Inkwrite takes readers on a historical and educational journey throughout the history of plants, using many of them to showcase not just their properties, but how they have been used, and their darker capabilities. And yet it was the accessible nature of his writing that captivated me almost as much as anything else. I was afraid when I bought this book that it would be full of academic jargon and heavy textbook-style prose that would put me to sleep, but what I got here were overviews of countless plants and their stories told in a style that I found surprisingly immersive rather than anything else. Added along with the line drawings in each section, and I was hooked. Plus, I must say, the production quality of this book is out of this world. I don’t typically buy physical books anymore, but this is absolutely one I’m glad I bought. It’s just gorgeous, from cover to cover. Edited by rising star A.R. Ward, this Ghost Orchid Press anthology contains 50 eco-horror tales from emerging authors. While eco-horror is more broadly defined than botanical gothic and can include animals and other ecological phenomena, you’ll find a number of stories to love in this book that are considered botanical gothic. I’m thrilled that my short story “The Devour of the Saddle Flower” is included within this spine-chilling anthology. 3. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

REVIEW: Botanical Curses and Poisons: A Fascinating - WWAC REVIEW: Botanical Curses and Poisons: A Fascinating - WWAC

The writing is wonderful too. The sub-title sums this one up perfectly; 'The Shadow-Lives of Plants'. Particularly as an avid reader of Historical Fiction there is so much here that I found so compelling; opium use in Victorian England, which has been mentioned in several of my recent Historical Fiction choices, herbalism and the persecution of witches...Discover the folklore and history of our most toxic plants through this beautifully produced, gorgeously illustrated compendium. If you drink much from a bottle marked ‘poison’, it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.’ – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland About the Author

Botanical Curses And Poisons by Fez Inkwright | Waterstones

Gothic author Eleanor Sciolistein says: “Another gorgeous slice of eerie Southern Gothic from a talented writer whose gift for building memorable and relatable characters is matched only by her ability to send a chill up the reader’s spine. Perfect for anyone with artistic leanings, The Haunting of Willow Creek is a rewarding read for any fans of gothic literature. Highly recommended.” 6. Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants by Fez Inkwright

Thank you so much to @turnaround_books and @liminal11 for sending me a copy of this stunning book in exchange for an honest review. This book is filled with meticulous detail on plants, the history behind poisoning and how a plant used to heal can be lethal if the incorrect dose is given. I’m a big gardener, and I’m also a fantasy author. When I started writing one of my current works in progress, I realized that after the pandemic and health issues and all the emotional upheaval and stress from that, I wanted to write a book that was maybe a bit softer, with a magic system that paid homage to the plant world that I love so much. But I didn’t really want a “kitchen witch” feel to the magic. I wanted something else entirely. I settled on a “flower magic” system.

Botanical Curses and Poisons - AbeBooks Botanical Curses and Poisons - AbeBooks

Desirable for the stunning cover and gorgeous interior illustrations alone, I wanted to include this nonfiction book about the shadow-lives of plants. Fez Inkwright gives a brief history of poisons and then includes an A-Z of the dark side of plants. It’s a handy guide that I know will be by my side for inspiration for a long time to come! Plant Your Roots in Botanical Gothic I don’t know if you’re a plant person like I am, but if you are, I highly suggest giving this book a read. It ended up being one of the highlights of my reading year so far. I'm not a plant aficionado. Hell, I can't keep a cactus alive. This book isn't here to shame; it's here to inspire. Okay, that may not be the healthiest thing...probably shouldn't take too much advice from this particular text. Inkwright has crafted a book that educates and entertain it's reader. There's an intriguing relationship between how writers have discussed these botanicals, how they've been used to kill (intentional and accidental), and what makes them spectacular.

Some of these I know from childhood, I remember being told very sternly that I must never ever touch the glistening berries of the Deadly Nightshade that I used to see growing down the lane near my house. I grew to learn which plants could hurt when you fell off your bike into them and even contemplating touching a mushroom was forbidden. Thankfully in this beautiful book by Fez Inkwright, the knowledge of which plants to avoid has been brought bang up to date. There are also historical and religious elements broader than folklore that are quite eye-opening, and that serve as interesting reminders about truth within reported history. I’ll be honest, at first a book about just poisons didn’t seem as wide of a topic as a book about herbal medicine in general, and so I was surprised to see that Botanical Curses and Poisons is actually quite a bit longer than Folk Magic and Healing. But describing it as a book about poisons is selling it short. Lots of plants can be poisonous but only in specific ways—maybe only a certain part of the plant is toxic or it’s dangerous only if prepared in a certain way. (Inky cap mushrooms, for instance, are safe to eat unless consumed with alcohol, at which point they become poisonous.) Plus, in addition to poisonous plants, it covers all sorts of plants with sinister history, ranging from uses in dark magic to mythological associations with death. The latter is actually a huge category, as there are all sorts of fascinating reasons a plant would become associated with death—perhaps it’s the favored flower of a goddess of death, or it might grow in graveyards, or it smells like rotting flesh, or maybe it just has a pale and spectral look that made people think of ghosts. Beans were associated with death in the British Isles because people noticed that more accidents happened in the mines during the season when bean plants flower, which was definitely caused by the beans and not the fact that mines were more dangerous during the rainy season! Other plants have built-in abilities that can feel sinister or malevolent. Cogon grass is very flammable and burns hotter than regular flames, an ability it uses to burn down the other plants around it to make room for cogon shoots to sprout in the newly barren earth.

Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants

First off I have to start by saying that this book about botanical curses and poisons is really quite stunning. It has a tactile cover which makes you want to stroke it before you open to reveal end papers which are filled with dramatic images of skulls, bones, berries and pretty cup shaped flowers, all of which I am sure have deadly portents. The facts about the different plants, and the folklore and mythology that are included make it feel like such a rich tapestry of storytelling. Your first thoughts about gothic fiction may not include vicious, thriving plant life. But if you’re a nature-lover, I invite you to take a closer look at the subgenre called “botanical gothic.”Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants was a wonderful blend of folklore, facts and coziness. I grew up surrounded by the stories that plants tell us. Almost every single person in my immediate family is a keen gardener and instilled that love within me at a very young age. I finally got my own garden for the first time this year so my obsession only continues to grow and this book was such a wonderful way to finish of my first full year of tending my garden throughout all seasons. That is not to say that I'm intending to grow poisonous plants, but it's always good to know what to avoid.