Novels Now

Julie Klassen

304 pages

Lillian Haswell works with her father in his apothecary shop. She has a wonderful memory and things seem to come much easier for her than they do for Francis Baylor, her father’s apprentice. Lilly doesn’t particularly like working there though and when she is offered the chance to go to London by her wealthy aunt and uncle, she is thrilled. She  has hopes of finding a husband, being educated and perhaps tracking down the mother who abandoned the family some years before.

Just as she begins to fit in with London society, Lilly is forced to return home when she receives a note that her father is “not quite himself.” She must once again take up her position at Haswell’s Apothecary. However, her father’s illness puts Lilly in a precarious position. Women are not allowed to be apothecaries and there is a doctor in town who would like nothing more than to see Haswell’s close its doors.

The Apothecary’s Daughter is a moving story which covers a large amount of territory. Through Lilly’s character we experience life as a person of trade, life in a small English village,  life in London society and some history of the apothecary profession.

We experience the ridiculousness of all of the social jockeying to attain a “good match.” As with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I understood why this was so important for women of that time. Without a good match they were powerless.  And Lilly does enjoy the hustle and bustle of the London social scene. She enjoys the people she meets and as she begins to turn heads and rub elbows with the upper crust, she begins to envision herself as the wife of a gentleman.

But then reality comes crashing in and she must return to Bedsley Prior to help her father and like all of us, Lilly learns the best lessons in the trials of life. She learns about faith, family, friends,  health and home. This Christian novel is beautifully written. Lilly’s faith is natural and is a part of her life which never makes that aspect of the story feel forced.

I did not want to put The Apothecary’s Daughter down. I loved the characters, the settings and the history. There are even some elements of suspense. At one point in the story there are several different men interested in gaining Lilly’s favor and the author does a really good job at not tipping her hand as to who wins her heart.

I loved this book and look forward to reading Lady of Milkweed Manor, also by Julie Klassen, very soon. (5/5)