Kerry's Reviews > The Lost Apothecary

This is a disappointing read with implausible situations, melodramatic characters, and obvious contrivances. It often raises more questions than it answers. The emotions of the characters are unrealistic, so the characters themselves also seem unrealistic. Contradictions only add to the lack of believability. The drama in the story is heightened too artificially.

First we have Nella, one of the historic protagonists. She's chronically depressed as well as chronically ill. On one hand, she's portrayed as a strong woman, an early feminist, fighting for memory and power in a world that allows women neither. But she's aggressively hobbled by her past, which doesn't fit with the woman she's become. Furthermore, while she's against believing in ghosts (which feels strange in the 18th century), she's not above believing that she's being punished by some sort of karma for her deeds. It doesn't add up. Through the whole thing you want her to really just pull herself together.

Then we have Eliza, who is actually the best character of the bunch. However, she starts her period, and NOBODY TELLS HER WHAT IT IS even though she bleeds on a cushion after having left her home and own mother only a short while in the past. She'd either know because she grew up on a farm or her first employer would have told her. She also, in the 18th century DOESN'T KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS DIED. Literally incredible.

Nella's wealthy client starts off by threatening her then risks her life to protect her, then acts worried that she'll be found out. These two sides of her personality do not jibe.

Then we have the present-day protagonist, whatever her name is. She is too Pollyanna ("I came to London because I was hurt by someone else's secrets, now I was the one hiding things" *gasp*). She's so overwrought about trespassing into a door that nobody's opened for 200 years without clear reason ("I walked out of Bear Alley aware that I'd just committed a crime for the very first time in my life" *gasp*). She continues talking to her husband after he severely deceives her twice. She thinks Gaynor is her friend too soon, when actually she's only just used her services.

Finally, the husband shows up after a trans-Atlantic flight smelling like "pine and lemon." No way. Nobody smells like that after being through airports and on planes. He tries to call 911 in the UK and pretends he doesn't know not to drink essential oils, even though he's described as "intelligent."