Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

89 reviews

evaporeon's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual assault

Minor: Abortion

hrewannabe's review

dark emotional informative mysterious 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

4.75

I ended up reading this in one sitting on a car ride and was utterly entranced. As a historian who has done a rather alarming amount of research for the time period that half the book is set in it was a wonderful read! The work that the main character goes through is exhilarating and I love her growth. The mystery aspect was very engaging and you really feel like your rediscovering your own passion with the her. You can really tell that the author took her time with researching and trying to make the story feel like it could have slotted neatly into our own world as something real. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, Murder, Abortion, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Classism and Pedophilia

The secondary characters (aka the "historical" cast) deal with a variety of issues of which the solution is a lot of death. It is a very frank look at what women through out history have faced and the way they've taken matters into their own hands when faced with issues like infidelity, pedophilia, child abuse and the like.

julbel's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Murder, Suicide, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Infidelity, and Infertility

Moderate: Pedophilia

a3bowles's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

3.5 to 4 stars until the last, completely unbelievable chapter.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion

ambarnes's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage and Abortion

Minor: Child abuse

emcheym's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Death of parent, and Death

bambifaun's review

dark mysterious reflective slow-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Grief, and Medical content

Moderate: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, and Miscarriage

Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, Blood, Death, Grief, and Murder

dopabean_reading's review

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Death, Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, and Abortion

annorabrady's review

mysterious reflective medium-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? It's complicated

2.5

The story was intriguing, but still left a lot to be desired. Especially when it came to Caroline's POV. I found a lot of her actions to be incredibly dumb, especially in regards to how she took notes. I also didn't understand a lot of her thought processes. I also felt that her husband's presence didn't add to the story except to show the extent to which he was willing and capable of abusing her. But memories alone showed most of that. 

I wish the story had focused more on Eliza. Her part of the story was the most compelling by far. 

Upon further reflection, I have to say that Caroline's story doesn't fit with the themes of the other stories. The others focus on seizing what little control they have over their situations as women of their time by means of harming the people who harmed them. 

Caroline learned almost nothing from her "research" that lent itself to her situation. And she didn't even intend to hurt her husband. If he hadn't attempted to force her to stay married to him by way of poisoning himself (a move that he also intended to use as means to frame her for his death should he not live), nothing about her story would have been different despite the attempt at drawing a parallel between the various stories. 

Also, on the bit about him poisoning himself. Are we really supposed to believe that her husband's history of toxic behaviors was limited to "being pragmatic and convincing her to give up her dreams until the right time" and then cheating on her? One doesn't go from infidelity and "risk aversion" to extreme manipulation via self harm and attempts at suicide without there being other attempts at similar methods of control. That level of escalation, especially after 10 years of marriage and however long of dating is unrealistic. Abusers use tactics they know are likely to work based on past acceptance of similar behaviors.

Also also am I really supposed to believe that someone who goes so far as to poison themself as an act of manipulation is going to just accept that it didn't work and leave calmly? Someone willing to go that far is someone who is dangerous. The kind of dangerous where the person leaving shouldn't be alone with their abuser. At all. 

To have that storyline end with a hug and understanding is alarming. This is the kind of storyline that could encourage an abuse victim to stay in an abusive relationship because "well it's not always bad." Or, worse, could encourage someone to attempt a similar "conscious uncoupling" with someone who could seriously hurt them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Murder, Grief, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

suchallie's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Good easy read, less magical vibes than I thought it would be and more dark and dusty Bridgerton-esque historical vibes 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Chronic illness, Murder, Drug use, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abortion, Child death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Blood

Specific trigger content re: abortion/miscarriage/pregnancy:

there is content of a forced abortion without consent

Also lots of content about infidelity and marriage troubles