Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML:Based on some of literature's horror and science fiction classics, this "tour de force of reclaiming the narrative, executed with impressive wit and insight" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) debut is the story of a remarkable group of women who come together to solve the mystery of a series of gruesome murders�??and the bigger mystery of their own origins. Mary Jekyll, alone and penniless following her parents' death, is curious about the secrets of her father's mysterious past. One clue in particular hints that Edward Hyde, her father's former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture...a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes. But her hunt leads her to Hyde's daughter, Diana, a feral child left to be raised by nuns. With the assistance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Mary continues her search for the elusive Hyde, and soon befriends more women, all of whom have been created through terrifying experimentation: Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherin Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein. When their investigations lead them to the discovery of a secret society of immoral and power-crazed scientists, the horrors of their past return. Now it is up to the monsters to finally triumph over the monstro… (more)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2017
Physical description
432 p.; 5.5 inches
Publication
Saga Press (2018), Edition: Reprint, 432 pages
Pages
432
ISBN
1481466518 / 9781481466516
Library's review
I was in love with the early chapters, but as the story progressed the characterizations began to feel uneven and too broadly painted to properly convey the pathos they sometimes shoot for. The modern-feeling attempts at humour and superimposed meta-narrative (which I liked at the outset and in
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theory) also feel like they zap the realism from the main narrative, while the main narrative similarly zaps some of the charm from the inserts. It also sometimes stumbles a bit into a checkbox-like parade of character introductions, and the balancing act of making Sherlock Holmes a major supporting character while toning his importance and skill down enough not to be having him overshadow the protagonists is not as elegantly executed as one would hope. But! The plot is quite good, and the mystery quite satisfactory, in my opinion, and the composition of the various Victorian characters into the same world is (the paint-by-numbers-sequencing of them aside) very well done, so even with those hesitations, I'm most definitely on board for the sequel. I really enjoyed the novel, and my list of nitpicks is really mostly just an issue because they all (except perhaps the Holmes quandry) feel like they could have been improved greatly with a few more test readers and pointed feedbacks. I therefore think and hope that as Goss writes further entries, they will get better and better as we go. Considering the already strong starting point, that's a very encouraging prospect. Show Less
Similar in this library
Awards
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2017)
Audie Award (Finalist — Fantasy — 2018)
Locus Award (Finalist — First Novel — 2018)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2018)
Seiun Award (Nominee — 2021)
Compton Crook Award (Nominee — 2018)
Otherwise Award (Long list — 2017)
NPR: Books We Love (2017)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2018)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pwaites
In The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, Theodora Goss mixes together some popular literature of the 19th century (particularly science fiction and horror) with an emphasis on female characters.
The story opens with Mary Jekyll burying her mother. Her mother’s death has left her
Mary begins gathering around her fellow daughters of literature’s mad scientists. I wasn’t familiar with all of the literature Goss was using, but I knew of most. While I haven’t read the tales Mary Jenkell, Diana Hyde, Catherin Moreau and Justine Frankenstein originated from, pop culture osmosis has come in handy. Beatrice Rappaccini was the only one I was truly unfamiliar with. Turns out she’s from a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” It was quite a lot of fun to read about some well known characters running around London in the 1890’s. Classic Literature fanfic? Then again, so many books can be described that way!
The format of The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is a bit odd, but I liked it. The conceit’s that the book is being written by Catherine, who’s telling the tale of how all these women met. The other women have their own comments and opinions on the story Catherine’s telling, and she includes these in lieu of changing the manuscript to reflect their concerns. The meta-commentary could be delightful, and I think it went a good way towards building the characterization of the women in question. It really helps them come to life.
The format does mean that you know ahead of time that the central characters make it through the mystery alive. Indeed, one of them spills the beans with a comment that they solve the case. Of course, I assumed as much when I began the story, so it didn’t take away much from the narrative. Most of the tension comes from lingering questions regarding the women’s heritage, the connections between them, and how they create a new life together.
