I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve enjoyed Joy McCullough’s previous works, so I was eager to read another from her. But unfortunately, Everything Is Poison missed the mark. And I think the main mistake was in the structure of the book. While McCullough has contributed to other works that combine her verse with prose, her strength is clearly in the poetry and verse side, so her collaborators writing the prose makes the choices feel both intentional and distinct. Her solo works have previously been either entirely in verse (Blood Water Paint) or using it sparingly to set the scene (Enter the Body). The mix here felt rather jarring, as the prose felt disconnected and didn’t engross me at all, and the poetry felt bland, lacking the true descriptive storytelling and emotion I’ve come to expect from McCullough’s work, and felt almost random with no real point.
And that’s unfortunate, as there’s the bones of a great narrative here. While I don’t know as much about Giulia Tofana as I did about any of McCullough’s other subjects prior to reading, which likely contributed to my discombobulation, the general theme of oppression by the patriarchy during 17th century Rome and seeking extreme lengths to fight back through poisoning one’s spouse is a profound one.
While not as well-executed, I appreciate the attempt to further explore the sexual politics of Renaissance Italy for women in the context of another somewhat well-known figure of the time, just as McCullough did with Blood Water Paint. While it didn’t really work for me, I noticed that others have had much different responses to mine, so I’d recommend taking those into account when making a decision whether to read it or not.

This is an interesting book that melds story with poetry. It tells a tale as old as time. One where women are deemed witches if they practice the same careers as men around them. True the women in this book maybe help fellow women out in ways that men apothecaries might not be willing to, but if women don’t help each other who will. I love the message of this story. I think it is beautifully written and love the community that the apothecary creates. I am looking forward to recommending it real soon.
Thank you to Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in January. Yeah this was an interesting bit of historical fiction based on things that used to actually happen. I just couldn't personally connect to the mc.

I really liked the present tense, the interplay between generations of women, and the interspersed poems widening the context of the main plot line. The book’s weakness was that it definitely felt like a “message” book which sometimes got in the way of the story.

Really enjoyed this historical fiction but embedded in history take on women brewing and distributing poison to kill abusive husbands! It felt like a comfortable, reassuring safe space, to be amongst a sisterhood that grows and takes care of each other. The interspersed poems work really well to remind us that these stories aren't in isolation, that women are not alone in their struggles against abusive men and the patriarchy. Would be a great book discussion book.

On and off page trigger warnings for: attempted rape, physical and mental abuse of women/wives.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough is a third person multi-POV mixed prose and poetry YA historical exploring the life of a17th century Roman apothecary run by Giulia Tofana through her daughter and apprentice’s eyes. Carmela has spent her whole life surrounded by women helping other women in impossible situations. When Carmela’s former childhood friend asks for help, she struggles with the way society views her family and the necessary function they serve for so many.

The pacing here is on the slower end, but it’s also a fairly quick read due to the page length and the poems between every two or three chapters. It’s much more of a character study rather than a story that is being forward by the plot as Carmela, Giulia, Laura, and Maria navigate the ways society views women, the limitations placed on their clients by their husbands, and the moral question of what do you do if the only way to escape an abusive situation is for someone to die. None of the characters struggle with doing what they believe is right, with the real issues coming from the men in power hating the influence they have.

The childhood friend, Violetta, and Carmela have Sapphic undertones that could, eventually, grow into a romantic relationship or might always be a friendship. Carmella never portrays an interest in relationships beyond her former friendship with Violetta while Violetta did, at one point, have an interest in a local boy and then no longer holds interest in getting married once that is no longer an option. It is open to interpretation what eventually will or won’t happen between them, but I personally think there is a high possibility that they would have at least tried something eventually and maybe they are each other’s happily ever after.

The city becomes another lead character via the poetry sections. Each one focuses on different citizens of the city who are like characters we have met but are different people. Some of them focus on the lack of power women have, some of them on the choices women need to make (such as getting an abortion), and others are based on how people view the apothecary. This little corner of seventeenth century Rome is truly allowed to come alive and the reader is asked to understand where Giulia and her team are coming from when they do choose to mix a poison.

