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A review by erinmully
The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
5.0
I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway, and was cautiously excited to dive into it. I was drawn to the book because it was touted as "Tana French meets Donna Tart," which, for a debut novel, is quite a lot to live up to. The Poison Tree far exceeded all my expectations.
The Poison Tree is one of those books where I kept finding myself in the space between wanting to devour it in one sitting, and wanting to draw it out so it would never end. Kelly immediately draws you into the seemingly simple, but more complicated worlds of Biba, Rex and Karen with her rich descriptions, many of which have a definite tactile quality. I felt transported to that sultry London summer, immersed in the grittiness, all the while longing for good friends to drink endless bottles of red wine with. Kelly's juxtaposition of the past and present really serve the novel well, and make for great pacing during reading. The ending is not something I was prepared for, but really reinforced the desperation that the characters face at different points throughout the novel. I will definitely be on the lookout for Kelly's next novel.
The Poison Tree is one of those books where I kept finding myself in the space between wanting to devour it in one sitting, and wanting to draw it out so it would never end. Kelly immediately draws you into the seemingly simple, but more complicated worlds of Biba, Rex and Karen with her rich descriptions, many of which have a definite tactile quality. I felt transported to that sultry London summer, immersed in the grittiness, all the while longing for good friends to drink endless bottles of red wine with. Kelly's juxtaposition of the past and present really serve the novel well, and make for great pacing during reading. The ending is not something I was prepared for, but really reinforced the desperation that the characters face at different points throughout the novel. I will definitely be on the lookout for Kelly's next novel.