The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
The Lost Apothecary
by Sarah Penner
Historical | Fiction
310 Pages
Released 2021
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
To start, this book is not quite what I expected, but I think this is mainly because I went into the book expecting something in the fantasy/magical realism realm. Instead, this book leans hard into historical fiction, which is something I generally do not read.
I found the initial concept to be compelling, a secret apothecary that catered to women looking to rid themselves of the abusive men in their lives. Unfortunately, as the book went on I found myself feeling less and less engaged with the story.
The modern day perspective, to me, felt completely uncompelling and it pulled me out of the story more than anything.
I did enjoy Nella’s perspective but I found myself often frustrated with how meek she was, despite her line of work and expertise.
Overall, I just wanted more from this book. More woman empowerment, more magical realism, just more.