“We are surrounded by forces that technology cannot yet measure.”

Authors: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Arthur Conan Doyle, Lucy H. Hooper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, H. G. Wells, Edmond Nolcini, M. R. James, Ambrose Bierce, Howard R. Garis, William Hope Hodgson, Edith Nesbit, H. C. McNeile, Abraham Meritt, Emma Vane

Editor: Daisy Butcher

Date: 03/01/2023

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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I think I ordered this book some time during summer, after I accidentally stumbled upon it on an online bookstore. I love anthologies and I love plants, so this title definitely intrigued me enough to order it. I finally decided to read it around Christmas and finished it during a recent trip, so it's officially my first finished book of the year.

"Evil Roots: Killer Tales of the Botanical Gothic" is an interesting anthology of short horror stories by quite a few well-known authors. From the creator of Sherlock Holmes, to the acclaimed writer of "The Yellow Wallpaper", all the way to the legendary H. G. Wells, this collections features some hidden gems of the late 19th and early 20th century. While the stories are certainly old-school, they could still be regarded as timeless classics and masterful creations.

Most stories revolve around the fascination of the exotic - of unknown plants that are in some way dangerous to humans (or other organisms) and which originate from far away places, like South America. There's mentions of exquisite poisonous flowers, murderous liana, mysterious wisteria, and the weirdest of them all - carnivorous plants.

It is interesting just how much the writers and, by default, the general public were fascinated by exotic flora which, in one way or another, transcended the known laws of nature. Plants were considered sedentary, passive, and at the bottom of the food chain, but as new discoveries were being presented and as more people, professionals and amateurs alike, from the western civilization started their expeditions in new places, society was being introduced with oddities that seemingly didn't follow any established rules. So while the horror in this collection is displayed through various flora, the true horror is derived from the simple fact that humans fear what they cannot understand. One of the most frightening things a person, especially a scientist, can experience is realizing that they will never be able to fully predict nature's capability to adapt and to evolve.

Of course, this theme goes hand in hand with the understanding that it is dangerous altering the natural order of things. While this could also be understood as criticism to the human tendency to play god, there isn't much religious commentary throughout the collection. The stories are centered around ecology, evolution, and biology, highlighting how humans shouldn't meddle with something as powerful as nature - which they will never fully understand, let alone be able to control. Even though the writers do create a feeling of dread through the fear of nature, the horror is actually realized through characters that underestimate its abilities and that have the need to disfigure nature in order to measure their own capabilities.

Furthermore, this collection highlights the uncomfortable fascination western civilization had with other cultures. The urge to study new exotic phenomena on their own accord, to test the limits of human science on something they don't fully understand with little to no regard of the laws of nature and the test subject's true needs, is somewhat perverse. These scientists are conducting experiments in uncontrolled environments, and playing with their test-subjects in order to test their own abilities and knowledge. It is a portrayal of poor research. They're acting out of curiosity with little to no regard of the consequences. It is not their subjects that are evil, for they have been brought up and mistreated in an environment completely unnatural to their habitat, but their tormentor, who butchers them through extreme studies. This is usually evident through a secondary character, most often a colleague, who tries to stop the scientist in their mad experiment before it's too late. The horror is, therefore, found in the abuse executed by the brazen oppressor, not in their vicious, abnormal creations.

I went a little nuts in the bookstore today ✨ (although these are from two different shops and includes both new and used)

I'm really excited about all of these, but Evil Roots especially seems so cool. I picked up most of the others because they'd been on my list or I knew about them, but I love getting an impulse buy book every now and then - and this one called out to me from the Halloween display. I thought it seemed like such an interesting collection and perfect for spooky season, plus I love plants and botanicals so it's really a match made in heaven.

24 October: Fluffy socks or slippers?

Both! I like slippers for walking around the dorm when it's chilly because sometimes the kitchen floor is either damp from mopping or a little gross, so having a hard-soled slipper is nice to keep my socks from getting nasty. Slippers are also great for video calls because I can kick them on and off without looking weird on zoom. But I also can't deny fluffy socks - perfect for a lazy day or movie night. They're just good for different purposes I think.

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[Image 1: Seven books scattered on a gray fabric background and a brown paper bag. Roughly left to right: Paradise Lost by John Milton, Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster, The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, Useless Magic by Florence Welch, Evil Roots edited by Daisy Butcher, Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra by C.S. Lewis, Circe by Madeline Miller.]

Just finished this; was pretty fun.

Big reading day for me. I did some essay prep by reading another Sophocles play and some Antigone revision. Some lectures, some notes and research, some reading. In the evening, I wound down by starting a new short story collection I got this weekend because it's just perfect to get into the spooky mood without scaring myself too much before bed.

26 October: Spooky mood or cozy mood?

Arguably both, but if I had to pick just one: spooky mood for sure. I've got all the rest of winter to be cozy, let me be spooky in October!

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[Image 1: a graphed spiral notebook with half a page of notes. a pen and metal ruler are on top of and next to the notebook.]