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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.
This was my most anticipated arc of the year but unfortunately I had to dnf it at 40% because I had several problems with it.
The mc was terrible. She’s the assistant to a botanist in the 1920s so gender plays a huge role here. However, the female empowerment and sorority was not executed well, at ALL. Saffron had HUGE pick me girl vibes and the author made all the other women in the book flat and superficial from moment 1 just to point out how smart and different this girl is. A few quotes from the book that I simply could not stand:
- “Animals and natives everywhere! Just waiting to creep up on you…” this is where I should’ve dnf’ed, at the start of Chapter 1. I took high offense as a Peruvian/latina because there was no need to ridicule natives & go with the archaic premise that they're "savages", which this book was persistent on portraying them as.
- The mc called older women “wilted flowers in silk and pearls”. WHAT. It’s 2022, what is happening. The author needs a heavy course on intersectional feminism.
- “She doubted Lady Agatha knew much about plant pathology.” The whole “I’m smarter than all the women here, boo hoo I should be smoking with the men” vibe was terrible. Her double standards were awful.
The love interest was extremely bland too, the couple had no chemistry and there was nothing particularly amazing about it. Also, the writing wasn’t gripping enough for a murder mystery and at times, it made no sense. E.g: The mc poisoned herself without any reasoning whatsoever. A mess.
I genuinely expected an hour-by-hour type of book like Knives Out's plot. Clue meets Great Gatsby. Getting to know all characters, being suspicious of everyone! I expected Stalking Jack the Ripper vibes, and was so disappointed. Being set in the 1920s had SO much potential with a female lead in science but with all those terrible takes on feminism and a horrible main character, I couldn’t push through.
This was my most anticipated arc of the year but unfortunately I had to dnf it at 40% because I had several problems with it.
The mc was terrible. She’s the assistant to a botanist in the 1920s so gender plays a huge role here. However, the female empowerment and sorority was not executed well, at ALL. Saffron had HUGE pick me girl vibes and the author made all the other women in the book flat and superficial from moment 1 just to point out how smart and different this girl is. A few quotes from the book that I simply could not stand:
- “Animals and natives everywhere! Just waiting to creep up on you…” this is where I should’ve dnf’ed, at the start of Chapter 1. I took high offense as a Peruvian/latina because there was no need to ridicule natives & go with the archaic premise that they're "savages", which this book was persistent on portraying them as.
- The mc called older women “wilted flowers in silk and pearls”. WHAT. It’s 2022, what is happening. The author needs a heavy course on intersectional feminism.
- “She doubted Lady Agatha knew much about plant pathology.” The whole “I’m smarter than all the women here, boo hoo I should be smoking with the men” vibe was terrible. Her double standards were awful.
The love interest was extremely bland too, the couple had no chemistry and there was nothing particularly amazing about it. Also, the writing wasn’t gripping enough for a murder mystery and at times, it made no sense. E.g: The mc poisoned herself without any reasoning whatsoever. A mess.
I genuinely expected an hour-by-hour type of book like Knives Out's plot. Clue meets Great Gatsby. Getting to know all characters, being suspicious of everyone! I expected Stalking Jack the Ripper vibes, and was so disappointed. Being set in the 1920s had SO much potential with a female lead in science but with all those terrible takes on feminism and a horrible main character, I couldn’t push through.
Saffron Everleigh, a recent botany graduate and now research assistant to her mentor Dr. Maxwell, attends a dinner party focused on the University College of London's upcoming expedition to the Amazon. She hears things she shouldn't and is then a witness to the expedition leader's wife's poisoning. Saffron and her colleague, bacteriologist Dr. Ashton, then team up in a race against time and a murderer to prove Dr. Maxwell's innocence through scientific research and criminal investigation.
It took me a little bit to get my bearings in this book--both the time period and the various characters seemed a bit muddled for a while. I appreciated very much how the details and character development happened organically, rather than being laid out all at once, but even so it seemed that there were missing details that were alluded to later. But once it got going I appreciated how it highlighted the realities experienced by women at the time, especially women working professionally.
The two perspectives through which we see the story are those of Saffron Everleigh and Dr. Alexander Ashton. Saffron is intelligent and accomplished, but inexperienced. She is impulsive and passionate and works very hard to move forward in a male-dominated field. The second perspective is that of Alexander Ashton. He is more methodical and experienced, but he struggles with an anxiety disorder which is related to, if not caused by, his service in World War I.
I found the writing to be excellent, even if the plot was at times slow and repetitive. I appreciated that the heroine and hero were both relatable--in different ways--and it turned out to be an enjoyable "whodunit." I would definitely be interested in reading more by Kate Khavari when the time comes, and I recommend this as a fresh voice and plotline in a popular genre (and even time period).I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I just reviewed A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari.#ABotanistsGuidetoPartiesandPoisons #NetGalley
I will also post this review to Instagram, Amazon, and BN.com
It took me a little bit to get my bearings in this book--both the time period and the various characters seemed a bit muddled for a while. I appreciated very much how the details and character development happened organically, rather than being laid out all at once, but even so it seemed that there were missing details that were alluded to later. But once it got going I appreciated how it highlighted the realities experienced by women at the time, especially women working professionally.
