The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood is a diary format, and apart from being an intriguing story, offers snippets of information about various species of plants -- we have a highly talented and knowledgeable author here.
The tale revolves around Jessamine Luxson, her father Thomas, and a strange boy called Weed. Thomas is an apothecary who maintains a garden of many rare and useful plants, some of them downright dangerous. Jessamine, who looks after their cottage, is forbidden from entering the garden, which is always kept locked.
Life changes when a traveller deposits Weed at their door. Weed has unique abilities – he can communicate with plants, he knows that some of them are extremely dangerous and can even murder, and strangely enough, they keep calling out to him, luring him with the promise of power.
When Jessamine falls ill, and Thomas is more pre-occupied with exploiting Weed’s knowledge of the plants than worrying about his daughter’s health, strange things happen.
The plants assume human form to negotiate with the main players, and evil is afoot…
The Poison Diaries
By Maryrose Wood
Price Rs.299