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The Lost Apothecary: 4 Stars

A book review of Sarah Penner's novel, The Lost Apothecary

By Leah Lawrence Published about a year ago 3 min read
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Summary:

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner follows the story of three women in two different time periods. The stories of Nella, the owner of an apothecary shop, and Eliza, a lady's maid and part-time assistant to Nella take place in the late 1700s. The story of Caroline, a lost soul trying to figure out her next step takes place during the present day.

Caroline, after a cruel twist of fate, decides to travel solo to London on the anniversary trip she had planned with her husband. While in London, Caroline re-discovers her passion for history and begins to question her past life decisions. Caroline, who had previously played it safe, finds herself on a whirlwind of an adventure as she uncovers the mystery behind the "Apothecary murderer."

As we follow along with Caroline we start to find out more about Nella, the apothecary shop owner. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Nella provides aid to women who find themselves in difficult situations. Throughout the novel, Nella is in constant turmoil over wanting to save the women who visit her from their desperate situations and being responsible for a life.

Eliza, at the young age of 12 finds herself in need of Nella's services. After Nella helps Eliza escape the wandering eyes (and hands) of her master, Eliza returns for further aid. It is here when the two become accomplices in a dangerous situation. A situation gone awry, the wrong person murdered, and the pieces of the puzzle that had remained unsolved for so long, start to be put together.

As Nella and Eliza fear for their lives, Caroline follows along via research to discover the true outcome of the "apothecary murderer." We read as Caroline discovers the truth about the past and finds herself along the way.

Who should read this?

This novel is full of mystery, history, relationships, and the path to finding oneself. There are some dark moments in the book but there is an overall happy ending.

Trigger Warnings

As mentioned earlier, there is a lot of murder. Although the murders or typically towards men who are mistreating women, they are still murders non the less.

Nella's issues with fertility are also talked about a lot which can be a hard topic for a lot of people.

Lastly, there is a lot of adultery in the novel both in the storyline with Eliza and Nella and Caroline.

Overall, I wouldn't say there are a lot of triggers or anything that gets into too much detail but there you have it.

My Thoughts (contains a few spoilers)

I really liked this book. I thought Penner did an excellent job bringing the two storylines together. I have to admit, I hated James. Not only was he unfaithful, but he also did a horrible job apologizing for it. Also, he drank Eucalyptus oil? Are you kidding me, James?

Caroline, on the other hand, was an excellent character. Regardless of the fact that her husband cheated on her, she was still able to keep a level head throughout their arguments and didn't give in to him. I was slightly worried that she would so I was really happy to see her stay strong and continue on her path.

I also really liked how Caroline took responsibility for her actions. Although James was the one who encouraged her to play it safe, she still owned up to the fact that it was she who accepted the job, and tore up the letter from Oxford. Again, really annoyed that James didn't own up to his part in that.

I loved the relationship between Nella and Eliza. I thought it was great how Eliza acted as the light that lifted the weight off of Nella's shoulders and that at the very end, the reader is still left with a bit of mystery.

I'd highly recommend giving The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner a read.

Thank you for reading my book review. Check out my Profile here to read more.

Leah Lawrence

book review
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About the Creator

Leah Lawrence

An avid reader, book reviewer, and storyteller. Sharing my stories, experiences, and book reviews.

Follow me on IG: @leahwill12

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