At heart, The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is about something I love a lot: a group of extraordinary women coming together and creating a found family. I look forward to whatever Theodora Goss chooses to write next.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
The story opens with Mary Jekyll burying her mother. Her mother’s death has left her
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penniless, and she has no idea what course her life will now take. Then she discovers that her mother paid a monthly sum for the care of “Hyde.” Mary immediately remembers her father’s old associate, who still has a reward out on him for information leading to his capture. She takes the information to London’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his associate Dr. Watson, who are themselves investigating a series of gruesome murders. Mary quickly learns two things. Firstly, “Hyde” is not her father’s old associate but his young and troublesome daughter, Diana. Secondly, the mysteries of her heritage may be bound up in the current murder case.Mary begins gathering around her fellow daughters of literature’s mad scientists. I wasn’t familiar with all of the literature Goss was using, but I knew of most. While I haven’t read the tales Mary Jenkell, Diana Hyde, Catherin Moreau and Justine Frankenstein originated from, pop culture osmosis has come in handy. Beatrice Rappaccini was the only one I was truly unfamiliar with. Turns out she’s from a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” It was quite a lot of fun to read about some well known characters running around London in the 1890’s. Classic Literature fanfic? Then again, so many books can be described that way!
The format of The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is a bit odd, but I liked it. The conceit’s that the book is being written by Catherine, who’s telling the tale of how all these women met. The other women have their own comments and opinions on the story Catherine’s telling, and she includes these in lieu of changing the manuscript to reflect their concerns. The meta-commentary could be delightful, and I think it went a good way towards building the characterization of the women in question. It really helps them come to life.
The format does mean that you know ahead of time that the central characters make it through the mystery alive. Indeed, one of them spills the beans with a comment that they solve the case. Of course, I assumed as much when I began the story, so it didn’t take away much from the narrative. Most of the tension comes from lingering questions regarding the women’s heritage, the connections between them, and how they create a new life together.
At heart, The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is about something I love a lot: a group of extraordinary women coming together and creating a found family. I look forward to whatever Theodora Goss chooses to write next.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
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LibraryThing member beserene
I'd read this book when it came out last year, but never reviewed it, so this time around was a reread for me and I must say it does hold up well. Some of the surprise is gone, especially when it comes to the novelty of the narrative style -- the book is peppered with character commentary that both
In essence, this book is The League of Extraordinary Gentlewomen, wherein the "daughters" -- some by birth, some created in experiments, all slightly different than your average gentlewoman of the Victorian age -- of famous literary characters meet up with each other and begin to solve a series of mysteries.
The largest mystery of all is, of course, their own creation: Mary Jekyll and Diana Hyde, Catherine Moreau, Justine Frankenstein, and Beatrice Rappaccini must work together to discover why they were experimented upon in the first place. But that mystery is bigger than this one volume and so the sequel is next up.
Truly, I love this book. It is precisely in my wheelhouse: chock-full of literary references, character asides, a certain skewering fondness when it comes to Victorian sensibilities and society, and plenty of literally and figuratively strong women. Anyone with the least familiarity with classic Victorian/gothic literature will enjoy the book; anyone with a strong wish that such literature had had more agency for women will positively cheer. Highly recommended.
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adds to and unsettles the progression of the plot, and that is slightly less effective when you know what's coming -- but the characterizations and intrigue remain strong and the whole premise is still sheer delight.In essence, this book is The League of Extraordinary Gentlewomen, wherein the "daughters" -- some by birth, some created in experiments, all slightly different than your average gentlewoman of the Victorian age -- of famous literary characters meet up with each other and begin to solve a series of mysteries.
The largest mystery of all is, of course, their own creation: Mary Jekyll and Diana Hyde, Catherine Moreau, Justine Frankenstein, and Beatrice Rappaccini must work together to discover why they were experimented upon in the first place. But that mystery is bigger than this one volume and so the sequel is next up.
Truly, I love this book. It is precisely in my wheelhouse: chock-full of literary references, character asides, a certain skewering fondness when it comes to Victorian sensibilities and society, and plenty of literally and figuratively strong women. Anyone with the least familiarity with classic Victorian/gothic literature will enjoy the book; anyone with a strong wish that such literature had had more agency for women will positively cheer. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
A mystery set in the late 19th century, in which most of the characters are borrowed from, or are the offspring of characters from, 19th century Gothic and mystery fiction.
