At the end of the eighteenth century, Nella works from a secret apothecary shop to aid women in offing the men who abuse and misuse them. Driven by her own story of betrayal, she conjures poisons that are difficult to trace and meets her clients in her hidden shop on Back Alley. When a twelve-year-old girl fetches poison for her mistress, Nella cannot imagine what terrible outcomes this girl will set in motion.
In present day, Caroline Parcewell flees to London on what should be her tenth anniversary trip. She is alone, having just caught her husband in an affair. Grieving the loss of her marriage and her hopes for a baby, she joins a group mudlarking on the Thames. What she finds propels her into a search for the truth about the apothecary killer. However, before answers fall into place, her troubles in the present meet up with the troubles from the past and place her in a precarious position.
I'm not sure why men have to be bashed. Every man in this novel, but one (the mudlarking leader), is unfaithful, precipitously judgmental, or abusive. Why must we paint with such broad strokes? Seriously! And the end? Caroline rids herself of her problems and affirms her own strength and purpose. So, while the story was a good one, it left me with an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Not all men are monsters, any more than all women have hidden strengths just waiting to shine. Moreover, I hate this message: Trouble in a relationship? Ditch it and assert yourself! What looks like a happy ending leaves me less than happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment