Although the subject of this book is emotive and internalized, I felt that it is treated in a somewhat detached style. I don't know if something was lost in the translation but the words never really came together and barely rose above a bland cadence throughout. There is imagery of life and death, difficult emotions of grief, anger and jealousy to work through but I never quite believed in its treatment here. I wanted more intimacy and to be made to feel more than I did.

Learning to Talk to Plants by Marta Orriols is about a woman who suffers a bereavement and makes a discovery and so becomes mired in confusing feelings of grief and hurt and anger.

When I read the first line of the synopsis for this one, I knew I had to read this. Paula’s long term boyfriend dies in an accident mere hours after he told her over lunch that was leaving her for another woman. I don’t know what it says about me but I love a book about grief (don’t send the psychiatrist I am well adjusted otherwise). I particularly love grief narratives that remain firmly in the woman’s head as time passes and the grief changes. Paula is a neonatal paediatrician who cares for babies in the ICU mostly premature births. Her entire life is about the line between life, survival and death, but how could you prepare or even cope with that dual blow of grief and anger. I absolutely loved this. Translated in perfection by Mara Faye Lethem.

When Mauro suddenly dies, Paula, his partner, has to deal with grief, along with the anger she felt towards him for breaking up with her and confessing he was cheating on her, mere hours before his death.
It is a beautiful novel, although it did take me a long time to read it, for the themes and literary style.
Marta Orriols does a great job of portraying a character that isn't super likeable, that makes flawed choices, and therefore is REAL, and for this I really recommend this book.