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wizardingwisteria's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
This was my first audio book and I'm glad it was. I loved the fact that each character had their own dedicated narrator. The narrators were fantastic. Each voice fit each character perfectly.
As someone with a BA in history and conflicted feelings about grad school I related to Caroline quite a bit, especially during and after her historical investigation. I found all three women to be compelling in their own ways. The relationships that blossom in this book are fantastic. The side characters are also great. (I had a massive crush on Gainer the entire time).
I took the .25 off because, while the ending was overall satisfying, I didn't totally love it. There is a moment where it seems likeCaroline is going to get back together with her (dumbass) husband. Thankfully they didn't, but I didn't like how close that call was.
Aside from her relationship, I didn't understand why Caroline threw the glass bottle back into the river. If she planned on writing her dissertation on the apothecary, then that bottle is an incredibly valuable artifact that would greatly help her research. She had pieced the story together. She understood the significance of that bottle. And she tossed it? I feel like the author sacrificed an authentic moment for a plot point that served as symbolic representation for Caroline in the end.
Overall a great read with a mostly satisfying ending. I could see myself listening to this one more time.
As someone with a BA in history and conflicted feelings about grad school I related to Caroline quite a bit, especially during and after her historical investigation. I found all three women to be compelling in their own ways. The relationships that blossom in this book are fantastic. The side characters are also great. (I had a massive crush on Gainer the entire time).
I took the .25 off because, while the ending was overall satisfying, I didn't totally love it. There is a moment where it seems like
Aside from her relationship,
Overall a great read with a mostly satisfying ending. I could see myself listening to this one more time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Suicide, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Child abuse
themuseumaquarius's review
Not my cup of tea. The pregnancy tropes were a turn off for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
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
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
anannachi's review
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
eberlin's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Medical content, and Infidelity
thesarahgayle's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a quick read. Interesting. . Enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual assault
amcginger's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Grief, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, and Infidelity
paper_dragon's review against another edition
relaxing
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? Yes
2.0
This is not at all what the vibe of the synopsis presents, it overpromised and underdelivered... Certainly short and easy to consume, it lacked the mystery and excitement of a secret history or a apothecary serial murderer. Vengeance was more an introspection and the only one really saved was Caroline, so it was less women saving each other through time and one alone taking support from the distraction of a short mystery to avoid thinking about the betrayal of her husband and able to do her own thing for the first time in ten years.
Which includes somehow discovering an entirely untouched, unexplored, two hundred year old apothecary that no one else in London has discovered or entered in all these years. And that she could acceptably keep hidden when it contains books and notes still in decent enough condition to be read and recorded, but they're fine to keep secret. As a fan of historical texts, and the proper recording of them for prosperity, this was infuriating.
The largest conflict, seemingly ham-fisted to juxtapose the two timelines, regarding the police felt rather forced solely so that there could be tension in an otherwise quiet story. They would not immediately jump to assuming she had poisoned her husband with Eucalyptus oil and then continue like an ominous television cop regarding her innocence in the situation.
With two timelines and three focal characters, there was always going to be some sense of shortness with the story being told. But the introspective nature of the tale meant much of the forward moment was lost to repetitious self reflection. From Nella and Caroline this was often thoughts about children, it was weirdly obsessive in some of its fixation on women as child bearing persons and the influence of that on their life
Which includes somehow discovering an entirely untouched, unexplored, two hundred year old apothecary that no one else in London has discovered or entered in all these years. And that she could acceptably keep hidden when it contains books and notes still in decent enough condition to be read and recorded, but they're fine to keep secret. As a fan of historical texts, and the proper recording of them for prosperity, this was infuriating.
The largest conflict, seemingly ham-fisted to juxtapose the two timelines, regarding the police felt rather forced solely so that there could be tension in an otherwise quiet story. They would not immediately jump to assuming she had poisoned her husband with Eucalyptus oil and then continue like an ominous television cop regarding her innocence in the situation.
With two timelines and three focal characters, there was always going to be some sense of shortness with the story being told. But the introspective nature of the tale meant much of the forward moment was lost to repetitious self reflection. From Nella and Caroline this was often thoughts about children, it was weirdly obsessive in some of its fixation on women as child bearing persons and the influence of that on their life
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
ahoijules's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
2.0
Eine gute Idee, die leider nicht gut umgesetzt wurde.
Ich empfand das Buch als furchtbar langatmig mit vielen Beschreibungen und Erklärungen, die nicht nötig gewesen wären, um das Buch zu verstehen. Ich hatte Probleme mit den Protagonistinnen warm zu werden und fand keine so richtig spannend. Auch dauerte es bis gut zwei Drittel des Buchs bis die Handlung langsam an Fahrt aufgenommen hat.
Das Ende fand ich furchtbar kitschig, die letzten 25 Minuten des Hörbuchs habe ich auf 1,5-facher Geschwindigkeit gehört, damit es endlich zu einem Ende kommt. Es stört mich außerdem wahnsinnig, dass so getan wird, als könnte man sich mal ganz easy in Cambridge immatrikulieren 😂 ich bin außerdem ziemlich sicher, dass die Masterarbeit thematisch nicht in die Anglistik gehört 😅
Ich empfand das Buch als furchtbar langatmig mit vielen Beschreibungen und Erklärungen, die nicht nötig gewesen wären, um das Buch zu verstehen. Ich hatte Probleme mit den Protagonistinnen warm zu werden und fand keine so richtig spannend. Auch dauerte es bis gut zwei Drittel des Buchs bis die Handlung langsam an Fahrt aufgenommen hat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Death, and Infertility
junglejelly's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
At first this book got me hooked and I adored the writing, especially the how the characters were written. However, the writing was too cliché and repetitive for me.
Someone of the writing near the end was a bit clumsy and the characters stereotypical. But Penner knows exactly how to write mysteriously and have you hooked, I needed to know what happened to the two 18th century characters, and this alone is what kept me reading.
Overall a below average book for me hence the rating.
Someone of the writing near the end was a bit clumsy and the characters stereotypical. But Penner knows exactly how to write mysteriously and have you hooked, I needed to know what happened to the two 18th century characters, and this alone is what kept me reading.
Overall a below average book for me hence the rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Vomit
Moderate: Infidelity, Death, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Minor: Alcoholism, Grief, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Sexual assault