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bookfrog508's review against another edition
3.75
After reading a very slow book, this was a perfect, quick, refreshing read! It zoomed by so quickly and was just lovely. I’m excited to get to the end of the trilogy :)
As I was just finishing up the book, I flipped the page and saw the remnants of what looked like crusted lasagna. Oh the horrors and joys of library books haha!
As I was just finishing up the book, I flipped the page and saw the remnants of what looked like crusted lasagna. Oh the horrors and joys of library books haha!
danileighta's review against another edition
4.0
I'm still really enjoying this series. I liked this book even better than the first, in fact! The series is set in the '50s and, while the first book did not FEEL historical to me, this one really did. It is primarily an adventure story with some sweet (minimal) romance sprinkled in. I like the lay-out of this book, including the illustrations (not too many). It's split up by different alchemical principles.
The title is a misnomer, in my opinion, as The Apprentices implies more focus on the actual practice of alchemy, but there is very little of that. Or, it is a minority of the book. Janie experiment also kind of just disappeared toward the end... So, I hope number three picks up loose threads and we see more of the practice.
Either way, this was a fun book and I'll definitely continue in the series.
The title is a misnomer, in my opinion, as The Apprentices implies more focus on the actual practice of alchemy, but there is very little of that. Or, it is a minority of the book. Janie experiment also kind of just disappeared toward the end... So, I hope number three picks up loose threads and we see more of the practice.
Either way, this was a fun book and I'll definitely continue in the series.
christiana's review against another edition
3.0
I felt a tremendous amount of anxiety basically the whole way through this book, which kept me racing pages. But I guess I prefer where I left these characters at the end of the last book. Everyone seems a little more unsettled now and this one definitely sets up for a sequel (which is what I liked so much about the first-it definitely stood alone). Let's be serious though, I'll come back for a third just so I can see what happens to Benjamin and Janie.
cindyjac's review against another edition
3.0
This book doesn't have as much power as The Apothecary. It was an enjoyable read but some of the characters felt underwhelming and the ending was abrupt. It seems to be setting up for book three.
erincataldi's review against another edition
2.0
I don't generally, give bad reviews, but I had a tough time getting into this jumbled and confusing young adult book. I received it free though Librarything and didn't realize until I got it that it was a sequel. I tried getting it through the public library but there were too many holds on it, so I trudged through this novel on my own.
It's difficult to even summarize this book. Sixteen year old Janie is expelled and kidnapped by the wealthy father of her roommate so that she can perfect de-salienting water (she's a math and science whiz) and in the process lure her "magical" friends to come to the rescue (somehow Janie had met an apothecary, his son - her love interest, a Chinese girl, a young British actor and a Hungarian Count in the first book and together they used apothecary methods to heal, conjure, transform, and do other improbable things). I'm not even making this up, it gets confusing and droll. The only character that has any real depth is Jin Loo (the Chinese girl) who lost her entire family in the first novel. For no reason, she's suddenly in her childhood home and she sets her families spirits free. Weird but cool I guess.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend reading this unless you read the first book, "The Apothecary," and liked it.
It's difficult to even summarize this book. Sixteen year old Janie is expelled and kidnapped by the wealthy father of her roommate so that she can perfect de-salienting water (she's a math and science whiz) and in the process lure her "magical" friends to come to the rescue (somehow Janie had met an apothecary, his son - her love interest, a Chinese girl, a young British actor and a Hungarian Count in the first book and together they used apothecary methods to heal, conjure, transform, and do other improbable things). I'm not even making this up, it gets confusing and droll. The only character that has any real depth is Jin Loo (the Chinese girl) who lost her entire family in the first novel. For no reason, she's suddenly in her childhood home and she sets her families spirits free. Weird but cool I guess.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend reading this unless you read the first book, "The Apothecary," and liked it.
ashley_choo's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book, but I preferred The Apothecary over the sequel.
literary_intp's review against another edition
4.0
Oh this book, I have so much reminiscense of it; grade 5 nostalgia.
basilbasil's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely less clear than the first novel. At times it seemed a bit scrambled and there were a few places where I felt like the events of the plot were a stretch. Still enjoyed the read.
sqiddo13's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
celsius273's review against another edition
2.0
Can we cue second book syndrome please? Seriously, romance took a front seat in this book and it was awfully played out.
The Apothecary was wonderful in how all the parts were woven together, all the characters maxed out, filled to the brim with suspense and action. The Apprentices fails on almost all of these counts. A lot of random new characters were introduced, and they’re all pretty shallow and are barely there leaving me rather confused while reading. The narration jumps all around the world and there’s a lot of overlapping narration due to this pesky phenomena (more on that later) and needless to say, that gets pretty confusing too. Finally, the book at once felt too short and too long. The plot is basically an episode of The Amazing Race with no safety measures in place. Too straightforward, predictable, and messily executed.
