"A vivid, compelling tale . . . The sheer beauty of Smith's prose . . . alternates passages of lush lyricism with moments of epigrammatic bluntness. [And] Smith proves as adept at building suspense as any thriller writer."
–Brannon Costello, Clarion Ledger
"[Katy Simpson] Smith combines botany and the Roman Colosseum to tell a riveting story."
–Shelbi Polk, Shondaland "A lyrical dive into . . . loss, defiance and need, told through the stamens, leaves and petals of flowers and weeds."
–New Orleans magazine "A furious, beautiful book about the quest for knowledge and women's part in that quest, as well as a passionate reminder that the struggle for women's rights is ongoing."
–Susan Larson, The Times-Picayune "
The Weeds is the kind of novel that's like Halley's Comet – something of its kind appears infrequently, but when it does, it leaves a significant impression."
–Nicole Yurcaba, Southern Review of Books "Irresistible . . . The dangerous potential inside every desire, every choice, drives the suspense in this engrossing novel."
–Emily Choate, Chapter 16 "Luminous . . . A lyrical meditation on power, need, and love."
–Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Marvelous . . . [
The Weeds] shows a real power of storytelling . . . A wonderful book . . . [that's] bound to find a place in your memory whenever you see a clump of rosemary."
–Konstantin Rega, Virginia Living "Laced with existential musing and dark humor . . . We begin to understand why these two women are here, in an ancient place where there is blood still deep in the sand, and, more importantly, what they are going to do about it."
–Amanda Cockrell, The Historical Novels Review "Full of wonders and history and secrets . . . Impressive."
–Freya Sachs, Bookpage, starred review "Garden lovers will delight in this roving, fascinating novel that follows a Mississippi woman who discovers the unexpectedly rich plant world of the Roman Colosseum. Wanderlust: induced!"
–CJ Lotz, Garden & Gun "Erudite, playful, and filled with fury about gender inequality, [
The Weeds] can be recommended to readers of cli-fi and feminist literary fiction."
–Booklist "[A] centuries-spanning story . . . Katy Simpson Smith muses on the constraints and choices of women trying simply to survive."
–Eliza Smith, Literary Hub "Ingenious . . . Potent details bring [
The Weeds] to vibrant life . . . Readers will enjoy stopping to smell the clematis."
–Publishers Weekly "A novel that repurposes the old-school botanical survey as a way of sorting through curiosity and desire in their rawest forms, set against the high-romantic backdrop of the Roman Colosseum in plant-strewn, crumbling ruin."
–Sam Bett, Literary Hub "[A] subtle, intelligent work."
–Library Journal "Brilliant, poetic, unnerving, wholly original. What else would you expect from Katy Simpson Smith? With
The Weeds, she has written another masterpiece."
–Julia Phillips, author of Disappearing Earth "
The Weeds is the story of secrets in plain sight–plants in the cracks of a monument, women's lives rooted in spaces that provide them no sunlight or water–but this novel is anything but quiet or secretive. It is explosive and prismatic. I will be recommending this novel to everyone forever."
–Ramona Ausubel, author of The Last Animal "A beautiful, strange, and compelling novel. I liked it for its playfulness about history, for its embrace of bodies in place, for its sense of doom and weirdness at loose in the world. I kept wanting my friends to read it so we could talk about it."
–Sarah Moss, author of The Fell "What a terrific novel! Strange, moving, and marvelously alive,
The Weeds works–like the eponymous flora that fills its pages–with subtle insistence and exuberant power to unfurl its ingeniously twinned stories of injustice, heartbreak, desire, and hope. I couldn't put it down."
–Laird Hunt, author of Zorrie "Intricately written, combining lush prose, deep insights, and a wicked sense of humor,
The Weeds is an irresistible reading experience. Katy Simpson Smith is a wholly original voice with talent to spare."
–Jami Attenberg, author of I Came All This Way to Meet You