A review by lora_g
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

4.0

I thought The Lost Apothecary was an enchanting and mysterious story with great world-building and relatable characters. We follow the stories of Nella, an apothecary in 1791 whose shop is dedicated to helping women with healing tinctures and poisons to use on the abusive men in their lives; Eliza, an inquisitive and vivacious 12-year-old, who also happens to be Nella's newest customer; and Caroline, a present-day history lover who has embarked on a solo trip to London to process her recent marriage troubles, when she happens upon a fascinating discovery that leads her on a life-changing research project.

I really loved the representation of female friendships throughout this book. The dynamics between Nella and Eliza as well as Caroline and Gaynor were spectacular. I feel like anyone who has ever had a relationship with a toxic and/or dysfunctional man can relate to one of more of the women in this story. Penner does a great job at transporting her reader to an immersive experience in London. Although there were a few parts that I felt were a little repetitive, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a historical fiction with a little bit of fantasy and some great female main characters. 
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