The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart review: A heartbreaker that stays with you

I challenge even the hardest of hearts not to be moved by The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.

The Prime Video drama, which has been adapted from Holly Ringland's best-selling novel of the same name, follows the protagonist across two timelines – as a young girl (Alyla Browne) who ends up in the care of her grandmother June (Sigourney Weaver) on a wildflower farm after her mother and father are killed in a fire, and as a young woman (Alycia Debnam-Carey) who is trying to find her feet in spite of her trauma, past and present.

Alice's father Clem was a cruel, violent man who would beat his daughter and her mother Agnes for anything he deemed objectionable. Occasionally he would soften – there's a scene when the trio are dancing to Bryan Ferry's Let's Stick Together in the kitchen and in that moment, you'd be none the wiser about his white hot temper. But those moments were few and far between and even when he laid down his fists, the bruises remained.

The deep-rooted, lasting impact of domestic violence is present throughout The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, from the effect it has on the protagonist – when she arrives at June's home, she has lost her voice as a result of PTSD and anxiety – to the farm itself, which is a refuge for women who have fled abusive relationships.

Those taken in by June and her partner Twig are nicknamed "the flowers" for the work they do behind the gates of Thornfield, which looks like it's been lifted straight out of a fairytale, with its big white house overlooking acres of lush green, studded with an abundance of Australian native flowers and shrubs.

The farm is as off-grid as it's possible to be for a business in the modern age in order to keep those inside safe from any prowlers seeking revenge. June, like the lone ranger with her wide-brimmed hat and gun, doesn't hesitate in putting herself at risk to protect those who have placed their trust in her – a heavy responsibility to bear, and a role Weaver inhabits with the ease of someone who has played her fair share of formidable women during her career – but there's nowhere else she'd rather be, for what could be more important than protecting their little oasis?

Behind closed doors, however, June's fears and anxieties come to the fore, particularly when Alice, who she had never met prior to her son's death, enters the frame. The Hart family has many secrets, all of which are devastating and destabilising – wear your waterproof mascara for this one, folks – which June attempts to keep hidden in an effort to protect Alice. But her ever-curious and strong-willed grand-daughter is determined to piece together the fragments of her life to better understand herself and become whole again, like the Japanese art of Kintsugi.

The more June attempts to control Alice's narrative, however well-meaning her intentions, the more her grandchild pushes back, particularly as she enters into young adulthood.

At just 13, Browne as young Alice demonstrates talents far beyond her years in a role which places significant emotional demands on her. Debnam-Carey, who is best known for Fear the Walking Dead and The 100, is well cast as adult Alice, who appears from episode 4 onwards. She has a magnetic quality, which is an essential component when you're playing the title character, and successfully captures the spirit Alice has gained from living on the farm with June and co, while also seamlessly displaying the character's deep-seated vulnerabilities.

There's much to appreciate about this drama, particularly its striking use of flowers. They each have a meaning – flannel flowers represent something that once was lost being found – which the women on the farm use to communicate with one another in moments of joy and conflict, to offer comfort and counsel, to warn and to ask for forgiveness, with their secret language subtitled in elegant white font.

That motif could easily have failed in its intention, a gimmick and nothing more. But the way in which the flowers are used as a second language is deeply affecting, giving the narrative real depth.

Coupled with stunningly atmospheric direction and cinematography from Glendyn Ivin and Sam Chiplin, and a score that captures both the beauty and the pain that makes up the lives of the women on-screen, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart sweeps you up in its arms and never lets you go.

If you or someone you know is at risk from domestic abuse please go to: www.womensaid.org.uk. You can also email helpline@womensaid.org.uk. For emotional support, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

For information and support, visit the NHS website or Rape Crisis England & Wales.

The first 3 episodes of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart are available to stream now on Prime Video now – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. The following 4 episodes will air weekly. Plus, read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime.

For more news, interviews and features, visit our Drama hub, or find something to watch now with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.