Official Review: The Flower Eater by M. LaRose

lmoses · Post by **lmoses** » 30 May 2016, 00:02

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Flower Eater" by M. LaRose.]

2 out of 4 stars

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The Flower Eater is a fantasy novel written by M. Larose. The novel is told in first person POV of Trilla, a young maiden who has been selected to train as a Priestess with several other maidens from her kingdom. Trilla struggles to be pursue her lifelong dream and continue her faith when she begins to fall for the local blacksmith, Harnn.

Trilla has spent her entire life dreaming about being a Priestess, but a chance encounter with Harnn makes her second guess everything she has hoped for. Being a Priestess for House of Zerr is an honor that allows maidens to learn the secrets of the sisterhood and be part of a group that cast rituals to help the people in their communities. Breaking her vows to the sisterhood, Trilla begins to sneak off to see Harnn, even though the punishments for being caught are severe.

Struggling between what her heart desires and what she has always dreamed of doing, Trilla hides her emotions and thoughts from the other priestesses, including her best friend Brea. Acting out of desperation and passion, Trilla discovers that she has a unique and rare set of powers that have not been seen in centuries. Using her new powers, her training, and help from her fellow priestesses, Trilla must stop the Prince of Neniff, Endric, before he destroys their kingdom.

I rated The Flower Eater 2 out of 4 stars. Unfortunately this novel tried to mix romance into the fantasy world but was unsuccessful. Too much focus was placed on Trilla and Harnn sneaking around and Trilla's conflicted feelings, that the fantasy elements was more of a background focus. I did not rate this book a one star because it does manage to improve two-thirds of the way through and focuses more on the fantasy elements of the plot. The slow pace in the first two-thirds of the book made me actually put the novel down several times and I thought about not finishing it. Another problem I found with the novel is that there was little growth or development in the characters so I was not invested in the relationships. The characters felt flat, Trilla’s romance was too instant, and little effort was placed in building the emotions between them.

I am typically a fan of novels that mix romance and fantasy, but The Flower Eater was not successful in creating a cohesive novel. Fans of romance novels will not enjoy how the novel switches quickly to the fantasy elements, while fans of fantasy novels will not enjoy the heavy focus on romance in the beginning. If a fantasy reader can force themselves to finish the first half of the novel, then the second half is definitely worth finishing because the story-line does improve.

While The Flower Eater seemed to have a strong story-line, the inability to incorporate romance elements into the fantasy plot, the underdeveloped characters, and the slow pace prevented this story from being a success. Fans looking for a fantasy novel with characters they can care about and a quick pace will not enjoy this novel.

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The Flower Eater
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Rachaelamb1 · Post by **Rachaelamb1** » 04 Jun 2016, 10:01

Shame that there are problems with character building and pacing. Instalove is also a personal pet peeve of mine so I think I'll pass.

LaRose · Post by **LaRose** » 04 Jun 2016, 20:38

As the author, I understand every point the reviewer made, as I pondered my own questions on each of those aspects during the finalizing of The Flower Eater. However, this was how the story came through me and I felt it was "done" until the sequel which will pick up and deepen various themes. I set out to write a story that wanted to come through me, and I make no apologies for mixing genres.
Also, regarding the comment about "instalove", sometimes that really happens to people. I can testify to that from personal experience! It can be hard to convey. All relationships develop over time, and this is a focus of the sequel to The Flower Eater (writing in progress now).
Anyway, I thank the reviewer for a thoughtful analysis.

The Antelope · Post by **The Antelope** » 05 Jun 2016, 12:48

That's a killer title right there. I don't mind the focus on romance in the beginning and the fantasy being in the background. I think that might have been what the author intended. Kind of like Dusk Till Dawn. Oceans Twelve for a whole of two thirds and Jurassic Park at the end. I might just read this book. It's that title man. The Flower Eater, beware!

LaRose · Post by **LaRose** » 05 Jun 2016, 18:52

Thank you, Antelope! The title actually came to me first and I wrote the story around it. THere are themes and plot twists that others have told me surprised them, and I think the 2ND half is the most compelling but the 1st is necessary to get there. It's not War and Peace, but many readers have enjoyed it, including Kirkus Reviews who called it a "magnificent debut" and "delightfully entertaining." We all have different tastes, of course, but criticism always stings. I love your comparison to the genre-mixup From Dusk to Dawn!

literarycat · Post by **literarycat** » 06 Jun 2016, 07:39

Sometimes having little character development makes the characters seem mysterious, but that doesn't seem like the case here. It's sad when characters feel flat, but sometimes they are meant that way and grow in following novels. It seems like an interesting story, I still would be interested in reading it and seeing how the story plays out. Thanks for sharing your review, it was well written filled with honesty.

LaRose · Post by **LaRose** » 06 Jun 2016, 08:23

As the author, I should have mentioned this in an earlier post, but The Flower Eater is told in the first-person POV and it's a story of the main character's inner conflicts, emotions, and development. The story is seen through her internal lens, so the peripheral characters are less developed since she's most focused on herself. It's written as if you're privy to her private thoughts, which are mainly self-involved. It's a story of transformation, so without giving spoilers, I'll leave it at that. Thanks to everyone for your comments.

Ameow · Post by **Ameow** » 10 Jun 2016, 16:02

Alive and bursting with imagery, M. LaRose leads the ambitious Trilla on a whirlwind mission to discover her true happiness and ultimate destiny, all the while struggling to resolve the conflicting loves in her life. Caught between wanting a man she desires with all her heart and soul and form, yet fervently aspiring for the ultimate spiritual gain to become a priestess in the mystical world, Trilla tumbles through adventures filled with melees and intrigue.

This intensely intoxicating story, sited in a magical wonderland amid conflicting battles of many unforeseen obstacles, is abounding of symbolism that has the reader gripping for the next turn in this magical journey. Through the transformation of the well-crafted plot, M. LaRose held my eye at every turn of the page.

Picture-perfect for The Big Screen, The Flower Eater is vibrant with colors and specific with details, so much so, that the fragrances of the abundant meadow gardens can be recognized, the pacing of the intricate magical dances can be seized, and the heartache of challenging inner struggles can be sensed.

At the end of the writing, I sighed because love is a strong force that often prevails, but how and when it is achieved and under what duress it will continue to bloom, M. LaRose had me thirsting for the outcome and ravenous for a sequel!

This is a must-read for all who love to transform themselves into another time and place and become wondrous with the magical journey of a lifetime! I was captivated by this enchanting story and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of it!