This slim volume contains four short chapters, each of which is centred around a plant which is rooted in a myth: Pomegranate, Mint, Asphodel and White Poplar. After a brief description of each plant, attractively illustrated by Lydia Hall, author Lorna Robinson (of Iris Project fame) tells a mythological story from the point of view of the spirit of the plant itself. Each chapter ends with some background information about the myth and other interesting facts related to the plant.
For the pomegranate, Robinson describes the familiar story of Demeter and Hades, with the abrupt change from joy at eating the seeds to the onset of knowledge that Persephone had unwittingly fallen into a contract to stay in the Underworld six months of the year. The story of Minthe follows, more gloomy, as she waits by the side of the river Cocytus, crushed by the absence of the love of Hades. In Asphodel, Robinson takes on the persona of the Asphodel Fields themselves as they are created to welcome the shades of the dead. Finally, Leuke reminisces of the exhaustion of age, eventual death and final rebirth as the white poplar tree.
These stories are sad, slightly gloomy little things, aching with the pain of rejection and sorrow: perhaps not for every child, but maybe some will draw solace and interest from them and follow up further mythological references for themselves.
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