An engaging study of toad smoking and its psychedelic effects ... Mr. de Greef describes the effects of 5-MeO-DMT in such glowing terms that a foot-washing Baptist might be tempted to give it a shot ... But the story also takes a dark turn. Like J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendary ring, Mr. de Greef writes, the drug is 'too powerful to be wielded without cost.'
Methodical, exacting, well-written and exceptionally reported ... Fortunately, De Greef avoids the fate that can befall books based on American magazine articles that fail to break free of them, and really enjoys the extra space ... Highly enjoyable.
Gripping ... De Greef’s unsettling true-crime account challenges readers to consider how easily hope, belief, and authority can become entangled, leaving lasting impacts on both individuals and communities.
A marvelous trip, exploring centuries of the Seris’ tribulations, the growth of commercial toad milking in a region dominated by narco gangsters, quarrels among rival gurus and competition between the sons of an English countess and a German baroness to develop 5-MeO-DMT into a pharmaceutical ... Entertaining.
