When I requested this book I knew it was fantasy but not historical. I only read from my kindle at night while going to sleep. After three nights of starting all over because I had already slept since the night before, I decided to read it during the day when I could focus. I am so glad I did because the story came together immediately. I am usually not a historical fiction fan but mixed with the ghosts and fantasy I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the chance to read Things in Jars in exchange for my honest review.

Oh MY! Dark, gritty and captivating! This book was phenomenal and I can't wait to go back and take a look at Jess Kidd's backlist. I hope this becomes a series. The characters were great and I would definitely read more about Kidd's Gothic London. This book isn't for the faint of heart, however. I was serious when I said gritty-- it totally added to the atmosphere and the plot, but this is no cozy historical mystery!

DNF 22%

I might like this story but I can't get past the overly ornate writing.

Definitely not my jar of tea.


** I recieved a ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion. **

"The bird sees me!" exclaims Ruby, brightening.
"She's a raven," whispers Bridie. "She see's everything."

What do you get when you mix a fearless pipe-smoking Irish woman, a seven-foot-tall maiden, the ghost of a dead tattooed boxer, and a missing child with certain curious attributes? No, this isn't the start of a bad joke, it's the start of Things in Jars.

Set in 1800's London, this novel follows Bridie, a non-conforming private investigator. As she sets off to solve the case of a rare and very unique missing child, she's helped along by her motley crew of sidekicks. I could not get enough of these characters! It's rare for me to become so attached to fictional beings, but by the end they were my friends.

One of the most endearing aspects was how unique and special each of the characters were. I loved how the author relayed the feelings and relationship between Bridie and Ruby without being blunt or cheesy. It was a delicate balance, and Jess Kidd hit the nail on the head!

A few bits of the novel had me confused at first, or left me thinking long after I'd read the last page. It took a fair amount of pondering (and some discussing with other readers) before I actually deciphered what the intended meaning was. Upon reflection though, I'm glad the book left me thinking because I wasn't quite done with my newfound comrades or the story.

I now feel as if I NEED to go back and read Jess Kidd's other books.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Atria books for allowing me to review an e-arc copy.

I had hard time reading this book maybe because the action take place in 1863 and 1841. The story didn’t catch my attention. Some parts were actually good but some parts had nothing to do with the story line.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair review.

Things in Jars by Jess Kid is a story about a female detective in Victorian London who is challenged with finding a missing child that no one knew was missing. She is accompanied by a ghost and a 7ft maid amongst other strange characters.

This is as best as I can sum up the story. I really did not enjoy the book and couldn't give it a fair full review. But, this story is written in a style that I try to avoid in novels. I don't know what the name of it but it's very folklore and fairytale like. A book who's writing is similar to this one but completely different story is The Clockmaker's Daughter. Although this story follows a linear storyline. The poetic writing and the magical realism really turns me off. It's not a boring books or one that won't have you wanting to read; if you like this type of writing. It just does not call to me and I am not the intended audience for. I know that I am outsider here since this book has gotten so much praise, but again it did not work for me. I think I will steer clear from magical realism because those are the books I struggle with the most Thank you Atria and netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

There will be a post of my review up on my IG on 1/27/2020 @books_and_stilettos and on my webpage www.booksandstilettos.com

This is an absolutly wonderful historical fiction gothic tale. This book is about Birdie a female detective in the Victorian era. It has everything from mystery to ghosts and carnival characters. It took awhile yo get used to the writing style used in this book, but once hou do you won't beable to put it down. I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and strong female leads.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it..

Things in Jars was my first book from Jess Kidd and it a wonderful surprise for me. It speaks of mythical creatures, anatomists, people who collect strange things in jars, ghosts and a mystery this is all set in a gothic and atmospheric London in the 1860’s, and had characters that I found to be so interesting each in their own way. What more could I ask for!?

