An naive young scientist who has lived alone with her Father for all of her life falls in love for the first time.
Not really my type of novel. ( )

This book was an interesting change from a lot of the fictional books on alchemy that I have read. And although it was a nice change to see real alchemists and physical alchemy being referenced instead of spiritual alchemy, I have issues with this book.
Maybe it was the lack of care which I had for all of the characters, including those ones that we are suppose to be feeling sorry for (who ever they may have been, I really do not know). Or maybe it was the unfortunate lack of surprise in the story. Most of the events that occurred were predictable, easily guessed long before they were ever actually explained. I was expecting more surprises since alchemy is such a fascinating and unpredictable science; instead I get to read about a mundane love interest and emotionally flat beings, where alchemy only enters into the story on the peripheral.
The ending was another point that bothered me, although I was happy that the main character finally got her act together I could not help feeling unsatisfied by the conclusion, in fact I skim read it because I jut got to the point where I felt that enough was enough.
It started of well and got better as it went on, it was just the conclusion that I felt dragged on. All of that said, the book was engaging enough to hold my attention long enough to get me through to the 'almost' end. Definitely a book that I would pick up a second time, even if it is only to enjoy a few select scenes and events.
( )

Poetic and evocative prose, and an interesting view into the world of early eighteenth century London, but very little otherwise. It's a mostly pointless love story involving a petulant protagonist who makes annoying decisions and has no idea what's going on around her. It does somewhat redeem itself somewhere around the 3/4 mark however, and ends strongly. ( )

I liked the period details of this story, but the character took so long to learn anything - and she's very dour. A young woman in the early 18th century is brought up in isolation by her father, a natural philosopher. She is vulnerable to the first men she meets which eventually leads to disappointment on the part of everyone involved. ( )

All-in-All a some what frustrating read - much potential that never actually came to fruition. Not a bad read - just disappointing. ( )