The Rarest Fruit: A Novel

by Gaëlle Bélem, Hildegarde Serle (translator)

Gaëlle Bélem’s The Rarest Fruit is a captivating tale of resilience, discovery, and the untold stories behind a beloved flavor.


Set in 19th-century La Réunion, this novel follows Edmond Albius, a young Creole boy born into slavery, whose extraordinary talent for botany leads him to revolutionize the vanilla industry with his method of hand-pollinating orchids. Raised by a passionate botanist after becoming an orphan, Edmond defies the expectations of his time, making a discovery that connects the histories of La Réunion, France, and beyond.


Based on the true story of Edmond Albius, Bélem weaves a richly detailed narrative, exploring themes of survival and ingenuity against the backdrop of colonial exploitation. The Rarest Fruit is both a poignant tribute to the unsung heroes of history and a vivid portrayal of the intertwined destinies shaped by a single discovery.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Africa, Nature, France, Historical, Plants

192 pages, Hardcover

Published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[Olive Fellows (abookolive) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's this joke I sometimes tell about how odd it is that "vanilla" has become a synonym for boring, when the delicate flavor comes from a fickle orchid. 🤔

The Rarest Fruit, a gorgeous novel translated from French, will give you an idea of what I mean by that, if you don't already. It's the short and tragic tale of Edmond Albius, a young Black slave on the isle of Bourbon who discovers the secret of pollinating vanilla orchids, thus unlocking a flavor treasured by the Aztecs. The writing (and translating) are exquisite. Highly recommend this one if you want a short work of historical fiction to close out your summer (or whatever season you're in).

This was one of my favorite novels of the year ❤️

Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!

[Jodi]

DNF'd @ 21% — This just wasn't what I needed right now. An interesting storyline, but the text was a convoluted mess of Old English, French, Creole, and a few others mixed in. Maybe someday...

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) A fictionalized biography, from infancy to deathbed, of the Black botanist who introduced the world to vanilla – then a rare and expensive flavour – by discovering that the plant can be hand-pollinated in the same way as pumpkins. In 1829, the island colony of Bourbon (now the French overseas department Réunion) has just been devastated by a cyclone when widowed landowner Ferréol Bellier-Beaumont is brought the seven-week-old orphaned son of one of his sister’s enslaved women. Ferréol, who once hunted rare orchids, raises the boy as his ward. From the start, Edmond is most at home in the garden and swears he will follow in his guardian’s footsteps as a botanist. Bélem also traces Ferréol’s history and the origins of vanilla in Mexico. The inclusion of Creole phrases and the various uses of plants, including for traditional healing, chimed with Jason Allen-Paisant’s Jamaica-set The Possibility of Tenderness, and I was reminded somewhat of the historical picaresque style of Slave Old Man and The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho. The writing is solid but the subject matter niche.

Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy a bit of historical fiction.

The Rarest Fruit tells the true story of Edmond Albius who was born a slave in Bourbon (now Réunion), a French colony in the Indian Ocean.

Edmond is orphaned at birth but he becomes almost a ward of a local landowner and botanist, Ferréol Bellier-Beaumont. As he grows up Edmond proves a very willing and talented student who finally proves his worth by discovering the secret of pollinating the vanilla orchid to produce pods.

Gaëlle Bélem fills in the extensively missing history of Edmond with an entertaining history of the slave whose endeavours made a lot of vanilla growers extremely wealthy in the 1800s. Of course, being a slave Edmond sees none of the profits and the story is necessarily one of inequality.

I knew nothing of Edmond Albius before I read this but it's a fascinating story. I'd definitely recommend it for fans of historical fiction or anyone who enjoys an interesting story.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Europa Editions for the advance review copy.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very quick read and overall pretty interesting- Edmond, orphaned son of two slaves in 19th Century Reunion, discovers at twelve how to pollinate the vanilla plant… I know right, what a random topic for me to read about! But also kind of bizarre timing because my previous book was about the young boy from the slums who, in 19th century London, discovered how to read the ancient tablets of Mesopotamia. So many diamonds in the rough!

