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A review by jen_meds_book_reviews
The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
5.0
What a read. I was totally absorbed in this one from the moment I started reading. It was almost like car crash television to a degree. I knew, from the moment Karen met Biba, it was going to spell trouble, but the relationship between the two of them, three if you include Biba's brother, Rex, was so compelling, the sense of danger so ever present that I found I couldn't stop reading. The book disappeared in a flash and I only wish I had read it sooner. There is something to be said for reading it immediately before it's sequel (and reviewing it that way too as it turns out), but I've certainly been missing out on a cracker of a book.
I am trying to decide what this story reminded me of. I suppose, in terms of the triste between brother/sister duo Rex and Biba and perhaps somewhat sheltered language student, Karen, it reminded me a little of Dangerous Liaisons. Not that Biba was necessarily manipulative in that way, but there was something about her that drew in those around her like a moths to a flame, a kind of charismatic and addictive personality that they find irresistible. Unlike her French counterpart, I don't particularly think that Biba set out with any plan to hurt those around her, it is an unintended consequence of the life she leads. And what a life that is.
To a degree. I can understand completely where Rex, Karen and all of those around Biba were drawn to her. Erin Kelly has created such an enigmatic and yet troubled soul that despite some of her very suspect actions, that any sensible friend, or sibling, would have called her out on, I couldn't not like Biba. The more we journey into her story, the more I could understand her personality and the way in which she led her life. There are part of hers and Rex's background which would make even the hardest heart leach some semblance of sympathy, but it is carefully fed into the story in a way in which maintains the suspense and that ever present feeling of hurtling towards a less than pleasant destination. I see why Rex was so protective. Why Karen found their kind of bohemian lifestyle so attractive, especially as it was so far removed from her own, rather vanilla upbringing and college career so far.
There is a great deal of mystery and uncertainty that the author has built into this book. It is a dual timeline tale which allows us a glimpse into the present day, that certainty that something catastrophic has occurred, but denying us the full what and why of it all, meaning that when the revelation comes in the recounting of the trio's past, it is all the more shocking. And there are many secrets to be uncovered as the story belts along, some of them perhaps more obvious than others, and some which completely blindsided me, leaving me quite shocked by what came to pass. It was a heady mix, but one that kept me totally glued to the page. I wasn't putting this book down until I was done - end of.
With brilliant characters, so full of life and vibrancy, and a narrative that is wonderfully descriptive and transports you right to the heart of Biba, Rex and Karen's all too dangerous life, this is a must read for fans of psychological fiction. It's laded with tension, uncertainty and, on occasion, a sense of paranoia. It is a story of obsession, rejection, loss and the need to feel loved - no matter the cost. It is a story of people will to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the ones that they loved, and I absolutely loved it. Top stuff.
I am trying to decide what this story reminded me of. I suppose, in terms of the triste between brother/sister duo Rex and Biba and perhaps somewhat sheltered language student, Karen, it reminded me a little of Dangerous Liaisons. Not that Biba was necessarily manipulative in that way, but there was something about her that drew in those around her like a moths to a flame, a kind of charismatic and addictive personality that they find irresistible. Unlike her French counterpart, I don't particularly think that Biba set out with any plan to hurt those around her, it is an unintended consequence of the life she leads. And what a life that is.
To a degree. I can understand completely where Rex, Karen and all of those around Biba were drawn to her. Erin Kelly has created such an enigmatic and yet troubled soul that despite some of her very suspect actions, that any sensible friend, or sibling, would have called her out on, I couldn't not like Biba. The more we journey into her story, the more I could understand her personality and the way in which she led her life. There are part of hers and Rex's background which would make even the hardest heart leach some semblance of sympathy, but it is carefully fed into the story in a way in which maintains the suspense and that ever present feeling of hurtling towards a less than pleasant destination. I see why Rex was so protective. Why Karen found their kind of bohemian lifestyle so attractive, especially as it was so far removed from her own, rather vanilla upbringing and college career so far.
There is a great deal of mystery and uncertainty that the author has built into this book. It is a dual timeline tale which allows us a glimpse into the present day, that certainty that something catastrophic has occurred, but denying us the full what and why of it all, meaning that when the revelation comes in the recounting of the trio's past, it is all the more shocking. And there are many secrets to be uncovered as the story belts along, some of them perhaps more obvious than others, and some which completely blindsided me, leaving me quite shocked by what came to pass. It was a heady mix, but one that kept me totally glued to the page. I wasn't putting this book down until I was done - end of.
With brilliant characters, so full of life and vibrancy, and a narrative that is wonderfully descriptive and transports you right to the heart of Biba, Rex and Karen's all too dangerous life, this is a must read for fans of psychological fiction. It's laded with tension, uncertainty and, on occasion, a sense of paranoia. It is a story of obsession, rejection, loss and the need to feel loved - no matter the cost. It is a story of people will to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the ones that they loved, and I absolutely loved it. Top stuff.