The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen

I really enjoyed The Apothecary's Daughter.  A very interesting and enjoyable read.  The story of Lillian (Lilly) Haswell, daughter of apothecary Charles Haswell, is well-written with details and depth by Julie Klassen's hand.  I found Lilly's story full of fascinating details about apothecaries in the 1800s, as well as details about England at the time the story takes place.  Lilly is the daughter of an apothecary, a man with great knowledge and understanding of ailments and their treatment.  She has an amazing memory for details of the past and knowledge of herbs, mixtures, treatments, etc. herself.  However, Lilly longs for something more from her life than what she has in Bedsley Priors.  She wants to travel, to see the world, to go beyond her little village and experience more of life.  The opportunity arises for her to go to London and spend time in the care of her aunt and uncle of wealth.  There, Lilly learns the finer points of being a young lady of proper upbringing, but she also misses the life she came from.  Throughout the story many young men vie for Lilly's affection, and she goes through many trials.  Lilly is a woman with many good qualities and a knowledge that during her time in London she has wandered from her life of prayer.  She rediscovers the importance of this, I think, upon her return to Bedsley Priors.  This story is full of rich characters, a twist or two, and many interesting historical pieces.  I found it to be a fairly quick read and an enjoyable story that I would certainly recommend to others.  If you enjoy a good historical novel, check out The Apothecary's Daughter!  Enjoy!