Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

77 reviews

bluebellfallen's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.25

This book felt like a lot of ideas of story lines or plots that an author brainstormed, added a page count to, and then published without any further thought. The characters are deeply rooted in sexism and patriarchy, even though the author seems to imply this is a feminist, women-empowering kind of novel. It isn't. 

Every single plot is centered around women wanting children and whether or not they have them and how that ruins or fulfills their lives after. Every single one. All of them. (I don't get it)

There are so many flaws (and I have so few spoons right now) that I will just say - it wasn't a good book, and it certainly wasn't the right kind of bad to be worth reading. 75% or more of the book crawled by, while the last 25% did all the heavy lifting in the most annoying, James Patterson writes chapters that are max 2 pages long and then jumps perspectives / scenes entirely to keep the tension up and he inspired me - esque way. 

It just wasn't (in any way) worth my time, but because it's so mildly written and the author tries to hide behind "dark murder mystery" vibes to get away with a lot of shitty things (and the book isn't even a dark murder mystery btw - that's just the vibes she's going for), it would also be so very easy to just think "wow, that book was mid, but I wouldn't mind recommending the book if someone is bored or something", and then accidentally pass on, perpetuate, and re-normalize things like baby-obsession and "casual" emotional and mental manipulation at the hands of a spouse (which - if you know, you *know*).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Self harm, and Infidelity

The husband thing, for if you don't know, want to know, but don't want to read the book:

The husband literally poisons himself to try and manipulate Caroline into staying with him after he cheated on her (you know, instead of apologizing). The police think she tried to kill him herself on purpose, and she is almost arrested because of it (and honestly, she should have been - that whole scene is also b.s., and is beYOND unrealistic). When she figures this out, she is briefly a little bit angry, but otherwise? Nothing. They part ways on relatively okay terms (they're not getting back together, but they're chill somehow??), she never tells the police what actually happened, and the author makes it very clear that they think this behavior was normal and fine. Not even ONCE does the author even beGIN to imply that this man needs help or that he's abusive (and yes, two things can be true at once - he needs help for this obvious mental health crisis, AND he's an emotionally and mentally abusive f*ck).

pinkupengu's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Murder, Classism, Violence, Medical trauma, Abortion, Alcohol, Suicide, Medical content, Sexism, Death, Drug use, Animal death, Child death, Vomit, Death of parent, Blood, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Incest, Terminal illness, and Cancer

Minor: Body horror, Excrement, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Addiction

a_novel_craving's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Medical content, Grief, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Murder

mairi99's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Miscarriage

Minor: Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Vomit

brennacathleen's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abortion, Death, Suicide, Medical content, Infertility, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, and Child death

sunniva174's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Miscarriage

brickwall27's review against another edition

It was slow and not intriguing I put it down and never thought of it again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, and Pedophilia

enlamont's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Grief, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Vomit, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Suicide

freetobme's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

Enjoyable, quick read. I had no issue following the stories from the 3 characters. I didn’t appreciate that magic potions were glorified, nor the making and disguising of poisons. 

However, in the end the apothecary has a change of heart and stops making and dispensing poisons.

I did find several sentences and paragraphs to record and reflect on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Alcohol, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Classism, Medical content, Sexual assault, Grief, Miscarriage, and Abandonment

Minor: Blood

asanders88's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I'm not sure why I let this book sit on a shelf for so long! The twists and turns at the end had me captivated!
The story follows a centuries ago apothecary full of poisons and secrets and the clues she left behind for a present-day woman, going through her own struggles, to find.
While I did find the book a little slow in the middle, the ending more than made up for it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Suicide, Death of parent, Infertility, Medical trauma, Child death, Infidelity, and Death