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House of Flowers
“How do you feel if you're in love?” she asked. “Ah,” said Rosita with swooning eyes, “you feel as though pepper has been sprinkled on your heart, as though tiny fish are swimming in your veins.”
'House of Flowers' is a short story written by Truman Capote, first published in 1958. It's a poignant story of romance, mystery and despair, dealing with the highs and lows found in our complicated lives. Here, Ottilie is entranced by a beautiful young man, and leaves her life and friends to live with him and his old grandmother, who seems to hate her.
Truman Capote (1924–1984) was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognized literary classics. His first novel, 'Other Voices, Other Rooms' (1948) stayed on the bestseller list for nine weeks. In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction, such as the novella 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1958). His masterpiece, 'In Cold Blood' (1965), became a worldwide success, after which he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59. At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
'House of Flowers' is a short story written by Truman Capote, first published in 1958. It's a poignant story of romance, mystery and despair, dealing with the highs and lows found in our complicated lives. Here, Ottilie is entranced by a beautiful young man, and leaves her life and friends to live with him and his old grandmother, who seems to hate her.
Truman Capote (1924–1984) was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognized literary classics. His first novel, 'Other Voices, Other Rooms' (1948) stayed on the bestseller list for nine weeks. In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction, such as the novella 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1958). His masterpiece, 'In Cold Blood' (1965), became a worldwide success, after which he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59. At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
62 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
About the author
Truman Capote
307 books6,824 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Truman Capote was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognised literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
He was born as Truman Streckfus Persons to a salesman Archulus Persons and young Lillie Mae. His parents divorced when he was four and he went to live with his mother's relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He was a lonely child who learned to read and write by himself before entering school. In 1933, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her new husband, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born businessman. Mr. Capote adopted Truman, legally changing his last name to Capote and enrolling him in private school. After graduating from high school in 1942, Truman Capote began his regular job as a copy boy at The New Yorker. During this time, he also began his career as a writer, publishing many short stories which introduced him into a circle of literary critics. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks and became controversial because of the photograph of Capote used to promote the novel, posing seductively and gazing into the camera.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction. His masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a story about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, was published in 1966 in book form by Random House, became a worldwide success and brought Capote much praise from the literary community. After this success he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59.
Truman Capote was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognised literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
He was born as Truman Streckfus Persons to a salesman Archulus Persons and young Lillie Mae. His parents divorced when he was four and he went to live with his mother's relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He was a lonely child who learned to read and write by himself before entering school. In 1933, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her new husband, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born businessman. Mr. Capote adopted Truman, legally changing his last name to Capote and enrolling him in private school. After graduating from high school in 1942, Truman Capote began his regular job as a copy boy at The New Yorker. During this time, he also began his career as a writer, publishing many short stories which introduced him into a circle of literary critics. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks and became controversial because of the photograph of Capote used to promote the novel, posing seductively and gazing into the camera.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction. His masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a story about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, was published in 1966 in book form by Random House, became a worldwide success and brought Capote much praise from the literary community. After this success he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
July 26, 2023
2.5 stars
"[The voodoo priest] gave her a message: You must catch a wild bee, and hold it in your closed hand . . . if the bee does not sting, then you will know you have found love." -- what's the buzz, page 5
A short story from early in Capote's writing career, House of Flowers is about Ottilie, the most popular 'working girl' at a Haitian house of ill repute nicknamed Champs Elysees. Although relatively content with her questionable way of life - as she knows no other means - the sadly illiterate Ottilie yearns for some actual romance. She believes she finds it while attending a cockfight (?!) upon meeting Royal, a charming young man who has a house via a family inheritance. They quickly set up a domestic arrangement, but things then quickly spiral into some increasingly weird territory owing to Royal's spiteful grandmother (altogether now - 'she's a witch - I hate her!', as if you're warbling the parody tune 'The Twelve Pains of Christmas') and his own possibly backsliding ways. Capote's descriptions of the characters and unique setting were the best and most tangible parts of this brief narrative, but it was otherwise unremarkable. Possibly the most interesting factoid concerning this unusual tale is that it was adapted into an ill-fated Broadway musical in the mid 1950's.