After her mother dies, Mary Jekyll decides to improve her financial situation by finding her father’s murderer, Mr Hyde, and
The relationships between the girls and women of Mary’s household are at the centre of this story. Together they set about unravelling the mystery about the Société de Alchimistes - and then they write their story. The story told predominantly from Mary’s point of view, but is being written by Catherine, with interruptions from the others. These women, who are denied a voice in their original narratives, here get to argue about how their story is told and offer commentary on the act of storytelling.
I read most of the stories The Strange Case draws upon when I was at university, and I was delighted to see them all woven together like this. It’s all very meta in a way I really appreciated. I also liked the way Holmes appears in, but does not dominate, the story.
No wonder men did not want women to wear bloomers. What could women accomplish if they did not have to continually mind their skirts, keep them from dragging in the mud or getting trampled on the steps of an omnibus? If they had pockets! With pockets, women could conquer the world! And yet she felt, too, as though in putting on men’s clothes, she had lost a part of herself. It was a confusing sensation.
After her mother dies, Mary Jekyll decides to improve her financial situation by finding her father’s murderer, Mr Hyde, and
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claiming the reward. Instead she finds herself saddled with Hyde’s high spirited teenaged daughter, becomes involved in Sherlock Holmes’ investigation into murder of girls in Whitechapel, and invites several women who are the result of monstrous experimentation to join her household... The relationships between the girls and women of Mary’s household are at the centre of this story. Together they set about unravelling the mystery about the Société de Alchimistes - and then they write their story. The story told predominantly from Mary’s point of view, but is being written by Catherine, with interruptions from the others. These women, who are denied a voice in their original narratives, here get to argue about how their story is told and offer commentary on the act of storytelling.
I read most of the stories The Strange Case draws upon when I was at university, and I was delighted to see them all woven together like this. It’s all very meta in a way I really appreciated. I also liked the way Holmes appears in, but does not dominate, the story.
No wonder men did not want women to wear bloomers. What could women accomplish if they did not have to continually mind their skirts, keep them from dragging in the mud or getting trampled on the steps of an omnibus? If they had pockets! With pockets, women could conquer the world! And yet she felt, too, as though in putting on men’s clothes, she had lost a part of herself. It was a confusing sensation.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Women erased from their own stories—Jekyll’s daughter, Hyde’s daughter, Rappacini’s daughter, one of Moreau’s creations, Justine Frankenstein (aka intended bride of…), etc.—get together to figure out how they are connected by a mysterious society of experimenters, encounter Sherlock
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Holmes, and find a family of choice. It was okay; I don’t have very strong connections with the foundational stories, and I think I would have liked it better if I had. Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
The daughters/creations of every 19th cent mad scientist gang up to pursue the elusive Mr Hyde. With the help of Sherlock Holmes. Echos of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and while not quite steampunk, it is a close neighbor. I'm not a fan of the tone - just bearable archness, and aren't we so
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cleverish. Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
I should have hated this book as it's so far off my preferred genre list, but I didn't hate it. I loved it! Yes, it's fantasy and fantastical. It's off the wall and unbelievable, and it just shouldn't work as a novel. But it does. I couldn't put it down, and it kept my interest throughout. Set in
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the late 19 century and in London. All good so far. I love Victorian mysteries and novels It has Sherlock Holmes and Watson actually in believable roles even though the book is not written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It has a strong female character by the name of Mary Jekyll. (Yes, that is in "Doctor Jekyll"), It has a salty down-to-earth housekeeper by the name of Mrs. Poole who is the glue that holds the book together. But it also has a starring list of fictional characters who are all female . We have Justine Frankenstein who is over 100 years old. We have Catherine Moreau who is a result of the infamous Doctor Moreau's experiments. We have Beatrice Rappaccini, the result of experiments conducted by Dr. Rappaccini who was a corespondent of Mary's father Doctor Jekyll. We also have a very outspoken and recalcitrant Diana Hyde who is the daughter of the infamous Dr. Hyde. Somehow this mismatched group of misfits find each other and find themselves on an investigation with the infamous Sherlock Holmes. Who is killing and butchering women in the Whitechapel area, and what is the Society of Alchemists and how does it fit in with the Whitechapel crimes? Clever and witty; outlandish and strange; bizarre and yet believable - this is how I would describe this totally unexpected book. Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
Mary Jekyll (Dr. Jekyll’s daughter) and some other ladies who are daughters, descendants, and/or creations of Dr. Moreau, Frankenstein, and Mr. Hyde (and more), have gathered to tell their stories, including a story of working with Sherlock Holmes to solve some murders. All these men (except
It was ok. For me, the idea of the story was better than the execution, but that doesn’t surprise me. I’m not a fan of Sherlock Holmes (or any of the classic characters in this book), nor have I even found any spinoffs that I really like. But I was still hoping. I listened to the audio, but I’ve heard this narrator before, so I don’t blame the narration for my “ok” rating. I did enjoy the little “breakouts” where the women would chat amongst themselves as they wrote their story; however, I will not be continuing the series.
