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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Easy to read and kept my interest. Interesting material regarding apothecaries in London in the mid 1600’s.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Although a YA book, it was a fun read. I saw this recommended on Reddit, and I am glad I took the chance. Will read the next book soon.
This novel was fun and kept my interest, which is honestly all I was looking for as I take a brief reprieve from some of the “heavier” (read books focusing on seemingly intractable social issues) works I’ve been reading.
As I read, though, I have to say I was intrigued by the role of religion, the monarchy, and a sort of “Social Contract” that clearly emerges from this text. I’ll confess it mostly made me uncomfortable. While I’m not the most knowledgeable when it comes to the conflict between Cromwell and the Puritans and the Catholic monarchy, the novel doesn’t do terribly much to unpack at all. Maybe that’s intentional. Maybe the author found it to be merely a context that young readers would overlook. I do think, though, that Sands might provide a bit more context within the story - there’s certainly room for it.
All that aside, the kid in me loves the idea of an apothecary whose skill borders on magic. That part of me pushed me to give it more stars, while the more staid other part wouldn’t me to put the book down.
As I read, though, I have to say I was intrigued by the role of religion, the monarchy, and a sort of “Social Contract” that clearly emerges from this text. I’ll confess it mostly made me uncomfortable. While I’m not the most knowledgeable when it comes to the conflict between Cromwell and the Puritans and the Catholic monarchy, the novel doesn’t do terribly much to unpack at all. Maybe that’s intentional. Maybe the author found it to be merely a context that young readers would overlook. I do think, though, that Sands might provide a bit more context within the story - there’s certainly room for it.
All that aside, the kid in me loves the idea of an apothecary whose skill borders on magic. That part of me pushed me to give it more stars, while the more staid other part wouldn’t me to put the book down.
This is a cute, fun story, but it seems targeted for a younger audience than I anticipated. This is perfect for 10-13 year old group.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
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
I absolutely adore this. The story was fast paced. It took me some time to get into it but after that I couldn’t stop reading. I loved the characters. You really feel the pain from the main character. I didn’t expect everything to be like this. It was mysterious but not terrifying. A good middle grade story. Really excited to read the other books in the series!