• 5 Star Reads
  • Audiobooks
  • Books on Screen
  • Children’s Books
  • Christian
  • Fiction
  • Giveaways

5 Minutes For Books

  • Home
  • About
    • Who Are We? Reviewer Bios
    • 5 Star Reads
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
  • Join In
    • 5 Minutes for Books Bookclub
    • Children’s Classics
    • Kids’ Picks
    • What’s on Your Nightstand
  • Link To Us
  • Contact
    • Advertise

Roses and Rot

August 17, 2016 by Nancy

RosesandRot_Audio

Imogen and her sister Marin were close as girls, as most sisters are, but dealing with their overbearing and dominating mother pushed them even closer together. But when Imogen went away to boarding school out of self-preservation, she didn’t expect her sister to completely shut her out.

After 7 years apart the sisters are reunited at Melete, an artist colony that has jump-started the careers of countless writers, dancers, poets, and other artists. Imogen, a writer, is thrilled at the opportunity for her work to be recognized and the chance to repair her relationship with Marin, a dancer.

It isn’t long after Imogen moves into Melete that she starts realizing all may not be as it seems, and there’s a reason so many alumnae of the colony became famous after leaving. There’s a price for success, and she isn’t sure it’s a price she’s willing to pay.

Roses and Rot is told from Imogen’s point of view, and we follow her as she moves into Melete, meets her roommates and mentor, and falls for a mysterious sculptor, while also revealing the details about her childhood and the sisters’ reasons for distancing themselves from their mother. As Imogen slowly learns what’s really going on at Melete, she realizes she has to save Marin from a fate she may not survive, while also trying not to damage their already fragile relationship even more.

I enjoyed a lot of different aspects of Roses and Rot – it’s part magical realism, part adult fairy tale, without going overboard on either. There are a few twists and turns that keep the story moving and the ending is somewhat expected but satisfying at the same time.

Notes on the audiobook: Roses and Rot is read by Madeleine Maby, the narrator du jour for several books I’ve listened to lately. I enjoyed listening to her read this book as I have with the others.

Filed Under: Audiobooks, Fiction, Nancy, Sci Fi/Fantasy

« When Friendship Followed Me Home, a 5-Star Read
Britt-Marie Was Here »

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to 5 Minutes for Books. We are a team blog dedicated to sharing reviews and information about children's lit, fiction, memoir, and more. Read More…

Reviews

5 Minutes for Books

Jennifer Donovan
Managing Editor

MEET OUR TEAM



Connect With Us


Pinterest

Community

Cybils Logo Draft 3

Disclosure:

Find out about our relationships with publishers and affiliate networks in our full disclosure statement.

Recent Posts

  • Sunday
  • Rules for Ruin
  • After Pearl
  • Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)
  • I Can’t Get No Satisfaction

Categories

Privacy Policy    |     Disclosure Policy
Terms & Conditions
© 5 Minutes for Mom

Let’s Socialize

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Pinterest is Our FAVORITE!

Find and Follow Us at
pinterest.com/5min4books

Copyright © 2025 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316