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The Apothecary's Daughter [Paperback]

Charlotte Betts (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Book Description

Publication Date: 2 Feb 2012 | ISBN-10: 0749954493 | ISBN-13: 978-0749954499

1665. Susannah Leyton has grown up behind the counter of her father's apothecary shop in bustling Fleet Street. A skilled student - the resinous scents of lavender, rosemary, liquorice and turpentine run in her blood - her father has granted her the freedom to pursue her considerable talents. But Susannah is dealt a shocking blow when her widowed father marries again, and her new step-mother seems determined to remove her from the apothecary shop for good.

A proposal of marriage from the charming Henry Savage seems to offer Susannah an escape. But as the plague sweeps through London, tragedy strikes, and dark secrets in her husband's past begin to unfold. It will take all of Susannah's courage and passion to save herself from tragedy . . .

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The Apothecary's Daughter + The Painter's Apprentice + Wolf Hall
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  • The Painter's Apprentice by Charlotte Betts Paperback £7.19
  • Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Paperback £3.86

Product details

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Piatkus (2 Feb 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0749954493
  • ISBN-13: 978-0749954499
  • Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 2.5 x 19.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 26,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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› Visit Amazon's Charlotte Betts Page
Charlotte Betts
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Product Description

Review

A vivid tale of love in a time of fire, plague and prejudice (Katherine Webb )

Romantic, engaging and hugely satisfying. This is one of those novels that makes you feel like you've travelled back in time (Katie Fforde )

A colourful story with a richly-drawn backdrop of London in the grip of plague. A wonderful debut novel (Carole Matthews )

This is a worthy debut novel from Charlotte Betts... her reference to the plague... really takes the reader back to the 15th century (South Coast Register )

Fantastic in the way it depicts how much women's lives have changed since then and how lucky we are now. I recommend it for anyone who loves a great historical novel with love, betrayal, fear and the overcoming of great obstacles (Toowoomba Chronicle )

A feast for the senses. With the sensual language of Patrick Suskind's Perfume and the historical flavour of Philippa Gregory, this is a lush, immersive read for historical fiction fans, set during one of the most exciting eras of the city's history (Holiday Magazine )

Book Description

A debut novel from an exciting new voice in historical romance set in bustling, malodorous Restoration London at the time of the plague, just before the Great Fire of 1666.
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre 7 April 2012
By Kyanite99
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a competent first novel from Ms Betts, but it hardly breaks new ground. The heroine is irritatingly naive for her years; the hero darkly handsome and taciturn (but with a warm and passionate nature lurking underneath, naturally!) The romantic plot is rather formulaic and predictable and the happy ending is never in serious doubt.

Some of the descriptions of 17th century London are good, particularly regarding the filthy state of the streets and river and the noxious air of the capital. Likewise the effects of the plague, the sealing up of houses, and the disposal of corpses, which are all vividly depicted. However, for me this did not overcome the shortcomings of the plotting and characterisation.

I would say that if you want a comforting read that is not too intellectually demanding then this is for you. For me, it was a little too anodyne.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Gak! Saccharine and irritating 16 May 2012
By Josephine Seydel
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really didn't enjoy this book and was glad to finish it. I found the 'heroine' really irritating, she was ridiculously naive, pretty stupid and frankly sappy. Sure i get that women in 17th Century England were not exactly given a great deal of opportunities or credit for their intellect, but this sexist tripe just made me cringe - more reinforcement of dumb, pretty and helpless, just waiting for a man to make it all better - and guess what? That is pretty much the plot covered. The characters were all pretty two dimensional and the only thing i really liked were the historical references and some of the imagery (hence 2 stars and not 1)- but i am sure there are better books out there that give all of this without the sugar-coated irritating and predictable story-telling. Ick!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully evocative... 23 Mar 2012
By jaffareadstoo TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Set against the back drop of Restoration England , this book brings to life the sights and smells of a teeming city. It describes beautifully the way of life in London in 1665, when the plague was rife and red crosses appeared on doorways with alarming regularity. The descriptions are so evocative you can almost hear the dead carts rumbling through the cobbled streets, and watch with horror as bodies are tumbled into lime filled pits.
Susannah Leyton is the apothecary's daughter who has helped to run her father's apothecary shop since she was a young girl. When her place in her father's affection is taken by a new and avaricious step mother, Susannah must learn to make her own way. A disastrous marriage follows which engulfs Susannah in a whole new range of problems but brings to life a cast of unforgettable characters.
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but this one is glorious - you really feel like you have your nose pressed to the window, and are peering at the array of lotions and potions on offer inside. This rich tapestry is so wonderfully evocative of plague ridden London, you feel as if you walk the same streets and smell the same malodorous smells. I stayed up long and late to finish as I simply couldn't put it down.

I look forward to reading more historical novels from this talented story teller.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars lovely read
lovely story with some factual history rolled in although the twist was inevitable but did not spoil the read....Have ordered the second novel from the author
Published 7 days ago by cornwall
3.0 out of 5 stars Good on everyday detail of the period
Very good on background description of the period and of everyday life. I felt it lacked emotional depth and the romance between the two main characters was predictable.
Published 8 days ago by Brian Harvey
5.0 out of 5 stars The struggles of women in 17th century - with a great love story
This is a wonderful, heart-warming story of a young woman aspiring to work as an apothecary despite traditions and limitations for women in 17th century England. Read more
Published 1 month ago by NaneUK
4.0 out of 5 stars Well written historical fiction
The author is big on detail. She has created a seventeenth century world in her head and has great pleasure in using it to tell her story. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Janie U
2.0 out of 5 stars Not too good
couldnt get away with this book although I tried several times. I found it too boring and unable to get into
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. J. Kettle
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good book - lovely ending.
As well as being a good story it is also very interesting from a historical point of view. Gives you a good idea how life in London was like during the time of the Plague. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Diamond Light
5.0 out of 5 stars The Apothecary's Daughter
really enjoyed the book. gave an insight of how London was during the time of the plague
would definately read anothe book by Charlotte Betts
Published 3 months ago by Kate Cross
5.0 out of 5 stars Spell-binding!
Set in Restoration London, during the time of the plague and the great fire, this is an epic story that had me spell-bound from the first page to the last. Read more
Published 3 months ago by P. C. Fenton
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Really enjoyed reading this book and so much so that I bought some as Christmas presents. A friend recently told me she had read both books (this and The Painter's Apprentice), and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jools
3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining classy modern Bronte/Austen
I just read this in one day because I've been ill. I have to say I enjoyed it a lot, although I found the plot rather predictable. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Specialknamaste
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