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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Good YA book. Mystery, conspiracies, alchemy, and good friends.
Fun, exciting, Historical Fiction with Alchemy thrown in.
Perfect adventure fantasy for middle schoolish readers (and me!)- codes, fighting (a bit of gore), with a smart lad who wants to be an apothecary.
It’s 1665 and Christopher is working through his apprenticeship to become an apothecary. Life hasn’t been great for Christopher, he grew up in an orphanage before his Master Benedict began to train him. It’s not easy being an apprentice but Christopher loves the work and wants to make his Master proud, but there are strange happenings where Christopher lives. Apothecaries are being brutally murdered, and no one knows why or who’s doing it. For Christopher’s birthday he receives a strange box with a mysterious cipher, but before he can ask his Master about it he finds his Master brutally murdered in their shop. Christopher sets off to figure out who exactly killed his Master and what the strange box he was given means. Meanwhile apothecaries are still being murdered and Christopher might just be next.
I like mysterious but this one was too puzzle based for me to really enjoy it. It'd be great for a reader who likes solving puzzles and action/adventure. There's plenty of twists and turns to keep a reader engaged.
I like mysterious but this one was too puzzle based for me to really enjoy it. It'd be great for a reader who likes solving puzzles and action/adventure. There's plenty of twists and turns to keep a reader engaged.
I Picked this book up for the description of “ Masterful page turner brimming with secrets, traps, friendships, intrigue , pigeons, potions, loyalty, and explosions” not realizing it’s geared for “middle grade” -Teen? but I discovered even middle aged people can enjoy this as well. Read like a cross between Harry Potter and Lord of the rings. Follows a young apothecary apprentice in the year 1665 with suspense, murder , magic at the heart. This is book one of a series. I think I would actually read more of these. I read it in a day and a half, so it really was a masterful page turner.
I picked this up at a house where I was visiting because I was looking for a nice light snack. The book ticks many of my favorite boxes: historical mystery, set in England, with hints of the occult, not well researched with lots of historical detail. Much better when than a lot of young adult books, and would probably appeal to anyone who enjoys the Mistress of the Art of Death and other historical mystery series.
Kind of a historical Dan Brown style book for middle grade kids. Lots of action, twists and turns. Can’t wait to read the other exploits of Christopher Rowe!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No