"[The voodoo priest] gave her a message: You must catch a wild bee, and hold it in your closed hand . . . if the bee does not sting, then you will know you have found love." -- what's the buzz, page 5
A short story from early in Capote's writing career, House of Flowers is about Ottilie, the most popular 'working girl' at a Haitian house of ill repute nicknamed Champs Elysees. Although relatively content with her questionable way of life - as she knows no other means - the sadly illiterate Ottilie yearns for some actual romance. She believes she finds it while attending a cockfight (?!) upon meeting Royal, a charming young man who has a house via a family inheritance. They quickly set up a domestic arrangement, but things then quickly spiral into some increasingly weird territory owing to Royal's spiteful grandmother (altogether now - 'she's a witch - I hate her!', as if you're warbling the parody tune 'The Twelve Pains of Christmas') and his own possibly backsliding ways. Capote's descriptions of the characters and unique setting were the best and most tangible parts of this brief narrative, but it was otherwise unremarkable. Possibly the most interesting factoid concerning this unusual tale is that it was adapted into an ill-fated Broadway musical in the mid 1950's.
December 20, 2024
3,5*
#abrilcontosmil
Ottillie was used to boldly smiling at men; but now her smile was fragmentary, it clung to her lips like cake crumbs.
Além de ser um conto, “House of Flowers” foi também um musical desenvolvido pelo próprio Truman Capote e levado à cena em 1954, na Broadway, onde não conheceu um sucesso digno de nota.
Apesar de o trio de prostitutas de Port-au-Prince me ter conquistado com a sua forma de estar, esta foi a história de Capote que menos apreciei até à data, talvez por ele estar mais a sul que o seu habitat natural, mas a sua mensagem é universal: quando nenhuma das alternativas é boa, deixamos que seja o coração a decidir.
How do you feel if you’re in love? she asked. Ah, said Rosita with swooning eyes, you feel as though pepper has been sprinkled on your heart, as though tiny fish are swimming in your veins.
#abrilcontosmil
Ottillie was used to boldly smiling at men; but now her smile was fragmentary, it clung to her lips like cake crumbs.
Além de ser um conto, “House of Flowers” foi também um musical desenvolvido pelo próprio Truman Capote e levado à cena em 1954, na Broadway, onde não conheceu um sucesso digno de nota.
Apesar de o trio de prostitutas de Port-au-Prince me ter conquistado com a sua forma de estar, esta foi a história de Capote que menos apreciei até à data, talvez por ele estar mais a sul que o seu habitat natural, mas a sua mensagem é universal: quando nenhuma das alternativas é boa, deixamos que seja o coração a decidir.
How do you feel if you’re in love? she asked. Ah, said Rosita with swooning eyes, you feel as though pepper has been sprinkled on your heart, as though tiny fish are swimming in your veins.
March 26, 2013
I enjoyed this quick story, although I was disappointed in the ending. How Ottilie could choose to stay with Royal instead of returning with her friends is beyond me.
But I think that, as short as this story is, that's sort of the point: the power of love--how love comes with sacrifices and causes you to make decisions you wouldn't otherwise make, all coming with the annoying mother-in-law that's so typical to modern society.
In addition, this sort of teaches you that it's not always best to trust superstition. Ottilie is told that the bee that doesn't sting her means she is in love. The bee stings her at the prospect of Mr. Jamison and not for Royal, when in the end, the correct decision would have been Mr. Jamison.
Overall, it makes you think. Good short story. I love Truman Capote.
But I think that, as short as this story is, that's sort of the point: the power of love--how love comes with sacrifices and causes you to make decisions you wouldn't otherwise make, all coming with the annoying mother-in-law that's so typical to modern society.
In addition, this sort of teaches you that it's not always best to trust superstition. Ottilie is told that the bee that doesn't sting her means she is in love. The bee stings her at the prospect of Mr. Jamison and not for Royal, when in the end, the correct decision would have been Mr. Jamison.
Overall, it makes you think. Good short story. I love Truman Capote.
June 30, 2021
Me encanta como escribe éste hombre.
Me atrapan sus relatos y tiene el don de mezclar humor y situaciones desafortunadas con mucho atino.
Me encantan sus descripciones y sus personajes
Me atrapan sus relatos y tiene el don de mezclar humor y situaciones desafortunadas con mucho atino.
