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- Title: Lost Apothecary: A Novel
- Author: Sarah Penner
- Narrator: Lauren Anthony, Lauren Irwin, Lorna Bennett
- Length: 10:18:07
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 02/03/2021
- Publisher: HarlequinAudio
- Genre: Fiction & Literature, Historical Fiction, Contemporary Women, Feminist Fiction, Fiction & Literature, Historical Fiction, Contemporary Women, Feminist Fiction, Fiction & Literature, Historical Fiction, Contemporary Women, Feminist Fiction
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
The cobblestone streets of London have whispered secrets to me for years. I remember one particular evening in Camden Town, sipping bitter ale in a pub that hadn’t changed its wood paneling since the 1700s, when an elderly local told me about the ‘poison women’ of Georgian London. That memory came flooding back as I listened to Sarah Penner’s “The Lost Apothecary”, a novel that vibrates with the same dangerous feminine energy those pub walls had absorbed over centuries.
The audiobook experience of “The Lost Apothecary” is nothing short of alchemical. The triple narration by Lauren Anthony, Lauren Irwin, and Lorna Bennett creates a rich tapestry of voices that perfectly mirrors the novel’s dual timeline. As someone who’s spent years documenting oral traditions from Oaxaca to Marrakech, I can attest that the narrators achieve something remarkable – they make the listening experience feel like being initiated into a secret sisterhood.
Anthony’s portrayal of Nella, the apothecary, carries the weight of centuries of silenced women. Her voice reminded me of that Oaxacan grandmother’s storytelling – every pause heavy with meaning, every inflection revealing layers of pain and power. When she describes the apothecary’s workshop, you can almost smell the dried herbs and feel the smooth glass vials. Meanwhile, Irwin’s young Eliza is all wide-eyed curiosity with an undercurrent of steel, making her transformation utterly believable. Bennett’s modern-day Caroline provides the perfect bridge between timelines with her academic cadence that gradually softens as she rediscovers her own strength.
Penner’s narrative unfolds like a poison slowly taking effect – deceptively gentle at first, then gripping with increasing intensity. The novel’s structure, alternating between 1791 and present-day London, creates a delicious tension that the narrators enhance through subtle shifts in pacing. I found myself walking extra laps around my neighborhood just to keep listening, much like I did years ago with “The Shadow of the Wind” in Barcelona.
What makes this audiobook particularly special is how it handles the theme of feminine knowledge passed through generations. The apothecary’s recipes become a metaphor for the survival tactics women have shared covertly throughout history. This resonated deeply with me after documenting the kitchen-table wisdom of matriarchs in Portugal’s Alentejo region, where recipes and remedies often contained coded messages.
The production quality enhances the storytelling beautifully. The subtle sound design – the clink of bottles, the rustle of parchment – never overwhelms but creates an immersive atmosphere. It’s a far cry from some audiobooks where background effects distract; here, they serve the story like Nella’s carefully measured ingredients.
While the novel’s feminist themes are its great strength, some listeners might find certain plot developments predictable. The parallels between past and present occasionally feel overly symmetrical. Yet this minor criticism fades against the sheer pleasure of the telling. The resolution satisfies without being tidy, leaving just enough mystery – much like the real historical cases that inspired Penner.
For those who enjoyed “The Binding” or “The Once and Future Witches”, this audiobook offers a similarly potent blend of historical detail and magical thinking. But “The Lost Apothecary” stands apart in its unflinching examination of how women have weaponized their oppression. It’s a theme that echoes through time, from the witch trials to modern #MeToo stories.
As the final chapter closed, I found myself back in that London pub, wondering how many similar stories those walls could tell. “The Lost Apothecary” audiobook doesn’t just recount history – it resurrects it, lets it breathe down your neck, and ultimately leaves you marveling at the resilience it celebrates. Whether you’re commuting or cooking (perhaps carefully measuring your own ingredients), this is one listening experience that will linger like the aftertaste of a potent elixir.
May your stories be as bold as your choices,
Marcus
Marcus Rivera
