A review by racheyreads
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

adventurous dark hopeful 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

4.0

As much as I'm not fond of books which switch perspectives a lot or every chapter as this one does, the way this book had been set out made it easy to follow. I find it challenging personally to keep track of multiple storylines happening at the same time.

Each of the 3 characters who are focused on in this book did act as if they were their own person. I enjoyed each of them individually, however, sometimes it felt hard to connect with the adult characters due to their pursuit of motherhood which I do not share. This sole similarity was much of the character's motives when it came to their decisions and I personally believe is the catalyst for this story even existing.

The premise of the book was very promising, however, the ending does feel quite lacklustre. There was also not a lot of depth when it came to the plot. It was very surface level, and I feel that the characters quite honestly deserved more, especially when it came to Nella and Eliza. The last few chapters seemed a bit of a rush to close the book, and events described by Caroline, which she read in the ending newspaper article, I wish were told through Eliza and Nella's perspective as additional chapters.