DNF Review – The Apothecary’s Curse by Barbara Barnett (3/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy?
Length: 340 pages
Publisher: Pyr
Release Date: October 11, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1633882331
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley.com
Rating: 3/5 stars
“This genre-bending urban fantasy mixes alchemy and genetics as a doctor and an apothecary try to prevent a pharmaceutical company from exploiting the book that made them immortal centuries ago.
In Victorian London, the fates of physician Simon Bell and apothecary Gaelan Erceldoune entwine when Simon gives his wife an elixir created by Gaelan from an ancient manuscript. Meant to cure her cancer, it kills her. Suicidal, Simon swallows the remainder—only to find he cannot die.
Five years later, hearing rumors of a Bedlam inmate with regenerative powers like his own, Simon is shocked to discover it’s Gaelan. The two men conceal their immortality, but the only hope of reversing their condition rests with Gaelan’s missing manuscript.
When modern-day pharmaceutical company Transdiff Genomics unearths diaries describing the torture of Bedlam inmates, the company’s scientists suspect a link between Gaelan and an unnamed inmate. Gaelan and Genomics geneticist Anne Shawe are powerfully drawn to each other, and her family connection to his manuscript leads to a stunning revelation. Will it bring ruin or redemption?”
I got this through NetGalley to review. This one was a DNF for me. I got through about 15% of the book and was really struggling to stay engaged in the story. I tried multiple times to pick it up again and it just holds absolutely no interest for me.
This seems like it is one of those secret history types of novels. Both main characters appear to be somewhat immortal and the story jumps between modern day and the 1800’s.
I tried to read this I really did. I just did not engage with the characters in the story. The story moved slowly and to me was incredibly boring. It wasn’t poorly written it just moved really slow and I have a million other books I am more interested in reading. I may try to read it again when I am in a more patient mood.
Overall the writing wasn’t bad but I struggled repeatedly to stay engaged with the story and characters. I may try to read it again at a future date, but for now this is a Did Not Finish! for me.