Me encantan sus descripciones y sus personajes
October 3, 2014
“House of Flowers” is one of three pieces of short fiction included at the end of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s the story of Ottilie, a young woman from Haiti, whose only power is in deciding which life of submission she will lead, one as a prostitute or one as the wife of Royal Bonaparte, a native from the mountains. What makes this story remarkable, I think, is the double side of Ottilie’s situation. She is strong-minded and feels the power of being able to choose, but the reader sees just how dismal her choices are.
Ottilie is younger and prettier than the other women at Champs Elysées, a bordello in Port au Prince, and she’s also a customer favorite. The proprietress, to protect her investment, gives Ottilie the best room with an electric light-bulb and the men buy her bangles and silks. She is happy with these new things, for she had nothing as a girl in the mountains. She laughs and gossips with her new friends, Baby and Rosita, and the bordello becomes her home.
But despite the attention from her customers, Ottilie wants love. She thinks she might love Mr. Jamison, an older American and one of her best customers. “How do you feel if you’re in love?” she asks her friends from the bordello. They tell her she will feel pepper on her heart and tiny fish swimming through her veins, but she does not understand. A voodoo priest tells her, “You must catch a wild bee and hold it in your closed hand…if the bee does not sting, then you will know you have found love.”
But the bee stings her hard and she knows she has not found love in Mr. Jamison.
It’s different when she meets Royal Bonaparte at a cockfight during carnival season. Like Ottilie, he’s from the mountains and she is drawn to this and to his beauty. She thinks she recognizes love. Capote is great at describing how she feels and it’s easy to picture her looking tentatively at Royal. “Ottilie was used to boldly smiling at men; but now her smile was fragmentary, it clung to her lips like cake crumbs.”
And when the bee does not sting her, she knows.
Royal takes her to his house of flowers, a seeming haven covered with wisteria and lilies, kept cool by its cover. But Ottilie’s new life is not easy and Royal soon returns to his old unmarried ways. And this married life includes Old Bonaparte, Royal’s spell-making grandmother, “a charred, lumpy creature” who torments Ottilie by leaving a cat’s head in her sewing basket, dead snakes and other dead creatures in the house. It’s a battle of wills and Ottilie fights back with clever revenge. When Old Bonaparte dies, Royal insists that Ottilie be tied to a tree for a day as punishment, to break the grandmother’s spell.
When Baby and Rosita come to rescue her, Ottilie must choose, but which life is better, one that promises security and friendship, but takes away much more, or one that started with love, but has turned into something else?
I liked this story because of Capote’s precise character descriptions. He explains situations by what his characters say, or don’t say, and by what they do. For example, through Rosita, he shows you how Ottilie is unable to see the house of flowers for what it is, small and unremarkable, promising nothing. Ottilie tells Baby and Rosita they need to get to a cool place and points to the house. She says, “It’s like you picked a wagon of flowers and built a house with them: that is what I think.” But Rosita sees the house differently. Instead of agreeing with Ottilie about the house, she sniffs and says only that they should get out of the sun. I think this is a terrific way of showing how communication is often subtle and hidden between the lines.
I also like how Capote gives you a glimpse of Royal’s true character and how it doesn’t come out completely until the end of the story. After Royal has dragged Ottilie out of the house, kicking and screaming and biting, he walks off to work annoyed, “sucking his hand where she had bit him.” Capote doesn’t say Royal is a jerk, he shows it in this small detail.
Ottilie chooses and the story ends, but not without the twist of a mind game, something I always love in a story. We can see she is trapped either way, but her spirit exerts some independence and rebellion. And I don’t think she feels bad or helpless about her decision.
I think this story reads a lot like a folk tale, mixing modern situations with old ways and superstitions. It seems like an experiment with style and characterization and I enjoyed reading it!
“House of Flowers” opened as a musical in 1954 with a cast that included Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll. Capote also wrote the play, but made a lot of changes in the plot. Harold Aren wrote the music and the lyrics. It was Capote’s only musical and closed after 165 performances, to poor reviews.
Here’s a link to information about the musical: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of...
Ottilie is younger and prettier than the other women at Champs Elysées, a bordello in Port au Prince, and she’s also a customer favorite. The proprietress, to protect her investment, gives Ottilie the best room with an electric light-bulb and the men buy her bangles and silks. She is happy with these new things, for she had nothing as a girl in the mountains. She laughs and gossips with her new friends, Baby and Rosita, and the bordello becomes her home.
But despite the attention from her customers, Ottilie wants love. She thinks she might love Mr. Jamison, an older American and one of her best customers. “How do you feel if you’re in love?” she asks her friends from the bordello. They tell her she will feel pepper on her heart and tiny fish swimming through her veins, but she does not understand. A voodoo priest tells her, “You must catch a wild bee and hold it in your closed hand…if the bee does not sting, then you will know you have found love.”
But the bee stings her hard and she knows she has not found love in Mr. Jamison.
It’s different when she meets Royal Bonaparte at a cockfight during carnival season. Like Ottilie, he’s from the mountains and she is drawn to this and to his beauty. She thinks she recognizes love. Capote is great at describing how she feels and it’s easy to picture her looking tentatively at Royal. “Ottilie was used to boldly smiling at men; but now her smile was fragmentary, it clung to her lips like cake crumbs.”
And when the bee does not sting her, she knows.
Royal takes her to his house of flowers, a seeming haven covered with wisteria and lilies, kept cool by its cover. But Ottilie’s new life is not easy and Royal soon returns to his old unmarried ways. And this married life includes Old Bonaparte, Royal’s spell-making grandmother, “a charred, lumpy creature” who torments Ottilie by leaving a cat’s head in her sewing basket, dead snakes and other dead creatures in the house. It’s a battle of wills and Ottilie fights back with clever revenge. When Old Bonaparte dies, Royal insists that Ottilie be tied to a tree for a day as punishment, to break the grandmother’s spell.
When Baby and Rosita come to rescue her, Ottilie must choose, but which life is better, one that promises security and friendship, but takes away much more, or one that started with love, but has turned into something else?
I liked this story because of Capote’s precise character descriptions. He explains situations by what his characters say, or don’t say, and by what they do. For example, through Rosita, he shows you how Ottilie is unable to see the house of flowers for what it is, small and unremarkable, promising nothing. Ottilie tells Baby and Rosita they need to get to a cool place and points to the house. She says, “It’s like you picked a wagon of flowers and built a house with them: that is what I think.” But Rosita sees the house differently. Instead of agreeing with Ottilie about the house, she sniffs and says only that they should get out of the sun. I think this is a terrific way of showing how communication is often subtle and hidden between the lines.
I also like how Capote gives you a glimpse of Royal’s true character and how it doesn’t come out completely until the end of the story. After Royal has dragged Ottilie out of the house, kicking and screaming and biting, he walks off to work annoyed, “sucking his hand where she had bit him.” Capote doesn’t say Royal is a jerk, he shows it in this small detail.
Ottilie chooses and the story ends, but not without the twist of a mind game, something I always love in a story. We can see she is trapped either way, but her spirit exerts some independence and rebellion. And I don’t think she feels bad or helpless about her decision.
I think this story reads a lot like a folk tale, mixing modern situations with old ways and superstitions. It seems like an experiment with style and characterization and I enjoyed reading it!
“House of Flowers” opened as a musical in 1954 with a cast that included Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll. Capote also wrote the play, but made a lot of changes in the plot. Harold Aren wrote the music and the lyrics. It was Capote’s only musical and closed after 165 performances, to poor reviews.
Here’s a link to information about the musical: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of...
December 26, 2016
Writing > story.
May 11, 2020
The writing was phenomenal, but the story itself? Eh. I liked it but I didn’t love it and I’m not too sure why, I believe that maybe I just didn’t like the ending that much.
May 31, 2013
Truman Capote was a gay man, correct? Is that why he liked writing about stupid women who were prostitutes? Is this what he envisions when he thinks of women?
This short story was included in the copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's that I bought, so I decided to see what it was about. And yes, it was about a stupid woman who was a whore.
There are two more Capote stories included in my book. Hopefully we will get a theme change with the next two. Got anything about a smart woman Truman, one who doesn't sell her body for money?
Just asking.
This short story was included in the copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's that I bought, so I decided to see what it was about. And yes, it was about a stupid woman who was a whore.
There are two more Capote stories included in my book. Hopefully we will get a theme change with the next two. Got anything about a smart woman Truman, one who doesn't sell her body for money?
Just asking.
July 24, 2015
A short story I really enjoyed, enjoyed the beautifully imagined setting, interesting set of characters, the creepy element of the story, that combines a drastic childhood with a one of a kind love story between Oilette and Royal, but the ending was not understandable. I think I can understand that this story revolves around the whole idea of what love could force us to do, but this was too much.
