The Apothecary

Cristin Milioti switches accents as easily as author Maile Meloy has moved from writing for adults to creating for children. The heroine, Janie, 14, is less graceful at moving to London when her blacklisted parents leave post-WWII Hollywood to flee McCarthyism. Little does Janie know that much more difficult transitions are in store for her. She's just getting her balance in her new British school when adventure overtakes her. Soon she's sucked into avoiding Soviet spies, swallowing strange elixirs that transform her into a bird, falling in love for the first time, and saving the world. Milioti's narration changes up as frequently as the fast-moving plot. She perfectly portrays everyone from a London urchin to a European count and shifts her pacing to emphasize exciting moments. S.W. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from September 5, 2011
When the House Committee on Un-American Activities targets Janie’s television writer parents, the 14-year-old and her family flee from Los Angeles to London. There, Janie meets Benjamin, a “defiant” classmate, and his father, the neighborhood apothecary, who is involved in much more than hot water bottles and aspirin. In fact, he is part of a long line of apothecaries who have discovered miraculous secrets—truth serums, invisibility, amazing physical transformations—and he is now working with scientists on an incredible plan that has global ramifications with regard to the escalating tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States. Some readers may need to brush up on cold war history to fully appreciate the stakes, but even those with a vague understanding of the times will be quickly swept up in this thoroughly enjoyable adventure, filled with magic, humor, memorable characters, and just a bit of sweet romance. With evocative, confident prose and equally atmospheric spot art from Schoenherr, adult author Meloy’s first book for young readers is an auspicious one. Readers will hope they haven’t heard the last from Janie and Benjamin. Ages 10–up.