Les Fleurs sauvages

A little slow in a few places, which gets an 8 from me, but one can almost overlook that when the good stuff starts happening.

A word of warning. There are 7 episodes. As of tonight August 25, only 6 have played on Amazon Prime. Prime doesn't tell you there are 7.. If you haven't started yet I suggest you wait until the 31st and binge all 7 because number 6 is a real cliffhanger.

I was looking for something that wasn't cookie cutter detective mysteries and was hooked by Prime's description: "After losing her parents to a mysterious fire, nine-year-old Alice Hart is raised by her grandmother June on a flower farm where she learns there are secrets within secrets. But years on, an unearthed betrayal sees Alice forced to face her past."

Sounded like one of those gothic mysteries in the tradition of Du Maurier's Rebecca and Bronte's Jane Eyre. Well, it sorta is, but with modern issues.

The acting is great, the cast superb, the scenery gorgeous, and the story line disturbing, but necessary.

Sigourney Weaver plays against type in her character June Hart, a manipulative, controlling matriarch, who unsympathetically tries to hold her "family" together, often to their detriment.

I'm writing generalities. Others have been more specific.

See it.

Despite oddly choppy accents and some slower moments than a slow-burning story needs, this is a wonder. It is a story that should be seen and heard. If you haven't know violence, it is crucial; if you have, it is utterly respectful, familiar, perhaps healing.

What the slow burning plot does well is the inching towards reveals and epiphanies that happen as patiently crafted as the scenes surrounding them. No tricks of twists, no Hollywood quick turns.

The journey all these characters take, especially Alice, happens as life happens. One moment at a time.

Characters are complex and dynamic in rare realness; you'll find no heroes where it seems you will and no pure villains.

Flowers grow slowly from seed yet bloom quickly, like this beautiful piece of acting, courage, and community.

We just 'binged' the first three episodes and honestly can't wait for next week's instalment. Great story with lots of interesting twists. Our fingers are crossed that the same high standard is maintained right through the 7 episodes. Very impressive so far.

Alyla Browne does a magnificent job of playing the part of a young Alice Hart. A great talent at such a young age. I'm certain we will see a lot more of her into the future.

The senior actors set a standard that would make any director proud and collectively raise the bar for all Aussie productions into the future.

The scenery is beautiful and the cinematography is as good as it gets.

Well done everyone, you have a lot to be proud of.

The show is better than the book. That's something I say rarely, but it's my honest opinion. The beginning of both book and show are breathtaking, but fall apart mid way through. After fumbling a time-jump so badly it nearly lead me to quit watching, the show writers take the pig's ear that is the 2nd half of the novel and make it look like a silk purse.

While the show's transition from young child to young adult Alice isn't particularly well done, it's far better than the book's. After the abrupt book transition to Alice as a young woman the story goes to pieces. I understand that both show and book are character-driven (if you're looking for a fast-moving suspense or action drama, don't bother with this show) but in the book the characters stop developing in any way after the time jump. The show stumbles for an episode or so then picks up the threads the book author dropped and do their best to weave both the character and plot arcs into a coherent and compelling narrative.

The soundtrack is fantastic if you like otherworldly modern indie music. The acting and scenery are very good. If you enjoy a bleak, slow-burning character study that blossoms in sparse sunlight, then this Australian drama is worth a look.

I loved the series, it filled me with different emotions, good and bad, and also it filled me with an unexpected tranquility within the storm of emotions. Finally a story we can all learn from!

It is a drama, with tense and exciting moments that take you to the end of the story quite quickly, I was not bored at any time.

It also has very unexpected and epic moments.

All the actors are very good, and I've always loved S. Weaver. In this series she is wonderful, realistic, stupendous, magnificent, everything one asks for from a good actor, here you have it!

The series maintains the emotion and tension until the very end, I was sorry that it ended, that's the truth. Everything makes sense from beginning to end and the way of life of these women is something that touches my soul. The photography, the stories and meanings of the flowers, simply fascinating. Australia and its wonderful landscapes! And the fantastic houses! Wow!

The theme of the series is very important and treated with a lot of energy and respect. Best thing I've seen on the subject of abused women so far.

If you only like action series, without a theme, don't watch this one.

You see, my enthusiasm is endless. I recommend it without a doubt.