Great, imaginitive story about a young woman recently released from being a ward of the state after spending her lifetime jumping around foster homes and group homes. Her one encounter with love in her childhood was time spent with a woman named Elizabeth who taught her to communicate through flowers. However, the time was limited (for reasons you must discover through reading of course!) and Victoria's life post-emancipation left her homeless and hungry and alone. Despite her hardships, it is through this language that she learns to love and be loved in return. 
 I loved it and the setting of San Francisco and Northern California country seems magical (to this NYC girl). Makes me want to visit even more.