February 3, 2023
Men not so Charming
24 January 2023 - Annandale
So, after reading In Cold Blood I thought that Truman Capote was one awesome writer, and some of his other works were definitely on my list of books to read. However, it sort of turned out to be like F. Scott Fitzgerald where there is one book that is essentially a classic, and a bunch of other books that only the die hard fans know about. Well, okay, there is Breakfast at Tiffany’s but I’ll get to that in due course, namely after I have watched the movie and then read it a second time.
The problem that I have found with some of these short stories though is that I can’t really get into them all that much. Actually, I felt the same with Tiffany’s as well, but I do plan on giving it another go, where as this one I’ll probably just leave and move on to something else. Sure, it is a short story, but there are a number of other rather chunky books that I want/need to read.
Anyway, some people say that this story is about the illusion of choice, or rather the choice between bondage, and bondage, but I’m not quite sure if that is the case. If Otillie is basing her decisions on whether a bee stings her or not, I’m not quite sure if that is what is called making a choice. You know, it’s like tossing a coin, or pulling petals off a flower chanting ‘she loves me, she loves me not’. Okay, when I flip a coin, I usually have already made up my mind and just want some confirmation, but yeah, making a choice based on the outcome of a random event is hardly a choice (and that doesn’t include the ones where you can actually manipulate the outcome, but then that would be tossing a coin until you get the result you want).
On the other hand, I get the impression that Royal Bonaparte is sort of like that type of person we all know, you know, the one who is all charming and lovely at first, but turns out to be a complete cretin. Actually, it really gets me how people say that potential partners want somebody who is strong and powerful, but that is rubbish, I suspect people prefer their partners to be kind and considerate, but decisive as well, not some weak and pathetic individual that runs away whenever there is a problem, or is so indecisive that they can’t make up their mind.
Actually, it used to be some of those rather toxic males, the ones who tend to target the incels, but ironically I’ve noticed that Youtube is now playing ads where the women are making these statements. Hold it, Youtube is playing ads where courses are being offered to teach men how to be thugs. Then again, there are also a bunch of ads on crypto and trading, so yeah, it isn’t as if Youtube really filters out the ads as much as they should.
So, in the end, I can’t really say that I felt that this book was all that great, except that, well, he does capture the nature of life, particularly in the case of a woman like Olittie.
24 January 2023 - Annandale
So, after reading In Cold Blood I thought that Truman Capote was one awesome writer, and some of his other works were definitely on my list of books to read. However, it sort of turned out to be like F. Scott Fitzgerald where there is one book that is essentially a classic, and a bunch of other books that only the die hard fans know about. Well, okay, there is Breakfast at Tiffany’s but I’ll get to that in due course, namely after I have watched the movie and then read it a second time.
The problem that I have found with some of these short stories though is that I can’t really get into them all that much. Actually, I felt the same with Tiffany’s as well, but I do plan on giving it another go, where as this one I’ll probably just leave and move on to something else. Sure, it is a short story, but there are a number of other rather chunky books that I want/need to read.
Anyway, some people say that this story is about the illusion of choice, or rather the choice between bondage, and bondage, but I’m not quite sure if that is the case. If Otillie is basing her decisions on whether a bee stings her or not, I’m not quite sure if that is what is called making a choice. You know, it’s like tossing a coin, or pulling petals off a flower chanting ‘she loves me, she loves me not’. Okay, when I flip a coin, I usually have already made up my mind and just want some confirmation, but yeah, making a choice based on the outcome of a random event is hardly a choice (and that doesn’t include the ones where you can actually manipulate the outcome, but then that would be tossing a coin until you get the result you want).
On the other hand, I get the impression that Royal Bonaparte is sort of like that type of person we all know, you know, the one who is all charming and lovely at first, but turns out to be a complete cretin. Actually, it really gets me how people say that potential partners want somebody who is strong and powerful, but that is rubbish, I suspect people prefer their partners to be kind and considerate, but decisive as well, not some weak and pathetic individual that runs away whenever there is a problem, or is so indecisive that they can’t make up their mind.
Actually, it used to be some of those rather toxic males, the ones who tend to target the incels, but ironically I’ve noticed that Youtube is now playing ads where the women are making these statements. Hold it, Youtube is playing ads where courses are being offered to teach men how to be thugs. Then again, there are also a bunch of ads on crypto and trading, so yeah, it isn’t as if Youtube really filters out the ads as much as they should.
