Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants

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At a fundamental level, we are all sustained by plants, either from the oxygen they supply or from the food they can provide or by using them to build shelters. But we would be foolish to think of them as passive lifeforms that can accept being munched by any passing animal. They have developed sophisticated defences to stop them from disappearing down the gullet of a herbivore. These defences can vary from the spiked leaves, sour-tasting stems all the way to the utterly lethal parts of some plants that can kill an animal in a short space of time. I’ve rounded up a list of six botanical gothic books as a great entry point into the genre. While by no means an exhaustive list, with these books, you’ll be ready to plant your own gothic garden in no time. It’s rare for an encyclopaedia- style non-fiction book to be so moreish. But I was hooked. It definitely helps that I have a long term love of plants and folklore, sprouting from a childhood spent in wings chasing fairies through bluebell woods and a family full of avid gardeners and believers in magic. Books like this solidify my belief that while science makes us understand the effects of plants differently, the effects remain the same. Not to get phenomenological about it but, to me, if it feels like magic. The A-Z layout of the plants makes for a really manageable structure, and gives the reader regular natural breaks to allow for them to reflect and absorb what they have read. But the facts and stories themselves are so interesting that you can easily read a large portion in one sitting. 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.

Review | Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Review | Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of

Unexpected additions to this list were plants such as broad beans, hydrangea, willow and even basil. There are some truly deadly additions to this list including one that is highly restricted under the terrorism act in the UK. As well as the plants that will make your life much shorter and painful, Inkwright has included plants that have been used in folklore to curse others, such as elder, hellebore and willow.This collection is a stellar roundup of tales that capture the birth of the botanical gothic genre. Published in the span of 1844 to 1932, the 14 short fiction works in the collection are written by some of the greatest gothic writers in history. Daisy Butcher gives a fascinating and insightful introduction that will make you want to dive deeper into the collected stories and the genre itself. 2. Chlorophobia: An Eco-Horror Anthology by A.R. Ward This book is truly a stunning work of art as much as it is a writing on the A-Z of plants and their sometimes dark and nefarious history. The text flows around and between beautiful illustrations, and includes poems, quotes and various wisdoms about each plant as well as the history and folklore associated with it.

Botanical Curses and Poisons - The Shadow-Lives of Plants Botanical Curses and Poisons - The Shadow-Lives of Plants

While each plant does get an overview of history, mythology, and the like, it is just an overview. Important information is given, and I used many of these bits of what I learned as I read to give me jumping-off points for further reading. IE: I went on many an internet deep dive doing research to learn more about these plants after I read about them. For this reason, I will say, this is a book best savored rather than devoured. There’s a ton of information here, but if you’re like me, you’ll be, “Oh, that’s interesting, I want to learn more” google searching as you read. It’ll slow your progress down a bit, but that’s okay, because this is one of those books that is best savored. It’s just, quite frankly, that good. 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. This book is a perfect mix of botany, folklore, and all things witchy. It is a very interesting read, especially for non-fiction, and is beautifully illustrated throughout. Reader, it was probably one of the best random decisions I’ve made in a while. This book was fantastic.

Discover the folklore and history of our most toxic plants through this beautifully produced, gorgeously illustrated compendium. My current WIP features a carnivorous plant that I invented. When I got to the carnivorous plant section, I learned that it would likely be a part of the sundew family and not entirely impractical in it's invention. This is what I mean by inspiration. There's a never-ending supply of fun ways to kill characters. Perfect for any mischievous writer. The reason tomatoes are included in this tome is worth the retail price. Today is my spot on the blog tour for 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒; ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ-ʟɪᴠᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴘʟᴀɴᴛꜱ by Fez Inkwright. Thank you to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours and Liminal 11 for sending me a copy of this beautiful book. Definitely one for anybody interested in folklore and myth, as well as plant lovers. This was truly fascinating.