The Fair Botanists: Could one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches?

Product Information

I was hooked by the mystery and the secrets, engaged by the historical references and the social issues hinted at, charmed by the flowers and the perfumes, entertained by the lively style, titillated by the romantic liaisons. Set in Georgian Edinburgh, the book explores botany, women and the restrictions placed on them by society, plus the empowering effect of female friendship. I loved the detail about the scents, the botany (who knew about the rivalry between Kew and other b With a gorgeous eye for detail, vividly realised characters and a masterfully crafted plot set within the grounds of the Botanic Garden, she seamlessly weaves fiction with history to enchanting and fascinating results. It felt very rushed, and it felt like there was suddenly way too much history woven into the story for the word count.

I really enjoyed the exploration of growing female independence in a male world - Belle and Elizabeth will stay with me for a long time. The Fair Botanists is set around the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens’ move from Leith Walk to the new larger location at Inverleith in 1822. Both women are very different, but drawn to each other through their shared interest in the plants but also perhaps through some instinctive knowledge that each of them were lonely in their own way. The story surrounds the pomp and intrigue in Scotland’s Enlightenment City centred around the Royal Botanic Garden in the run-up to the visit of King George IV.Each become bound together by a rare agave that is about to flower for the first and only time in thirty years, in the newly-formed Botanic Gardens - at least the location is new. The heroines are no-nonsense and although they want independent lives for themselves, they understand they must do so within what is possible at that time and place. I did actually look this up on the internet and there is some really good reading regarding this move. The Fair Botanists is a bewitching and immersive story for fans of The Miniaturist, The Doll Factory and The Signature of All Things.

The cast of compelling characters is led by two charming heroines, Elizabeth and Belle, and include illustrious historical figures you’ll be delighted to meet in Sheridan’s lively portrayals. If you come to The Fair Botanists for the history, or for the names that you recognise, you should be aware that you will come away having fallen completely in love with Elizabeth, Belle and Johann. But that of course is the strength of this sort of story, especially in the hands of an author as confident and experienced as Sheridan.What develops from here is a tale of identity (plants and people), status, money, plans and love, death, theft and passions, alongside a visit to Edinburgh from the king, George IV. The characters in The Fair Botanists are brilliant, especially the characters of Belle and Elizabeth. The Fair Botanists is Sara Sheridan’s combined tribute to the legacy of women’s history and Edinburgh and takes readers back to the tail end of the Enlightenment in the city. The illegitimate child of a peer, she has chosen to live her life as a courtesan, a mistress to two men of wealth.

Sara Sheridan builds each layer, and connects each strand, with beautifully written descriptive pose. This emotion was ignited by our fantastic free walking tour guide Rory (if you happen to be in Edinburgh, do book a free walking tour with City Explorers) who managed to introduce us to Scotland's and Edinburgh's rich history and the mentality of their people within two hours while also being entertaining, funny and at the same time mindful of the not-so-shiny-parts such as involvement in the slave trade, Highland Clearances or neglected female history. There is absolutely no conceivable way that it would take 20 minutes for Clementina to don her stays, and even if we interpret this passage to mean ‘dressing her fully’ as opposed to just ‘putting on her stays,’ 20 minutes is still an absurd length of time to don what was a day-to-day outfit, even if we grant it the panniers that a late 1700s gown would have had. Nothing keeps you turning the pages (except perhaps for a morbid curiosity of if it’s possible for the book to get even blander). She meets the enigmatic Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation.Famous author, Sir Walter Scott, has more of the spotlight, entrusted with organizing the itinerary for the King’s visit to Edinburgh. One of the rare plants, the Agave Americana, looks set to flower, an event which only occurs once every few decades, and Elizabeth agrees to use her artistic talent to record the impending bloom. The bloom of the agave serves as the plot's centerpoint and I thought it gave the story great momentum with what each character planned in relation with the plant. I found the friendship between Elizabeth and Belle a little forced possibly because it happens rather hastily and Elizabeth is far more muted and indistinct than go-getting Belle.

When we went to the Waterstones nearby to treat ourselves to some bookish eye candy, this book caught my attention with its gorgeous cover - and once I found out it has two female MCs trying to lead independent lives, botany and Edinburgh right before king George IV's visit in 1822 about which Rory the tour guide told us many entertaining stories, I knew I couldn't leave it there and proceeded right to the checkout, lol. Most of them have common interests but are all incredibly unique in their own ways with wonderful personalities which enable connections to be made – some more intimate than others! The present day might have rubbed off the edges and introduced more modern landmarks but this is an Edinburgh stuck in time.It’s the wonderful story of two women and the connections they make in Edinburgh in the early 1800s. Her position has meant she has never really had friends and she is surprised to find she welcome’s Elizabeth’s company. Both Belle and Elizabeth are able to make big changes in their lives, and I loved that the ending of the story depicted their fresh starts.