The Poison That Fascinates by Jennifer Clement

The Poison That Fascinates by Jennifer Clement

 

First of all, the title by itself is fascinating already!

 

Secondly, I got this book from a Bookcrosser; they were having a readalong on the BC forums (Spoiler alert! Please do not read the discussion until you've read the book!) and I had a lot of fun reading the discussions

chapter by chapter while reading the book.

 

The story is about Emily who loves to collect facts and information about women criminals. She was abandoned by her mother when she was a baby, and was brought up by her father and a nun at the local Catholic orphanage.

 

Life is simple until one day, when her cousin Santiago comes back to live with her and her father. He brings mysteries and family secrets with him and turns their simple life completely upside down.

 

I quite enjoyed the book and Clements' staccato style of writing in short, sharp sentences. The facts about women criminals and Mexican saints are very interesting too.

 

Although the book is filled with sadness, obsession, and mystery, it is an easy book to read because of the short, poetic sentences, and the interesting facts sprinkled throughout the book helps to hold our attention as well.

 

I thought it was a very well-written book, and very cleverly woven by Clement, because there were a lot of references in the story that some readers may or may not realize when reading the book. I probably wouldn't have realized myself, if I didn't read the readalong thread in the BC forums. Wonderful book!