But I digress. This book felt like it wasn’t sure whether it wanted to be strictly non-fiction, or to read more like a novel. At times it was a bit dry and just felt like it was stating the facts, and it was often a bit meandering and difficult to follow within this. I received a copy from NetGalley and in all honesty if it wasn’t a review copy, I probably would have put it down after a few pages.

[Madeline Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this was a beautiful and haunting book. I learned a lot about La Reunion and reflected much on what it means to leave a legacy.

[H.A. Leuschel · Rating 5 out of 5]

´L'arôme vanille part à la conquête de la planète entière après celle de la France. Partout dans le monde, un vent de vanille souffle; les gousses circulent, se vendent, s´achètent, se consomment sans qu´on sache qu'un esclave de douze ans qui n'a jamais vu de planisphère en a percé le secret pour les siècles à venir et ce, d'un simple geste de la main.'

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adesso ogni volta che mangerò un dolce alla vaniglia penserò al povero e caro Edmond...

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

bellissimo, bella rappresentazione, no a piccole cose personali di scrittura

[ALESSANDRA ESPOSITO · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Fiorirò ovunque sarò portato"

Una fantastica storia romanzata su un ragazzino appassionato di botanica, che scopre e replica la modalità in cui l'orchidea Bourbon produce i suoi famosi baccelli di vaniglia, bistrattato e dimenticato, la cui unica colpa è essere nato nero in un prevaricante mondo di maschi bianchi, per di più in un periodo brutale quale fu il colonialismo francese, nello specifico nel mezzo dell'Oceano Indiano. Le fonti citate sono sapientemente indicate nelle note a piè di pagina e non disturbano la lettura, anzi. L'affetto che ho provato per Edmond è stato totale. Nota buffa: la storia sembra narrata fuori campo da uno spettatore appassionato, un po' come nel film "Il favoloso mondo di Amelie", bell'espediente. Scrittura molto bella e coinvolgente.

[Elo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saviez-vous que nous avons bel et bien failli ne jamais connaître la saveur de la vanille ? Une épice que l’on considère comme un ingrédient de base en cuisine et surtout en pâtisserie !
Si nous pouvons déguster nos desserts préférés à la vanille c’est grâce à Edmond Albius, je vous invite à découvrir comment à l’âge de 12 ans et alors esclave il est parvenu à percer à jour le secret de la pollinisation de la vanille.
C’est aussi un bout de l’Histoire de l’île de la Réunion, alors appelée île Bourbon (fin de l’esclavage notamment) que j’ai découvert avec cette lecture !

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

"All we know of their story fits onto just one leaf. Not of paper, that's too big. The leaf of a vanilla plant." Yet Belem comes up with a wonderfully sensitive account of the life of a remarkable person, starting with the creation myth of plants told to Edmond by Ferreol, which I absolutely loved. Belem juxtaposes the Eurocentric, flawed understandings reflected in the primary sources with her Edmond-centered narrative. Her visualizations frequently begin with phrases like "we see him". At the moment Edmond makes his discovery about how to pollinate vanilla, he "understands Ferreol. His inability to doubt himself, his ability to doubt everyone else, his fear of losing status, of mutinies, of all the traps he's laid himself, which, gradually, are closing up on him." This is on the eve of a sea change in European sensibility that will result in the emancipation of slaves. And not only the ones the slaveholders don't want any more - the old, criminal, or injured - but all of them. Along with this history is some natural history, especially the fascinating voyage of the vanilla plant from its origins in the New World, captured and taken to Europe by conquistadors who, as with so many other things they stole, only knew how to exploit but not to nurture. Even Ferreol's story is told, from his ancestors' origins "on tenured land that would never belong to them" ending on Bourbon/Reunion. A craze grew up around vanilla once Edmond Albius figured out how to pollinate it and others learn how to make the pods into the delectable spice it becomes, used in every sort of foodstuff, as well as perfumes "in a France where, from dawn to dusk, the streets are littered with animal carcasses, vegetable peelings, tubercular spittle, and beggars' excrement". The story includes evocative snippets of Reunion Creole, a bit of poetry, snatches from contemporary writers like Victor Hugo, and lots of plants growing on a small island in the Indian Ocean.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New York Times has a wonderful series of obituaries called "Overlooked" about accomplished people who nevertheless did not have a NYT obituary published at the time of their death. The excellent book reminded me of that series. It takes place on Bourbon Island (now Reunion Island), an overseas colony and later a Department of France located in the Indian Ocean. It was there in the early 1840s that a bright but uneducated slave boy learned how to pollinate the vanilla orchids and grow pods, resulting in the vanilla trade that took off within 10 years to be quite a lucrative industry. The slave boy was named Edmund and he took the last name of Albius upon being set free, a number years after his vanilla pollination succeeded. Without spoilers, his life was indeed tragic and he never got any recognition in his lifetime. This excellent book reconstructs his life, studies, relationships and accomplishments using first hand records from where he lived. I found this to be a fascinating with detours into native, botany, politics, cooking and island life. Just a superb read of an exotic place and person.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Europa Editions for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have to admit that when books are translated from a different language, it’s hit-or-miss for me. The Rarest Fruit is based upon a real person, Edmond Albius, who was born a slave in a French colony. He’s orphaned at birth but is taken under the wing of a local botanist. As he grows up, he really takes to the subject of botany and discovers a game-changing secret: how to pollinate orchids so they produce vanilla beans.