So, in the end, I can’t really say that I felt that this book was all that great, except that, well, he does capture the nature of life, particularly in the case of a woman like Olittie.
September 15, 2019
Super quick read! Interesting story. I enjoyed it.
November 23, 2009
I really love Truman Capote's writings. It is simple, vivid, alive and real. He does not waste my time with over explaining and over describing a scene or a dress. I can feel the air, taste the rum, and smell the flowers without him telling me everything. I really enjoyed this read. It was super quick and fun. Makes me think when I see a bee now. :)
December 15, 2017
Read this after reading Breakfast at Tiffany's, which depicts a woman as nothing more than a simple minded fool, with a need to look pretty and put together. This short story was no different. Disliked the characters and the story. Thankfully, it was super short.
October 5, 2021
This was the bizarrest short story I have ever read. I was smiling while reading because the text is very well written, which made it exciting to read further. The beginning of the story was clear but further in the story, it was more confusing, certain the Endung was bizarre. A cruel grandmother who was really scary, played a big role together with the main characters. The characters were well-chosen because they were all so different and had their own story. Religious elements also Player a big role , which made it very interesting. I really enjoyed it.
October 5, 2021
I really liked this story because I’ve never read anything like this. The characters were very original and different from each other. They were nicely written and well developed characters. The story in general was beautifully written and easy to read. The writing described the exotic atmosphere very well. I also really enjoyed the creepy element to the story. The way the interesting suspense changed throughout the story was very amusing. I loved the surprising twist at the end but i do think some readers would maybe find it dissapointing but i found it pleasant.
October 5, 2021
I agree with Radwa. The setting is very good written.Ottilie was gullible, in my opinion, because she followed Royal without knowing him. She wasn’t a loyal friend because she chooses her lover over her friends. The end was unpredictable. Royal is malicious, narrow-minded and possessive. I recommend reading this book if you like plot twists.
January 24, 2024
Nothing special, sorta reads like an old folk tale. But Capote is a great writer! His descriptions are so good. It also reminded me of the new movie Poor Things a little bit.
“…and a breeze, rich with the scent of rained on-flowers…” this made me miss summer
“…and a breeze, rich with the scent of rained on-flowers…” this made me miss summer
November 18, 2023
The opinions seem to agree here; Capote's writing in this story; so good. The story itself; kinda so-so. It had the interesting feel of a fable, but as with so many short stories, I didn't like the ending.
Libby e-book loan
Libby e-book loan
June 10, 2021
Truman Capote – Una casa de flores (1958)
«Tienes que cazar una abeja, le dijo, y retenerla dentro de la mano... Si no te clava su aguijón, llegará el día en que sabrás que has encontrado el amor».
[3/5] ★★★☆☆
Reseña:
En este cuento Truman nos presenta a una chica que por cuestiones de la vida acaba como prostituta.
Ottilie quiere enamorarse. Es soñadora e impresionable y su belleza destaca de entre las demás muchachas de la casona en que trabaja.
Un día conoce a Royal un montañés que la cautiva y decide dejar su cómoda vida para casarse y vivir con él. Es a partir de entonces que tendrá que afrontar la cotidianeidad de su matrimonio alejada de sus amigas y lidiar con la abuela de su marido, la vieja bruja Bonaparte que le hará la vida imposible.
Este relato suele venir en algunas ediciones junto a la historia de Desayuno en Tiffany's.
Opinión:
La historia me pareció interesante y creo que quizá daba para más. Ottilie que anhela enamorarse, cree que lo ha hecho debido al burdo concepto que tiene del amor y hace enormes sacrificios por este ideal, pone su amor como prioridad incluso a pesar de ella y esa parte me resuena porque la protagonista hace sus propias elecciones.
Como suele pasarme en este tipo de relatos me quedan preguntas y las ganas de ahondar más en sus personajes.
Sin mayores pretensiones se trata de un cuento entretenido y de fácil lectura.
---
Tiempo Literario
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«Tienes que cazar una abeja, le dijo, y retenerla dentro de la mano... Si no te clava su aguijón, llegará el día en que sabrás que has encontrado el amor».
[3/5] ★★★☆☆
Reseña:
En este cuento Truman nos presenta a una chica que por cuestiones de la vida acaba como prostituta.
