Name: Katy Watkins's review of The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan
Item: The Fair Botanists
Rating: 4
Author: Katy Watkins

Sara Sheridan

It's the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV's impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event which only occurs once in several decades.When newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband's aunt Clementina, she's determined to put her unhappy past in London behind her. As she settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Botanic Garden which border the grand house and offers her services as an artist to record the rare plant's impending bloom. In this pursuit, she meets Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for botany and the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation.Belle is determined to keep both her real identity and the reason for her interest the Garden secret from her new friend. But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don't last long in this Enlightenment city. And when they are revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences . . .

Could a Rare Plant Hold the Secret of True Love?

The Fair Botanists

Madi Van Houten

I picked this up on a whim from a bookstore in Scotland and I’m glad I did. I didn’t love the writing style and thought it was gonna end up being three stars at best, but the story grew on me as I kept reading. I like plants and it’s fun to have a whole plot focused on one. Also cool to read at the end about all the historical stuff this was based on.

Katy Watkins

i hope the waterstone employee who put this book in the queer sections is sleeping with both eyes open…

Thea Sophie

'Compelling, fascinating . . . A cracking good read' Val McDermid 'Dazzling, original, full of wonderful characters' Katie Fforde 'Beautiful . . . Every sentence is a gift' Miranda Dickinson 'Highly recommended' Fiona Valpy 'A seductive, sensory romp' Ambrose Parry 'Beguiles in all the senses' Sarah Maine *** Could one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches? It's the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV's impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event that only occurs once every few decades. When newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband's aunt Clementina, she's determined to put her unhappy past in London behind her. As she settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Botanic Garden which borders the grand house and offers her services as an artist to record the rare plant's impending bloom. In this pursuit, she meets Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for botany and the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation. Belle is determined to keep both her real identity and the reason for her interest the Garden secret from her new friend. But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don't last long in this Enlightenment city . . . And when they are revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences. 'Perfectly paced, romantic and full of intrigue. A truly wonderful story' Vikki Patis 'A vibrant, evocative novel about female friendship, empowerment and transformation' Nikki Marmery 'A fascinating and beautiful evocation of Edinburgh. I didn't want it to end' Elisabeth Gifford 'A seductive and sensual novel from a writer at the height of her powers. Captured my senses, and my heart' Essie Fox 'Immersive and engaging. A cleverly crafted novel offering a heady mix of secrets, intrigue, skulduggery and romance. I couldn't put it down!' Anita Frank 'Historical fiction at its best, full of atmosphere, with beautifully drawn characters and a thoroughly intriguing story' Frances Quinn 'Evocative and sumptuously imagined. I was intoxicated! A feast for the senses, The Fair Botanists is dazzling' Celia Reynolds 'There's no enlightenment without enlightening women, and Sara Sheridan gives us two great ones to reckon with in Belle and Elizabeth. The Fair Botanists gives us a glimpse into the complex life of Edinburgh in the 1820's with joyous female characters at the heart of the story' Annie Garthwaite

Could one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches?

I tried so hard to read to halfway in this book, and I couldn't even do that.

The characters were bland and boring. They either had such a farfetched backstory or a completely illogical one, and I had no interest in what was happening to them, how they felt, or what they cared about. They just completely bored me, and there were so many characters introduced rapidly that not even one of them sparked an interest in me is really saying a lot.

The plot was nonexistent. Well, not completely nonexistent I suppose, but the whole plot seemed to be about this centennial plant that was about to flower and everyone trying to barter for the limited amount of seeds it would produce when it did flower. That was all I could find that would constitute a plot in the third of the book I managed to read.

I would start every chapter hoping (praying) that this chapter would be different, something would happen to grab my interest and pull me in, but this never happened, I would be bored again after one sentence.

The chapters seemed to just be built up around pointless dialogue that had nothing to do with anything else you had read, except from a reference to this damn plant that plagues every page. Or else there was all this research thrown in to try and convince you that the book was worth it because the author obviously researched into every little thing she mentions, including things that didn't need to be researched but she throws them in to try and make it feel like there is a plot after all (looking at the references to real historic people within the story when I say this).

In my opinion, from what I did read, the book is basically a cry from the author of "I did this research for the book and that should be enough to replace the fact there is no plot and my characters have no substance to them".

Victoria Justice

DNF at 34%

I tried so hard to read to halfway in this book, and I couldn't even do that.

The characters were bland and boring. They either had such a farfetched backstory or a completely illogical one, and I had no interest in what was happening to them, how they felt, or what they cared about. They just completely bored me, and there were so many characters introduced rapidly that not even one of them sparked an interest in me is really saying a lot.

The plot was nonexistent. Well, not completely nonexistent I suppose, but the whole plot seemed to be about this centennial plant that was about to flower and everyone trying to barter for the limited amount of seeds it would produce when it did flower. That was all I could find that would constitute a plot in the third of the book I managed to read.

I would start every chapter hoping (praying) that this chapter would be different, something would happen to grab my interest and pull me in, but this never happened, I would be bored again after one sentence.

The chapters seemed to just be built up around pointless dialogue that had nothing to do with anything else you had read, except from a reference to this damn plant that plagues every page. Or else there was all this research thrown in to try and convince you that the book was worth it because the author obviously researched into every little thing she mentions, including things that didn't need to be researched but she throws them in to try and make it feel like there is a plot after all (looking at the references to real historic people within the story when I say this).

In my opinion, from what I did read, the book is basically a cry from the author of "I did this research for the book and that should be enough to replace the fact there is no plot and my characters have no substance to them".

Easy read and engaging but some parts felt a little rushed and the ending felt anticlimactic. But overall a good read and would read again 

Rowan Hughes 

laura cait driscoll 

When we visited Edinburgh we came across a gorgeous bookshop and this book stood out instantly to me on their table of signed copies. Let me tell you, I’m so grateful I picked this book up. I devoured it on the car journey between Norfolk and west Wales. As a historian and a plant lover I was completely captivated in the intricately entwined storylines and relationships. The way Sara took women from history, reimagined and real and given them a voice was truly remarkable. Seeing the fictional characters walking side by side with real historical figures was magical and it created an amazing image of Edinburgh society at that time.
The book itself was perfectly paced, I didn’t find it hard to get into or that I was waiting forever for the plot and it also didn’t feel rushed. Women taking the centre stage but also the romance and intrigue entwined was wonderful to read. Every character was richly imagined and full of life. 
I can’t even put into words how much I love this book and I don’t want to give anything away incase you decide to read It too. 
Honestly I’ll forever be grateful for finding and reading this book. Serendipity indeed. 
Will always recommend this book from now on.

Madi Van Houten &
The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan

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Madi Van Houten &The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan

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Madi Van Houten &
The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan