This Poison Heart

Written in 2021, This Poison Heart is a YA fantasy novel by New York Times best-selling author Kalynn Bayron, who is known for her retellings of fairy tales and other classic stories focused on Black protagonists. This Poison Heart is a coming-of-age story that follows the life of Briseis Greene as she learns about her magical heritage and comes to terms with her innate talent for controlling plants. The novel focuses on secret backgrounds, hidden talents, and the true definition of family.

Bayron is widely known for her 2020 debut novel, Cinderella Is Dead. This Poison Heart was named to the IndieNext Kids List for May/June 2021, Autostraddle Best Queer Books of 2021 list, and numerous “Best of 2021” teen and YA lists, including recognition from the Boston Public Library, the New York Public Library, Waterstones, and Booklist Editor’s Choice. Bayron has also been honored with the 2022 Randall Kenan Award for Black LGBTQ Fiction.

This guide refers to the 2021 electronic edition published by Bloomsbury YA. Variations in pagination may occur.

Content Warning: Both the source text and this guide contain descriptions of violence, racism, and the death of a parent by violence.

Plot Summary

Briseis Greene, who has the secret magical ability to control plants, is working in her adoptive mothers’ flower shop one day when a customer discovers that the shop is out of stock and cannot fill his regular order of white roses.