Ottilie quiere enamorarse. Es soñadora e impresionable y su belleza destaca de entre las demás muchachas de la casona en que trabaja.
Un día conoce a Royal un montañés que la cautiva y decide dejar su cómoda vida para casarse y vivir con él. Es a partir de entonces que tendrá que afrontar la cotidianeidad de su matrimonio alejada de sus amigas y lidiar con la abuela de su marido, la vieja bruja Bonaparte que le hará la vida imposible.
Este relato suele venir en algunas ediciones junto a la historia de Desayuno en Tiffany's.
Opinión:
La historia me pareció interesante y creo que quizá daba para más. Ottilie que anhela enamorarse, cree que lo ha hecho debido al burdo concepto que tiene del amor y hace enormes sacrificios por este ideal, pone su amor como prioridad incluso a pesar de ella y esa parte me resuena porque la protagonista hace sus propias elecciones.
Como suele pasarme en este tipo de relatos me quedan preguntas y las ganas de ahondar más en sus personajes.
Sin mayores pretensiones se trata de un cuento entretenido y de fácil lectura.
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Tiempo Literario
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March 23, 2017
Truman Capote is a masterful storyteller. Though this is only the second of his I have read, it has definitely encouraged me to read the remainder of his works. House of Flowers has a unique form of dialogue, giving the notion that it is being told rather than using quotation marks to indicate a character is speaking. Capote's use of description is admirable, and it is clear that as a writer I could learn a lot from him. I would recommend this story to those who enjoyed Capote's other works.
May 25, 2017
Was part of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Didn't enjoy
April 4, 2018
Hmmm, what an odd yet interesting story.
Read
August 14, 2024this was actually so weirdly beautiful. i love truman capote’s writing and how breathable his prose is. i don’t necessarily view this as a love story, although it kinda is?? it’s so weird and disturbing, but at the same time comforting and emotional. somehow it still made me numb, it still made me think. i love the landscape, the characters (i have a serious love-hate relationship with royal, but i adored baby), their eerie dialogues!!
as this is a short story, i find it hard to rate it, as it lacks substance and material which i could comment and analyze, but still i think this might just be my favorite short story?? 🧐
“Her smile was fragmentary, it clung to her lips like cake crumbs.” - are you kidding me that description is so clever and sweet 😭😭
p.s. you dont wanna eat while reading this, trust me
as this is a short story, i find it hard to rate it, as it lacks substance and material which i could comment and analyze, but still i think this might just be my favorite short story?? 🧐
“Her smile was fragmentary, it clung to her lips like cake crumbs.” - are you kidding me that description is so clever and sweet 😭😭
p.s. you dont wanna eat while reading this, trust me
October 5, 2021
After reading Capote’s short story, I think many people would agree when I say the writing style and the sentence structures in this story were not the easiest to read. In the story, many things happened at once and it wasn’t always easy to follow. But for me, these “barriers” weren’t necessarily a bad thing. Because I always had to figure out what exactly was going on, I was constantly entertained and I was able to remain focussed all the way through. I really liked the exotic and dramatic aspect of the story, which made it interesting and fun to read. In general, I think “House of Flowers” is a really well-written piece of literature and I sincerely recommend taking some time to read this short story.
October 5, 2021
I really enjoyed reading “House of Flowers”. The story is about someone who’s very obstinate and impetuous, willing to find true love.
The story is written very lively with exotic characters, like the malicious, witchy mother-in-law. I love the main character who’s loyal to her lover, but also unpredictable. It was a well built piece of literature, ending in a surprising twisting point. I think the ending was rather weird, I didn’t expect her to stay with her egocentric husband, leaving her benevolent friends behind.
The story is written very lively with exotic characters, like the malicious, witchy mother-in-law. I love the main character who’s loyal to her lover, but also unpredictable. It was a well built piece of literature, ending in a surprising twisting point. I think the ending was rather weird, I didn’t expect her to stay with her egocentric husband, leaving her benevolent friends behind.
March 3, 2019
A Haitian prostitute marries a farm boy and encounters an increasingly sinister mother-in-law.
May 5, 2019
A beautiful short story about the power of love.
April 3, 2023
*2.5 stars*
July 13, 2023
Tied herself back to a tree and pretended to be dead to scare her husband? Queen 😋
Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews