Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants

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I'm Asha and the one constant in my life is that I have always had an enormous, overflowing pile of books to read. Physically. In my house. Taking up all the space. Threatening to break the bookshelves. It's probably about time I read them. 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. 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. So, grab a cup of tea, a comfortable chair, and prepare to delve into the dark, twisted world of botanical gothic literature. 1. Evil Roots: Killer Tales of the Botanical Gothic by Daisy Butcher

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

All this is discussed, and more, in Botanical Curses and Poisons, the latest book by author/illustrator Fez Inkwright and a pretty direct followup to her charming 2019 publication Folk Magic and Healing. Inkwright cites botany, nature, early religions and folklore as her greatest passions, and all of these topics are seen in equal measure in both her books. Botanical Curses and Poisons makes a great companion piece, not just because the two books would look great on a shelf together, but also because it’s structured very similarly to its predecessor. With the exception of a few interesting short articles at the beginning, most of the book is set up like an encyclopedia of botanicals. Each entry starts with an excerpt from poetry or literature that references the plant, and most also include a beautiful and delicate ink drawing of what it looks like. They certainly do look nice together, though!

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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. What you get: Fez Inkwright is an illustrator and author with a passion and knowledge of botany, nature, primitive religions, and folklore. She has produced work for children's books, created hand-drawn maps, and designed tattoos. She lives in Bristol, England. HARDCOVER. Condition: NEW. Liminal 11. HARDCOVER. 2021. 1912634228 :Subject:Science | Natural History . NEW. It is well known how plants have been used through time for healing and their medicinal properties, but as with all nature where there is good bad will surely follow. Discover the folklore and history of our most malignant, toxic plants. Poisonings are among the most memorable deaths in history, from the Roman Empire to the Medieval era and beyond. Concealed and deliberate, it is a crime that must be planned in advance. And yet there is a fine line between healing and poisoning – Paracelsus argued that only the dosage matters!

Botanical Curses and Poisons: The - Yumpu EBOOK [P.D.F] Botanical Curses and Poisons: The - Yumpu

Have you ever wondered what deadly nightshade tastes like, and how long it would take to kill you? Or why did they decide to call it mistletoe? Or why violets are so commonly displayed at funerals? 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.

Content warnings: Discussions of death, murder, poisoning, injury, medical symptoms, miscarriage and other medical grimness. The folklore elements in this book really brought it alive, beyond what I had anticipated and I really liked that it didn't just focus on the "celebrity" plants (as I described them to my mum when I told her I was reading this.) There was a lot focus on the folklore surrounding herbs, which I had no idea about and I found these parts really interesting and educational. Kingfisher takes these elements from the original story and ratchets it up to ten million, with the most eerie fungi (and rabbits!) that I’ve ever read. Yes, fungi may not technically be a plant, but as Daisy Butcher mentions in her Evil Roots introduction, they largely operate in a similar thematic manner. So What Moves the Dead is not to be missed for anyone looking to read more botanical gothic works. 4. The Evil Garden by Edward Gorey 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.

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

The facts about the different plants, and the folklore and mythology that are included make it feel like such a rich tapestry of storytelling. Gamers never feel more present and alive than when their efforts come to fruition; GMs will weave crooked quests concerning the gathering of ingredients for poisons or curatives, players will brew concoctions of deadly verdance for the sake of good or ill. This is an essential companion for the darkly poetic, the riddler, the night elf. Imbue your Druids with dripping poison sap, your carefully whittled arrows with unspeakable banes, your potions with natural scourges. Create notable villains that offer vile physic - and wise player characters that plait thorns in their hair and might well have been raised in jagged-leaf nettle beds. The facts presented about the plants are as varied as the range of plants covered. Each entry might span many different cultures and touch on information like how plants got their name, how they were used during different time periods, what superstitions people had about them and why. (And if you’re an academic nerd like me, rest assured that it’s all very well cited!) The broad nature of the knowledge conveyed is cool because it gives a more thorough picture of what life is like in these different cultures. Names, in particular, have a lot to say about the societal values of a time. One of my favorite examples of that is Devil’s Bit, named because the highly medicinal roots were also abnormally short, leading people to believe that the devil “bit” off the rest of the roots so less medicine could be made from them. The different utilities people found for plants that are toxic are interesting too—for example, bug collectors used to place live specimens in a jar with crushed laurel leaves so the toxic fumes from the laurel would kill the insect without damaging it. The problem is, I don’t really grow flowers. I have an absolutely huge garden, but “flowers” is not really part of it. I grow vegetables and fruits, and a lot of them come from all around the world, but I don’t really grow flowers. So I knew when I set out to write this book that I needed to get books about flowers, and about the specific parts of them I need for this magic system. Poisonings are among the most memorable deaths in history, from the Roman Empire to the Medieval era and beyond. Concealed and deliberate, it’s a crime that must be planned in advance. And yet there is a fine line between healing and poisoning – Paracelsus argued that only the dosage matters!I already knew I had a few poisonous/toxic plants in my garden but I was amazed to discover the violet, which I always thought was such a happy little flower was so associated with death and the underworld.

Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants

Fez Inkwright is a Bristol-based author and illustrator whose main passions lie in conservation, folklore, and tattoo design, with heavy occult and ethnobotanical themes. She focuses on the significance of parts of our ecosystems that are often overlooked, such as common weeds and hedgerow plants, and aim to raise awareness of their vital importance to the health of our planet. Thank you so much to @turnaround_books and @liminal11 for sending me a copy of this stunning book in exchange for an honest review. I’m undoubtedly a botanical gothic fan, so I’m compelled to include my newly released novel The Haunting of Willow Creek. The novel evokes a modern botanical gothic feel. Brimming with whispering willows, ghoulish paintings, and slithering roots, I intertwine ghosts, nature, and daylight horror along with a heavy dose of weeping willow folklore.I am only halfway through this book and I am in love. The history and lore is new to me, and I read a lot so that should tell you something!! Some of the beginning passages saddened and angered me but I need to know it all.