Content warning for depictions of childbirth, domestic abuse, period-accurate sexism, child abuse, sexual assault, mentions of underage prostitution, abortion, and murder

I would recommend this to fans of YA historicals that are more character studies, readers who prefer shorter, slower-paced historicals, and those looking for a story based on a real apothecary operating in Rome in the seventeenth century

Did you know that Joy McCullough had a finalist in each of the youth categories for the Washington State Book Awards in 2024? Joy McCullough is one of those must read authors, especially for those who work with children. Everything Is Poison is technically a YA book and the protagonist feels like a teenager, yet it is a book I would recommend to anyone. There is a bleak view on men presented throughout the book but it is both timely and historically accurate in that sense. There are also good men in the book, which was comforting.

Carmela is the daughter of La Tofana, the local apothecary seen as a witch by locals. Despite this belief, business is brisk for the women who run the shop. At 16, Carmela is finally allowed to work in the shop. She realizes that her mother has been helping women in ways that are less than legal, or that may be legal but are heavily frowned upon. Every few chapters there are poems that explain the plight of similar women.

This book is a delight. It is quick paced and while the subject matter is depressing, it is difficult to not be sucked right in.

This is a perfect addition to high school and public libraries. It would be a fascinating book study for a women's history course.

Thank you to Net Galley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Dutton Books for Young Readers for the DRC. All opinions are my own but are heavily influenced by my work as a school librarian.

I'm an absolute sucker for books about women uplifting, protecting, and sustaining each other. Everything Is Poison is a perfect example. Medium-paced plot and nuanced characters will keep you turning the pages. I cheered, laughed, and cried for the women of the Tofana Apothecary.

I would give it a 4.5 if I could. Only fell short of 5 stars when I compare it to my other 5-star reads of this year, it felt a little less exciting than some. Still, an absolute pleasure to read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for allowing me access to the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I rarely read historical books but something about this peaked my interesting and I'm so glad I requested it.

I really liked the writing. The mix of regular narration and slice of life lyrical pieces in between was really well done. I also really loved the characters and felt that they were given very deep personalities. And while this was a historical novel, I sometimes forgot it wasn't set in present day because sadly so many of the topics discussed, especially about what women go through, are still just as present in current society.

This was a bit more slow paced than I prefer and I wish there was all little bit more substance to the plot overall, but if you are looking for a character driven story with strong female main characters this is just the book for you!

Everything is Poison was a quick and good read, despite its heavy message. It take place at La Tofana Apothecary focuses on the women running it, especially Carmela, daughter of the owner and the newest employee. Carmela has many adventures and learns a lot of lessons as the apothecary's apprentice, especially about the women coming for help.

Women of all background come to the apothecary for a variety of reasons, yet there are some women who come because it is the only place left for them to find any power. This story focuses not only on Carmela and the other women of the apothecary, but on the women who have no where else to go. It explores the connection that all women have. How we must help each other and find power where we can.

Ridiculously fantastic. I love anything and everything to do with Aqua Tofana/poisoning type stuff and this was just really good. Very well written.

Bottles of powerful and strange things—tinctures, essences, distillations, herbs. The workroom of the Tofana Apothecary, in 17th century Rome, is full of wonders. Carmela is desperate to learn her mother’s trade but finds the weight of the decisions and the social cost hard to adjust to. Carmela, her mother Giulia, and her mother’s employees Laura and Maria, who are also their chosen family, are under intense scrutiny. So, too, are any men who choose to supply them with herbs. McCullough shows the balancing of needs that a woman like Giulia had to make – to stand up against the church, society, the rules, to help other women. Carmela’s inability to see the bigger picture combines with her desire to do the right thing to jeopardize all of them. The repercussions of her impulsive decisions echo throughout the community.

As with Enter the Body, McCullough wants to uncover the interiority of women whose experiences are not acknowledged and voices not heard. The echoes of the pressures resonate down to women and medical providers today – this is a story that could have been written at any point in history.

