The Lost Apothecary: A Novel by Sarah Penner
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Web ID: 14352521Good ideas, but unfortunate story telling.
This book had a really intriguing story line but the execution of it was very poor in my opinion. The characters made odd decisions, and some were down right insufferable. I think that this could have been a great book but it missed the mark unfortunately.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved the parallels
I love this story, and the parallels between past and present. I wish there was a little more detail in the historical part. However, overall this is a great read
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved this one!!
This book was fabulous. I love books about strong female characters and this book has three! The descriptions of London make you feel like you're almost there (and I've never been!) and teach you a lot about what being a woman back in the 1700's was like. The three main characters were strong, independent and well-crafted, but I enjoyed even more the little side characters Penner added in. This book was simply so enjoyable, I can't wait to read more Penner books!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Thrilling read!
Absolutely could not put this book down! After each chapter, I just had to keep pushing on to see what was to come next. Very well written! Betrayal, potions, and strong female leads.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not What I Was Expecting
While the premise of the book sounded interesting, the delivery was so different from what I thought would happen. Overall, I think the story was interesting but the book summary leads one to believe more interactions would occur between characters.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Just Okay
This book isn’t nearly as good as the other reader and critics’ reviews portend it to be. It’s just okay/average. The character development is abysmal. Also, there are many completely unrealistic/unbelievable things happening in the present day sections of the book that are frustrating and annoying. If you want a quick read, you might want to pick this up if you can get it on sale or with a coupon. Otherwise, I don’t know if I would recommend it. There are so many better books out there to enjoy!
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
One of my favorite reads ever!
I enjoyed this books more than I thought I would. It kept my attention, it was well written. One of my favorites books I’ve read in a long long time. I would recommend to anyone.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Historical Fiction, Mystery, & Magical Realism!
In 1792 London, there's a clandestine apothecary shop that's frequented by a certain patronage. Nella Clavinger, the apothecary within, sells creatively concealed poisons concocted per each woman's request concerning the burdensome man in her life. She fastidiously records every transaction, patron and victim, in a special book she secures in a hidden room behind the walls of her shop. Tragically, Nella's secrecy is threatened when twelve-year-old Eliza Fanning, wanting to assist and learn from Nella, makes a grievous mistake setting a chain of events in motion that's felt for years to come. In modern day London, an American wife is spending her 10th wedding anniversary alone. It's planned as a second honeymoon, but discovering her husband's unfaithfulness days before departure, Caroline Parcewell opts to travel alone. Being a history buff and deciding a respite from her marriage to discover the history of London, at her own pace, is just what she needs. During a day of 'mudlarking' in the River Thames, Caroline discovers a small blue vial etched with the image of a bear. Intrigued by her find, it sparks curiosity about its origin which leads her to the trail of serial murders that plagued London over two centuries ago... I love how two separate stories in two different timelines play off each other and magically come together in the end. With great characters you either love or love to hate it always makes the story more interesting and fun to read. If I could change one thing about this story, it would be to expand more on the historical timeline and less on the present-day timeline. I wanted more of Nella and her apothecary adventures! What an interesting and fabulous character! The audiobook narration is fantastic with three narrator's, Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, and Lauren Irwin, who give a unique voice to each of the main female characters of Nella, Caroline, and Eliza. The voicing of all three narrators is spot on! It's hard to believe this is a debut novel with its depth and creativity that brings a connection of female theme's between the past and the present. The author's choice of Historical Fiction mixed with Mystery-Suspense and a touch of Magical Realism makes this an unusual and entertaining story that I highly recommend. 4.25 stars! I can't wait to read this author's second book The London Séance Society due to publish 4/11/23. Early reviews are positive on Goodreads!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com