This Poison Heart

Thandie suffers intensely from her allergies after the move to Rhinebeck, and the Greene women find themselves in a constant battle with the pollen that creeps through the windows of the old, rural house. Because one of Briseis’s mothers is so adversely affected by the local plants, Briseis must necessarily undertake much of her explorative journey alone. She is the only one equipped to withstand the inherent dangers of the Poison Garden, as Thandie cannot even face a regular garden without suffering ill effects. This dynamic also illustrates the critical limitations of Briseis’s power; although she has control over the growth of plants and is immune to most poisons, she cannot control everything about them. Plants remain a force of nature that will continue to work in their own ways despite Briseis’s wish to mitigate their harmful effects on those she loves. Thandie’s struggle with allergies also reveals the woman’s commitment to doing what is best for her daughter and her family, as despite her physical discomfort, she continually asserts that she wants to stay in Rhinebeck. Thandie’s allergies also foreshadow her eventual death due to a poisonous plant.