All I can say about this novel is good. I loved it. I have been captivated by absolutely everything: the setting, the characters, the profession, the suitors and the narration. What a great author Julie Klassen is. I can’t say much about her either, since it’s the first novel I’ve read of the aforementioned. To this day, it is one of the best novels I have read this year.
I must confess that it is also the first novel I have read in this subgenre (Clean Romance) and I couldn’t have started with a better one. I begin to praise as it deserves this great novel.
The setting is sublime, without the author describing it in every detail, yes she does so in the eyes of the protagonist according to her preferences, but even so it is magnificent and homely. London is still London, it is inevitable because it would not be like that if Hyde Park did not appear. But both the hospital and the street of the apothecaries have been a very grateful and successful addition to history. The section in which everything London happens is another point in favor of the story; First, they are presented by the beautiful and picturesque town, it takes us into London with a radical makeover without going too far, just enough to then return to the beautiful town and discover, along with the protagonist, that they like this setting much more than the capital already well known. This wins the novel a lot.
But we must add to the characters, both Lilly, who is magnificent and with whom you grow as you read, as well as the secondary characters. Everyone from the magnificent Lippert family, The Elliots and of course the Mimpurse.
Of course there are many more characters worth mentioning, but if I start talking about each one of them I won’t stop. They are magnificent, real and very heartfelt (I have shed a tear). Then there are the four suitors of the protagonist, not bad for being an apothecary’s daughter and even so, a most complete and beloved character. Few female protagonists have so many suitors. I have to confess that as I was reading and each suitor appeared, I did not know which one to opt for, because seen in Lilly’s eyes they are all perfect, but as the story progresses, the preferences and personalities of each one of them become more detailed. In my humble opinion… you have chosen well!
The narration has been exquisite and well cared for. I will never tire of recommending this novel. The author’s pen has her own personality, although you can appreciate at certain times the influence that the great classical romantic authors have had, especially Jane Austen. Not only the surnames of certain characters, but sometimes satire (much softer than Austen) and well drawn and sometimes unexpected turns.
I can add little more in this review without making any spoilers, because this novel does not deserve any. It is a delight that will not disappoint. It is not a conventional romantic novel, there are no sex scenes or torrid romances after a magnificent dance in which the protagonists behave like they are in the 21st century instead of their own century. Not at all, here you can feel the culture and society of the moment (unfortunately for women). It is a different novel, simple but not boring at any time, with many twists in the story and many endearing characters. I recommend it to every reader who loves romantic stories, because you will love this one.
I always really enjoy reading Julie Klassen’s novels because she has a very good way of writing that makes you part of the story she tells you. “The Apothecary’s Daughter” has undoubtedly been a success.
The novel tells the story of Lilly Haswell, a young woman who lives in a small and quiet town, along with her father and brother. Her mother left them years ago and she has always wondered why and if she will ever come back. She also spends her days dreaming of getting out of town and seeing the world, all while helping out her father at her family apothecary. One day, her uncles from London make her a proposal and she accepts. Thanks to her, she will be able to go to London to experience what she so longed for and, perhaps, to discover the truth behind her mother’s abandonment so many years ago.
Reviewing this book is difficult without spoilers, so some parts of the review may be a bit vague. I think it’s better that way because it’s worth reading without knowing too much about the plot. It is a very well told story and full of details. That makes you become part of it from the first page you read and it is something that I value a lot about Julie Klassen’s novels.
“The Apothecary’s Daughter” has become one of my favorite Julie Klassen novels. A novel where the important thing is the lives of the characters and not so much the exaggerated romance of its protagonists. It is a story to read and reflect on.
