Reviews

Maybe 4.5 stars? This was so good, I read it in 24 hours. I thought it might be fun and creepy, but wow, it was very evocative and engrossing, and populated by such interesting characters. I couldn’t put it down and it read so fluidly that it was easy to keep reading. I’m really interested to keep reading the series and see where the characters’ relationships take them. I have a pet peeve for snippets of “I could never have imagined what came next” and there were a lot of those in this, but I can forgive it. The ending also depressed me a lot. :( But never mind. If you like mystery and historical fiction and cross dressing and queer rep (unsure as to whether the MC is bi or lesbian but there is wlw here) and creepy atmospheres, you will like this book!

bmbriar's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A fantastic opener to one of my favourite series. E. S. Thomson's London is so vivid in its grit and dirt, and her characters are artfully drawn. This mystery kept me on my toes right up until the conclusion, as well as hitting all the emotional notes pitch perfectly.

Pay close attention to the content warnings on this one (and the series as a whole) since it does contain some very dark topics. Dr Thomson's knowledge of medical history adds incredible texture to the series, but that texture doesn't always make for comfortable reading!

Content Warnings

jmatkinson1's review against another edition

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4.0

St Saviour's is a old infirmary which is due to be replaced by a train line. When the developers send in a team to clear the graveyard a rather disturbing discovery is made, a set of six small coffins containing strange wooden dolls. Shortly after this Dr Bain, one of the medical team, is found dead. Jem Flockhart is the child of the apothecary and carries personal secrets, not least of which is that fact that Jem is woman, disguised as a man. However as Jem becomes implicated, the death of the wife of another doctor and also a local ruffian mean that case is close to being solved.

I picked up this book as I was really intrigued by the medical setting and also the gothic nature of a crumbling infirmary in Victorian England. In this respect the book did not disappoint, the atmosphere is carefully created and the medical knowledge is excellent. In fact much of the book was very enjoyable, my main gripes are with the sketchy nature of many of the characters beyond Jem and the plot which had been so promising seemed to degenerate into a slightly hysterical denouement.

aang_arang's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Very slow start, you don't really get anywhere until about 40~50%

Way too many characters introduced way too quickly and poor character descriptions as well.

Spoiler

I didn't even know that Joe was just a child until they were describing his body after the murder.

There were a few intense scenes that I did enjoy but the ending was rather anticlimactic in my opinion and I was just reading to complete and not actually because I was interested.

Eliza's character might be the most poorly written In the whole book. I was not a fan of her characrer arc at all.

Will was the best part of the book and I did enjoy his friendship with Jem the most out of anything, even though I didn't care much for Jem themself.

Content Warnings

amblejambles's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

raemelle's review against another edition

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4.0

Jem is a woman living as a man so that she can work as an assistant apothecary to her father, who himself is beginning to weaken from a mysterious ailment.

The story takes place in Victorian London, within the walls of a crumbling hospital. The details of the old medical methods are both horrifying and fascinating.

Jem stumbles upon six tiny coffins holding small dolls that appear to represent babies. The discovery prompts a murderer to resurface, and Jem finds herself investigating. But the murderer soon sets sights on pinning Jem for the murders, and she is forced to uncover the truth to clear her name.

This was a very well written book. It kept me hooked from the first chapter. An excellent read for anyone interested in learning about antiquated medical techniques, and the gritty world of London in the mid-1800’s.

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