A review by msbarnesela
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

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

2.5

The concept of historical women using knowledge that men ignored to take charge of their own lives is a cool idea. But this book didn’t live up to that.  I didn’t find the characters compelling because none of them were developed enough for me to care. Their backstories were almost immediately revealed through exposition—there wasn’t enough effort in the unraveling of it for it to be satisfying. The plot felt too convenient; the modern main character’s research process was too easy. The author seemed to intend a big twist for in one place that I was totally unsurprised by. I read the whole thing in an afternoon, so at least it wasn’t a slog, but it just didn’t achieve what I hoped it would be.
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