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Holmes) were doctors, scientists, inventors, etc, and did plenty of (human) experiments, including in some cases, on their daughters. They were part of an Alchemists’ Society. Mr. Hyde’s daughter was unknown to Mary until after both of Mary’s parents had died. Together, these women tell their own stories in addition to their story of searching for a murderer. It was ok. For me, the idea of the story was better than the execution, but that doesn’t surprise me. I’m not a fan of Sherlock Holmes (or any of the classic characters in this book), nor have I even found any spinoffs that I really like. But I was still hoping. I listened to the audio, but I’ve heard this narrator before, so I don’t blame the narration for my “ok” rating. I did enjoy the little “breakouts” where the women would chat amongst themselves as they wrote their story; however, I will not be continuing the series.
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
This is a novel that I've wanted to get my hooks into for awhile, even more so after I was very impressed with the author after hearing her talk at the 2018 World Fantasy Convention in Baltimore, however, alas, this is yet another novel that I respect more than I like. Part of it is the use of
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memoir-like touches that usually put me off as a writing device. Another is the use of Holmes & Watson as characters; granted that whatever else this novel is it's a romp by a literature student but the deployment of those two worthies is usually a sign that the custard is a bit too rich. I also tend to agree that the other gals are not as well developed as Mary Jekyll, who, despite my damning with slight praise, I think is great! Maybe, at the end of the day, there is just too much stuffed into this book to be really quite coherent. Show Less
LibraryThing member BoundTogetherForGood
I decided to search for books that might be similar to The Night Circus, and this title was recommended.
Theodora Goss has written a tale that interweaves the characters of the following book series: Sherlock Holmes, Frankenstein, and The Island of Doctor Moreau.
Theodora Goss has written a tale that interweaves the characters of the following book series: Sherlock Holmes, Frankenstein, and The Island of Doctor Moreau.
LibraryThing member annhepburn
This was just a really good time. Imagine Sailor Moon's group of friends reimagined as Victorian England young women, and one of them is sort of like Orphan Black's Helena, and they're also all the daughters and/or creations of notorious characters like Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, Dr. Moreau and
It's told in all the young womens' voices, with comments from several of them as one takes over the narrative. I loved the way they formed a strong sisterhood of misfits, their determination in the face of adversity, and the way that Goss reinvents the often-told events of this literary time period in a new way. The inclusion of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson brings with them a romantic subtext I wasn't super-into; I'd love if the next book (because surely there will be another book??) brings in a Holmes or Watson female relative to take their place, rather than having these men help out to the extent they did in this work.
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others.It's told in all the young womens' voices, with comments from several of them as one takes over the narrative. I loved the way they formed a strong sisterhood of misfits, their determination in the face of adversity, and the way that Goss reinvents the often-told events of this literary time period in a new way. The inclusion of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson brings with them a romantic subtext I wasn't super-into; I'd love if the next book (because surely there will be another book??) brings in a Holmes or Watson female relative to take their place, rather than having these men help out to the extent they did in this work.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
This book is a finalist for the Nebula Award for novel, and read as part of my voter packet.
