Book Review for Whispers of Apple Blossoms by Brett Mitchell Kent

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form. 

Whispers of Apple Blossoms, by Brett Mitchell Kent, is a supernatural, gothic horror that illustrates how one person’s fragility can infect an entire family. Edna is struggling to cope with the loss of her beloved husband, Henry. Despite concerns she is unable to take care of herself, Edna steadfastly refuses help and clings to a plant that Henry had given her when he proposed. Meanwhile, Noor decides to go to her Aunt Edna after her mother’s disappearance, not understanding the danger she’s walking into or the darkness desperate to imprison her. 

The mandrake reminds me of the Vietnamese Ngai, a plant that, when given offerings, will do your bidding. Many “evil” practitioners in Vietnam use Ngai to manipulate people, steal money, and enslave others. The problem is that you need to continue to feed the Ngai, and if you don’t, you could wind up its next meal. Of course, this is an oversimplified version of how Ngai works, but it doesn’t stop my parents from telling their horror stories (apparently, there are a lot of Ngai practitioners in the nail salon world). Even so, from what I can understand in Western magic, the mandrake was a popular herb that had many uses in sympathetic magic. That the mandrake had a deep longing for love as other humans do speaks volumes of its potency. It also had that twisted child-mother bond with Edna, and it desired her, even if it wasn’t human.

Speaking of child-mother bonds, I liked how Kent explored the relationship between Edna and her mother, and again with Edna and her daughter. It seemed that, even though Edna might not mean to, she passed down her resentments towards her mother and then to Betty Lou. She could’ve had her real daughter, but unfortunately, as mentioned above, Edna chose a substitute and a poor one at that. It was the reason why Betty Lou disappeared in the first place. Without meaning to, the mandrake became her golden child, and even before it killed, there were times she prioritized its safety and well-being over Betty Lou’s. Her relationship with the mandrake was a poor imitation, nothing at all like the relationship Noor had with her mother. Then again, if Betty Lou had tried to develop that relationship, she would’ve ended up a victim as well. It seems that for all the support mothers are supposed to give their daughters, Edna was severely lacking. 

I appreciate Kent incorporating the language of flowers into the book. Some of them I know, others I don’t, but I liked how Edna fell for their symbolism. She’s so ingrained with the past that it was easy to deceive her using something as simple as a flower. It was Henry’s love language to her, and it corrupted that.

Because of this, I would like to give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.