I saw a reel on Instagram from the author talking about this book, and I was immediately sold. Frankenstein? Queer? Messy, messy characters? Sign me up! And this absolutely delivers on all fronts.

The beginning of A Botanical Daughter is a little slow, but it perfectly sets the scene of Grimfern, an estate inside a greenhouse outside the closest village, and the three main characters - Gregor, botanist and lord of Grimfern; Simon, taxidermist and romantic partner to Gregor; and Jenny, local village girl whose lover, Constance, recently died and it was ruled a suicide. Jenny is the purest of these characters, and when she gets a job as a housekeeper at Grimfern she quickly learns how odd Simon and Gregor truly are. Gregor has recently gotten a new fungal specimen from Sumatra, and it arrived in a box with an orchid. When Gregor tried to open the box, the mycelium would close the lid again, to protect the orchid from light. Seeing this phenomenon Gregor was overtaken with the idea of creating consciousness and “personhood” in a plant. With the surgical skill of Simon and the body of Constance, Gregor builds a substrate fit for the mycelium to grow and learn, along with a plethora of other plant life, all with the goal of showing the Royal Horticultural Society that he never should have been shunned or disgraced for his fungal bouquet several years prior. As CHLOE gains consciousness and becomes an individual, things spiral in unforeseen and uncontrollable ways for the Grimfern household.

This really is so much a Frankenstein spin, with a scientist trying to create a perfect specimen and then being horrified that it has its own personality and wishes and desires, and won’t just be controlled by its maker. This didn’t feel like a horror to me, but it does feel very much like the classic horror genre (a la Frankenstein, Dracula, Portrait of Dorian Gray) where it’s a deterioration of pride and hubris. I really loved the exploration of interpersonal dynamics and the ways Simon, Gregor, and Jenny (and CHLOE) improve and worsen each other.

This is also strangely romantic in so many ways. Simon and Gregor aren’t exactly a healthy model, but the love they have for one another is so obvious in so many ways. I also really loved Jenny and CHLOE’s relationship development. There is so much sweetness and humor and joy twisted in with horrible events and choices being made.

This absolutely hit a sweet spot for me in very messy characters, lots of “accidental” murder, and the consequences of trying to play god and creator. Frankenstein is one of my favorite classics, so seeing this iteration done so well is such a delight, and definitely a book I will be recommending!

The first three quarters of The Botanical Daughter is beautifully written with a rich gothic feel. We meet our closeted gay men and feel the sorrow at how close a secret their relationship must be kept. As we progress into getting to know our other main character, and leading lady, we realize she too has the calling of ‘forbidden love’ (ugh, hate to call it that but it’s the right terminology for the day) and has been hurt. Throughout the first sections of the book we meet the plant entities (in various forms) and create a bond with the botanical character that surprised me. I loved it and felt it was just an innocent in all everything, even in some of its more horrific moments.

There are clever messages of love is love embedded into the narrative, both blatant and subtle; even making myself (a bisexual woman) wonder if there is a limit to love being love. For the record, the answer is no. Love is always beautiful and always correct. When love becomes obsession or greed it is different; but in its rawest form love is never wrong, by any definition. Noah Medlock does a beautiful job of expressing and showing this sentiment that in different ways and creates a truly safe space for sexuality and identity of any/all kinds (even for a plant).

Moving through the story we have some bloody moments, of retribution and revenge, that are all very gothic and satisfying. It’s all wonderful! Then we reach a point, around the last 100 pages, in which things start to unravel a bit. The pacing felt lost, the outcomes were disjointed, and lacked common sense. For a very smart story, with very clever characters, to suddenly feel less intelligent hurt. Additionally the plot choices continued forward in ways I did not expect that just didn’t satisfy my gothic/horror desires. I have come up with three distinctly different ways to close off this novel that would have been more gothic, satisfying for the reader, and still have held to the final message of the story.

Thus the final conclusion was, for me, very unsatisfying. Not necessarily because of the events but more so that the gothic overtones are played down, there is a lack of scientific discussion to talk about what the future might hold based on the ending (where some horror could have been injected), and in general I just had trouble focusing (and started wanting to just be done with the book). I would have ended the story a bit sooner with a more open ended ending that would have fit the gothic romance feel quite well. Or if taken to where it was I would have at least given some scientific questions for the reader to ponder about the implications of the final state of things. Sadly we get neither of these and therefore I just can’t give this a higher rating.