I enjoyed this book about a teenage girl striving to learn more about her mother's apothecary and protect the secret of poison production, administered to horrible men. The poetic interludes offered more insight into the feelings of various characters. This book would make a great classroom discussion but I worry about it finding its readers on its own.

I enjoyed reading Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough which is a historical novel in prose and verse. I connected with the female familial relationships between the main characters and also found myself engaged in the story line between Carmela and Violetta. I liked the use of verse between the chapters, though at times I felt they were an interruption from the flow of the story, and sometimes they felt formulaic. This book is a timely read for the politically world we are living in and the issues that affect women universally. The book demonstrates that time might pass, but women's issues remain the same. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read historical fiction and for readers of verse novels.

"A Blood Water Paint-style historical YA in prose and verse from New York Times bestselling author Joy McCullough.

Early Seventeenth-Century Rome.

For as long as she can remember, Carmela Tofana has desperately wanted one thing: to be a part of La Tofana's, her mother's apothecary in Campo Marzio, Rome. When she finally turns sixteen, she's allowed into the inner sanctum: the workroom where her mother and two assistants craft renowned remedies for their customers. But for every sweet-smelling flower extract in the workroom, there's another potion requiring darker ingredients. And then there's Aqua Tofana, the apothecary's remedy of last resort. In all Carmela's years of wishing to follow in her mother's footsteps, she never realized one tiny vial could be the death of them all.

Everything Is Poison is a story of a deadly secret hiding in plain sight and of the women who risk everything to provide care for those with nowhere else to turn."

Oh, feminist and deadly!

A rare five star gem. I enjoyed the author’s first book, but am so happy to see her really hit her stride here. I love Carmela and the women who raised and taught her. We often forget how much girls benefit from exposure to all kinds of women, their unique talents and stories. This book reminds us. I love, love, love the blend of poetry and prose, especially since the poetry becomes a voice of Rome. These little poems give insight into the struggles all people face, regardless of time and place. Such a good plot! Who to trust? Who to help? What unexpected secrets do others have? How to deal with our mistakes? This would be a great book club or lit circle choice. So much to discuss! A excellent read.

This is an interesting historical fiction novel that mixes drama with a bit of female empowerment. While I appreciated the strong characters and the unique look at women in a tough historical context, the ending felt a bit rushed, and I didn’t always connect with the poems scattered throughout.

Joy McCullough is a magician at weaving tales pulled from the past but fully relevant today. She weaves her stories in a way that inhabits your very bones as you read them. This book is a worthy addition to her other works and should be part of any library collection of stories about women and the way we must exist in a world that is so often completely toxic to us.

As a fan of several of McCullough's previous works (Blood Water Paint, Enter the Body), I was definitely already predisposed to love this, too. And yet I was still surprised by how much this dark little tale of female apothecaries working in seventeenth-century Rome affected me. It's one part fascinating glimpse into seventeenth-century medicine (some of which is truly stomach-churning); one part fierce love story between a mother and daughter; and one part sharp commentary on how this family's microcosm of struggle is just a piece of a whole, with McCullough's trademark poetry forming the connective tissue that critiques the way society viewed--and continues to view--women. I found every part of this book to be beautiful, and while I did think the ending was rushed and left something to be desired, the journey it took to get there moved me deeply. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, novels in verse (though this one isn't exclusively in verse), and anyone who needs to read about women fiercely claiming their power right about now.

This was one of the most enchanting books I have read in a long time, and I am so grateful I was given the opportunity to read it before the publication date.




The Writing style of the author is captivating and completely drew me in. The characterization--oh my--it was so well done I felt like I knew them and could completely sympathize with them. There have always been cases of men abusing their wives and girlfriends, or taking advantage of them. (Of course I do realize it happens the other way around to, but that is not this story!) This book takes a good hard look at situations like that, and I think anyone reading this would feel for all the women making these horrible choices: wrong yes, but they were trapped by the law, the  church and men who were very abusive.

One thing I learned is that Aqua Tofana is a poison and the names  of the characters used in the book were actually women who distributed it. So the story is historical fiction.

I give this 5 stars for it is truly an amazing accomplishment!