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A review by cornmaven
The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands
5.0
Sands brings readers back to 17th century England during King Charles II, a time when no one really knows much about medicine, and apothecaries are what doctors are today in status and expertise. Orphan Christopher Rowe is selected by Benedict Blackthorn to be his apprentice, which pretty much saves his life.
I loved the attention to detail Sands uses to get us into the moment - most kids won't realize how bad life was back then, how there were only a few homeopathic cures for illnesses, and no understanding about germs. Christopher's life is rough, but his new master is at least kindly and fatherly. While Christopher is learning the trade, we are, too, especially the degree to which an apothecary will hide his intellectual property - his recipes for cures - from everyone else via codes and ciphers. Christopher is a quick study, and sucks it all up by osmosis.
There are mysteries involved, as nefarious people are trying to find special formulas to make spectacular things like bombs. Blackthorn leads Christopher, and his friend, Tom, on a quest to find the recipe of all recipes, which takes readers through cemeteries and tombs and crypts.
We also learn about the beginnings of labor unions, the guilds, and how they operated, and the power they held in that time. This is after Cromwell's government fell, and the monarchy was restored, all pretty fascinating stuff if put in the right perspective for kids, and Sands has done that. The writing is excellent, with lots of action, and kept me turning pages late into the night.
NOTE: This review may appear on my library's social media book review channel in the future.
I loved the attention to detail Sands uses to get us into the moment - most kids won't realize how bad life was back then, how there were only a few homeopathic cures for illnesses, and no understanding about germs. Christopher's life is rough, but his new master is at least kindly and fatherly. While Christopher is learning the trade, we are, too, especially the degree to which an apothecary will hide his intellectual property - his recipes for cures - from everyone else via codes and ciphers. Christopher is a quick study, and sucks it all up by osmosis.
There are mysteries involved, as nefarious people are trying to find special formulas to make spectacular things like bombs. Blackthorn leads Christopher, and his friend, Tom, on a quest to find the recipe of all recipes, which takes readers through cemeteries and tombs and crypts.
We also learn about the beginnings of labor unions, the guilds, and how they operated, and the power they held in that time. This is after Cromwell's government fell, and the monarchy was restored, all pretty fascinating stuff if put in the right perspective for kids, and Sands has done that. The writing is excellent, with lots of action, and kept me turning pages late into the night.
NOTE: This review may appear on my library's social media book review channel in the future.