The Apothecary’s Garden by Jeanette Lynes (Review by Kelly Glecoff)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

When I selected this book, I had no idea that the book took place so close to home – literally! I found it enjoyable to read about and picture 1860s versions of the towns and cities that I live quite close to.

Lavender Fitch, (also known by the locals as the daughter of the local apothecary and talented harpist – both deceased) is barely scraping by, yet she manages to survive by purveying whatever materials nature can offer up to her, all amidst the arrival by train of a mysterious and intriguing twosome. One member can offer Lavender the opportunity to make a connection to her past and alleviate the financial strain of her present. The other member offers Lavender the opportunity to think of her future and listen to her heart. The story follows Lavender as she navigates her interactions with the twosome and the townspeople, and even as she tries to connect with the beyond.

I found that while the book generally kept my attention throughout and I enjoyed speculating on what breadcrumbs the author might be sprinkling throughout her writing or crafting my suspicions about how the mystery storyline might twist, the delivery of the conclusion/solved mystery often fell flat for me and left me wanting more. I wanted so much to feel the “aha” moment from a good mystery storyline or the warmth that comes from reading about a blossoming romance, but I felt like I needed more depth. It kind of felt like some ends weren’t really tied up by the end of the story.

With the focus on flowers and their meaning and the apothecary history, I was also surprised that there was not more of a focus on the importance of nature in helping Lavender navigate (and survive) her world, especially knowing how much of a role it played in both her mother and father’s daily lives.
Overall, I would imagine that this book would be enjoyed by those interested in a Canadian historical fiction and learning more about the reality of barely making ends meet in the 1860s with a sprinkle of mystery and budding romance!