The main character is still Janie, but she’s grown two years since the last book. The beginning of the book and the whole incident at her new school was very well done actually, I thought I was going to really be able to empathize with her through this book. But then it’s pointed out to her that her sciency mind is a weakness and then she goes into full housewife mode lamenting that she needs to love her parents and her guy more. I loved the chemistry and science part of the first book, and there was so much potential in Janie’s projects but it was all wasted.
The science part is kind of moving in Benjamin’s narration. He and his father are stuck in Vietnam (during the war ofc) treating the injured and it’s obvious that neither of them are happy with what they’re doing. Benjamin wants to be working on more alchemical stuff while his father is being bogged down by the stress of being in the jungle and seeing all these sick people. Anyways, Benjamin manages to get in contact with Janie with some magical alchemical concoction and that kind of sets off the whole book.
See, Janie’s roommate, Opal, has been told she’s stupid all her life by her father - the same father who wants to take Janie’s research. Long story short, she ends up on this Malay island and somehow becomes this SOS beacon that attracts literally everyone of importance. Seriously. Benjamin, his father, Jin Lo, and their whole entourage of people (they pick up like 5 extra people on the way to rescue Janie), Pip (who basically was the third wheel that disappeared from the world) and his party of accomplices, and the Count along with all the villains of the last book convene on this island in the middle of nowhere as if someone called and Apothecary reunion. It’s so ridiculous that Janie is that important to them all.
Then there’s the romance in this book. God, it is so so so so cringe worthy and is so much like a second book. Benjamin throws a hissy fit when he finds out that Janie kissed another guy and I’m like “dude, you literally tossed her out at the end of the last book… get over it asshat.” And then the ending, which I’m guessing is supposed to be cute, just comes off forced. Janie has this sudden epiphany that Benjamin is the one and then he gets super possessive of her and I’m like “children, ya’ll are still like 16. Chill” I was not a fan of how Janie and Benjamin literally flip flop in a blink at the end of the book. No thank you.
Everything I’ve written so far seems pretty ranty, but the thing is that while the whole plot is so dumb, I liked each moment that was written. If only everything could have been tied together in a way that wasn’t so basic and choppy, then I think I could have enjoyed this book much more.
The Apothecary was wonderful in how all the parts were woven together, all the characters maxed out, filled to the brim with suspense and action. The Apprentices fails on almost all of these counts. A lot of random new characters were introduced, and they’re all pretty shallow and are barely there leaving me rather confused while reading. The narration jumps all around the world and there’s a lot of overlapping narration due to this pesky phenomena (more on that later) and needless to say, that gets pretty confusing too. Finally, the book at once felt too short and too long. The plot is basically an episode of The Amazing Race with no safety measures in place. Too straightforward, predictable, and messily executed.
The main character is still Janie, but she’s grown two years since the last book. The beginning of the book and the whole incident at her new school was very well done actually, I thought I was going to really be able to empathize with her through this book. But then it’s pointed out to her that her sciency mind is a weakness and then she goes into full housewife mode lamenting that she needs to love her parents and her guy more. I loved the chemistry and science part of the first book, and there was so much potential in Janie’s projects but it was all wasted.
The science part is kind of moving in Benjamin’s narration. He and his father are stuck in Vietnam (during the war ofc) treating the injured and it’s obvious that neither of them are happy with what they’re doing. Benjamin wants to be working on more alchemical stuff while his father is being bogged down by the stress of being in the jungle and seeing all these sick people. Anyways, Benjamin manages to get in contact with Janie with some magical alchemical concoction and that kind of sets off the whole book.
See, Janie’s roommate, Opal, has been told she’s stupid all her life by her father - the same father who wants to take Janie’s research. Long story short,
Spoiler
he kidnaps herThen there’s the romance in this book. God, it is so so so so cringe worthy and is so much like a second book. Benjamin throws a hissy fit when he finds out that Janie kissed another guy and I’m like “dude, you literally tossed her out at the end of the last book… get over it asshat.” And then the ending, which I’m guessing is supposed to be cute, just comes off forced. Janie has this sudden epiphany that Benjamin is the one and then he gets super possessive of her and I’m like “children, ya’ll are still like 16. Chill” I was not a fan of how Janie and Benjamin literally flip flop in a blink at the end of the book. No thank you.
Everything I’ve written so far seems pretty ranty, but the thing is that while the whole plot is so dumb, I liked each moment that was written. If only everything could have been tied together in a way that wasn’t so basic and choppy, then I think I could have enjoyed this book much more.