Strange Case melds the monsters and mad scientists of 19th century literature in an inventive feminist adventure. I've read other books with a similar technique--Viola Carr's steampunk books come to
The concept is fun. The execution, not so much for me. From the very start, the flow of the story is constantly interrupted by the chatter of the wide cast of characters as they help one of the women to write the tale. This means all of the characters are "met" long before they are introduced in the linear story. For me, this went from frustrating at first (who are all these people? what is going on?) to tedious by the end (how many times are they going to compliment their own writing? why is there a massive infodump of a character's life story after the climax?). As a result, the book read quite slowly to me.
With that said, the way the characters come together and unite to form their own woman-power superhero team is quite compelling, and I enjoyed how Sherlock and Watson fit into the plot. The technique and pace weren't my kind of thing, but others certainly feel otherwise.
Strange Case melds the monsters and mad scientists of 19th century literature in an inventive feminist adventure. I've read other books with a similar technique--Viola Carr's steampunk books come to
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mind--though this book is decided more dense in the variety of inspirations it pulls from. Everything and the kitchen sink, really--and the kitchen sink, in this case, is Sherlock Holmes. Hyde's daughter begins to investigate her dire financial straits after her mother's death, and her discoveries about her father--and his creepy associate Jekyll--lead her to find the daughters of other alchemists with likewise familiar names like Moreau and Frankenstein.The concept is fun. The execution, not so much for me. From the very start, the flow of the story is constantly interrupted by the chatter of the wide cast of characters as they help one of the women to write the tale. This means all of the characters are "met" long before they are introduced in the linear story. For me, this went from frustrating at first (who are all these people? what is going on?) to tedious by the end (how many times are they going to compliment their own writing? why is there a massive infodump of a character's life story after the climax?). As a result, the book read quite slowly to me.
With that said, the way the characters come together and unite to form their own woman-power superhero team is quite compelling, and I enjoyed how Sherlock and Watson fit into the plot. The technique and pace weren't my kind of thing, but others certainly feel otherwise.
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LibraryThing member ritaer
Mary Jekyll believes she is a proper Victorian girl whose father was a respected scientist who died in mysterious circumstances after his assistant commits a brutal murder and disappears. Oddly, Dr. Jekyll's fortune seems to have disappeared as well and at the death of her mother Mary is left
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virtually penniless. But there are strange clues that may lead to the lost Hyde, and the reward for his capture. Gradually we are introduced to a number of other young women with connections to the mysterious Societe des Alchimistes. Those familiar with horror and occult literature of the turn of the century will soon catch on: authors borrowed from include H.G.Wells, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Shelley and, obviously, Stevenson. Interesting and fun, first in a series. Show Less
LibraryThing member iansales
Most of Goss’s short fiction that I’ve seen has been fantasy or reworked fairy tales, which is not really the type of fiction that interests me. But a year or two ago, she wrote ‘Cimmeria: From the Journal of Imaginary Anthropology’, which was the sort of referential mash-up genre fiction
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that does appeal to me – and I thought it so good, I nominated it for the BSFA Award, but it did not make the shortlist – and it seems she has written more in a similar vein. Anyway, I saw mention of this, her first novel, and its premise – the daughters of various nineteenth-century fictional scientists team up to help Sherlock Holmes solve Jack the Ripper’s murders – sounded like it might be worth a go. And so it was. It is, in fact, very good. Except. Well, it feels a bit dumbed-down. I’m not sure what it is, but it doesn’t feel as clever a novel as its central conceit would suggest. It doesn’t help that Mary Jekyll – yes, the daughter of that Jekyll – is the main character but spends much of the plot tagging along behind Sherlock Holmes. On the other hand, the novel is explicitly presented as a narrative written by Catherine Moreau, often with interjections by the other women, and that works really well. It’s also quite funny. For a novel set in Victorian Britain, there are a few slips – the ground floor is continually referred to as the first floor; and some of the expletives are US English. Despite those minor quibbles, I enjoyed The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, and plan to pick up a copy of the sequel, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman, when it’s published in July. Show Less
LibraryThing member bragan
In the wake of her mother's death, Mary Jekyll finds out some disturbing things about her father, investigates a series of gruesome murders with Sherlock Holmes, and becomes friends with several other women who were also the daughters and/or test subjects of various mad scientists.
