The Fair Botanists: Could one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches?

Product Information

It's the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV's impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event which only occurs once in several decades.

For me the fascination is always in asking the question: where do we come from?’ It’s the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumour of King George IV’s impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower – an event that only occurs once every few decades. So begins the tale, and – no spoilers – fantastic read awaits. Author Sara Sheridan tells us more. The story centres around a young newly widowed, Elizabeth Rocheid, and Isobel "Belle" Brodie, the half-sister of Joseph Brodie, a gentlemen of reasonable wealth and stature. These two women have interest in botany and it is this that brings them together. What develops from here is a tale of identity (plants and people), status, money, plans and love, death, theft and passions, alongside a visit to Edinburgh from the king, George IV. The Fair Botanists beguiles all the senses in this tale of intrigue in Enlightenment Edinburgh. An entertaining read -- Sarah Maine In short, if you found this review to be over-long and dragged-out, then you will find The Fair Botanists to be just as bad. Despite the ceaseless descriptions of everything and everyone and the abundant amount of research that’s gone into it, The Fair Botanists is ultimately a dull, uninteresting read with neither substance, charm, nor intrigue. Reading this book feels like trying to eat tissue paper – bland, pointless, and ultimately forgettable.This is a great book. An immersive read and a heartfelt, human story of science and botany * The Book Trail * We were so pleased to see you add in your passion for perfume in The Fair Botanists. Can you tell us more about what you love about perfume creation?

As rare and lush as the Agave flower itself, The Fair Botanists is a richly realised, transportive delight' Rachel Rhys I came across this in my local library. I was intrigued that the subject matter, although historical fiction, was set in 1822 and encompassed botany, mystery, women [as central characters] and real characters from history, especially those local to the Edinburgh area.One final thing I want to mention is how beautiful the writing was. Sheridan's descriptions are so vivid, and her portrayals of the scenery are stunning. Both Belle and Elizabeth are able to make big changes in their lives, and I loved that the ending of the story depicted their fresh starts.

The novel centres on two markedly different women. Elizabeth Rocheid is newly widowed and has arrived in Edinburgh from London to live with her late husband's aunt at Inverleith House, while Isabel "Belle" Brodie is carving a living as the city's most upmarket courtesan. Sheridan creates an evocative, enjoyable portrait of 1820s Edinburgh and of two women determined to lead independent lives. * Sunday Times * We also follow the happenings at the Botanical Gardens, where a huge aloe is about to bloom. The keeper of the collection had promised the seeds to Kew for his own advancement; the head gardener has sold the seeds to pay his debts; our courtesan, Belle, wants the flowers to add to her love potion; and our artist, Elizabeth, is drawing the flowers. Meanwhile Edinburgh awaits the visit of the mercurial King George III. The pace of this book is excellent and held well throughout the book – even with the more exciting goings on that occur later on. It’s doesn’t trample on ahead at a rate of knots so you get lost in the plot, but equally it isn’t slow and difficult to get through. It didn’t take very long for the paths of the characters to cross – which is something I like in a book where there are many characters and stories. I always find them much richer when they are integrated and play out together, rather than being read separately and eventually coming together towards the end. The cyclical nature of the plants and the seasons mirror the characters well, as they too evolve and change throughout the story.I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Run and buy it, and treat yourself to some excellent writing, learn something about botanic gardens and scent-making, and just live for a while in Sara Sheridan’s perfectly created world. Belle is determined to keep both her real identity and the reason for her interest the Garden secret from her new friend. But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don't last long in this Enlightenment city . . . But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don't last long in this Enlightenment city. And when revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences . . . When she’s there, she becomes involved in the work of William McNab, the gardener in charge of the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, who is also caring for a North American aloe plant that is due to seed for the first time in a century. She also meets Belle, a woman who has her own interest in the aloe, and Johann, a young German man helping to organise the impending visit to the city by King George IV. With spirits high in the city, Elizabeth realises that some of the people interested in the blooming of the rare plant have more than scientific interest on their minds.