This Poison Heart: Kalynn Bayron is one of YA fantasy’s most exciting new voices

Kalynn Baron’s YA fantasy debut Cinderella is Dead was one of 2020’s most pleasant surprises, a rich and compelling retelling that reimagined the classic fairytale as a powerful story of resistance. Her second effort cements her place as one of the genre’s most exciting up-and-coming authors:  This Poison Heart is a compelling tale of magic and family that incorporates Greek mythology, herb lore, and a fascinating contemporary Gothic atmosphere into something that feels wonderfully fresh and new.

Smart, well-written, and full of incisive character work, this is a fantasy story that effortlessly balances classic tropes with a modern sensibility, centering its story around the main character’s experience as an adopted Black teen on a journey to discover who she is – that’s only partially relevant to the strange powers she can command.

This Poison Heart follows the story of Briseis, a young Brooklyn teen who has a special affinity for plants. Not only can she make them grow with a touch of her hands, but she also has an immunity to all toxic varieties, from poison ivy to hemlock and belladonna. Neither Briseis nor either of her adopted moms understands where these gifts have come from, but the girl’s inability to control them is making her life difficult – she’s lying to her friends, hiding experiments with more dangerous plants, and keeping herself locked away at home, lest someone notice how the neighborhood trees react to her presence.

So when news arrives that her birth mother’s sister has left her a sizeable estate in her will, the family takes the opportunity to relocate to upstate New York for the summer in order to give Briseis the chance to not only find out more about her own history but explore her strange powers in a less open and therefore risky setting.

But when Briseis arrives in Rhinebeck, she learns there’s more to her family history than she ever could have imagined. From the secret garden full of deadly plants to the local community her birth family apparently served through the apothecary in the house, there are plenty of secrets to discover and a long-buried history that’s darker than anything she expected – and powers that go far beyond being able to handle everyday poisonous plants.

Bayron’s writing is crisp and evocative, and as heroines go her Briseis is refreshingly messy modern. The story doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of being a Black girl with abilities that further mark her as other in a world that already often views her with suspicion, and the story deftly weaves science and stories of ancient Greek gods and goddesses together in a way that feels fresh and new. The supporting characters, from Briseis’ parents to the new friends she makes in Rhinebeck and the odd local citizenry who want to use her services are all richly drawn, and the story builds naturally to a surprising and twisty conclusion that will leave readers desperate for the final installment in this duology.

Given that Cinderella is Dead was such a surprise delight last year, most of us probably expected great things from Bayronn’s second novel. And it’s safe to say that This Poison Heart has more than exceeded them. An original contemporary fantasy, it feels like something entirely fresh within this genre – a story with compelling characters, an unpredictable plot, effortless and much-needed representation, and an original narrative that’s unlike anything you’ll have encountered this year.

This Poison Heart is now available. Let us know if you’re thinking of adding it to your summer reading list!