It's a really fun
And yet, I can't help feeling slightly disappointed in it, because while it's decent, it seems like it should be really good, and it's just not, quite. To begin with, things don't wrap up in an entirely satisfying way, apparently to leave room for a sequel. I imagine this might have bothered me less if I'd realized going in that it was meant to be the first book in a series, but even if I had, I suspect it would still have felt a bit to much as if things just sort of petered out at the end. There's also a lot of scope for some really rich and interesting thematic stuff about the Victorian era's attitudes towards science and women, but it never quite seems to materialize properly. More annoyingly, the Victorian London setting never feels quite authentic or convincing. It feels like the author is trying to capture some of the flavor and setting of the works she's riffing on, but not really trying very hard. The language in particular never feels quite right, sprinkled as it is with 21st century Americanisms. (Seriously, Victorian English teenagers did not go around saying, "Gross!" and "Awesome!") Come to that, Holmes and Watson, who are fairly major characters in the story, never quite felt like the characters as Arthur Conan Doyle wrote them, either.
In the end, it's not that I didn't like this novel, it's just that I really, really wanted to like it much better than I did.
It's a really fun
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concept. Yes, the mashup of various pieces of 19th century literature -- this one also features characters from The Island of Dr. Moreau, Frankenstein, and Dracula, as well as the less well-known story of Rappacini's Daughter -- has been done before, fairly often. But centering the story on female characters who were mostly left out of the original narratives is something of a fresh take, and a worthwhile one. There's also an interesting narrative conceit, in which one of the main characters is supposedly writing the story herself, while the others chime in semi-regularly with comments on how she's written them. It's a bit gimmicky, but in a fairly clever way, and it gives us a good feel for all of the characters even before we meet them in the narrative. Overall, it makes for a quick, reasonably entertaining read.And yet, I can't help feeling slightly disappointed in it, because while it's decent, it seems like it should be really good, and it's just not, quite. To begin with, things don't wrap up in an entirely satisfying way, apparently to leave room for a sequel. I imagine this might have bothered me less if I'd realized going in that it was meant to be the first book in a series, but even if I had, I suspect it would still have felt a bit to much as if things just sort of petered out at the end. There's also a lot of scope for some really rich and interesting thematic stuff about the Victorian era's attitudes towards science and women, but it never quite seems to materialize properly. More annoyingly, the Victorian London setting never feels quite authentic or convincing. It feels like the author is trying to capture some of the flavor and setting of the works she's riffing on, but not really trying very hard. The language in particular never feels quite right, sprinkled as it is with 21st century Americanisms. (Seriously, Victorian English teenagers did not go around saying, "Gross!" and "Awesome!") Come to that, Holmes and Watson, who are fairly major characters in the story, never quite felt like the characters as Arthur Conan Doyle wrote them, either.
In the end, it's not that I didn't like this novel, it's just that I really, really wanted to like it much better than I did.
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LibraryThing member macthekat82
This was so much fun! Clever adventures by misunderstood monsters.
This is highly enjoyable if you like Victorian fiction at all or gothics. It isn't steampunk but it has a lot of the same sensibilities. Sherlock Homes, crazy science, misunderstood monsters, London, mystery and snark
This is highly enjoyable if you like Victorian fiction at all or gothics. It isn't steampunk but it has a lot of the same sensibilities. Sherlock Homes, crazy science, misunderstood monsters, London, mystery and snark
LibraryThing member ashleytylerjohn
A delightful romp--it reads very much like a novelization of a long arc of a comic book series (and I don't mean that in a pejorative sense at all). The writing is deft and skillful, the characters distinct and interesting, the plot advances in breakneck fashion but not randomly, and above all
Stops just short of 5 stars-ness because I wasn't particularly moved, but I was indeed engaged all the way through, it's a page turner.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
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there's a comforting sense of people's inner goodness guiding their decision. If you're leery of gore (I am), this book has the most tasteful depictions of violence, punctuated with frequent stops for tea. I'm a fan.Stops just short of 5 stars-ness because I wasn't particularly moved, but I was indeed engaged all the way through, it's a page turner.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
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LibraryThing member ScoLgo
This was an ok read that did not completely blow me away. The concept was interesting but the execution and characterization fell a bit short for me. The humourous elements felt a bit forced and the plot, while keeping me reading, was rather predictable. I may try the 2nd volume in the Athena Club
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series someday but am not in a huge hurry to pick it up at this point. Show Less
LibraryThing member jsburbidge
This is an amusing romp through a late Victorian Holmesian mystery with a serious point to make. As with most well-crafted works, its structure reinforces its points.
