Publication Date: 27th Oct 2023
Genre: Dual Timeline, Family Drama, Paranormal
2.7 Stars
One Liner: Got potential but falls flat
1889
Kitty Gray dreams of becoming a doctor like her father but is married to Charles Maclean, one of the richest men in Glasgow. However, circumstances make the Ardbray House in the remote Scottish Highlands her permanent home. Kitty finds a new passion in herbs, and is soon the local midwife and herbalist. Until one day, tragedy strikes.
2003
Greer Mackenzie’s family has been the housekeepers of the Ardbray House for decades. She resents the house for denying her freedom but doesn’t want to let go of the house she calls home. When Caitlin Black arrives as a prospective buyer, Greer is torn.
As Caitlin delves deep into the house’s history, she comes across some disturbing events. Now, it’s up to her to find out what had happened. Moreover, the Ardbray House seems to have its own demands.
The story comes in the third-person POV of Kitty and the first-person POV of Greer Mackenzie.
What I Like:
The Scottish Highlands setting is descriptive and paints a picture of the house, the loch, and the chilly remoteness of the location.
Every chapter starts with a brief note about an herb and its medicinal benefits. This was informative and educative.
The historical setting deals with women’s rights (without getting preachy), the cotton mills and the horrible working conditions, and the gradual entry of women into medical colleges. A few scenes are well done, especially between Kitty and the staff.
There’s a recipe for ginger cake at the end of the book. Since this delicious cake is mentioned multiple times, it’s nice to have the recipe. The other descriptions of the food are also enjoyable and made my reading a little more enjoyable.
The prologue is solid and sets high expectations for the rest of the book. However…
What Could Have Been Better for Me:
Well, the book has many elements, but no single aspect stands out. I kept wondering what the actual focus of the story was. The prologue makes it seem like it’s the house. Soon, we see it’s the characters, especially Kitty. But yet again, the house seems to be important. Then Kitty again. Based on the title, it should be Kitty, but the prologue makes the house stand out. See what’s happening?
A story with paranormal elements (ghosts) should have a solid atmosphere and sustain it. While Geer’s first-person POV tries to make the house seem oppressive and brooding, it doesn’t sustain the feelings for long. Also, Geer is annoying, making the contemporary track a chore.
Moreover, the book doesn’t really have herbalism except for Kitty’s paintings and her garden. Even though she is said to have become a self-learned herbalist, we see just a random instance or two of her using herbs, that too only for the family and the house staff.
The book tries to pack too much into the plot, and almost none of it is explored in detail (the kitchen sink syndrome, as a friend calls it). We get Kitty’s biography with missing years (that have important developments). The contemporary track is entirely surface-level. Neither Geer nor Caitlin is impressive. The ending is okay, I suppose, but nothing wow.
The pacing is slow and dragging. Moreover, the mystery mentioned in the blurb doesn’t appear until after 50%. Then, of course, it is almost immediately solved in the same timeline, followed by the events revealing the truth. It’s a good thing the book is listed as General Fiction on NetGalley. This cannot be considered a mystery despite the countless secrets our characters like to keep.
To summarize, The Herbalist's Secret has a great premise but needs some structuring and prioritizing to decide the main element and amplify it. Cutting down the excessive explanations would also help. Since this is a debut release, I’ll round up the rating to 3 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #TheHerbalistsSecret
TW: Death of children, attempted rape, suicide.
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