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The Fair Botanists
The Fair Botanists: The bewitching new historical fiction novel | Sara Sheridan
6 posts | 6 read | 8 to read
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. When newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband's aunt Clementina, she's determined to put her unhappy past in London behind her. As she settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Botanic Garden which border the grand house and offers her services as an artist to record the rare plant's impending bloom. In this pursuit, she meets Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for botany and the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation. 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. And when they are revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences . . .
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review
VanessaCW
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Pickpick

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the combination of factual and fictional characters. They were well blended together. It‘s beautifully written with an engaging storyline. I could just imagine the trees being transported from one botanical garden to another through the streets of Edinburgh! Just a wonderfully fascinating read. I can highly recommend it.

Crazeedi This title definitely intrigues me 6mo
VanessaCW @Crazeedi the cover attracted me as well as the title. 6mo
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VanessaCW
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Reading this with my online reading group, https://thereadingloft.groups.io

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Conservio
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Cazxxx
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Pickpick

Set where I live in Edinburgh this centres around Elizabeth and Belle who have an interest in Botany and are excited about the moving of the Botanic gardens, a rare plant and the visit of King George IV. The author has clearly done her research into the history of Edinburgh, I enjoyed listening to the characters in places I know plus the narrators were all Scottish. A fun read!

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rockpools
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Pickpick

Right book, right time. I enjoyed this tremendously, and set aside everything else to read it.

1820s Edinburgh: Elizabeth moves in with her (deceased) husband‘s elderly cousin. The botanic garden is being physically moved from Leith to the grounds next door. And Isabel Brodie, courtesan and entrepreneur, is making plans for her future.

It was no surprise to learn that Sara Sheridan is an Edinburgh native - her love for the city and its history

rockpools shines through. I particularly enjoyed seeing the lives of these women who weren‘t working class, but were slightly set apart from polite society, and how they made their way. And I enjoyed that the servants were all real people with real lives going on, even if their stories weren‘t central. central.

The storyline was great - this is a fun, light read. I did have to suspend disbelief in a couple of places, however - at times the characters
4y
rockpools didn‘t quite behave as I‘d have expected/entirely believed.

That aside, I loved reading this, am delighted to discover a new author with a back-catalogue I can fling myself at, and have decided who‘s getting a copy of this for Christmas!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Hodder&Stoughton for letting me read this before publication - it doesn‘t actually hit the shelves until August!
4y
squirrelbrain Sounds wonderful - off to see if I can request from #NetGalley.... 4y
See All 6 Comments
TrishB Great review 👍🏻 4y
rockpools @squirrelbrain 😁 Hope you enjoy! 4y
rockpools @TrishB Thanks Trish ☺️ 4y
63 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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rockpools
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I‘m reading this (cos if I‘m going to have an ARC splurge, I should probably read the things). I‘m enjoying it SO much! Edinburgh‘s botanic garden is moving from Leith to where it is now, & widowed Elizabeth has gone to live with her husband‘s family. & the king may or may not be coming to visit Edinburgh. & there‘s a plant that everyone wants a piece of. Plus free-thinking & scandal.

Is it all believable? Maybe not. Do I care? Definitely not.

rockpools Also, I just got approved for this. Thanks #Netgalley! 4y
squirrelbrain Sounds great! 4y
TrishB Sounds like fun 😁 4y
Cathythoughts Beautiful pic💜 4y
Centique I love the sound of this one! 4y
63 likes1 stack add5 comments