Fairly misleading, this book lists multiple non-poisonous plants alongside some deadly ones. The author also cites some historically inaccurate information, namely the theory that ergotism was the cause of the Salem Witch Trials, a theory which fell out of fashion years ago. Nevertheless, there is some excellent information in this book, and it is written in a way that I'm sure would be both educational and entertaining to audiences of a variety of ages.

I absolutely loved this book; it was like the intersection on the Venn diagram of things I find interesting: weird scientific facts, true crime, revenge, historical anecdotes. It's also filled with gorgeous illustrations and photographs. I will be needing hard copy of this one.

There are twenty-five chapters on individual toxic plants, from Belladonna to Hemlock to Opium. They are full of detailed science, effects on the body, history, mentions in mythology, true stories of their use, even warnings when the details were unsettling or gross.

I absolutely devoured this one, and probably made the man in my house nervous as I read snippets out loud with enthusiasm, ha.

Thank you so much to Lerner Publishing Group / Zest Books for this ARC to review!

This book was very informative but in a simple way. It wasn’t information overload. I really liked the layout of the books too since it departed out the information into different sections and sprinkled other information by using pictures and captions. I also really liked how each chapter began with the name of the plant, both scientific and common, with a picture of it. Also, it had a list of names for the plant that were the common names from different regions at the end of each chapter.

While plants might seem innocuous, Rebecca E. Hirsch's "A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants" proves otherwise. Hirsch delves into the macabre side of flora, exploring plants ranging from the usual suspects (opium poppy and tobacco) to lesser-known ones (aconite and heartbreak grass). While Hirsch's engaging writing style and grim topic will thrill readers who like horror, her careful research and use of facts make the book equally well-suited to those who like nonfiction. The book includes photographs, a glossary, source notes, bibliography, and list of books and websites for more information, allowing readers to do their own research.

The cover of this book is stunning and so are the pictures of the plants. I loved the stories of each plant but always found myself wanting more from the book, But I might be older than the target audience. Overall a very fun overview of poisonous plants.

This is an easy to read collection of information on poisonous plants. Each plants physical characteristic are described as well as the uses and effects the plant has on the human body. Of most interest to me was the historical information presented as well as contemporary accounts of poisonings both accidental and intentional. The book makes an interesting blend of scientific text and true crime. Additionally, the book is beautifully illustrated with vintage style botanical artwork and lovely photographs.

I loved all the artwork and photos throughout this book. I found it very fun and informational. I think this was a different and fun way to give this kind of information to kids and as a teacher, I absolutely approve.

I also showed this to my own kids and they said it looked "interesting" and was "good".

This book was so much more than I expected. I thought it would be a kids book and it was a very descriptive and educational book! I think middle and high schools would benefit from this informative book. I loved learning about all the different deadly plants. I do love to hike, but this book make me think twice about walking thru brush now!

I loved this book! Hirsch's many poisonous plants are wonderfully researched; some are creepy and others are more scientific. One can not forget the illustrations, which are gorgeous and plentiful. I have noticed a rise in the popularity of fun factual books by many of our younger patrons and this one will surely delight many!

This book was so interesting! I loved the mixture of info and anecdotes about each poisonous plant. I think this one is definitely a book that is better in print than in ebook format. The pictures were interesting and I think the layout definitely lends itself to a fun and quirky coffee table book. It is easy to pick up and read about a plant or two when you have a free moment. It is a bit quirky of a topic and I wish a little bit that the book had leaned more into that, but I really enjoyed it all the same.

Loved every inch of this beautiful book. It’s both informative and fun content. I was super engaged in every page, and the art was gorgeous. Additionally, I learned a ton about the history of poisonous plants, and some of the pop culture around some of the most deadly. This book would make a fabulous gift for any gardener in your life, and is excellent informative material to add to your reference library. I give this 5 solid stars.

This is one of those books you get to help you get witchy, "do not mess with me" vibes for your house. I love that I could flip into knowledge that people learn the hard way as well. The pictures and layout are wonderfully done and give such life to what can quickly become a dry subject! The little descriptions were sometimes less magical but with it being a factual book, I was very pleased overall.

Some of the most pernicious plants in the world are also the most normal looking! Take a wild wander into the history and biology of poisonous plants, their uses in both medicine and poisons, and the infamy they've earned from the terrible encounters people have recorded through history. Each plant and poison has a historical story or anecdote to accompany the biological causes of the poisons and their effects on humans. A quick and informative read that makes we want to visit a poison garden and take a walk amongst the incredible beauty and danger of nature!

This book is visually stunning and I’ll be referring back to it for research on poisonous plants for sure.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

A new favorite author for me for sure. Amazing information.

This was a good book detailing the different kinds of poisonous plants. A good amount of the fun facts made me feel an almost “wow”. The font felt a bit off in some places though.

This was a really fun and educational read. I picked it up for research because I’ll be using various plants in the fantasy book I’m writing and was curious what this one would cover. While the chapter themes sometimes were for a single plant and sometimes for a variety of plants (which bothered my organizational heart a little), the information included in each chapter was always really interesting. I loved that sometimes we got stories from 100+ years ago and sometimes much more recent ones (in the last 30 or so years). That made this book feel much more realistic to me in the sense that these things happened within my lifetime. I know that might sound silly but it was cool to see more modern examples for once. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous and I’m putting it on my wishlist.

A fascinating glimpse into deadly plants. Well-written and very accessible, enhanced by colorful photos and drawings.

4/5 ⭐️

For the sake of full transparency, I was over zealous in my ARC pursuit on NetGalley and *assumed* this was a fantasy book based on the cover. Maybe a witchy adventure? I digress. I am happy to report that my mistake resulted in a positive experience with this book. The artwork is stunning. The information was interesting. Not my typical read, but enjoyable nonetheless.

I came for the stunning cover and left with knowledge regarding poisonous plants. Overall, would recommend

Expected Publish Date: October 22, 2024

A big thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Reviews posted on NetGalley and Goodreads.

I enjoyed the book as it offered so many interesting facts and stories about various plants that I had never heard of or read about in books or seen in movies. I also loved the style of the book with all the greenery, but my favorite part was the drawing style of the plants as an introduction to each "chapter." I loved Rebecca's writing style because it was so engaging and I could not put down the book even with the sections about historical accounts of the different plants, I found myself immersed in the stories. I think this would be a great book for those 14 and older, just because there are some more grim and gruesome topics in the book, but it is written so that anyone of any age can enjoy it. The only thing that stood out to me was that there was some inconsistency with the formatting of some of the chapters, where some sections that were in other chapters were omitted from one or two of the chapters. I do like the idea of organizing the chapters in alphabetical order, however, I was sometimes confused because it would switch from an extremely deadly plant to something well-known and commonly found in day-to-day life. I would read this again and enjoyed the book and will for sure recommend it to my friends who are interested in plants and gardening. Loved the book!