The story centers around Bridie Devine, a young, brilliant female sleuth ahead of her time. She sees things that most miss. And she is tasked with the kidnapping of a baronets daughter. A daughter that no one knows even exist. A child that is said to have a supernatural ability, hence the hushed investigation. Still reeling from her last case where she lost the child she is unsure of herself. But with another missing child she will just have to push through her doubt and find this mysterious little girl. But is a dangerous road she is venturing down and the past she wants to stay hidden doesn’t stay that way.

Bridie is not alone on her new case. She has the help of a ghost named Ruby Doyle that she meets in a graveyard. Somehow they know each other but Bridie has yet to figure that out and he is not telling either, but she is drawn to him and the they did make for a great pair on the case. Then there is Bridie’s housemaid Cora, who happens to be a seven foot tall woman with a mustache. She saved her from a circus and they’ve been friends ever since. There are a lot of characters that we get to meet along the way of this mystery from Bridie’s past and those who play a part in the present mystery. A few law enforcement officers, doctors, lab assistants and those in the circus world. There were some that were just down right despicable like Mrs. Bibby and Gideon Eames too. But I won’t give away anything about these two as it plays a large role in the story. It was definitely an intriguing cast of characters.

The story is told in alternating time lines, from Bridie’s POV from both the past and the present. Sometimes it was the from the kidnapper and sometimes we get a little of Ruby too and it worked rather well too. It was like getting a birds eye view of how Bridie got to where she is today was what made me enjoy her character and others that we meet along the way too. She had been through a lot growing up in the world she did. The kidnappers POV showed just how desperate people could get in troubling times. But it was the mystery and all of it’s eeriness that kept me reading. And the dark and sometimes gritty setting to the shocking discoveries of unethical medical practices and the trading of oddities that I enjoyed so much. And of course I just had to know if Bridie would get the girl or not! Would she solve her case?

Things in Jars is an imaginative and dark tale of macabre with compelling characters that will have you rooting for them and I can’t recommend it enough!

SYNOPSIS | Bridie Devine is a female detective in Victorian London. She has been hired to investigate the kidnapping of Sir Edmund Berwick's secret child who is rumored to have peculiar abnormalities that make her different from other children. There is an unlikely cast of characters from a 7 foot tall giantess housemaid, a heavily tattooed ghost of a boxer and many a crooked surgeon.

MY THOUGHTS | I picked this up because it was a January 2020 BOTM (@bookofthemonth) selection and I was hesitant as Historical Fiction isn't typically my favorite genre... neither is Historical Fiction / Mystery / Fantasy. I loved how this touched on so many different genres but overall it wasn't my favourite. In my opinion the romance was unnecessary (both of them!) and the ending was extremely rushed. It felt like it tried to wrap itself up in a neat little bow within 30 pages, but instead I just felt a bit whip lashed. It did set itself up nicely for a sequel though.

Things in Jars is the kind of book I don’t enjoy reviewing. Because it sounds like something I should have really enjoyed, but, unfortunately, I didn’t. I can totally see why so many people love this book, but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

Jess Kidd’s writing was definitely unique. And normally I love unique writing – it’s actually something I actively seek out in books. But Kidd’s style just didn’t speak to me. There wasn’t anything wrong with it – I can definitely see why so many people love it – I just had a little trouble connecting with it. Which was really disappointing, because I wanted to like this book.

The story itself was interesting. I liked the cast of characters, they were quirky in a really fun way. And it’s no surprise that I’m a fan of the Victorian London setting – especially the dark side of Victorian London. Sadly, it just wasn’t enough for me to love this book.

4-5 stars!
What a different read for me, I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it, maybe SIN EATER would be similar, but not entirely sure. This was like a historical fiction/fantasy book, which definitely was well written, intriguing, and absolutely riveting! The author made sure to use a writing that really put you back in time, when it needed you to be. Overall, I found it to be very engrossing and would highly, highly recommend to those who are fans of fantasy historical fiction!
Will make sure I buzz it up on all the different platforms!

