magikskydad's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Excrement, Infidelity, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Addiction, Body horror, Classism, Drug use, Gore, and Vomit
This book is a historical work that describes the history of poisoning. It is incredibly informative. Sometimes it is gory and traffic but it’s totally worth the read if your interested in the history of royalty, or the darker and stranger working of medicine.adriana_tia's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
heyshannon1229's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
maxime_reads's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
This was fine. I didn’t know there was going to be so much history in the book. I don’t remember even half of the nobility that was mentioned (the book takes a look at royals from many European countries, and from centuries ago until the present).
In my opinion, the book dragged at the end. It was a lot of the same thing. I had also issues with some quotes (see below).
It seems like I’m the only one who takes issue with autism being compared to cancer and dementia.
"Though we might laugh at lead face paints, mercury enemas and arsenic skin lotions, futur generations will certainly laugh at us for poisoning ourselves with chemotherapy and whatever unknown elements in our modern society cause increasingly high rates of cancer, autism and dementia."
As an autistic person, I find this extremely offending. The "high rates" of autism are not because there are more autistic people (from what I’ve heard and from my research in the matter), but because there are more diagnosed autistics. Every year, we understand more about autism and how it shows in non men, non white people (the autistic model was based on white boys).
Excluding that, I had a few nitpicks. Like when the author talked about an hypothetical person, she said "he or she" will experience this, or "he or she" will do that. Why not use "they" instead? Not only is it inclusive, but it takes less words to say. I digress.
Finally, I’m not Jewish but I’ve heard that they prefer being referred to as Jewish people instead of Jews. That wasn’t done in the book.
"… the gaz used by nazis to exterminate Jews in concentration camps."
That’s pretty much all I had to say. I had expected something more akin to A Taste for Poison which I read a few weeks ago, but alas.
In my opinion, the book dragged at the end. It was a lot of the same thing. I had also issues with some quotes (see below).
It seems like I’m the only one who takes issue with autism being compared to cancer and dementia.
"Though we might laugh at lead face paints, mercury enemas and arsenic skin lotions, futur generations will certainly laugh at us for poisoning ourselves with chemotherapy and whatever unknown elements in our modern society cause increasingly high rates of cancer, autism and dementia."
As an autistic person, I find this extremely offending. The "high rates" of autism are not because there are more autistic people (from what I’ve heard and from my research in the matter), but because there are more diagnosed autistics. Every year, we understand more about autism and how it shows in non men, non white people (the autistic model was based on white boys).
Excluding that, I had a few nitpicks. Like when the author talked about an hypothetical person, she said "he or she" will experience this, or "he or she" will do that. Why not use "they" instead? Not only is it inclusive, but it takes less words to say. I digress.
Finally, I’m not Jewish but I’ve heard that they prefer being referred to as Jewish people instead of Jews. That wasn’t done in the book.
"… the gaz used by nazis to exterminate Jews in concentration camps."
That’s pretty much all I had to say. I had expected something more akin to A Taste for Poison which I read a few weeks ago, but alas.
logdog42's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This was wonderfully written, and so captivating! It reads as a short story collection, but one that is incredibly morbid. I learned so much about poison, history, olde european culture, and all of the ways that people ruin themselves!
I think this book is great for anyone who wants to learn about poison, or the gross(often glossed over) parts of history.
I think this book is great for anyone who wants to learn about poison, or the gross(often glossed over) parts of history.
awillou's review against another edition
3.0
Enlightening, but disgusting. I had to stop for awhile.