Book Review: "Things in Jars" by Jess Kidd
Publisher Synopsis: In the dark underbelly of Victorian London, a formidable female sleuth is pulled into the macabre world of fanatical anatomists and crooked surgeons while investigating the kidnapping of an extraordinary child in this gothic mystery—perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Book of Speculation.
Bridie Devine—female detective extraordinaire—is confronted with the most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, and a peculiar child whose reputed supernatural powers have captured the unwanted attention of collectors trading curiosities in this age of discovery.
Winding her way through the labyrinthine, sooty streets of Victorian London, Bridie won’t rest until she finds the young girl, even if it means unearthing a past that she’d rather keep buried. Luckily, her search is aided by an enchanting cast of characters, including a seven-foot tall housemaid; a melancholic, tattoo-covered ghost; and an avuncular apothecary. But secrets abound in this foggy underworld where spectacle is king and nothing is quite what it seems.
Blending darkness and light, history and folklore, Things in Jars is a spellbinding Gothic mystery that collapses the boundary between fact and fairy tale to stunning effect and explores what it means to be human in inhumane times.
Rating (out of 5): 4.5
Trigger warnings: assault
Review: This was my January Book of the Month, and I have to say that the way I read this book did it a disservice. I read most of it on the train during my commute, but also took a weeklong break when I was on vacation. Learn from my mistake and savor—devour!—this book!
This is the first Jess Kidd novel I’ve read and it was utterly charming. Her prose is so lyrical, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. The way she strings words together, the alliteration, is so beautiful.
I don’t need every protagonist to be likable, but Bridie Devine is well worth rooting for. After a tough childhood, she combined her street smarts with her medical training to become a sought-after independent detective. When Scotland Yard asks her to assist with the investigation of a dead woman and baby, she becomes caught up in the search for another missing child, Christabel Berwick.
I’m not familiar with some of the mythology woven into “Things in Jars” (or perhaps the author created it!), but Christabel is definitely not an ordinary child. She eats snails, causes water to appear out of nowhere, and has pike-like teeth that she isn’t afraid to use.
As Bridie searches for Christabel, she’s joined by her 7-foot-tall housemaid and the affable ghost of a boxer. As they discover the mythology surrounding Christabel and her ancestors, Bridie is also reminded of some secrets she’d prefer to forget. The novel flips back and forth between present day (1863) and Bridie’s adolescence in the 1840s.
“Things in Jars” is genre-bending in the best way: part detective mystery, part fantasy, part historical fiction. It’s well-worth adding to your list!
TL;DR: An extremely enchanting, genre-bending novel that explores the secrets people would take drastic measures to keep hidden, and the power of friendships.
If you liked this, try:
“Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo (Elizabeth’s review here)
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