A buried secret...
Present day: Anna is focused on growing her new gardening business and renovating her late grandmother's house. But when she discovers a box hidden in a wall cavity, containing water colours of exotic plants, an old diary and a handful of seeds, she finds herself thrust into a centuries-old mystery. One that will send her halfway across the world to Kew Gardens and then onto Cornwall in search of the truth.
A lady adventurer...
1886: Elizabeth Trebithick is determined to fulfil her father's dying wish and continue his life's work as an adventurer and plant-hunter. So when she embarks on a perilous journey to discover a rare and miraculous flower, she will discover that the ultimate betrayal can be found even across the seas...
Two women, separated by centuries. Can one mysterious flower bring them together?
Many thanks to Orion via NetGalley for my copy of The Botanist's Daughter to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
What an absolute delight to discover a new author and to fall madly in love with their work. Prior to reading The Botanist's Daughter I had never heard of Kayte Nunn but I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future based upon the calibre of this beautifully crafted read. Upon finishing the book I was surprised to discover that this is the author's first foray into historical fiction, for it read like someone who had been writing in this genre for a long time. She should definitely stick to writing in this genre as I relished every minute reading this captivating, intriguing and compelling story. Everything was pitched so perfectly throughout and the dual time line worked a treat as we weave back and forth across the years to see how everything would be connected if at all.
I enjoyed reading of Anna's story in the present and how she was searching not only to find who owned the box and sketchbook she discovers but in a way she was always searching for herself. The person she once was had been lost and wandering for many years and it was obvious from the start that something was haunted her and wouldn't let go. Whatever that was was preventing her from moving forward. It was like she was trapped and this discovery might help her in her bid for personal freedom. But it is Elizabeth's story of adventure and exploration in the late 1880's that really captured my attention and held it right until the very last page. Fulfilling a personal request as laid out by her father on his deathbed becomes her mission and she will do anything to see it come to its conclusion.
The cover for this this book is truly beautiful and stunning in its simplicity. Yet it's only as you delve deeper into the story that you realise how apt it actually is considering the subject matter. Don't worry that botany, flowers and plants may not be your subject matter of choice. I wouldn't be interested in these at all, and yes they do make up a lot of the story, but I didn't in any way feel that the book became like a science book. Instead you become enraptured in the world that Elizabeth inhabits and cares for deeply and her passion and the challenge she is trying to complete become all consuming both for her and the reader.
What sets the series of events in motion that encapsulate the story begins in Sydney in the autumn of 2017. As Anna renovates the house left to her by her grandmother, the builders discover a sealed box and sketchbook hidden within the walls. Of course her interest is piqued. Even more so when she looks through the sketchbook containing drawings and details of plants some rare and very unusual. As Anna herself is a horticulturist and runs her own business she knows this is a stunning find and even more so are the seeds contained within the box. She has never seen the likes of these before. What really sets her train of thought galloping even further is why were these items hidden in her grandmother's house especially as a photo in the box was taken in England, so many thousands of miles away.
I was delighted that Anna took on the challenge to uncover the truth behind the major discovery because she clearly needed a task of some sort to take her mind off her own personal situation. The reasons behind this do not become evident for quite some time but when they do I thought they really made sense as to the way Anna was feeling and acting. She was hiding something personal from the reader which had had a deep and profound effect on her. She decides to take the bull by the horns and see where the objects will lead her. She needs to do something on her own for a change and even if mistakes are made, so what. That is the way in which the answers to so many questions will be found. In my mind Anna's aspect of the story was just slightly weaker than Elizabeth's and maybe that's because I became so all consumed by the timeline set in the past. There was just that little extra something that drew me to the quest Elizabeth embarked upon that turned this book into a fantastic read that made me feel as I had travelled back in time to Elizabeth as she reaches the far distant shores of South America specifically Chile having travelled across the ocean from England.
Elizabeth was like an intrepid explorer and a woman way ahead of her time. She felt she had been confined to the family home Trebithick Hall for far too long. Her father John was a botanist who travelled the world collecting and cataloguing rare and unusual plants and then brought them back to England. His love for botany had been passed on to Elizabeth and she had spent many years honing her craft, drawing intricate and detailed sketches of plants and flowers. As John lay dying he asked one last thing of Elizabeth. In Chile there is the most rarest of plants which has unusual properties, the power both to heal but also to kill when used in the incorrect way. The Devils Trumpet is very elusive and as John had always been in competition with a Mr. Chegwidden to procure the flower he feels as if his opportunity is slipping through his fingers. Elizabeth agrees when asked to travel to Chile under an assumed name in order to search for the Devil's Trumpet and bring it back to England.
I thought Elizabeth was so brave to travel so many miles with only her maid Daisy for company and especially seen as she had barely left the county let alone the country before. I wouldn't say she was filled with confidence and ease all the time but she grew in strength and determination once she reached South American shores. I had visions of her trekking through jungles followed by Mr. Chegwidden but that didn't occur. Instead she meets some ex-pats in Chile and I thought the story took on a more sedate pace as she becomes accustomed to a new way of life. Yes she was hiding secrets and the main task was never far from the forefront of her mind but when she meets someone new her thoughts are turned in another direction. I really enjoyed the way Elizabeth's story unfolded because it was full of secrecy and danger and yes what I always look for in a historical fiction book with a dual timeline - that mind blowing twist- did make an appearance and will leave the reader reeling in shock.
In fact said twist I really should have seen coming given upon reflection there were several clues subtly dropped in. As for that ending, that very last line well that was a turn up for the books and left me with plenty more questions even though so many of them had been answered. I was actually confused and thinking am I interpreting this the right way? Is it really going to end like that? This only leads me to hope that there will be a squeal for I can't be left hanging like that.
The Botanist's Daughter was a marvellous, moving adventure of a book. It was so atmospheric and rich in detail. The scenery, sights, sounds, smells, plant and animal life in Chile were so richly descriptive and only added to the overall tone the author was trying to convey with the book. This story really did have me from page one and several days after finishing it, it still does. It's like you finish the book, look up and realise you live in the real world and not the books world and you are gutted but deeply satisfied at the same time at what brilliance you have read. I am eagerly anticipating what Kayte Nunn will bring us next but in the meantime I couldn't recommend The Botanist's Daughter enough.
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