The Apothecary's Daughter: Watch out for Fleas!

I am rather Happy to admit I don't often plunge into a bodice ripping historical romance, however I read this as a favour for one of our lovely sales reps that quite often pops in and I loved every second of it.  Best guilty pleasure I have read in quite some time.  Don't be alarmed, there was really very little bodice ripping, well, there was a few instances of it. 

Bett's takes us into a London long ago, riddled with the bubonic plague.  Susannah is aiding her father in an Apothecary shop which is frequented by consumers looking for various treatments and salves, but particularly hunting for concoctions to ward off the Black Death.  Her life is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a rather unpleasant woman whose gold digging habits have led her into the arms of Susannah's widowed father.  As the apothecary shop is invaded by Susannah's vile stepmother and her equally vile children, she realises that her life has to change and fast, there is just no room for her anymore in what was one a comfortable home.  Susannah faces the fear of marriage, and it is here that her story really begins to flourish. 

Set against the grimy and depressing background of London during the worst of the plague this novel's story is just fabulous.  You travel along with Susannah as times go from bad to worse for her, what with her having to face her fear of childbirth, deal with a dead husband that leaves her penniless, she also gets very mixed up over a blooming romance with her husband's cousin.  There is far more than that to her tale and I just have no idea how Bett's managed to fit all of this in.  The writing flows beautifully and you are never lacking for a cliffhanger or a big revelation. 

The inevitability of death from the plague is rather predictable and it does at one point become a case of 'who will die next' but I loved the predictability of this and was rather pleased with myself whenever I guessed correctly a particular plot twist or plague death.  It is actually the novel's predictability that made it fun, where in other novels this would be a dull mechanic in this novel it adds to the fast pace and enjoyability.

I found the description of Susannah following the dead cart to the plague pits, from start to finish, to be very harrowing.  Bett's has a real knack for atmosphere and impact, it conjured up images that I wont soon banish from my thoughts.

All in all, a good read and one I would imagine fans of Phillipa Gregory would devour.  Do not fret, it has a very satisfying ending that I am sure everyone would agree is perfectly fitting for a character that has had everything possible thrown at them throughout the course of the narrative. 

That is my guilty pleasure reading done for a while, no more chick lit for me for a good few months.  Don't think I could cope with an overload, it is quite likely I might end up feeling the need to visit a hair salon or get my nails done....brrrrrrrr.