Review: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
Gaby Meares
Such a beautifully rendered story. Holly Ringland has created a character in Alice Hart who feels so real, it’s hard to believe this is not an autobiography. The women are the heroes here. In fact, if I had a criticism, and it’s tiny, it’s that the male characters in this novel are nearly all, well, bastards.
Ringland’s language is sublime. I felt I did it a disservice towards the end, as I raced to find out how it would finish. I feel I should now revisit the last chapters with a little more grace!
I loved this description of how Ruby is inspired to write her poetry: “The new poem came down from the stars, looking for her as most of her poems did. It tumbled over the sand dunes and fluttered across her mother’s country, bringing earth, smoke, love and sorrow.” As I said - sublime.
This is a stunning and accomplished first novel. Alice Hart will live long in my heart.