THINGS IN JARS
BY JESS KIDD

This novel was such a great pleasure to read and review. Jess Kidd is such a talented and skilled writer extraordinaire.. This review varies slightly because I wasn't able to copy and paste my goodreads.com review on my computer and post it here. I will try to keep it as much of a duplicate here as on goodreads.com. Jess Kidd has written an exquisite Gothic novel set in 1863 in Victorian England that is part historical fiction and sprinkled in part Irish folklore and a stunning fable. At first I wasn't sure that I was going to love this novel as much as I did. And boy did I fall in love with this book. I will definitely be purchasing this one for my personal collection to add to my fantastic reading experiences. Sometimes I can be squeamish when it comes to the macabre and grotesque subject matter. Not so with "Things in Jars," because I am so grateful that I was given the chance to read this fantastical story. I can't remember the last time that I was gifted with the opportunity to read a trio of such warm, lovable protagonists. Bridie Devine is an excellent investigator who can look at a corpse and tell how it met its demise. She starts out in a Chapel looking in at an ancient corpse that will tie in with the Merrows which is a part of Irish folklore and historical fiction that is one of the wonderful themes and a main part of this wonderful story. It is there that she meets Ruby Doyle a ghost that is one of the kindest, warmest character that Jess Kidd excels in creating. He says to Bridie that she knows him but she doesn't remember him. From that point on he will follow and keep Bridie company on her investigations. Usually I don't like books with the paranormal but in Ruby Doyle I found him to be everything that embodies humanity and very much noble. I just loved him and I will never forget him.

Bridie is a pipe smoking, Irish, red haired heroine who is tasked with finding a Baronet's missing six year old daughter named Christabel who was abducted from her home. The Baronet doesn't want to involve the police because Chritabel has been hidden away as a secret because she is different. Bridie agrees to to look into who took Christabel which takes place in the terrific prologue. You find out that her evil nurse and shady physician had something to do with Christabel's abduction. But why would the Baronet's employees take this unique child who has been deprived of a normal childhood? The physician's daughter Myrtle juxtaposed as Christabel's playmate makes this story of why Christabel's being hidden away all the more melancholic. You can't read this story and not love Bridie's character as much as you love her sidekick Ruby Doyle, as he accompanies her to untangle this mystery.

There are bad characters who are self serving in wanting to collect and profit all things that are different. There are operations done in scientific theatres that really took place in the Victorian era. They are not too graphic as we witness them through Bridie's eyes. It may be at times momentarily descriptive but not in the way for the faint of heart because Jess Kidd softens the scenes through her narrative. There are definitely some bad antagonists here that do cruel things but with the lovable Bridie and Ruby Doyle are always one step behind bringing relief. Jess Kidd is a master of characterization and has convinced me that she is a talented writer who I am inspired to read her previous two award winning novels. I am so glad that I gave this spellbinding story a chance because I was rewarded with another favorite of 2020. I would highly recommend giving this story a chance and not be put off by the underbelly of the macabre of Victorian England. It is integral to the narrative and there is humor to offset the darkness and there is light and hope immediately to offer relief. I loved it. Loved it!!!

A warm thank you to Net Galley, Jess Kidd and Simon & Schuster for generously providing my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Publication Date: February 3, 2020

#thingsinjars #jesskidd #simon&schusterpublishing #netgalley

Thank you so much for my copy of this book. This is unlike anything else that I have read. This gothic mystery set in Victorian London. With a strong female detective and a bit of supernatural, this is a fun and quirky book that was right up my alley. Birdie Divine is tasked with solving the mystery of a missing child who is not only kept a secret but has strange abilities. Birdie suspects that the child is coveted for these abilities and must explore the underbellies of London society to fulfill her promise of returning the child.
With stories woven throughout and the seamless movement between past and present, this story walks the line between fairytale and fiction. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is a well written book that I just really had no interest in. So, I will say that I struggle with a rating for books that I simply did not connect with. It is not the books fault that I chose it. I want to give it a higher rating, but I simply can not.

