The Lost Apothecary

I would give this book 3.5 stars. I'm not fond of Caroline because I found her to be annoying. If she was a real person, it would be safe to say that her personality is one where she is trying to make herself the main character, feeling a heightened sense of importance and destiny because she happened upon the apothecary vial. Also, I think everything was just a bit too convenient for Caroline where I did not feel any suspense or concern that she would not accomplish her goal, so it was not enticing to read about. I would think the book would be better if it was just told from Nella and Eliza's perspectives, as I was much more fascinated with their stories. I enjoyed their point of view up until the end when the ending becomes implied. I understand that that was the intention, that history is still history and there is no way to know 100% of everything that happened, but how the story glossed over how Eliza survived a high fall into icy cold water did not make sense. Sure, she drank her magic potion, but that was for getting rid of bad luck, not surviving frostbite. How she survived and made her way back to the Amwell house soaking wet without being caught were completely ignored, and that makes the ending unsatisfactory for me because it simply does not make sense. I am willing to accept magic as the answer, but that's not the direction this book was going. Oh well. Interesting and easy read, would recommend because of the suspense but would not reread.