Dare we say historical fiction is already rising the ranks this year? We’ve already been to 19th-century China and 16th-century France in the first week alone. Now, let’s travel to 17th-century Rome in Joy McCullough’s new book, Everything is Poison!
Everything is Poison follows sixteen-year-old Carmela Tofana who finally gets to enter the workroom in her mother’s apothecary. Carmela looks forward to mixing remedies and other potions. But she’ll soon find that the work they do can sometimes have deadly consequences.
An incredible coming-of-age, feminist read, Joy McCullough’s new historical fiction novel had us unable to look away. Here are three things we love about Everything is Poison!
Book Overview: Everything Is Poison
Content warnings: murder, death, sexual assault, domestic abuse, child abuse, childbirth, violence, poisoning (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary: For as long as she can remember, Carmela Tofana has desperately wanted one thing: to be allowed behind the counter of her mother’s apothecary in Campo Marzio, Rome. When she turns sixteen, she’s finally allowed into the inner sanctum: the workroom where her mother, Giulia Tofana, and two assistants craft renowned remedies for their customers. But for every sweet-smelling flower extract in the workroom, there’s another potion requiring darker ingredients. And then there’s Aqua Tofana, the apothecary’s remedy of last resort for husbands who are just as deadly as any disease. In all Carmela’s years of wishing to follow in her mother’s footsteps, she never realized one tiny vial could be the death of them all.
Carmela’s Character Development
One of our favorite things about Everything is Poison is how much Carmela grows from beginning to end. Carmela has long held a grudge against former classmate Violetta for calling her mother a “witch” to anyone who would listen. But years later, Violetta comes to the apothecary with a lifechanging problem. Though reluctant at first, Carmela never fails to help Violetta in her time of need. The two of them even rekindle their friendship later on, once Violetta apologizes and Carmela lets go of her negative memories.
The Interwoven Poems
Not only is Everything is Poison written in prose, but it also contains poems woven between most chapters. And we think it adds such a meaningful layer to the story that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The poems give us a deeper look into characters like Carmela, Giulia, Maria, and Laura. But it also tells us the story from a wider lens. They allude that there are women like these characters everywhere, not just in this story and time period. The characters have specific shared experiences that many others can find relatable.
The Bittersweet Ending
Another thing we love about Everything is Poison is the bittersweet ending. This ending definitely fits the coming-of-age aspect where the main character learns that not everything is black and white. While Carmela believes that her mother Giulia can fix anything, the reality is far more grim. Even when the women try all they can to help people and rid them of their ailments, sometimes their best is not enough. Sometimes it’s better to accept what’s next. And we can’t emphasize enough how beautiful this message is.
Everything is Poison by Joy McCullough weaves together prose and verse in an incredible coming-of-age, feminist, historical fiction novel you don’t want to miss!
Everything is Poison by Joy McCullough is out January 14th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
What do you think of Joy McCullough’s Everything is Poison? Are you planning to read it this year? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
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