interested several chapters later, only to revert back to frustration again. For the most part, it was a bit too superficial for the serious issues it raises related to children of illegal immigrants. There were a bit too many neat-and-tidy endings that left me rolling my eyes instead of rooting for the characters. The author does have a beautiful way of painting images with her words and igniting the senses with her descriptions of places, food and people.  Maybe I was expecting too much after such a compelling debut novel, but this one just didn't quite meet my expectations.

Side Note: Although the cover is beautiful, I don't really feel like it shows a true image of the story inside.

Favorite Quote: "'I love it,' Letty said, kissing Luna's cherry lips and wondering how a half-eaten lollipop could somehow taste like a reason to stay."

Vanessa Diffenbaugh - source, photo by Randy Tunnell

Vanessa Diffenbaugh was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After graduating from Stanford University, she worked in the non-profit sector, teaching art and technology to youth in low-income communities. Following the success of her debut novel, THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS she co-founded Camellia Network, a non-profit whose mission is to connect every youth aging out of foster care to the critical resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive in adulthood. She currently lives in Monterey, CA, with her husband and four children. For more on Diffenbaugh, check out her website, HERE. You can also find her on Facebook, HERE, and Twitter, HERE. 

To purchase WE NEVER ASKED FOR WINGS, click the photo below:

To purchase a copy of THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, click the photo below:

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this novel to me for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase this book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com reviews. 

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Book Review: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS
By Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Published August 23, 2011
Fiction

The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

When I was approached by Random House to read this book, I was fascinated by the premise of the book.  I was also interested because it was the author's first novel.  I just wish I hadn't let it fall down in my pile of books to read.  Once I started this book, I struggled with the fact that I couldn't put it down, yet I didn't want the story to end.

The character of Victoria took me back to my early social work days of working with juveniles in alternative high schools and group homes.  It reminded me of some of the kids who left an impression on me and made me wonder....where are they now?  All would be adults by now.  How are they doing?  Was there someone there to help them transition into the adult world?

I liked how the author flipped back and forth from Victoria's childhood in foster care to her current life as an adult.  It made the story move faster and gave you the history you needed at the time you needed it.  I can't say I had a favorite character, because I loved each of the them in their own special way, but Elizabeth and Renata were amazingly strong, patient and caring women that I would love to know.  I also loved that a certain person in the novel was named Hazel Jones.  My grandmother was Hazel Jones, and she also was a flower lover and passed that on to my mom and to me even though I never met her.

I loved the history and language of the flowers. It was fascinating and made me look at flowers in a whole new light.  I have a new flower garden that we will be planning for next spring and I am thinking differently about the types of flowers I want to plant in there.

This novel touched on many different topics that would encourage lots of discussion including forgiveness, love, heartbreak, despair, hope, and second chances.  We all make mistakes, so shouldn't we all deserve second, or maybe even third, fourth and fifth chances?  This novel makes you believe second chances must be given and received.

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS is powerful, engaging, enchanting, thought provoking, and beautiful.  When I got to the final chapter of the book, I was sad and torn.  I wanted to get to find out what happened, but didn't want the story to end.  This one is a keeper on my bookshelf and I have a feeling it would be on yours too.  Run out and get this book today! 

For more on THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS or Vanessa Diffenbaugh, check out her website http://www.vanessadiffenbaugh.com/ or her Facebook Page.  PEOPLE Magazine named THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS as one of their "Great Reads".  I am also super excited to report that FOX 2000 has also purchased the rights to this book to make into a movie.  I think it would make a fabulous movie and hope that it will be made soon.  For more on Vanessa Diffenbaugh and her thoughts about the book, check out this video.



Thanks to Random House for sending me an ARC of this book for review.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  This review is my honest opinion and I do not review anything that wouldn't benefit myself of my family.