Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

97 reviews

thenoodlevore's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

*spoilers*


I wanted to love this book and there were moments where I did but it just generally fell a bit flat for me. Overall it was entertaining and had themes I *enjoy* in a work of fiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Vomit, Blood, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Sexism, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

cady_sass's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Every time I read historical fiction I’m tempted to say “usually I don’t like HF but…” but at this point I think that’s a lie, and I actually love it. This is SO good! It certainly helps that we are following two storylines: one of Nella and her secret business that exclusively caters to women and dispensing with their shit husbands in the late 1700s (absolute queen), and one of Caroline and her shit husband in the current day, uncovering the secrets of the ~*lost apothecary*~. And then there’s Eliza, the absolutely precious 12 year old who inserts herself into Nella’s life and unknowingly puts many tragic pieces into motion. The two storylines unfold beautifully, poetically, tragically; individually and together.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

blissofalife's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Not a long read, I appreciated the lack of fluff and how Penner kept the plot moving. Multiple POV can be jarring, but she made it seamless.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Murder

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Body horror, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Suicide

idun_aurora's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This took me a while to finish, but despite the feeling of swimming in syrup at times, I also found myself raging passionately at the story at times, which was a good sign. I loved the portrayal of female friendship, and having gotten out of a toxic relationship myself, this book hit spots and gave courage. All in all, it was okay.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

hearth_and_homereviews's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

elinww's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Sexual harassment

ambb's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Infertility, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia

Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, Terminal illness, Animal death, Blood, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Animal cruelty

kitkatkick's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

The premise of this book was certainly interesting, but the execution was a lot less exciting than I had hoped. The story bounces between three points of view: Nella, the murderous apothecary herself; Eliza, a 12-year-old girl who has suddenly found herself in Nella’s company; and Caroline, a soon-to-be-divorcee on a soul searching trip in present-day London.

Having all three points of view felt unnecessary. The story could have better been told with either Nella and Eliza’s different views on the actual apothecary shop, or with a contrast between Nella’s view and Caroline’s discovery of her. Having only two viewpoints would have probably given a lot more room for the characters to become likable, as well. I started reading this book because I was interested in the apothecary premise, but Nella and Eliza’s story is so rushed and plot driven that I ended up more interested in Caroline’s story, which wasn’t even mentioned in the summaries I read beforehand.

My last qualm is that it’s yet another book that projects itself as telling a woman’s story but ends up only telling the story of how a man affected said woman. Both Nella and Caroline’s storylines revolve around how men did them wrong and how those wrongdoings changed their lives. Nella’s apothecary shop is revealed not to be her way of rebelling and helping fellow women, but moreso a long game of revenge against her former lover. And through most of it, she comes off as scornful of most of the other women she interacts with. What could have been a new twist on women helping women simply became another story of “a woman scorned.” 

Overall, I wouldn’t call this a bad book. I can tell there are some people who will probably love it. But it wasn’t quite what I expected, and not what I was looking for, either.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Death, Miscarriage, Murder, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Infertility

One of the main characters is tricked into a forced miscarriage

juliaximena's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Murder, Child death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Grief, and Infertility

Moderate: Vomit, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

b_silver's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Intrigued from the moment I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. By the end I was sobbing, a mix of grief and joy.  Sometimes the character’s motivations were not exactly clear, but I still found them very likable and relatable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Suicide, Murder, Vomit, Abortion, Blood, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Death, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship