I read this book expecting a mystery/crime story and as a representative of that group it must be said that it kind of sucked. The story itself was predictable, and didn't even pretend very hard at being either a puzzle or even a psychological view of a crime (not that I like those). So really, the story was a romance novel featuring a crime. The romance itself irritated me, while I liked the character of Mistress Wilton (I don;t remember her name and NONE of the reviewers mention it which is telling), while I liked her as a journeyman and as someone who was capable and brave, I didn;t like her irrational confrontations with Owen- both he and she irritated me in them. It was supposed to be part of the romance/chemistry I realise. The chemistry entirely was wasted on me (and not just because I am queer, occasionally...very rarely I can appreciate a boy/girl romance where it doesnt rely on stereotypes and the man "saving" the woman). Owen's acceptance of his inferior/obedient status as Mistress Wilton's apprantice is an anachronism, but a charming one (and lets be honest historical novels are full of anachronisms because there is just not enough information to really get into the mind of a person from a time before ordinary people could write and leave lots of information about how they thought).I thought much of the historical setting, and possibly the political intrigues (though ugly and dehumanising) were accurate. I was unhappy with the many steroypes (Magda for one and the lecherous archdeacon for another but also the "tart with a heart" innkeeper that I encountered. Stereotypes are on the whole offensive, certainly these were. There were flashes of an awareness of how class and gender are constituted by society and even a beginning of complex understanding of intersectionality (which is the sort of analysis that makes history interesting) but every time I started paying attention to that Owen and his friend would have a childish, sexually frustrated squabble and the book would degenerate to a drawn out, convoluted and unsatisfying romance novel once more.Despite a lively, capable and intelligent (some of the time) girl/love-interest the book falls back into essentialised and patriarchal portrayals of gender (and contains oblique homophobia disguised as a sort of squeamish compassion). These elements kept intruding on parts of the book that would have been interesting otherwise (though the plot itself lacked something).People have compared Robb to Ellis Peters which is why I was interested. The comparison does Peters/Pargeter a huge disservice!
I’m a huge fan of this series. Robb crafts a satisfying series with the intriguing character of Owen Archer, neophyte spy. The medieval time of mid 1300’s is captivating.Robb provides loads of twists along with numerous characters you will meet again as the series progresses. The books are fine as stand-alones, however, for optimal reading and enjoyment I suggest reading in order, a few pertinent details could spoil books skipped if read out-of-order. Regardless it’s a series historical mystery or mystery fans will find appealing. Quick read full of adventure at the turn of every page. Might I mention Robb has done her homework in the research department, outstandingly so.Characterization really makes this book standout, although it felt a bit rushed, I would prefer a little more length to expand the narrative further. GREAT as is but more would make it fantastic, the intricacy of the cast demands and deserves more pages.This book contained it all with a newbie sleuth, nefarious archdeacon, intriguing woman, mystery and a little romance to balance it all out. Robb’s eye for detail is unmistakable. The three dimensionality of the characters marry well with the intriguing and absorbing plot. Fabulous writing makes this a series not to miss.Visit Raven Haired Girl for more reviews & giveaways
Terrific, and a total surprise. I bought this book because I like mysteries set in the medieval/middle ages time period. I saw it advertised on Amazon as a recommendation based on the fact that I read the Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael books. It was also free, so I figured what the heck, if it is terrible no big loss. Well, not only was it not terrible, but it was a really great read. I put it right up there with the first Cadfael book and the Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. Ms. Robb captured the time period in such a tangible way that I felt transported into that small village in York every time I picked up the book. It has been a long time since I was this engrossed in a story. Candace Robb should be more well-known because her writing is vivid, crisp, and intelligent. I absolutely loved this book and now plan on reading the entire series. An excellent mystery that I highly recommend.
—Nick
http://bojnberry.ca/~berry/blog/?p=36... the link, and copied the text here...[return][return][return]The Apothecary Rose is a mystery set in 1300s England, York to be exact. It follows our hero, a half blind ex-archer who is employed by the Archbishop of Canterbury to discover why and how one of his wards had died. There was foul play afoot, and Archer has to discover it, as well as gain the trust of the female apothecary that he is using as a front.[return][return]This book was interesting enough. It was a bit light of substance, for instance I did not really get the feeling that the action was taking place in medieval times from the interactions of the characters, and I felt that most of the characters were one dimensional, and used only as plot devices.[return][return]That being said, I read the book in one sitting. The scenery was very well done, and did give a sense of place and time, and the pacing as the end of the book approached picked up nicely. The climax came a bit early, though, leaving a bit of an awkward denouement. This was probably to help set up the next book (which I have beside me, The Lady Chapel), but still, Ms. Robb could have saved it for then.
—Chris
There were aspects of this book that I found very enjoyable...the way the city of York was brought to life as almost another character in the book, for example. Also, this is one of those mysteries where you know immediately WHO did it, but the hero does not, and must work at discovering both who and why. Those types of mysteries are often tricky, because there is a danger the reader will grow bored waiting for the detective to catch on. I wasn't terribly bored with this one, but I found the hero to be a little dense and clumsy in his efforts...most of the interest came from the other characters involved, frankly. I also didn't care for the romance element to the story. It was a classic "hero and heroine fight constantly but secretly love each other" kind of thing. The fighting was constant and not particularly balanced by anything else, though, so I was left wondering what in the world these people saw in each other aside from their respective hotness. Hotness is fine, of course, but it's hardly going to serve as a basis for me to become emotionally invested in those two crazy kids working things out and getting together.
—Lorena
