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A review by booksnorkel
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy
4.0
This is not a book I thought that I was going to like. I typically don’t read books set in the ‘cold war’ time line and I can’t decide if it’s because there aren’t that many out there, or if it’s because it just doesn’t interest me? I’m wondering if this is just a weird blind spot in teen and children’s fiction.
Set at the beginning of the cold war Janie’s parents are accused of being communist, so they have to move from sunny California to gray cold England. An England that is still recovering from WWII, an England that still has rationing and bomb drills. Janie already sticks out as an American but now she sticks out because she becomes friend with the Alchemist’s son Ben. The two of them get caught up in a mystery involving a foreign diplomat, spies for the communists, and magic. This touch of the fantastic you know is what sold me on this series . Not to say this novel didn’t fall into some of the tired old tropes, we have a plucky orphan who charms a rich debutante, and an elixir for almost every plot hole. Still fun and entertaining, and well written, this book was a surprise hit for me.
Ages 6th grade on up looking for a historical fiction book with a touch of magic, and mystery. Though writing this out does make me question who exactly this book is for, again not a well-represented time in history, and I don’t know of many kids who are looking for this era. Though it was pointed out to me that this is a Meloy so this author is related to the Decemberists, who infamously has the Wildwood book (hipster Narnia) so perhaps it is now less of a surprise that this was set in such a strange era for a kids series.
Got this at a library book sale, and will keep an eye out for the rest of the series, but I don't think this is one that I will be buying new.
Set at the beginning of the cold war Janie’s parents are accused of being communist, so they have to move from sunny California to gray cold England. An England that is still recovering from WWII, an England that still has rationing and bomb drills. Janie already sticks out as an American but now she sticks out because she becomes friend with the Alchemist’s son Ben. The two of them get caught up in a mystery involving a foreign diplomat, spies for the communists, and magic. This touch of the fantastic you know is what sold me on this series . Not to say this novel didn’t fall into some of the tired old tropes, we have a plucky orphan who charms a rich debutante, and an elixir for almost every plot hole. Still fun and entertaining, and well written, this book was a surprise hit for me.
Ages 6th grade on up looking for a historical fiction book with a touch of magic, and mystery. Though writing this out does make me question who exactly this book is for, again not a well-represented time in history, and I don’t know of many kids who are looking for this era. Though it was pointed out to me that this is a Meloy so this author is related to the Decemberists, who infamously has the Wildwood book (hipster Narnia) so perhaps it is now less of a surprise that this was set in such a strange era for a kids series.
Got this at a library book sale, and will keep an eye out for the rest of the series, but I don't think this is one that I will be buying new.