A review by val_theburrowofstories
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

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

 
  • This book has been on my TBR for a couple of years now and the day I started the audiobook I didn’t read the synopsis so I went in blind. I was just looking for an audiobook to listen to while I helped my grandmother with painting the house.
  • It’s amazing how always (to me) when the book has two stories happening in different times, the one set in the present is way more boring compared to the one that happened in the past. That seems like a rule at this point in every book like this.
  • In the story set in the past we have Nella, the owner of a secret and hidden apothecary and she helps women with poisons for their husbands or men who have wrong them. And she meets Eliza, a 12 year old who works for this woman and she was ordered to get poison for the man of the house. That’s how Nella and Eliza met and a friendship between the two is form, a deep so strong they were willing to sacrifice their lives for the other in the end. I’m very happy for the ending they got.
  • Then in the story set in the present we have stupid Caroline and her asshole husband. Honestly to me she was just there, you know? It’s like my brain barely payed any attention to her story but then I was so immerse on what was going on with Nella and Eliza. I just felt sorry for Caroline but at the same time how can you be so stupid lmao like girl didn’t even try! And now that I read another very long review that is basically just trashing this character I am mad at her and how she is a waste of pages that could’ve been used to the interesting story lol but I guess this adds up to the mystery and discovering what happened so many years ago.
  • I truly believe that if we didn’t have Caroline in this book then this could’ve been a 5 stars. Just Nella and Eliza and maybe newspaper extract in between to add to the mystery? it would’ve been great.
  • But anyways, I really liked this book, to me it was a 4 ⭐ and I’ll be adding more books of the author to my TBR.

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