What readers think of The Lost Apothecary, plus links to write your own review.

A thoroughly researched novel about a not-so-wonderful subject; poisoning those who malign others' lives. The Lost Apothecary toggles back and forth from the 1700's hidden apothecary shop to the present day problems of a couple who are experiencing a "poisoning" of their marriage.

The first third of the book introduced the characters, but because of their negative attitudes, I found them unlikable. I became more engaged as the historical revelations took over in the middle development of the plot. Finally, watching Caroline, Nella, and Eliza fight for their lives created a fascinating ending.

The author has used the language of the 1700s almost as another character. I noticed one discrepancy on page 218...Gaynor goes out to buy a latte and then later is described as "lifting the lid from her cup to let her tea cool".

It may be the unpleasant subject matter that would keep me from recommending this book to someone else, but I suspect book clubs would find it ripe with discussion points. I found I had to suspend my "that couldn't happen" realistic brain on a couple of incidents. But that's a part of the magick!

For a first book it is very good. However I have bought it because the wait at my library was for ever. I am disappointed because the big buzz around this book is not justified. It is entertaining but that is about it.

The plot concept was brilliant and hooked me with just the description. I did feel that the execution of the plot, while interesting, was simplistic in its unveiling. The author tended to over describe connections and reveals that felt condescending. Additionally, some of the character events felt unsubstantiated. For example, Caroline's husband was not mean spirited or manipulative throughout the novel and then it's revealed that he's a master manipulator who may be suicidal. Eliza's introduction to magic and her near miss with death felt hurried and overly simplified. I wish Sarah Penner had taken more time to flesh out these characters and events. Overall the story line was good and I would recommend to others albeit readers who tend toward young adult fiction.

Found it very sexist and demeaning for men.

The concept was interesting, and the dual storylines made for quick reading. The past storyline was more compelling than the present-day one, mostly because Caroline was an annoying/unlikeable character. My biggest issue, though, were the unending plot holes and nonsensical/idiotic devices used to drive the story forward. The ending frustrated me to the point where I seriously wanted to throw the book into a shredder. What could have been a really great book was reduced to a weak first draft because of lazy writing/editing.