A review by bookcheshirecat
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 1 by Itsuki Nanao, Nekokurage, Natsu Hyuuga

emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

4.0

➽ I was pleasantly surprised by The Apothecary Diaries! I wasn't sure if the setting would work for me, but Maomao stole my heart! The story is set in a world based on Imperial China during the Tang dynasty and takes place in the inner palace, where the Emperor's concubines reside. Maomao is a lowly servant who was sold into servitude and used to be an apothecary. I immediately liked her whip-smart commentary and cynical nature. She really stood out as an authentic, intriguing protagonist. Maomao is very clever but used to downplaying her skills as they'll only make more work for her and her kidnappers still get a cut of her wages. I understood that she didn't want to admit that she can read and knows about medicinal herbs, as being unseen in court can sometimes be better. I just found her so endearing and loved her darker humor!

➽ When Maomao helps out one of the most coveted concubines Gyokuyō, she finds herself as the new food tester. Despite wanting to fly under the radar, she is now in a much better position and helps solve mysteries inside the court with the help of her apothecary skills. She can finally experiment with concoctions and herbs again! There are a lot of serious topics in the Manga, but Maomao's different expressions and commentary definitely lighten them. I'm intrigued to see what'll happen with Jinshi, an eunuch close to concubine Gyokuyō as he's still quite mysterious. Maomao's not sure about his true intentions and it'll be interesting to see what he might be hiding!
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