All that said, for a debut author, this is amazingly well written up to that last 100 pages. It does have an odd pacing at times, but that kind of fits with our quirky men and the unpredictable nature of plants growing. Sometimes they grow quick, other times slow. I would still recommend A Botanical Daughter as a good gothic read; but I would warn the potential reader to brace themselves for an ending that may not be as satisfying as one might have hoped for. I will however watch for future stories by Medlock as I think all the right foundation is there, it’s just the final execution (admittedly always the hardest part of any horror novel) that suffered here. In a different story, and with some different feedback I think Medlock could deliver us the kind of LGBTQ+ gothic romance that most readers will be craving by the end of The Botanical Daughter.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Couldn’t get into this. Really boring and uncompelling. Great premise but it wasn’t engaging enough unfortunately. Really sad about this one.

Hidden away from the prying eyes of London society, Simon and Gregor embark on an experiment with life-changing consequences. Readers will join these two men in simply asking, "what have we done?"

Told with bold wit, this delightful tale is gothic-eco horror at it's best. I would recommend this for fans of both Mexican Gothic and The Spore Queen. It is very character focused, so as long as you go in expecting more of a slow burn horror, you are good. I will say though, I do wish things had been just a touch more immersive to really ramp up the emotions of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

Sometimes you get ‘found family’ with friends, neighbours, strangers you bond with and grow to love. Sometimes it’s taxidermist and botanist gay dads with a monstrous plant daughter.

This book had such a weird but brilliant combination of almost cosy horror (if there is such a thing) and deeply disturbing horror. The found family element is super wholesome and I loved following ‘CHLOE’ (the plant girl) through her developing life. But then shit gets dark and you’ve got violent death and necrophilia before you even know what’s happening.

The creepy gothic vibes throughout were amazing and I loved the sense of dread mixed with wonder in CHLOE’s exploration of life as a sentient being. If gothic fiction isn’t your usual jam, I still think you could enjoy this one as it wasn’t overly so.

The only reason I’m knocking off a star is because I felt there were some areas that focused on characters who didn’t really have an impact on the story, and I felt these could’ve been cut down a bit to focus on the main events.

A queer, Frankenstein-esque tale that is perfect for all you gay plant parents with a slight craving for the unhinged - this is the book for you.

3/5

“He imagined a pair of scales with which to balance the matter: his moral objections stacked on one side, as prim and coherent pucks of measured weight. The other side, however, was amorphous - fear and devotion and excitement. It was an octopus that wouldn’t stay put on the scales. It slobbed and sucked at the balance, growing and transforming at will. Horror of the many-tendrilled monster soon effaced the image of the stacked weights.”

Two Victorian gentlemen, one who works at his greenhouse filled with exotic plants and the other who spends his days in the basement workshop working on his taxidermical art. Hidden away from the Victorian society that would disapprove of their relationship, they embark on a Frankenstein-style experiment one day and their lives are forever changed. When the botanist finds that his latest acquisition, a strange fungus, shows signs of intelligence - he attempts to create life from a plant. Driven by his need for glory from the Royal Horticultural Society, the botanist discovers that his experiment goes beyond his expectations.

I went into this super excited because the premise sounded right up my alley. And it was ok, but not really what I expected. The characters were just ok, the story was just ok - if a little on the slow side, and the ending was not my favorite. I wasn’t dying to pick it up after putting it down and while the body horror imagery was great when the author was talking about Chloe, the plant experiment, the story itself reads like literary horror - but with characters you couldn’t really care about. Especially the two main characters! They’re supposed to be in a relationship with each other and it felt strained to me. I was more interested in the side relationship that was happening towards the end. And then, the ending… Not my favorite and could’ve been a lot better. Took my rating down a little.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

'A Botanical Daughter' intricately parallels 'Frankenstein' in its exploration of creation and responsibility. Chloe, a botanical creation, disrupts life and death boundaries, mirroring Victor Frankenstein's creation. Gregor and Simon's evolving relationship with Chloe echoes Victor's struggle with his creation's consequences, delving into paternal feelings and societal disruptions in Victorian London.

The novel delves into the complexities of familial dynamics and societal norms as Chloe evolves, challenging Gregor and Simon's perceptions. Gregor's shifting views of Chloe, from daughter to monster, reflect his control-freak nature, adding depth to his character development.

Noah Medlock's descriptions of Chloe stand out, highlighting her uncanny beauty and disturbing nature. Chloe's existence blurs human definitions, prompting questions about humanity and possession narratives, creating a unique narrative experience.

At its core, 'A Botanical Daughter' delves into love transcending societal norms, embodying a whimsical yet tension-filled tale. Medlock's debut promises a fresh perspective on traditional themes, leaving readers eager for more from this promising author.

