Title- The Lost Apothecary
Rating– 4.75/5
Genre- Fantasy (Book of the Month selection)
POV- first person, past tense. I expected two point of views, but there were more.
Trope- Feminist
Similar/Comps– The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter I have(On my TBR)
My emotions- proud of women, excited with the suspense
Characters–
Nella (1791)- sells well-disguised poisons to only women, for them to use against oppressive men
Caroline (present day)- stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago
Plot/blurb-
Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.
Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline’s life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate.
Quote-
“The things a person most wanted to say were often the things they should keep tucked away inside.”
“If there’s one thing I do know, it’s the importance of chasing dreams. Believe me, if you want something different, the only person holding you back is you.”
Best part-
I really enjoyed the female dominant characters and the theme of processing the role of a wife, mother, mistress & the complexities in two contradicting time periods. I loved that the chapters switched from 1791 to present day.
What I’d change-
The 12-year-old character had the same intelligence/voice as the older characters. Chapter 24 was a game changer!
Comments-
I want SOME good male characters. There are good men out there. So, yes, it’s a book of vengeance and women working together, but not every man is the root of all evil. (Says an author who is currently writing a book about a 25 year old girl wishing away all men on the planet… hypocritical much?”
Cassie Swindon 