mattiedancer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
- Fans of historical books that have a split POV with modern perspective
- Someone looking for a cool concept over everything else
- Fans of witchy history who are looking for an easy read
- Pregnancy, adultery, murder, sexism, misogyny, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, violence, abuse, child abuse, child death, death, death of parent, self-harm, suicide, suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, terminal illness, poison, gun violence, medical trauma, classism, injury, injury detail, fire, pedophilia, incest, infertility
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Infertility, Violence, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Child death, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Blood, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Pedophilia
jkohls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Murder, Grief, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Chronic illness, Incest, Infidelity, Child abuse, Violence, Child death, Medical content, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Rape
taliatalksbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Infidelity, Incest, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Murder, Miscarriage, Infertility, Gore, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Classism, Abortion, and Grief
lyfeistrip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Minor: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Murder, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Infertility, Incest, Domestic abuse, Child death, Cancer, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Vomit, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Death
kat_rowlen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Abortion, Child death, Infidelity, Incest, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pedophilia, Grief, and Police brutality
spootilious's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Murder and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Child death, Infidelity, Incest, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Rape
wackly93's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Miscarriage and Death
Moderate: Vomit, Infidelity, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy, Blood, Sexual assault, and Incest
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death, Incest, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Death of parent, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Vomit
Rape warning is just in case - for use of an aphrodisiac poison, the intent of which can be considered a form of rape by deception. Also includes descriptions of menstruation.becca_w_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Child death, Classism, Infidelity, Medical content, Murder, and Sexism
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, Police brutality, and Vomit
Minor: Abandonment
ems_rxlibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This novel is, at its core, a story of a woman scorned. Nella is an apothecary who learned everything she knows from her mother. They treated women’s ailments up until a man came into Nella’s life and turned it upside down. Now she helps women murder their adulterous husbands via poisons.
Caroline has just found out an awful secret about her husband right before their 10th anniversary trip to London, so rather than cancel, she takes the trip on her own. On her first day she stumbles upon a mysterious vial with an engraving on it and decides to investigate it. While doing so she uncovers the secrets of the past.
I loved Nella and Eliza’s storyline. Caroline’s wasn’t my most favorite, but I did like how it aligned with the past narrative.
For being a debut novel I felt the writing was pretty strong. I sometimes feel that debut novels suffer from clunky dialogue or robotic storylines, but this one didn’t. I also appreciated the content at the end- the apothecary of poisons was just fun to read.
Graphic: Infidelity, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Incest, Cursing, Pedophilia, Vomit, and Miscarriage