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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
It's a botanical lesbian fanfic. The two males are so back and forth. Nothing really happens. I don't see the horror element other than how horrified I was at sudden plant smut . Two people are killed but that's just swept over.
I was orignally willing to give it a few stars as some credit to what feels like an unplanned book about couple with two different personalities. Thinking we were following them as one decends into being controlling and outright toxic to his partner š©- who stays by his side for some reason.
But thenecrophilic plant smut was the last straw for me.
I was orignally willing to give it a few stars as some credit to what feels like an unplanned book about couple with two different personalities. Thinking we were following them as one decends into being controlling and outright toxic to his partner š©- who stays by his side for some reason.
But the
This was a wild pick just based on the title and I was pleasantly surprised. Queer Victorian spooky botany? Yes, yes, and yes.
This is a sweet and surprising story. I would have loved to see more of Gregorās change of heart. Heās a bit of a controlling brute throughout the story and at the end heās all mushy now? I want to know how that happened. Heās very hard to root for.
This is a sweet and surprising story. I would have loved to see more of Gregorās change of heart. Heās a bit of a controlling brute throughout the story and at the end heās all mushy now? I want to know how that happened. Heās very hard to root for.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I saw this book at my local indie bookstore and decided to take a chance on it. The premise was interesting, and I was in the mood for some queer horror. Unfortunately, this book turned out to be something of a mess. The writing was painful, the plot had no suspense, and characters had unclear or unsubstantiated motivations. What could have been an interesting story turned out to be a 2 star read for me.
WRITING: The writing in this book has some rookie mistakes (in my opinion) that I think hamper the overall reading experience.
For one, Medlock uses a lot of filters such as "Jenny knew..." or "Simon thought..." which keeps the reader at a distance.
For two, this book focuses way too much on details that don't really matter at the expense of building up themes that do matter. Jenny's cleaning routine, for example, is not as important as building up the relationship between Jenny and her employers. Medlock seems to take for granted that readers will accept that Gregor and Simon are a couple and want a family, but instead of showing us where their emotions and desires come from, the prose focuses on mundane details.
Third, Medlock doesn't seem to trust the reader because the prose relies overmuch on telling. There were some passages where I thought lines could have been cut and the writing would have come out much stronger. I don't necessarily need the narrator to hold my hand and explain every detail.
Fourth, the tone seemed to be uneven. At times, the writing would almost be whimsical, perhaps indulging in the fantasy of living in a beautiful greenhouse, set apart from the world. But that tone clashed with some of the plot elements that elicited more serious emotions, such as a character's murder and the ethical qualms that arose with Gregor's experiments.
PLOT: The plot of this book follows Gregor (a botanist) and Simon (a taxidermist) as they experiment with a mysterious mycelium that seems to have consciousness. Together, they develop it into a humanoid girl, made from a variety of plants and fungi.
As much as I loved the premise, I had a hard time getting into this plot because Medlock doesn't lay much groundwork for character motivations. We don't get the buildup of realizing the mycelium is sentient; we also don't get to see how the characters go from business as usual to deciding to try to cultivate consciousness to deciding it's ok to dig up a corpse, etc. In something like Frankenstein, we see Victor being traumatized by death and being fascinated by alchemical texts and "magical" sciences; thus, his reasons for creating the monster make sense. In Medlock's book, there aren't really any scenes or backstory which show is how Gregor and Simon get from point A to point B (at least, not until maybe 50% in, and we're told rather than shown). Sure, Gregor likes plants, and maybe he wants recognition and glory - but why go about it *this* way? Medlock doesn't exactly give us answers, making the premise feel a bit shaky.
There were also individual elements of the plot that just didn't add much and seemed inserted for a quick thrill. All the business with Julian, for example, felt abrupt and the end of that arc felt unearned. It was like Medlock didn't want any sustained dread or suspense, just quick things that resolved without much thought about why they're there in the first place.
CHARACTERS: Overall, I found it difficult to get a handle on most of our characters because I didn't quite understand their motivations.