In a plot sense the book is about a series of murders and a Holmes investigation and about the unfolding of Dr. Jekyll's daughter's
It is not a pastiche of period style, though. The narrative has an inset frame, where one of the characters is writing it in novel form but based on her (to her) nonfictional experience. The other characters comment as the narrative progresses. For diverse reasons, the perspectives they bring anticipate 20th century rather than 19th century views regarding female rôles. (In particular, Diana Hyde, who is strong-willed, tomboyish, and unrespectable, acts as a kind of more modern stand-in.)
The framing device reminds us that that framing narrative is itself a 21st century narrative with an implicit frame in the author's own scholarly work. It also assists the novel in its explicit engagement with actual narratives of the 19th century (particularly Stevenson, Wells, Shelley and Doyle) and its implicit insertion of female agency into those narratives where they have blanks.
Partly because it does not try to recreate a period narrative form, this may disappoint those whose interest is more in the type of action-driven narratives with which it engagés. What it loses in forward momentum it gains in comic effect.
In a plot sense the book is about a series of murders and a Holmes investigation and about the unfolding of Dr. Jekyll's daughter's
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life after her mother dies, drawing in women from other horror stories from the period. But in a more fundamental sense it is about those narratives, the (relative) absence of women in them as agents; this is a figure to which that absence is a ground.It is not a pastiche of period style, though. The narrative has an inset frame, where one of the characters is writing it in novel form but based on her (to her) nonfictional experience. The other characters comment as the narrative progresses. For diverse reasons, the perspectives they bring anticipate 20th century rather than 19th century views regarding female rôles. (In particular, Diana Hyde, who is strong-willed, tomboyish, and unrespectable, acts as a kind of more modern stand-in.)
The framing device reminds us that that framing narrative is itself a 21st century narrative with an implicit frame in the author's own scholarly work. It also assists the novel in its explicit engagement with actual narratives of the 19th century (particularly Stevenson, Wells, Shelley and Doyle) and its implicit insertion of female agency into those narratives where they have blanks.
Partly because it does not try to recreate a period narrative form, this may disappoint those whose interest is more in the type of action-driven narratives with which it engagés. What it loses in forward momentum it gains in comic effect.
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LibraryThing member marysneedle
I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to read more adventures of the Athena Club. It has all the elements from the classic monster horror stories, along with a take on the Jack the Ripper White Chapel murders,the insane Renfield from Dracula, and the famous Sherlock Holmes, all woven
I am looking forward to the seeing where Mary Jekyll, Justine Frankenstein, Catherine Moreau, Diana Hyde and Beatrice Rappaccini go next. This book suggests that it may lead to Van Helsing and Dracula.
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together into a very entertaining story, and written from a female point of view.I am looking forward to the seeing where Mary Jekyll, Justine Frankenstein, Catherine Moreau, Diana Hyde and Beatrice Rappaccini go next. This book suggests that it may lead to Van Helsing and Dracula.
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LibraryThing member whatsmacksaid
I quite enjoyed this. It's an excellent story with a huge but well-balanced cast. Objectively, it seems like it would be hard to make sure all the girls get enough screen time, but the author pulls it off with aplomb. The story also has a bunch of great callbacks to older fiction, like when
My absolute favorite part, though, is when the girls interject as the story is being told. It can take a little getting used to, but I found it delightful.
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characters take a chapter to tell us their story. My absolute favorite part, though, is when the girls interject as the story is being told. It can take a little getting used to, but I found it delightful.
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LibraryThing member ElleGato
Ok I'm going to be incredibly enthusiastic here: I LOVE THIS BOOK.
Like. I love it SO HARD.
I LOVE IT.
I want more in this universe. I want more of this series immediately.
