[MPOV] The Flower from the Garbage

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.46/5
Published: August 24th, 2022
Author: G. Edward Martin
Genre: Philosophy fiction

The Flower from the Garbage follows the journey of a newly wedded couple, Joe and Audrey Palmer, when they miscarry their baby and begin to disconnect from each other. While Audrey goes within and isolates, Joe continues to work more hours and make poor decisions, risking his marriage and future.

Their marriage is saved when Joe discovers an unlikely friend and mentor in the form of a homeless philosopher who chose a life on the streets of Chicago after losing his own wife to cancer.

Although Frank, the homeless philosopher, advises Joe on how to work through this specific tragedy, he goes on to teach him many important lessons about what it means to be a good man, a husband, a father, and more. This story shows the world through Joe's eyes as we not only witness his personal struggles and growth, but also as he builds a beautiful friendship and learns Frank's story of how he came to live on the streets and exist to serve others.

The Flower from the Garbage is a philosophical fiction, not only about the struggles of modern America but also about the timeless truths of the human condition and our pursuit of meaning. This uniquely crafted story leaves no stone unturned and confronts many of the most difficult and uncomfortable topics imaginable, invoking a range of emotions but ultimately leaving you with the taste of hope.

This story belongs to all of us. It is a story of what it means to be human.

Thanks to the author and Library Things for this copy in return for my honest review.

This novel reminded me of Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie though this is in a different context. It's about Joe and Audrey who had just experienced a miscarriage of their first baby. Their trials and turbulence were leading them apart, slowly wrecking their marriage. Coincidentally, Joe met Frank, a homeless old man, during one of his lunch breaks and from then on, forged a friendship that lasts. Slowly, Frank helps Joe mends his relationship with his wife and then life in general. 

This sure is an inspiring novel that softly motivates and guides us to think it through, whether in life or before making any decisions. So much has been said in this novel that I can't remember it all! As I had gone through a miscarriage previously, this totally struck a chord with me. I am so moved by the stories shared and the everyday life problems are indeed relatable.

There are 2 different sets of stories going on in this novel where the main one is about Joe whereas the secondary one is from Frank's collection which has been incorporated into this book. So, we get a sort of 2-in-1kinda read and it's nice with it weaving in and out in sync.