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A review by vedpears
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book is somewhat difficult for me to rate. I liked the characters, loved the setting, and enjoyed the pace and motion the story was told through. I could easily imagine myself bustling along with the characters. I enjoyed the portrayal of someone of higher class status completely mucking things up for themselves and everyone around them because they felt entitled to something.
However, the book completely got muddled up because Penner decided to use that awful story telling element - drama ensues because characters refuse to say one simple line that would clear up the whole misunderstanding! I hate this with a passion, so automatically loses 2 stars for that.
Another star is lost because Caroline doesn't make sense/is not well written and she takes up half the pages. She is passionate about history so when starting her life over, she decides to pursue... literature? Police are cautioning her to better safeguard toxic substances and she instead worries about how she doesn't have a child to worry about poisoning? It seems Penner was hinting that James was manipulative and employed gaslighting and emotional abuse when interacting with his wife, so Caroline should be written with that in mind. She was angry and was sharp with James. When he said "you're the one who tore up your college application," Penner should have had Caroline react how a woman in that relationship would have reacted at that point. If she is fighting to get away and divorce him, she would be arguing with him or making him see that he made it into an ultimatum. In regards to her relationship with James, Caroline was simply not fleshed out enough. She was angry enough to flee the country just to get away from him. She would definitely still have that anger and react accordingly upon seeing him. Poor writing.
However, the book completely got muddled up because Penner decided to use that awful story telling element - drama ensues because characters refuse to say one simple line that would clear up the whole misunderstanding! I hate this with a passion, so automatically loses 2 stars for that.
Another star is lost because Caroline doesn't make sense/is not well written and she takes up half the pages. She is passionate about history so when starting her life over, she decides to pursue... literature? Police are cautioning her to better safeguard toxic substances and she instead worries about how she doesn't have a child to worry about poisoning? It seems Penner was hinting that James was manipulative and employed gaslighting and emotional abuse when interacting with his wife, so Caroline should be written with that in mind. She was angry and was sharp with James. When he said "you're the one who tore up your college application," Penner should have had Caroline react how a woman in that relationship would have reacted at that point. If she is fighting to get away and divorce him, she would be arguing with him or making him see that he made it into an ultimatum. In regards to her relationship with James, Caroline was simply not fleshed out enough. She was angry enough to flee the country just to get away from him. She would definitely still have that anger and react accordingly upon seeing him. Poor writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Blood, Infidelity, Death, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Drug use, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Classism