So the idea of Catherine Morland’s Reading List came mostly from the fact that I am a huge Gothic fiction/mystery fan. Before I met Jane Austen, (and I still do), I devoured books that I know, if Catherine Morland was real and alive, she would have been reading.
It started with reading one, and then before I knew it I had a list of thirty I was planning on reviewing. What can I say, other than I like to:
The next book I’m reviewing is…
The Poison Diaries by The Duchess of Northumberland
Weed is an orphan boy who is taken in by a drunk apothecary who delights in hurting, beating, and making Weed’s life horrible.
Aw, that’s sad.
One day this horrible man shows Weed a secret garden he found that was supposed to be destroyed. This garden is full of poisonous plants and after it’s creator died it was supposed to be wiped from the earth. …But for some reason it wasn’t destroyed (because evil can’t die)
It now becomes Weed’s duty to come every day and care for them. Weed of course has to follow the instructions, or else he will receive a beating.
When he goes to the garden to care for them, the plants speak to him.
At first Weed thinks that he is crazy, but as he continues in the garden he listens to them, as each plants calls out to him and share their secrets with him-how they can heal, help, and destroy…
Hmmm…
Every plant-Belladonna, Opium, Tobacco, etc. -have a tale to share. Some are on how they helped people, but most end in death or madness…some in worse ways than others.
Going mad!
Every day the plants encourage Weed to use them against his master, to get his freedom. At first Weed completely refuses, as it is morally wrong…but as each visit continues he becomes intoxicated with the power they have.
Will he give in to their poisonous power?
Hmmm…
This book wasn’t that long, but while the book may be short in pages, it is most defintely not a light read. These gothic tales are sad and macabre-very reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe.
And this book has absolutely beautiful illustrations, look at belladonna. It is definitely worth reading just to look at them.
I also learned a lot about plants as it was very informative on what they looked like, grew, latin names, etc.
Wow!
It is not a book that I find myself wanting to read over and over, but I did enjoy it and recommend it to other gothic fans.
For more books from Catherine Morland’s Reading List, go to Catherine Morland’s Reading List: House of Salt and Sorrows
For more gothic fiction, go to Catherine Morland’s Reading List: The Distant Hours
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