MONSTER GIRLS! MONSTER GIRLS WHO LOVE AND PROTECT EACH OTHER AND COME TOGETHER TO STOP A SOCIETY OF MEN WHO TREATED THEM AS
I mean I could offer criticisms I suppose but I don't want to. Because THIS BOOK is the kind of book we need more of it. We need books about girls have adventures together, girls being friends and confidants, girls who are feminine and girls who aren't, girls who are bold and girls who are shy, girls who are allowed to make mistakes, girls who are allowed to be all sorts of different things. THIS BOOK HAS SO MANY GIRLS HAVING ADVENTURES and I can't stop screaming about how much I love it.
Like the girls in this story are so well-rounded, so well-defined, and they MAKE SENSE. What they do, how they think...it all makes sense within the context of the story and the period in which it is set. ALSO THERE IS LIKE 0 ROMANCE WHICH IS MY FAVORITE THING EVER TBH. No one is distracted by irritating boys being gross. The most important thing to these girls is each other and that's so special I can't get over it.
I hope there are more books coming because I am sad that I'm finished with this one and I need MORE IMMEDIATELY.
Like. I love it SO HARD.
I LOVE IT.
I want more in this universe. I want more of this series immediately.
MONSTER GIRLS! MONSTER GIRLS WHO LOVE AND PROTECT EACH OTHER AND COME TOGETHER TO STOP A SOCIETY OF MEN WHO TREATED THEM AS
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INHUMAN LIKE I LOVE THISI mean I could offer criticisms I suppose but I don't want to. Because THIS BOOK is the kind of book we need more of it. We need books about girls have adventures together, girls being friends and confidants, girls who are feminine and girls who aren't, girls who are bold and girls who are shy, girls who are allowed to make mistakes, girls who are allowed to be all sorts of different things. THIS BOOK HAS SO MANY GIRLS HAVING ADVENTURES and I can't stop screaming about how much I love it.
Like the girls in this story are so well-rounded, so well-defined, and they MAKE SENSE. What they do, how they think...it all makes sense within the context of the story and the period in which it is set. ALSO THERE IS LIKE 0 ROMANCE WHICH IS MY FAVORITE THING EVER TBH. No one is distracted by irritating boys being gross. The most important thing to these girls is each other and that's so special I can't get over it.
I hope there are more books coming because I am sad that I'm finished with this one and I need MORE IMMEDIATELY.
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LibraryThing member sussura
I loved this book and blurbed it so very hard. Now I can share with you what I wrote after I read it.
To wit:
Theodora Goss' The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter provides a new and altogether mesmerizing revelation for fans of Watson & Holmes, Van Helsing, Jeckyll & Hyde, and Victor
As if Charlie's Angels, as written by Mary Shelley, took over the Bluestocking Society, with bonus well-mannered explosions. Utterly delightful & transformative.
To wit:
Theodora Goss' The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter provides a new and altogether mesmerizing revelation for fans of Watson & Holmes, Van Helsing, Jeckyll & Hyde, and Victor
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Frankenstein: until now, you've only heard half the story. Goss' deft, poetic interweaving of edge-of-the-seat adventure with the artful voices of her characters creates a matryoshka doll of hidden Gothic fiction in the best sense. The Strange Case of the Alchemists' Daughter proves the point that behind every evil genius you'll find a team of fantastic women working to set things right.As if Charlie's Angels, as written by Mary Shelley, took over the Bluestocking Society, with bonus well-mannered explosions. Utterly delightful & transformative.
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LibraryThing member emeraldreverie
I liked this book a lot! Interesting mixture of characters as we expect them and in new and fascinating ways. Built well, with a unique and tonally captivating structure. I am for sure reading the next one.
LibraryThing member bell7
When Mary Jekyll's mother dies, leaving her a nearly penniless orphan in her early twenties, Mary suddenly finds out that her father and his associates may have had some secrets.
In a romp that involved characters from multiple classics, Mary and her new friends interjecting their comments
In a romp that involved characters from multiple classics, Mary and her new friends interjecting their comments
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throughout, this was an enjoyable adventurous mystery that I enjoyed reading. It didn't resolve much, however, and mostly set up what I think is a planned series. I was interested enough that I'll probably look for the sequel. Show Less