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There are currently 40 member reviews
for The Flower Sisters
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Ruth H. (Sebring, FL)
A Tragedy Resolved
I don't generally give 5 star ratings but this book was amazing! Well written, excellent story and I loved the characters. The twists and turns blew me away!! The ending was pretty open, possibly for a sequel? I would definitely read that book. Thank you, Michelle Collins Anderson for a nice story with no vulgar language and some really funny puns and humor.
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Suzanne G. (Tucson, AZ)
Outstanding Book
I had to tear myself away from The Flower Sisters while reading such a good story. Just loved this book.
And, I'm so looking forward to reading Michelle Collins Anderson's next expressive novel.
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Susan M. (New Holland, PA)
The Flower Sisters
If you enjoy books that can make you laugh out loud, The Flower Sisters should be on your Want to Read list! A wide assortment of interesting characters will keep you turning the pages.
The story centers around a true tragic event that occurred in the author's hometown fifty years ago. The characters are especially well drawn and make the book hard to put down. They range from an eccentric granny who runs a funeral home to her precocious but lovable granddaughter along with so many others too numerous to mention.
The ending is guaranteed to surprise you.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a true story embellished with delightful characters.
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Betcei B. (Huntsville, AL)
History, Laughter and Love in this Debut
I love when historical fiction introduces me to a subject I want to research further. Michelle Collins Anderson brings to life the Dance Hall Explosion (based on real life events) in Missouri. The story is told in two decades set 50 years apart. Daisy Flowers is moved to her grandmother's home while her mom and current boyfriend set out west, promising to bring Daisy out when they settle. Living with her grandmother, over her family business of a funeral home, is not something a hippy style teenager thinks will be fun. When Daisy lets slip some personal information about a prominent resident to the local paper, her summer internship is sealed. Not everyone is happy with Daisy's choice of writing about the Dance Hall Explosion, they think some information is better left hidden and not talked about. Daisy soon learns, family isn't just those you live with, but those you let into your life. If I were to change one thing, it might be the cover. I think the newspaper or dance hall might be a better draw for a forward facing book. I recommend this title and look forward to future novels by Michelle Collins Anderson.
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Kathy W. (Clarion, PA)
Anderson weaves beautifully-crafted historical novel
Michelle Collins Anderson, author of The Flower Sisters, has woven a rich tapestry by letting the characters tell the story of the worst day that ever happened to the little town of Possum Flats, MO. Each segment of the book is told by a different narrator with a different "voice" and a different story. An astute reader will figure out this historical novel's biggest secret early, but knowing the secret does not in any way ruin the reading of this gem. Anderson perfectly captures the voices of the men and women--the young and not so young; the business owner and the preacher--and interweaves them.
The novel goes back and forth between 1928 (the year of the devastating dance hall fire) and 1978 (the year fifteen-year-old Daisy is left by her mother to spend the summer with her grandmother). Through the letters Daisy writes to her mother and the segments she narrates, we learn much about the townspeople of Possum Flats through her "fresh eyes". Daisy and each narrator become our guides to understanding how and why the citizens have changed since that devastating day in 1928.
I loved this book. In fact, there is nothing about this book I didn't like (well, besides having to finish reading it so that I could submit this review). I look forward to reading another Michelle Collins Anderson book. She sure can write a story.
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Pamela C. (Boxborough, MA)
The captivating adventures of Daisy Flowers
In the summer Daisy Flowers turns fifteen years old, she finds herself dumped off at her grandmother's house in Possum Flats, Missouri. Her mother promises she will be back after she and her latest boyfriend get settled in California. Daisy's grandmother, Rose Flowers, runs and lives above a funeral home. Not every teenage girl's dream location! Daisy is made of strong stuff though, due to having been carted around by her free wheeling mother for years. Once it dawns on her that she may be stuck there for some time, Daisy finds a way to fit in. Tenacious and curious, she proposes that the local paper, The Picayune, give her a summer internship. Daisy uncovers a story that blows everyone in town away, and the lid off quite a few false stories about the fire in 1928 that burned down the local dance hall and took many people with it. Those remaining were changed forever, but when Daisy gets people to talk about the fire in her column, all hell breaks loose. Loved this book-great story, colorful characters!! Intriguing to find out that the dance hall fire is based on a true story that took place in the author's home town.
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Rosanne S. (Franklin Square, NY)
The Flower Sisters
Thank you, BookBrowse, for the opportunity to read this amazing novel, The Flower Sisters by Michelle Collins Anderson.
Based on a true story of the Bond Dance Hall Explosion in West Plains, Missouri, the author envisions the devastation and agony of one small town and its community in way that allows the reader to imagine they were there.
The disaster takes place in 1928 but is looked at in the rear-view mirror by a young girl doing an internship at the local paper in 1978.
The characters are rich with emotions like fear, remorse, guilt anger and blame. The story pivots from 1928 to 1978 allowing survivors to unravel their consciences of many long-kept secrets. I could not help but become invested in each of their lives.
I highly recommend taking the journey to Possum Flats (aka West Plains ) to discover the true meaning of community and the human spirit.
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