Book of the Month: "The Lost Apothecary" by Sarah Penner

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a work of historical fiction that was published Mar. 2, 2021 by HarperCollins Publishers. Readers follow the lives of three women whose lives are on a life-changing collision course.

Nella, the daughter of a formerly respected apothecary in London, Feb. 1791, utilizes the knowledge and experience she gained from working with her mother to dispense poisons in addition to healing substances. Nella’s work led her to meet twelve-year-old Eliza Fanning, a curious and brave young girl sent by her mistress to receive a poison with which Eliza could aid her mistress in murdering her no-good husband.

This plot is juxtaposed to the story of Caroline, a history major from Ohio who learned of her husband’s unfaithfulness and decided to take their ten-year anniversary trip to present-day London on her own. When she spontaneously tried mudlarking, wherein she dug through the mud of the Thames river, she found a small vial with the etching of a bear on it. Her search into the history behind the vial was a distraction from the chaos of an impending divorce and the possibility of being pregnant, but it also rejuvenated the passion for history she had been suppressing.

The Lost Apothecary is the perfect way to close women’s history month, with a strong story about women helping other women and empowering themselves. Although the build-up to the climax is relatively slow, the details are fascinating and whimsical. Once you reach the final 100 pages of the book, it is nearly impossible to put down. Themes of bravery, betrayal, and magick surface in this instant New York Times Bestseller, breaking the boundaries of time in conveying meaning.