Gregor, the botanist, seemed eager to prove that plants have consciousness, but we aren't really given much in his backstory to make that desire feel real or tangible. We learn of the demise of his family estate, but without any depiction of grief or flashbacks, it feels like a weak motivator. We learn of his humiliation at the Horticultural Society, but again, no flashbacks or sustained exploration of how it affected him. On top of that, Gregor flips between insisting that Chloe is a daughter and resisting giving her personhood. It felt contradictory, like his language never reflected his true feelings. Why name her? Why insist she is a daughter? Why use "she" instead of "it" or "the substrate?" Finally, Gregor doesn't exactly come across as likable, sympathetic, or even interesting as a character. He behaves horribly, and while I can appreciate an arc showing a decent into madness and tragedy, the ending just left me wondering: what was Gregor's arc supposed to accomplish?
Simon, the taxidermist, was also difficult to understand because he seemed to flip between having religious-based morality (against Gregor's experiments) but then made art that poked fun at the church and readily went along with Gregor's plans about halfway through. The complexity of the conflicting attitudes isn't explored, so rather than feeling multi-faceted, they feel inconsistent. I appreciated the potential autism representation, but at the end of the book, I wanted Simon's arc to be more sustained throughout the narrative. If his story is about becoming more assertive, I want scenes where he grows and advances.
Gregor and Simon as a couple was even less convincing. The two didn't really seem to have any true affection for one another- they merely existed in separate spheres under the same roof. We're not shown much emotional intimacy before they are in conflict, and as much as I would love a toxic hot mess of a couple, I just wasn't sure what brought these two together. On top of that, I didn't understand why they longed for a child together (other than the trope of queer family etc). Neither of them seemed particularly paternal, and even though they looked after Jenny and Chloe, I didn't think those relationships stemmed from any longing for a nuclear family.
I think the problem could have been fixed if perhaps Simon and Gregor were a couple on the brink of ending things, but Gregor attempts to get Simon to stay by introducing "children" to the mix. Perhaps he brings Jenny on at first, then Chloe. From there, I think the horror would have been more tangible and Medlock could have explored themes such as how children are used as pawns in relationships and so forth.
Speaking of Jenny, I don't think her perspective was used well. She didn't have much to offer to the story other than her mundane view of Simon and Gregor and their greenhouse, and I would have liked to see her POV be used to drive up the tension. Sure, her care for Chloe was sweet, but that really didn't come into play until late in the book.
Chloe, the plant-person, was perhaps the most interesting, though she seemed to exist peripherally until late in the narrative. She did have some good scenes: when she got her voice, for example, the way Medlock described her learning to make sound was rather harrowing. But I can't quite help but think her story is one of tragedy; I'm not sure if Medlock meant it that way, but personally, I was unsatisfied by the way things wrapped up.
TL;DR: A Botanical Daughter is a frustrating book. From the prose to the narrative to the characters, everything felt underdeveloped and failed to really tackle some hard-hitting themes.
WRITING: The writing in this book has some rookie mistakes (in my opinion) that I think hamper the overall reading experience.
For one, Medlock uses a lot of filters such as "Jenny knew..." or "Simon thought..." which keeps the reader at a distance.
For two, this book focuses way too much on details that don't really matter at the expense of building up themes that do matter. Jenny's cleaning routine, for example, is not as important as building up the relationship between Jenny and her employers. Medlock seems to take for granted that readers will accept that Gregor and Simon are a couple and want a family, but instead of showing us where their emotions and desires come from, the prose focuses on mundane details.
Third, Medlock doesn't seem to trust the reader because the prose relies overmuch on telling. There were some passages where I thought lines could have been cut and the writing would have come out much stronger. I don't necessarily need the narrator to hold my hand and explain every detail.
Fourth, the tone seemed to be uneven. At times, the writing would almost be whimsical, perhaps indulging in the fantasy of living in a beautiful greenhouse, set apart from the world. But that tone clashed with some of the plot elements that elicited more serious emotions, such as a character's murder and the ethical qualms that arose with Gregor's experiments.
