Review: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

I requested an ARC for my unbiased review of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner because I enjoy historical fiction, and particularly the eighteenth century. Ms. Penner’s novel weaves the story of a modern-day woman whose marriage is in crisis and that of two women in late eighteenth century London with crises of their own. The problem is different for each one but at the same time, they are interrelated. The cuts back and forth between the centuries and the three women are done with skill and the characters are three-dimensional. The mudlarking section made me want to be there searching the Thames foreshore to find cool old stuff. This is evidently her first novel. I’ll look forward to reading her future books. 

My only reservation about the book is because of one flaw which many readers will not even notice (though I’m hoping it was corrected before release). It’s a problem not limited to Ms. Penner’s otherwise excellent book. Even those who have written historical fiction for years sometimes make assumptions about past eras: for example, that letters must have been written on parchment or that bourbon was known in 18th century England. Unless a reader happens to be informed and fussy about historical details—as I am—such things will not interrupt the flow of a good story.