The Apothecary, Book 1

Book review by Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media
The Apothecary, Book 1 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 11+

Cold War kids use magic to save world in brilliant novel.

Maile Meloy Adventure 2011
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 10+

Based on 23 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

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What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Apothecary is an engaging, well-written story by an award-winning adult author who has successfully turned to a younger audience without simply dumbing down adult themes. Some social and ethical complexities may be a bit much for younger kids, e.g., the casual ruthlesslessness with which Janie and Benjamin are willing to try out a potion on their hapless classmate Sergei, the quandary of Sergei's father with his wife and daughter in the hands of his Soviet employers, and Pip's cheerfully thieving nature. Janie's parents are blacklisted Hollywood writers, and Meloy's excellent, evenhanded treatment of the subject might serve as an good introduction to the McCarthy era.

Community Reviews

jmaa
jmaa Adult
September 14, 2018
age 11+

The Best Book Series Ever!!!

This series is even better than Harry Potter-and I am a huge Harry Potter fan. This series is the best because of the feelings it gives me. I seriously felt emotional and for the first time ever, I actually felt like I was with the characters the whole time. I couldn't put it down. You should really read this book. It's the best!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
lefthandedink
lefthandedink Adult
June 22, 2017
age 12+

A bit too much romance

The story is so wonderful. BUT, the author kept describing how the main character felt (tingles down her spine, etc.) while being next to or in physical contact with the boy she had a crush on, and it just felt unnecessary and a bit over done. I read this book to my son (11yrs) and he kept smacking his head and rolling his eyes and saying, "Not this AGAIN!" every time that bit of tween romance was inserted. The story really didn't need it and it felt awkward and forced in the narrative and definitely could have completely stood on it's own without that part being in there. Her having a crush is fine, but I thought this felt off.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

It's 1952, and 14-year-old Janie Scott is abruptly uprooted from her freshman year in high school in sunny Los Angeles when her parents, blacklisted Hollywood writers, flee to cold, gray postwar London. The kindly local apothecary gives her a free prescription for homesickness; his son Benjamin, who has no interest in the family business and wants to be a spy, is the most interesting thing about her horrible new school. The two are suddenly thrown together when Benjamin's father is apparently kidnapped by German-speaking thugs, but not before he has locked the two teens in the basement with a 700-year-old book and instructions to protect it. The book contains centuries of secrets of how to manipulate matter. Many adventures, transformations, and strange developments ensue, in which Janie, Benjamin and their friends are called upon not only to save Benjamin's father but also to prevent the Soviets from exploding their first atomic bomb.

Is It Any Good?

This is a great book -- well written, deft in its handling of themes and issues, and full of characters who are engaging even as we see their flaws. The magic is handled in a matter-of-fact way, as just part of the landscape -- as the gardener says mildly to Benjamin early on, "You must allow for the possibilities" -- and it is all the more effective for taking place with a minimum of fuss. The story moves along at a fast pace; the characters are busy saving the world while dealing with common teen woes. There's a lot going on in this book, enough to reward more than one reading, and it's hard not to hope for a sequel. Luckily, one is in the works.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the scary issues of the Cold War, particularly as they appeared to kids growing up at the time, and how they might be similar to today's issues of terrorism -- and manipulated in similar ways. The story offers numerous examples of havoc wrought by naive political beliefs of various stripes, yet lets readers draw their own conclusions.

  • This book introduces numerous ethical balancing acts, such as when Janie has to lie to her parents to explain the absence of Benjamin's father. She doesn't have much choice. In real life, when might it really be the right thing for a 14-year-old to lie to parents about what's going on with a friend?

  • Would you like to go to school at a place like St. Beden's? What's better or worse about it than your school?

  • Have you been to London? How is it the same as in the book? How is it different?

Book Details

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