What an extraordinary book this was! A Botanical Daughter feels like a love letter to Mary Shelley and Nathaniel Hawthorne. For fans of Frankenstein or Rappaccini's Daughter accordingly, A Botanical Daughter offers the reader a fresh take on Gothic fiction with a clear appreciation for classic references and the camp that just oozes from classic gothic themes, with a modern eye for body horror, unlikable protagonists, and a keen observation of the queer experience. This is a book for anyone who has been Othered or feels like they exist on the outskirts of social norms. I look forward to reading more from the author. He is clearly gifted in this genre and I hope this won't be his last foray.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Titan Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

DNF. The writing style was too overwhelming for me. While the plot is interesting and the characters well-constructed, the author's style wasn't for me.

The language and descriptions in this book were phenomenal. It was an engaging read, and I enjoyed reading an already-established couple deal with the tension of what they have created together. The characters were well-made, and the horror was subtle and damning. But it's a slow start, and there was too much exposition about the experiments and taxidermy rather than scenes with the character's personalities. Overall I enjoyed it and look forward to more by this author.

A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock was underwhelming. A Frankenstein reimagining is not necessarily groundbreaking, but the use of plants and fungi as the main part of the "monster" sounded new and different. It seemed the author did a lot of research into plants and fungi to make that part of the story very realistic and believable. However, the actual narrative and dialogue was less successful. The characters weren't fully developed and frequently changed their minds abruptly with no indication as to why they suddenly thought the complete opposite of what they previously expressed. These abrupt 180's were confusing. Additionally, I kept waiting for the characters to face some sort of consequence for the various crimes they committed. Even just a visit from the police or something would have made the story more believable and interesting, but nothing ever happened, which was just kind of boring.

While I was very intrigued by the premise and somewhat interested in characters, I unfortunately just could not jive with the writing style.

How do I explain this book without spoilers?
I'll be practical and say that it took a while to get me. The first third of it nothing really happens... The second third it starts to feel alive, and you love, hate and love and hate the characters.
Then it comer to the final third and wow!

This one moved a little slow for me, and it was hard to get into. But, I'm sure it'd be someone else's cup of tea.

This is phenomenal. It is a fantastic debut and soon to be a must have on everyone’s bookshelves. If you’re after cosy queer horror set in Victorian era England then look no further. I want to grab a stack of books and go live in the botanical oasis that is Simon and Gregor’s greenhouse. We begin this enticing Frankenstein inspired story with our botanical plant dads after receiving an exotic plant delivery that’s sure to change everything!

This book will be perfect for fans of musicals like The Little Shop of Horrors and Lizzie, and classics like Frankenstein and Dorian Grey.

A beautifully written book, for sure, but just one that I don't think was for me. You can clearly tell the amount of research that went into this book, and it was truly astounding, particularly to make this book truly feel like it had been plucked out of the Victorian era. However I felt like the characters fell flat for me, and I never really had a good idea of what was actually going on. I also think that for this to be being marketed as a horror, I needed more of an atmosphere to keep me engaged (especially if it is being compared to Mexican Gothic, which has one of the creepiest atmospheres I've seen). The idea was so interesting though, and I would like to see more from this author - this book in particular just didn't work for me personally.

I enjoy queer horror and plant horror so was quite excited for this premise. This one is quite slow and character focused. I don't mind these things if done right, but I did struggle at times with this one. I love the representation of queer characters, but as people I found this one flatter than I wanted. If a story is going to be slow, I need to be engrossed in the lives of the characters. I did enjoy the plant aspects but wish they had been punched up a little more.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A Botanical Daughter is an original position. I was fascinated by the Victorian setting, the botanical garden and the allusions to Frankenstein. It’s a surprising mixture of gothic, horror and a twisted cosy fantasy narrative. There are many detailed descriptions of Simon’s taxidermical process and Gregor’s experiment, but there are also heartwarming scenes of found family bliss. Unfortunately, I would expect more insight into the characters' personalities and backgrounds from a book with a slower pace like this one.

I think this is my first full-length plant horror read and I enjoyed it enough. I do have to say, I wasn't as invested in the characters as I think I should've been. However, I liked a lot of the elements in this and I think they worked really well. Also, I didn't find it particularly horrific or scary, but I do agree with the Frankenstein + Little Shop of Horrors comparisons, and I liked the humor. Overall, I think it's a solid read and I wish I liked it more, but it was a good one.

This book did a lot of things right, particularly the pacing and the story itself, which hooked me from chapter one. I never once felt bored, and I was amazed at the amount of research that must have gone into this novel, at how seamlessly it was incorporated into the story. I know nothing about botany, but I loved reading about it here, and the scientific explanations weren't confusing or dragging the plot down. A Botanical Daughter is, first and foremost, a plot-driven novel. I never felt like there was a good grasp of who anyone really was, or what they would do next. I was kept on my toes when a character would do anything. This was a fun, uncomfortable, disgusting read, that delved into a lot of things i've never thought to be interested in knowing.