The two perspectives through which we see the story are those of Saffron Everleigh and Dr. Alexander Ashton. Saffron is intelligent and accomplished, but inexperienced. She is impulsive and passionate and works very hard to move forward in a male-dominated field. The second perspective is that of Alexander Ashton. He is more methodical and experienced, but he struggles with an anxiety disorder which is related to, if not caused by, his service in World War I.
I found the writing to be excellent, even if the plot was at times slow and repetitive. I appreciated that the heroine and hero were both relatable--in different ways--and it turned out to be an enjoyable "whodunit." I would definitely be interested in reading more by Kate Khavari when the time comes, and I recommend this as a fresh voice and plotline in a popular genre (and even time period).I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I just reviewed A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari.#ABotanistsGuidetoPartiesandPoisons #NetGalley
I will also post this review to Instagram, Amazon, and BN.com
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Good, cozy mystery with a good protagonist. I loved that she was a scientist and worked to solve the mystery.
A cozy academic mystery set in 1920s England with fantastic female protagonist, intrique, and a tiny sprinkle of romance. Highly recommend.
I finished this book mostly because I wanted to know who done it. It wasn’t written poorly just not very exciting until the end. I struggled to pay attention.
All in all, I enjoyed this audiobook. The combination of historical fiction with a female scientist protagonist was enough to pique my interest, and I wasn't disappointed. Admittedly, the story seemed to drag on in the middle (and this is the work of a new author, so perhaps future books will be more tightly crafted), but this is definitely one to pick up if you enjoy period mysteries set in post WW1 England.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media for access to an ALC via NetGalley.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media for access to an ALC via NetGalley.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
TW: sexual assault, murder
Saffron Everleigh is much like any grad student: trying to find her place in the competitive world of research and make her way for herself. But she already has it harder than most: 1920s academia is not exactly welcoming to women, the department head has already sexually assaulted her and now her mentor, the only man who seems to think she belongs there, is accused of murder. At a dinner party where she and the entire department were in attendance no less! The murder weapon being an unknown poison and an overheard argument with the victims husband makes her botanist mentor seem even more suspicious, but Saffron isn't convinced. With the help of (distractingly attractive) microbiologist Alexander Ashton, she sets out to prove his innocence. With a net of affairs, poisonous and exotic plants, and an expedition to Brazil that will whisk half the suspects away looming on the horizon, the young botanist will try anything to prove the innocence of the man who believes in her.
Against the backdrop of 1920s London, Saffron's world of intrigue and firece academic competition seems all the more exciting. The pacing is amazing, new information coming to light at every turn, never a boring moment. The plot didn't feel rushed either, though I do hope additional books shine some light on more of Ashton's backstory. The descriptions swept me off my feet, transporting me right into the dark academia world it takes place in. Lined with plant jokes and wip-smart banter, the storytelling and dialogue is natural and fun. The love interest is a dream, an absolute sweetheart with a mysterious past. The romance in no way takes over the plot, it is entwined in a truly enjoyable way. It isn't a mystery in which the perpetrator is unguessable, but the investigation is logical and coherent. The fact that everything falls into place and seems obvious after the murderer is known, is the mark of a well-written mystery with good foreshadowing to me. I do wish there was more diversity in the story, not everyone was white and straight in 1920s London, either. That is however, my only critique, and therefore I hope the author takes the suggestion to heart and improves that aspect in the next novel, which I would definitely be interested in reading.
In conclusion, I recommend this mystery to anyone who loves well-written historical fiction, dark academia and mysteries that keep you on your toes but still make sense.
TW: sexual assault, murder
Saffron Everleigh is much like any grad student: trying to find her place in the competitive world of research and make her way for herself. But she already has it harder than most: 1920s academia is not exactly welcoming to women, the department head has already sexually assaulted her and now her mentor, the only man who seems to think she belongs there, is accused of murder. At a dinner party where she and the entire department were in attendance no less! The murder weapon being an unknown poison and an overheard argument with the victims husband makes her botanist mentor seem even more suspicious, but Saffron isn't convinced. With the help of (distractingly attractive) microbiologist Alexander Ashton, she sets out to prove his innocence. With a net of affairs, poisonous and exotic plants, and an expedition to Brazil that will whisk half the suspects away looming on the horizon, the young botanist will try anything to prove the innocence of the man who believes in her.
Against the backdrop of 1920s London, Saffron's world of intrigue and firece academic competition seems all the more exciting. The pacing is amazing, new information coming to light at every turn, never a boring moment. The plot didn't feel rushed either, though I do hope additional books shine some light on more of Ashton's backstory. The descriptions swept me off my feet, transporting me right into the dark academia world it takes place in. Lined with plant jokes and wip-smart banter, the storytelling and dialogue is natural and fun. The love interest is a dream, an absolute sweetheart with a mysterious past. The romance in no way takes over the plot, it is entwined in a truly enjoyable way. It isn't a mystery in which the perpetrator is unguessable, but the investigation is logical and coherent. The fact that everything falls into place and seems obvious after the murderer is known, is the mark of a well-written mystery with good foreshadowing to me. I do wish there was more diversity in the story, not everyone was white and straight in 1920s London, either. That is however, my only critique, and therefore I hope the author takes the suggestion to heart and improves that aspect in the next novel, which I would definitely be interested in reading.
In conclusion, I recommend this mystery to anyone who loves well-written historical fiction, dark academia and mysteries that keep you on your toes but still make sense.