PLOT: The plot of this book follows Gregor (a botanist) and Simon (a taxidermist) as they experiment with a mysterious mycelium that seems to have consciousness. Together, they develop it into a humanoid girl, made from a variety of plants and fungi.
As much as I loved the premise, I had a hard time getting into this plot because Medlock doesn't lay much groundwork for character motivations. We don't get the buildup of realizing the mycelium is sentient; we also don't get to see how the characters go from business as usual to deciding to try to cultivate consciousness to deciding it's ok to dig up a corpse, etc. In something like Frankenstein, we see Victor being traumatized by death and being fascinated by alchemical texts and "magical" sciences; thus, his reasons for creating the monster make sense. In Medlock's book, there aren't really any scenes or backstory which show is how Gregor and Simon get from point A to point B (at least, not until maybe 50% in, and we're told rather than shown). Sure, Gregor likes plants, and maybe he wants recognition and glory - but why go about it *this* way? Medlock doesn't exactly give us answers, making the premise feel a bit shaky.
There were also individual elements of the plot that just didn't add much and seemed inserted for a quick thrill. All the business with Julian, for example, felt abrupt and the end of that arc felt unearned. It was like Medlock didn't want any sustained dread or suspense, just quick things that resolved without much thought about why they're there in the first place.
CHARACTERS: Overall, I found it difficult to get a handle on most of our characters because I didn't quite understand their motivations.
Gregor, the botanist, seemed eager to prove that plants have consciousness, but we aren't really given much in his backstory to make that desire feel real or tangible. We learn of the demise of his family estate, but without any depiction of grief or flashbacks, it feels like a weak motivator. We learn of his humiliation at the Horticultural Society, but again, no flashbacks or sustained exploration of how it affected him. On top of that, Gregor flips between insisting that Chloe is a daughter and resisting giving her personhood. It felt contradictory, like his language never reflected his true feelings. Why name her? Why insist she is a daughter? Why use "she" instead of "it" or "the substrate?" Finally, Gregor doesn't exactly come across as likable, sympathetic, or even interesting as a character. He behaves horribly, and while I can appreciate an arc showing a decent into madness and tragedy, the ending just left me wondering: what was Gregor's arc supposed to accomplish?
Simon, the taxidermist, was also difficult to understand because he seemed to flip between having religious-based morality (against Gregor's experiments) but then made art that poked fun at the church and readily went along with Gregor's plans about halfway through. The complexity of the conflicting attitudes isn't explored, so rather than feeling multi-faceted, they feel inconsistent. I appreciated the potential autism representation, but at the end of the book, I wanted Simon's arc to be more sustained throughout the narrative. If his story is about becoming more assertive, I want scenes where he grows and advances.
Gregor and Simon as a couple was even less convincing. The two didn't really seem to have any true affection for one another- they merely existed in separate spheres under the same roof. We're not shown much emotional intimacy before they are in conflict, and as much as I would love a toxic hot mess of a couple, I just wasn't sure what brought these two together. On top of that, I didn't understand why they longed for a child together (other than the trope of queer family etc). Neither of them seemed particularly paternal, and even though they looked after Jenny and Chloe, I didn't think those relationships stemmed from any longing for a nuclear family.
I think the problem could have been fixed if perhaps Simon and Gregor were a couple on the brink of ending things, but Gregor attempts to get Simon to stay by introducing "children" to the mix. Perhaps he brings Jenny on at first, then Chloe. From there, I think the horror would have been more tangible and Medlock could have explored themes such as how children are used as pawns in relationships and so forth.
Speaking of Jenny, I don't think her perspective was used well. She didn't have much to offer to the story other than her mundane view of Simon and Gregor and their greenhouse, and I would have liked to see her POV be used to drive up the tension. Sure, her care for Chloe was sweet, but that really didn't come into play until late in the book.
