I have not read the Decameron, so I'm sure that I missed many references in this novel. I picked this up because I enjoyed Darkshire's memoir, Once Upon a Tome. I was less enthralled by this novel (but I also listened to the audio version of his memoir, so perhaps I would prefer the audio version of this book), but still enjoyed it. It was at times reminiscent of the Pratchett's Discworld books, and had a enough dry humor and interesting characters that would be likely to read addition novels set in this world.

I liked this quite a bit, but never got sucked into it deeply enough to say that I loved it. The grimayre and wizard concept complete with reinvention of self and name was excellent, and the grimalkin and basil/lice were fun. I did not like the beggarman living in a barrel — it felt rather elitist, not to mention childishly simplistic: a barrel, really? — and the Ponzi scheme villain felt too much a caricature, though I did like the donkey. I feel like it could have been condensed to a couple of chapters, and then expanded into a longer more interesting arc that allowed for character growth — almost a tv episode, rather than a book/series.

At any rate, it was fun and I enjoyed it well enough. My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

What a strange, charming little cozy fantasy! I really enjoyed the story - it felt like a hug. It gives me Emily Wilde vibes, which is one of my favorite books. Well done Oliver Darkshire!

This was a cozy fantasy with some humor. I absolutely loved the cover, but the story itself just didn't work for me for some reason. I feel like I should have liked it, but maybe just wasn't in the mood for this kind of book right now. Also, the footnotes... sometimes entertaining, but ultimately ruined the flow of the story for me.

There's a lot of cozy fantasy being published these days, with huge fluctuations in originality and writing quality. Thankfully, "Pot of Basil" succeeds on both fronts: the prose is solid, and the plot has enough charm to scratch the cozy itch. It won't be winning any awards but is a welcome addition to the genre.

Thank you NetGalley! The title of this book is so alluring but the book itself was not. Isabella Nagg, a discontented housewife in a loveless marriage to a lazy drunkard, her companion a pot of basil. Sounds like a whimsical tale but you would be wrong. The synopsis claims of hilarity but this was also missing. A tale of misguided devotions, enslavement, temptations and many other aspects forced into a very small book. The story showed promise. A Wizard keeping the town of East Grasby safe from the goblin population and their poisoned fruit. He abruptly dies. Isabella takes over and the familiar, a gramalkin, unimaginably named Gramalkin becomes her assistant. A gray, bedraggled cat. When Mr. Nagg, as he is continually referred to, eats the goblin fruit, Isabella is determined to save him, as she always has. Then the story goes from fantasy to B movie horror flick. The writing is definitely an acquired taste. The author felt the need to interject his knowledge of vocabulary and slang sometimes in the same sentence. The addition of footnotes I found annoying and unwarranted. The substance could have been enfolded into the story itself or the intermittent “pages” of the Gramayre that could have served better purpose than randomly appearing. I really wanted to like this one but after finally finishing after struggling for 4 days, I just glad it was over.

This very cozy folktale-inspired fantasy will need the right audience because the tone could veer on pretentious to irreverent, but I found it thoroughly entertaining. It reminded me quite a bit of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, complete with charming but academic footnotes, perhaps too many of them and I didn't read all of them for this reason. But many put a smile on my face.

Turns out I'm not against all folktale and fairytale retellings - I just prefer ones that don't take themselves so seriously. A lot of them are annoyingly self-referential. This one was refreshing, and it was not a retelling - it was more like an whimsical homage. And this is not a marriage in crisis romance, though I think it had a happy ending - though romance traditionalists will not consider it a HEA. But this really is a couple you hope won't stay together. It was like romance flipped on its head. I am trying not to give spoilers, but it's safe to say this isn't a romance.

Isabella Nagg lives a lonely, resentful existence in a loveless marriage taking care of the ungrateful Mr. Nagg. The couple preside over a relatively useless mandrake farm. Mr. Nagg sells the mandrake leaves every year to a wizard, who this year isn't there. Hoping to still impress his wife, he steals a book of his Gramarye and brings it to her as a gift. She is instead upset at the theft and intends to return the book to the wizard. Along the way she inherits the whole Gramarye and a newfound sense of purpose. She bestows her most trusted companion, a pot of basil, with sentience, as well as a philosophical donkey, and has a new assistant, an ugly cat with an attitude.

The town is also plagued by a goblin market. Goblin fruit is a fungus that is poisonous to humans but profoundly tempting to people like Mr. Nagg. Hijinks ensue as Isabella learns a new craft.

There were stakes and things happened here, but no grand plot with a lot of action. But I never got bored. I was charmed by the extremely whimsical tone and the characters. I was rooting for the ending, but at first you think it's going to be a marriage in crisis romance. I'm glad it wasn't. I'm also glad this didn't go the female rage route because that would have killed the tone. Isabella was a great character, more like the perpetually annoyed and put-upon middle-aged woman who's had quite enough bullshit, please and thank you. Not everything needs to be female rage. I liked seeing an attitude closer to my own. Sometimes it's rage; sometimes it's just low-grade irritation with the world.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The cover is what initially brought me in! This is a perfect plan of cozy fantasy and dark humor. I laughed out loud while reading and that doesn't happen often!

