Fireside Reads - Summary of the Last Apothecary: A Novel by Sarah Penner

Summary of

The Lost Apothecary

A Novel

Sarah Penner

A Guide To The Book By

Fireside Reads

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Foreword

N ext to the roaring campfire is where the best stories are told.

This is the passion at Fireside Reads - to bring out the best stories and conversations between groups of good friends.

New readers can use this guide to learn key takeaways of the book along with forty thought-provoking questions that will challenge readers to think constructively in discussions.

We also hope readers will be able to ascertain the crucial messages of the author for a deeper appreciation of the work that has been accomplished.

Take out a paper and pen, Kindle, or any electronic device to take notes and implement to make happen all that you will learn from the book. So start reading and dont forget to have fun this too will accelerate your learning.

Cordially,

The Fireside Read Team

Executive Summary of The Lost Apothecary

Did You Know?

Sarah Penners inspiration for The Lost Apothecary was Ted Sandlings book on mudlarking, in which she came across a fragment of a mid-seventeenth century delftware apothecary jar. She also undertook a mudlarking expedition in London. Her visit to a London pub also sparked her interest in old buildings when she was told it was a brothel a long time ago.

The Lost Apothecary is a historical fiction novel set in England written by American novelist Sarah Penner. The book has three main protagonists and the story is told through their differing viewpoints. The stories of Nella and Eliza take place in 1791, while Carolines story is set in modern-day England. The stories converge towards the end of the book when Caroline, through discovering the stories of Nella and Eliza, is able to forge her own path in life. The book explores themes of female bonding, feminism, self-fulfillment for women, and options women have for dealing with betrayal then and now.

T he first character is Nella, an apothecary owner who is helping women with their battles for survival by giving them poisons to help murder the betraying men in their lives, regardless if they were their husbands, fathers, or brothers. Once a respectable apothecary owner, Nella turned to the darker side of alchemy when she was betrayed by her lover, Frederick. She had met him when he appeared at her shop seeking a cure for his sister, Rissa, who was experiencing cramps and has not had her menstruation for more than a year. Nella gives him some motherwort and explains that he must be careful with it as it can also have negative consequences for a pregnant woman.

After this, an affair started between the two. Nella conceived and was happily looking forward to a future with Frederick. It is gradually revealed that not only did Frederick probably already have a wife somewhere, but he also disappeared after inducing Nellas abortion through her own medicine. After this deceit, she also found out that Rissa was Fredericks wife, not sister. She too had learned of his infidelity and came seeking justice. Nella gave her rat poison and instructions on how to use it. Her fame gradually spread and women began to approach her to hasten the deaths of men who betrayed them. She was unable to say no to them and began to provide poison to these women. Her only rule was that her poisons must never be used to harm other women.

Eliza is a young girl from Swindon and her mother wants her to leave the family farm so she can make a life for herself in London. She is hired by Mrs. Amwell as a housemaid. However, when Mr. Amwell molests her, he signs his death warrant. His wife sends young Eliza to Nella to obtain poison to murder him, and this is how the two meet. Eliza is immediately fascinated with Nella and wants to learn about the concoctions around her. She is given two poisoned eggs to prepare for her master, which she does without any regrets. However, after the murder, her menstruation suddenly begins. Not having known what it is, she thinks that it is Mr. Amwell haunting her. She returns to Nellas shop, determined to find another solution to her problem.