"Things in Jars" by Jess Kidd is a quirky Victorian mystery that follows Bridie Devine, a pipe-smoking female detective investigating the disappearance of a mysterious child who might not be entirely human. Oh, and she's got a tattooed ghost boxer as her sidekick - because why not?

Kidd's writing style is super imaginative and packed with weird, wonderful details that bring Victorian London to life in all its grimy glory. The supernatural elements are pretty cool, and Bridie is definitely a character you'll root for. Plus, the whole gothic vibe is spot on.

That said, the plot can get a bit messy and confusing at times, with so many characters and subplots thrown into the mix. The pacing is also kind of uneven - sometimes it drags, other times it rushes through important moments.

While it's not perfect, "Things in Jars" is worth a read if you're into supernatural mysteries with a dash of dark humor and Victorian weirdness.

Reading tastes change and so did my desire to read this book finally! I enjoyed this gothic, magical realism story. I love when a book can be dark but also pretty funny at the same time! Give this book a try if you're into gothic fantasy stories.

This book had an interesting premise, and I was excited to read it. Sadly, the story did not live up to the expectations, and that might not be on me. I found myself struggling to connect and get into the book.

If you must read any gothic mystery you come across, then you must add this title to the top of your TBR. Set in Victorian England, with a unique character at the heart of this fascinating novel, I think there's a lot to love about this richly told story.

This is such an interesting read. Things in Jars is a mixed genre of mystery, magical realism and a ghost story. I found it a little slow paced but enjoyed it.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book of historical magical realism that was well written but slow moving. I really enjoyed the main character, Bridie, who is using her gifts to find a missing child who has some distinguishing traits. I liked the detective storyline and the mystery and suspense that surrounded it. I wish the story drew me in faster and held my attention more.

3.5 stars

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I almost DNF this one. The writing had excessive descriptions that made me feel lost in mundane details, It's frustrating when an otherwise good story is bogged down by so much detail that you almost can't really enjoy it bc you find yourself skimming to stay attentive.

Fans of mystery and fantasy will likely adore this book (as seen, already, by early reviews). But I admit, upfront, I probably wasn’t the ultimate reader. While I enjoy touches of magical realism on occasion – i.e. The Snow Child, The Book of Speculation, the Silence of Bonaventure Arrow - I’m not a big fantasy reader or mystery reader. And, this clearly is a whodunit, which I wanted to give a try.

I'm not quite sure what happened here with this book. I couldn't seem to really pick up an interest in it at all. It was hard to keep pace with. Sorry, this just wasn't my cup of tea. Thank you for the early opportunity though!

The title "Things in Jars" didn't register at first, but it is very apt for the book. Set in dark Victorian London with a female detective and things in jars, this book certainly has a defined mood.

I wasn't able to finish the book. It was really difficult to follow. Maybe I will try to pick it up another time, but I just wasn't that interested.

This was a hard novel to follow. I did not understand what was going on throughout most of it. However, the mystery was intriguing.

A gothic old age London killer on the loose mystery. Solidly wrote in the mood of sooty streets. Very atmospheric and dark. Loved this book.

Jess Kidd's writing is so good at the sentence level. I've used paragraphs from this book to teach description to my students.

I want to preface my review by saying I’m generally not into magical realism or fantasy but the premise intrigued me. Overall I liked the story - there were a few scenes that got a bit graphic and quite a few times I found myself wanting to skim parts as they were too descriptive. If you’re into magical realism check this one out! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Jess Kidd's writing is so rich that it's not the type of book you simply skim through. There's a lot hidden in each line and you have to pay close attention to grasp all of the many colors of her phrases. At the very beginning, I had a little bit of trouble concentrating, but once I felt comfortable with Kidd's writing style, the story drew me in.

I absolutely loved Kidd's main character: Bridie Devine, a female detective in 1860s Victorian England. She seems to know tons of useful skills and uses her wits to solve cases. When a little girl (with some curious traits) goes missing, Bridie is tasked with finding her. There is a wonderful fantasy element to the story, including a ghost with moving tattoos that follows Bridie everywhere and the missing little girl herself, who seems to be part sea creature. Bridie's journey is full of mystery (with descriptions of her traumatic childhood) and violence. There were definitely a few sections that were a little graphic for my taste.

I did feel like there were some loose ends (unless I just missed catching everything), so I can't give this five stars, but I'd be interested to see what other stories Kidd concocts. What an imagination!

Things in Jars will certainly appeal to many readers with its wide range of genres magical realism, historical fiction, mystery and even a bit of romance. I enjoyed the overall story line, but was often left wanting to skim the beginning of each chapter with the overly drawn out descriptions of the characters. I was really hoping to love this book, but I think I'm in the I didn't love it camp.

Fans of mystery and fantasy will likely adore this book (as seen, already, by early reviews). But I admit, upfront, I probably wasn’t the ultimate reader. While I enjoy touches of magical realism on occasion – i.e. The Snow Child, The Book of Speculation, the Silence of Bonaventure Arrow - I’m not a big fantasy reader or mystery reader. And, this clearly is a whodunit, which I wanted to give a try.

That said, this novel, in many ways, reminds me both of Melmoth and The Museum of Extraordinary Things, books I enjoyed. So while this isn’t a “5” for me, due mainly to genre preference, I did find it entertaining as I completed my treadmill workouts. There are laugh-out-loud moments, tender moments, unbelievable moments, and lovely writing throughout. Bridie Devine is quite the character, and I enjoyed her sidekicks, Cora and Ruby.

For me personally, this is probably more closely a “3,” but bumped up a star for the genre and the fascinating history portrayed (of medical experimentation, the seedy practice of curiostiy “collectors,” and preservation methods of the 1800s).

For those who like feisty female characters ahead of their time, you’ll find much to admire and love in the main character, Bridie Devine.

Many thanks to Atria for the advance copy through NetGalley for an unbiased review.

I will not be giving feedback on this book. I started it, and was not in the right mindset for reading it. When/if I do pick it up again, I will definitely leave a thoughtful review.

A little mysterious, a little magical realisim, Things in Jars was a fun and different historical fiction tale set in London. I loved the little ocean folklore stories throughout. It was a fun escape from the everyday.