Especially funny! This story has it all: an unappreciated woman, tired of being married to a useless lump of a man, on the precipice of purpose and freedom, a talking farm animal, and goofy, little magical creatures. I found the writing lovely and a breeze to get through, the pacing nice and steady, and the humor witty and present on nearly every other page, it seems. Rooting for our heroine was easy to do, though the real show stealers, in my opinion, were Grimalkin and Bottom. The footnote mechanic threw me off just slightly - I haven't actually read a book that implemented it - but even those were fun to read, if not a bit distracting sometimes.

While the content of this book isn't revolutionary or life-altering in any way, it is a very fun read - perfect for anyone just looking for a blast of amusement with some fantasy elements tossed in.

Thank you Netgalley and W. W. Norton and Company for this ARC! Thank you Oliver Darkshire for making me laugh out loud more than once through the duration of this novel. Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is set to publish on May 13, 2025!

This was a delightful read. I returned to it, stared at the cover multiple times on the Netgalley shelves, and decided to take a shot in the dark. I loved the cover and the title, which is quirky.
I found myself legitimately laughing aloud while reading and being surprised at how loveable this cranky old woman is. It looked like it would be an absolute villain arc for these characters, but this was sincerely a cozy fantasy with a light washing of dark humor. The rest of the humor was plenty of puns, clever jokes, and funny situations. If a person is looking for something reasonably lighthearted and short (with a pleasant amount of lore, mind you), this is the book!
Thank you, Netgalley, for this great read!

I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own. This is a cozy fantasy novel about the heroine Isabella from the Decameron. I enjoyed this! I thought the story of agency and finding yourself was very well done, considering Isabella escapes a loveless marriage. I also thought this was funny, in a very clever sort of way. There are a ton of fantasy elements in this so at times, I was a little lost. The footnotes were a little excessive to me, but I understood their purpose so it might just be a me thing. However, I was able to have fun while reading! It was pretty cute, it reminded me of a lot of old fairytales. I definitely recommend this to fans of high fantasy, cozy books, and silly/clever narration!

This story was so clever and magical and funny. I absolutely loved the cast of characters and all the little creatures we got to learn about. Isabella was fantastic. It felt like a grown up version of a children’s fantasy story that you’d read before bed every night and I loved that!

Read this early courtesy of #netgalley ARC.

I loved this book. I laughed out loud and I learned a new word “smaragdine… a word I need to add to my dictionary in iOS so that it stops trying to autocorrect it thinking it’s not a word. It is a word!

This was a quick, delightful read and it was just what I needed to add some levity and happiness in the new year. Folks who enjoy reading stories set in medieval times or quasi-medieval-ish wizard stories will enjoy all of the nods to classic literature featuring these aforementioned wizards. I described this book to a friend today as “clever funny” and I stand by that. I will likely read this again in the future as I enjoyed it that much…which is pretty much the highest praise I can offer.

As a gardener, I was immediately drawn to this book’s intriguing premise involving a mysterious pot of basil!

In Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil, the story follows Isabella, a woman on a journey to uncover the mystery behind a seemingly innocent pot of basil. What begins as a simple search for answers quickly spirals into a tale of family secrets, eerie happenings, and a connection to an ancient past. As Isabella navigates the strange events surrounding the plant, she discovers truths that are transformative.

Isabella is fierce, independent, and unapologetically herself—a protagonist you can’t help but root for, even as things take a gothic turn. The blend of whimsy and suspense was well-crafted, though there were a few moments that felt a bit chaotic. Nevertheless, the atmosphere and storytelling were compelling enough to make it a fun and intriguing read.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil” centers around Isabella, a resilient woman living on a farm in a quaint village with her less-than-ideal husband. Her spouse, notorious for his inability to care for himself and constant complaining, makes life challenging. Despite the farm's lack of fruitful harvests, except for the mysterious mandrake leaves growing on a cursed stone, the story takes a captivating turn when the village wizard retires. Isabelle stumbles upon spell books in his abandoned home and becomes intrigued by the possibilities they hold.

This book had me completely enthralled from start to finish. The vivid descriptions of village life, culture, and history were so immersive that I felt transported to that world. Each character was richly developed, allowing me to envision them with ease.

Ultimately, I believe the book is a profound narrative about the power of self-reinvention and the courage to start anew, regardless of societal expectations. It beautifully illustrates how one can embark on a new chapter in life, on one's own terms.

Wish I could have kept reading on Isabella’s next adventures!

I try to not DNF too many ARCs as I am grateful for any that I request to be approved, but some books are just not to everyone's taste I guess. I can see the appeal of this book. It is written with sarcastic humor and wit and I can appreciate that! However, something just wasn't working for me and I'm not entirely sure why.

It could potentially be just that the book is ill-suited for electronic delivery. I found the line breaks and the sometimes red, sometimes not "foot notes" to be confusing. I plan to try to read this book again when I can get my hands on a physical copy.

This was a really hilarious cozy fantasy that had an extremely relatable character in Isabella. I fully adored the entire cast of characters and all the funny chaos that happened.