The Flowers of Lemuria by Riley Gipson

I believe Riley Gipson’s The Flowers of Lemuria would be the right choice for you if you’re seeking for an intensely absorbing tale that is somewhat similar to The Nine Lives of Chloe King, I Am Number Four, or even Percy Jackson.

I was instantly drawn in by the human suffering, which was swiftly followed by the need to adjust to a new environment and the requirement that a young child put her trust in a caretaker she had never met. There may be more to this universe and to this primary character than meets the eye before Lilly (or we) can truly find our bearings.

The plot was unique compared to other books in this genre, focusing more on the possibilities of aliens, demons, and portals than on extraterrestrials and mythical creatures, which I appreciated. Although it makes a significant contribution to the genre, I believe there is more to it than that, especially given the plotlines of growing up, coming of age, romance, forbidden love, identity, diaspora, and other topics that are so overused as to be laughably cliché. These tropes feel new here thanks to the author’s plot and writing style.

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I had two (minor) issues with the book. First, I thought the more “human” themes—such as mourning a departed family member—got lost in the shuffle of the other plotlines. The world-building was perhaps a little too dense at times. I believe it could have been divided differently in order to maintain the novel’s momentum a little longer and to make the world-building more tolerable.

I genuinely adore this writer’s plot and writing style, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here. These two things were by no means deal breakers. These two things were merely occasional diversion during my reading of the book. I had a great time reading this novel, and if the author allows it, I could definitely see myself returning to this setting.

About The Book

Seventeen-year-old Lilly Claire Masterson has just lived through her worst nightmare: the death of her mother. Lilly’s life only gets harder when she is forced to leave Chicago and move to the swamps of Louisiana to live with her grandmother—a woman she never knew existed until recently. Soon after, malicious voices taunt Lilly in her head, causing her to question her mental health.

Then an encounter with a stranger entices Lilly with promises of restoring her mother’s life, but first she must commit an unthinkable act. A mysterious boy saves Lilly from a grave mistake which sends her crashing into a realm between Earth and the afterlife called Lemuria, where reapers trade humans’ souls to angels and demons for magical stones.

There, Lilly finds love, friendship, and family. But to rescue her mother’s soul, Lilly must face her true identity and fight for Earth and Lemuria. Will she and her new friends find the courage to save us all?