The mood of this story is pretty dark, we are talking slavery here, but the richly detailed narrative kept drawing me in. Because not much is known about the real-life Albius, Gaëlle Bélem creates a story that shows how a smart slave could make a lot of white landowners a lot of money in the 1800s. Since he was enslaved, Edmond sees none of the riches.

Literary fiction is not my jam, but I wanted to read something about the enslaved people of other countries. This is a beautifully translated text that will resonate for a long time.

[Jenny Dunning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gem of a historical novel. Written in the style of the early 19th century--short chapters with descriptive titles, old fashioned prose studded with bits of Creole and French--the novel tells the story of Edward Albius, a slave on a plantation on the Indian Ocean island Réunion who discovered how to pollinate vanilla flowers at age 12. As Bélem imagines Edward, he was raised by a landowner with an interest in botany, treated almost like a son. His real-life discovery made the commercial production of vanilla outside of its native habitat (Mexico). However, he reaped little benefit from his discovery, dying in poverty despite having been freed as a young man. Like the best historical fiction, Bélem's narrative fills in the gaps in what we know about Albius, creating a compelling portrait of the life of a 19th century slave and the unfair labor practices that followed the abolition of slavery on the island. Bélem is a native of Réunion. Anyone who maintains that the life of slaves was not brutal needs to read this tragic story.

[Phillip Pless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Review: 4.25/5 stars

This slim novel recalls the life of the Edmund Albius, who discovered how to pollinate the vanilla pod by hand. It’s quite an extraordinary story of an impoverished slave who singlehandedly revolutionized the vanilla production process. It’s also the story of his life and the relationship between him and his former owner.

I learned so much by reading this book and I think the writing by Gaëlle Bélem is gorgeous and evokes a very lush, verdant environment. The translator did an amazing job rendering this very poetic and pensive story. I highly recommend this story to anyone that enjoys historical fiction. I also recommend any book that Europa Editions is publishing.

[Paul-Tristan Auguin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je ne savais pas grand chose de la vanille ou de la Réunion, et encore moins de la vie d’Edmond Albius, le livre a remédié à cela. Un long article de magazine aurait pu être plus efficace par moments, mais les derniers chapitres sur la l’oubli d’Edmond et la réécriture de l’histoire sont touchants; lire une page Wikipedia n’aurait pas été aussi marquant.

Le chapitre dédié au photographe et graveur Antoine Louis Roussin expose l’importance des images pour se représenter ce passé pas si lointain: la lithographie d’Edmond est une clé qui éclaire nombre de ses traits de caractère, fantasmés ou non. J’aimerais beaucoup feuilleter son album de la Réunion.

[Sombre Grimoire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une lecture très prenante, alors que je n'étais pas réellement convaincu au départ.

J'ai adoré cette lecture et l'ai lu en une après-midi. On en apprend énormément sur la vanille mais aussi de surtout sur Edmond Albius, l'homme qui a trouve comment aider l'orchidée à créer son fruit.

Ce récit mêle l'évolution autour des connaissances sur ce produit rare mais aussi le parcours d'Edmond, qui a l'époque (XIXème siècle) était un esclave noire sans perspective d'avenir, si ce n'est suivre sa passion de la botanique.