Chloe, the plant-person, was perhaps the most interesting, though she seemed to exist peripherally until late in the narrative. She did have some good scenes: when she got her voice, for example, the way Medlock described her learning to make sound was rather harrowing. But I can't quite help but think her story is one of tragedy; I'm not sure if Medlock meant it that way, but personally, I was unsatisfied by the way things wrapped up.
TL;DR: A Botanical Daughter is a frustrating book. From the prose to the narrative to the characters, everything felt underdeveloped and failed to really tackle some hard-hitting themes.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
āItāsā¦ itāsā¦ itās a whole world. A world-garden in a box.ā Pg. 26 (Jenny to Simon)
The writing in every single sentence is so lush!
āā¦since she herself resembled a pomegranate so ripe it was bursting juicily at the seams.ā Pg. 30
Even the descriptions of side characters paint a baroque style portrait, breathing life into each personality.
ā āSo, artificially creating a consciousness isnāt immoral?ā
āNo - an artificial soul is simply a child.ā A child. Gregor had long suppressed such a dream - children were not for men like himā pg. 36 (Heartbreaking)
Iām just going to keep typing out quotes, because I took down four pages of them. I loved this book so much that I donāt even know what to say. I wept. My heart is broken. AND I want to own, reread, move into, and hold this book close forever and ever.
āā¦ but I am never āless-thanā. My name is Jennifer Finch and I feel things - and I am alive.ā Pg. 104
Jenny is so relatable. I too, am human and more. This story made me bawl. Yes, I know I have already said it, but the full range of emotions this story evoked was incredible.
The way Simon and Gregor illustrated love, partnership/marriage is so wholesome and beautiful. The tragedy of having to live behind closed doors, the one beacon of hope is friends like this that encourage you to be unapologetically themselves.
āItās all very clandestine and exciting. Quite what you need three dresses for is beyond even me. I do so hope itās entirely improper.ā Pg. 144
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An honest to god mix of cozy and horror. I didnāt even know that was possible to achieve but by god they did it. Also some of the most beautifully descriptive writing Iāve had the pleasure of reading.
This one is hovering between 3 and 4 stars for me.
I think, as beautiful as the cover is, it does it a disservice by not representing the darker/horror elements quite that clearly. Because (at least to me lol) this is definitely a horror-fantasy book, in line with Frankenstein.
Itās really enjoyable if you can recognize that all the characters are terribly human in their faults and choices, and are definitely lying in a true morally-gray areaā and an exploration of morality is possibly the entire point of this book.
So if thatās your thing, this is for you. I would only recommend it to people looking for a horror read that explores morality and queerness. I did love the themes and questions this book raises around queerness in a time when it was publicly acceptable.
I think, as beautiful as the cover is, it does it a disservice by not representing the darker/horror elements quite that clearly. Because (at least to me lol) this is definitely a horror-fantasy book, in line with Frankenstein.
Itās really enjoyable if you can recognize that all the characters are terribly human in their faults and choices, and are definitely lying in a true morally-gray areaā and an exploration of morality is possibly the entire point of this book.
So if thatās your thing, this is for you. I would only recommend it to people looking for a horror read that explores morality and queerness. I did love the themes and questions this book raises around queerness in a time when it was publicly acceptable.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
This was interesting.
I wanted more passion, character interactions & more overall in the beginning. The characters were difficult to like, I didnāt feel any connection between the two MMC.
ā¢ Multiple POV
ā¢ Taxidermy / Botany
ā¢ SLOW pacing
ā¢ LGBTQIA+ rep.
Listened to with audiobook. I wouldnāt recommend. With the multiple POV it was a confusing at times whose perspective one was listening to.
I wanted more passion, character interactions & more overall in the beginning. The characters were difficult to like, I didnāt feel any connection between the two MMC.
ā¢ Multiple POV
ā¢ Taxidermy / Botany
ā¢ SLOW pacing
ā¢ LGBTQIA+ rep.
Listened to with audiobook. I wouldnāt recommend. With the multiple POV it was a confusing at times whose perspective one was listening to.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder
Minor: Misogyny, Suicide, Torture, Murder