*My thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Rating: two stars

This book is a gorgeously illustrated book on Milkweed and its ecology. I simply cannot praise the illustrations enough, almost every other page was a delightful, engaging and accurate representation of the subject matter. The delightful watercolors reminded me of a lot of books from my childhood, and maybe that made me nostalgic (?) but I stand by my assessment. Sadly, in spite of the excellent illustrations, the text itself was lackluster and prone to unnecessary and unsupported digressions and never delved into the Milkweed, its history or ecology in depth.

This book is geared towards casual readers of ecology (such as myself), and accordingly the text was dumbed down quite a bit. However, more than one page read as a slightly glorified Instagram or Tumblr post, complete with vapid and insipid descriptions and analyses. I picked up this book expecting to learn about Milkweed and its ecology, not about the ‘plight’ and ‘malignment’ of the species. While this can be a valuable piece of information, the author never extended the discussion beyond casual emotional appeals and poorly executed argumentation. The usage of such language, while it most certainly could be justified wasn’t, and appeared as little more than surface tribute to the verbiage of virtue signaling. As an successful fusion of good writing, ecology, and environmental and social commentary, see Dr. Suzanne Simard’s excellent book Finding the Mother Tree.

A book containing everything you have ever wanted to know about milkweeds and some things you didn’t know that you wanted to know too! Beautifully illustrated this book explores the life cycle and uses of the plant as well as the importance of the ecosystem and not destroying plants for the sake of extensive farming. While this book could have taken a sad angle at what has been lost it instead takes a hopeful one showing the versatility of this plant and that it can be possible to reverse some of the damage done. I especially liked learning about the uses of milkweed in the USA during the Second World War.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eric Lee-Mader has written a spectacular much-needed book on milkweed and their environments and impact on biodiversity in a high-quality direct-to-point educational book on milkweed and habitat for which those plants provide. This book is in my wheelhouse for I used to be an educator about milkweed, establishing habitats, and supporting those who wanted to establish stands of milkweed or create meadow or habitat for pollinators. What I really like about Eric's book how comprehensive and detailed in pests and diseases of milkweed for it is not a plant for the faint of heart for it does have its share of, especially pests. The cover of the biodiversity of the use of milkweed in Eric's writing is perfect. Milkweed does not just benefit monarchs which Eric covers. Milkweed can also help in erosion, feed species in decline, and provide long-lasting stands of food for pollinators. The book covers it all, from seed to plant, to the biology of the plant, to how to germinate its seed and collect the seed. But what I most loved was his writing about the living milkweed plant.

The illustrator Beverly Duncan has added such an increased beauty and value to this glorious book. Often in books that are on an educational scale of a much-needed plant topic I won't be especially fond of an illustrated book and prefer photos over drawings but Beverly's art puts this book in an eye-catching category where your eye will be gravitated to the cover and remember the beautiful drawings. Just her drawing on the biology and structure of a milkweed flower is memorable alone. It evokes a feeling of a field sketchbook that one inspires to achieve but what the two have created together is simply inspirational.

As one could gather by now I adore this book, it's a great collaboration and Eric is very knowledgeable with a lot of years in the field and hands-on consulting to many habitat creations throughout the country and internationally.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Hatchette for the opportunity to read and review Eric Lee-Mader's The Milkweed Lands. We need this book in our work and it will transition to many age ranges.