Son parcours fut émouvant et le récit très bien mené

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rarest Fruit follows the life of Edmond Albius, a twelve-year-old born into slavery in La Réunion, who discovered the secret of vanilla pollination. Until Edmond, no one had been able to grow vanilla beans in the two centuries since the plant had been brought over to Europe by the Conquistadors.

At times the writing was more stylized and at others it was a much more pared back reconstruction of historical documents. The blend between the two really worked for me. This is my favorite book I've read so far this year.

[Gabrielle Jarrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn’t until the last few pages that Belem refers to Edmund’s life as The Tragedy of Edmund Albius, the main character in The Rarest Fruit. Had I known it was a tragedy, I may not have read it. Half of the novel is optimistic and filled with the wonder of Edmund. The last half is indeed, tragic. Belem is a very good literary writer with many surprise, well-executed sentences that are memorable. I enjoyed her writing, but not the novel. If it weren’t short, I may have not finished. I did learn about Madagascar, however and I never knew vanilla came from orchids!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I would like this one more, however, I found it somewhat unengaging. This is the story of the young slave boy who figures out how to pollinate and grow vanilla nearly 200 years ago. His owner takes some credit although he also views the boy as a surrogate son. The author uses present tense throughout the book, and the sense of immediacy was a bit disconcerting. Good story, but unengaging presentation...

[Camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Storia vera particolarmente curiosa di cui non avevo mai sentito parlare prima (la riscoperta della vaniglia da parte di uno schiavo creolo dodicenne a La Rèunion nel XIX secolo). La vicenda è narrata con cura dei dettagli storici e da essa emergono chiaramente le difficoltà quotidiane degli schiavi nelle colonie e le ingiustizie di questo sistema. Non sono, tuttavia, pienamente soddisfatta perchè trovo che il tono enciclopedico del testo abbia tolto un po' di pathos ad alcuni eventi.

[Irina Grigorii · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a bit too fast, but there is no feeling of gaps. It is very saturated with atmosphere, smells, feelings. Deep immersion. Most of the characters are quite "pale", but since the book is a real story of real people, I understand the author why she did not take the time to draw their personalities, given the lack of data. I read the library copy, but I will definitely buy it for myself

[Roberta]

A slim book that should have been slimmer, although if you are a botanist you will find this fascinating. On the face of it, it is fascinating especially if, like me, you have never wondered who figures out how to hand-pollinate vanilla and turn it into the ubiquitous flavor it is today. But too many botanical details for a non-botanist.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A finely-crafted novel about an obscure life that blossoms and flourishes then withers and dies.
Undoubtedly based scrupulously on real people and events. It left such a bitter taste, however, that I couldn't say "I really liked it." Certainly respect it and its realistic account of chattel slavery as a force for evil.

[Ashleigh McKown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, exotic, and haunting. The extraordinary biography of Edmond Albius is complicated by both his slavery and the institution’s end. You can’t help but ache for the success he failed to achieve in his lifetime, both as it related to his discovery and his life in general. Will be thinking about this one a lot!

[Allison Silitsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the scenery and concept of this book but didn’t find the story telling that interesting or engaging after the first half or so. Still very cool to learn about the origins of the vanilla trade and Edmonds little known role in that. Also I never had heard of the island before, and now it’s on my have to travel to list.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The first half of the book was fascinating and the second half of the book was depressing, but that is just the way Edmond’s life played out.

Very, very well researched and who would’ve known that a rare orchid can grow vanilla pods. I’m glad I read it, and now I understand why vanilla is so expensive.

[Carol Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story of Edmund Albius, the youngster who discovered how to fertilize the vanilla plant to produce its fruit. It was a sad story, as he never got the proper credit for it as he was a black slave on Reunion Island.
He had a sad life as well, even after the discovery.
A bit repetitious in that the author drove home the fact that the white folks took advantage.

[Mimie Be · Rating 4 out of 5]

L’histoire passionnante d’Edmond Albius, esclave de la Réunion qui a découvert comment féconder manuelle la vanille.
Je connaissais déjà l’histoire ayant déjà lu un roman sur son histoire, mais l’écriture de Gaëlle Bélem m’a vraiment emportée.