Book Review
Jun. 17th, 2020 04:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
by Theodora Goss
This book was such a delight to read. It is set in late 19th century London, but one where the characters and events from classic early sci-fi, horror, and mystery literature are real. Our heroine, Mary Jekyll, daughter of Dr. Jekyll, finds herself embroiled in the mystery of a series of murders in Whitechapel that may be connected to her father's alter ego. She joins Holmes and Watson in their investigation, and also meets and joins forces with other women who are the daughters or creations of mad scientists: her sister Diana Hyde, Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherine Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein.
The best things about this book are the characters and setting. Despite some really great action scenes, it's not as plot-driven as it might seem. I loved each woman's backstory and how they functioned as both a retelling of the original tales and a subtle feminist interrogation of those stories. I'll admit a little bit of glee at a late Victorian London mystery story in which Holes and Watson are relegated to secondary roles. I also liked following Mary's growing taste for adventure, and the development of the women's friendships and group dynamics. Given these relationships and the housekeeper Mrs. Poole's matriarchal role, there's just a hint of the core group being something of a monstrous Little Women. I can't wait to start the sequel.
by Theodora Goss
This book was such a delight to read. It is set in late 19th century London, but one where the characters and events from classic early sci-fi, horror, and mystery literature are real. Our heroine, Mary Jekyll, daughter of Dr. Jekyll, finds herself embroiled in the mystery of a series of murders in Whitechapel that may be connected to her father's alter ego. She joins Holmes and Watson in their investigation, and also meets and joins forces with other women who are the daughters or creations of mad scientists: her sister Diana Hyde, Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherine Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein.
The best things about this book are the characters and setting. Despite some really great action scenes, it's not as plot-driven as it might seem. I loved each woman's backstory and how they functioned as both a retelling of the original tales and a subtle feminist interrogation of those stories. I'll admit a little bit of glee at a late Victorian London mystery story in which Holes and Watson are relegated to secondary roles. I also liked following Mary's growing taste for adventure, and the development of the women's friendships and group dynamics. Given these relationships and the housekeeper Mrs. Poole's matriarchal role, there's just a hint of the core group being something of a monstrous Little Women. I can't wait to start the sequel.
