EVERYTHING IS POISON

In 17th-century Rome, Tofana Apothecary helps women through sisterhood and botanicals in this novel that’s loosely inspired by real events.

At 16, Carmela Tofana is eager to begin her apothecary apprenticeship under the guidance of her mother, Giulia. She’s a quick study when it comes to mixing ingredients for various powders, tinctures, and creams. Carmela also comes to appreciate the tightrope that Giulia walks as an independent woman: Anger the wrong person, and she could be hanged as a witch. Despite the risks, Giulia creates remedies that extend beyond toothaches and digestive problems. Girls and women come to her for help ending unwanted pregnancies, and more than one woman with a violent husband has surreptitiously obtained a vial of the apothecary’s most closely guarded secret, Acqua Tofana, which brings about a natural-looking death. But when Patrizia Moretti, beaten and terrified, makes a late-night visit to the apothecary, Carmela’s well-meaning actions lead to scandal: Signora Moretti is arrested for her husband’s death, and she names Giulia as the source of the poison. Giulia must flee to avoid execution, and Carmela is suddenly thrust into the responsibilities of being La Tofana. As she grieves her mother’s absence, she and unlikely allies breathe new life into the apothecary. The novel’s mixture of tenderness, brutality, loneliness, resignation, and joy makes for an intimate reading experience. Free-verse poems between prose chapters elevate the story and highlight the universal elements.

An emotionally stirring celebration of women finding community.