Flower Rose by Golden November is comedy, action, and drama rolled into one. This is a spinoff from The Characters of Milestoneville and it features one of its supporting characters, Flower Rose, in her own story. She is fifty years old, a bookstore owner in Milestoneville, and the sister of Dr. Yes. But the story begins during her prime as a student at Milestone University where she will be graduating with a 4.0 average. She has a no-nonsense attitude and has zero tolerance for B.S., and this is immediately reflected when someone asks her to switch dorms. The story is pretty straightforward as the narrative paves the path that will shape her from the past to the present, while it gives subplots on the exploits of other characters, most notably her brother. Here, they deal not only with missing rare books but coins and unpublished manuscripts as well. Flower Rose comes of age in the process, as she marries and has a family of her own.

Golden November’s unconventional storytelling has produced one of the finest looks at life in this spinoff novel. The author is undoubtedly a humorist who writes characters that are well-defined by their values and characteristics such as their craftiness, resourcefulness, wit, sincerity, frankness. Practically everything falls under the emotional spectrum as Flower Rose gives you her life story. These characters strike me as bittersweet meditations on the human experience, and it distinguishes November’s attitude to the subject matter. If Garrison Keillor has his Lake Wobegon and Edgar Lee Masters has his Spoon River, then November has Milestoneville. It may well etch its own name in the list of popular fictional places that have their own colorful and unabashed tapestry. Anyone drawn to stories with strong, diverse characters and settings will likely find it here.

Flower Rose (The Characters of Milestoneville Collector's Edition) is the third book in this series. Golden November intrigues readers with Flower Rose. As a college student, Flower Rose stands up to her snotty roommate and friends. Upon graduation, she goes home to Milestoneville and opens a bookstore. Her brother, June Yes, is an art collector, and through his dealings, Flower Rose meets some shady characters. One such man is Wally, the father of her son, Eric. The author leaves us with many questions concerning Flower Rose. You wonder what else will be revealed about this family when you read more by this author, knowing some of the other books intertwine and that this is a spin-off of another work.

Golden November is unlike most authors. These books read like a script but include illustrations on each page so readers understand the setting of where the characters are at, or what they are doing. With only dialog between the characters, the novel is shorter than expected for the amount of activity between the characters. The writing also depicts the characters' language or accent. Just as some people may speak with slang or improper English, the author stays consistent with those characters. This book could very easily be a foundation for a play. The author skillfully allows the reader to use their imagination to fill in what was not included in the story. I enjoyed reading this book once I understood the style Golden November wrote it in. Though a different style than I normally read, I want to read more from this author.