I still offer my thanks and gratitude to Netgalley and Atria for this opportunity to read an advance readers copy. This book is due to release in February 2020.

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd : A book review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I loved this book!! Victorian-era historical fiction meets detective mystery with grotesque fantastical elements... this book defies simple genre classification. Imaginative, creative, creepily atmospheric with the coolest collection of characters, Things in Jars is by far my favourite book read this month, and the first time in quite a while where I’ve been itching to get back into the book as soon as I have to stop reading.

Bridie Devine is this awesome female private detective, who pushes the boundaries of societal norms of her day. She’s such a great heroine: smart, courageous, kind, and knows her way around a lab. She’s also hilarious; I love her sense of humour. Her allies include Cora, a 7 foot tall giantess and dear friend, and Ruby, a tattooed, famous boxer who happens to be recently deceased. She is enlisted by a baronet outside of London to search for his missing daughter, who has .. unique attributes. We follow the case throughout London, with flashbacks into Bridie’s childhood in the 1840’s.

I am loathe to spoil any of the story, and urge you to discover the nefarious cast of characters Bridie is up against for yourself. I loved how the plot unraveled, the slow revealing of Bridie’s past through the flashbacks, and I thought the fantastical elements were so well done. Every character introduced has a rich description and backstory. I absolutely loved seeing the history around anatomists, surgery (as grotesque as it was), and the underbelly trading of the collectors of “natural aberrations”. Be warned there are numerous macabre events and gore that might be unsettling for many.

There is so much time period language, I was thankful to be reading a e-copy - many new words to look up! The only thing keeping this from a 5 star read is at times the language made it difficult for me to get into, especially at first. Also, I was left feeling like I wanted a bit more information about Ruby & Rose; while the ending didn’t feel rushed, it came to a conclusion fairly quickly once it got rolling and I wanted more! Sequel perhaps???

Thank you so much to @netgalley and Atria Books for free access to an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Things in Jars publishes Feb 4, 2020!

I heard so many good things about this novel and I really wanted to like it, but it just didn’t suck me in. The writing was beautiful but the story was just a little dull. I honestly didn’t really get into it until the last 50 pages. I know this is a VERY unpopular opinion. But it is just wasn’t for me. Thank you to netgalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book was twisty, creepy and definitely had many great fantasy elements. I liked the main character but midway through the book, the fast pace of the plot slowed down a lot. This book definitely had some good twists and secrets but it just fell flat as far as overall story. I really expected more from this book given all the hype.

Thanks in advance to NetGalley, Jess Kid and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To my surprise, I loved this creepy, macabre Gothic novel set in Victorian London. Actually, it was not a surprise; having read the author’s previous books, I had high expectations. Like the best Irish stories, this one is a collection of outsized characters both living and dead, outrageous escapades, creatures from Irish mythology, seemingly unendurable tragedy, and boundless, eternal love.

The main character is Bridie (short for Bridget) Devine, around 30 years old, who is a doughty and eccentric Irish lass living with her seven-foot tall housemaid Cora and working as a detective for hire. Bridie has a talent for the reading of corpses, and thus Scotland Yard passes her the odd case. She has two suitors: one living and one dead. Inspector Valentine Rose of Scotland Yard has the advantage of being alive, but her dead suitor, Ruby Doyle, a former boxer, has a hold on her heart. Alas, they can’t even embrace.

As the story begins, Bridie is hired to help find the kidnapped daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick. Christabel, age six, was taken from her nursery, and Sir Edmund sent his physician, Dr. Harbin, to hire Bridie to help find her. Dr. Harbin won’t tell Bridie much about the Christabel except that “the child has singular traits” which he won’t enumerate.

As Bridie goes about her investigation, she is aided by both Cora and by Ruby, whom she first encounters resting against a tombstone smoking a pipe. He is transparent, but handsome, and claims he and Bridie know each other. He shows her his headstone: “Here lies Ruby Doyle, Tattooed Seafarer and Champion Boxer.” He had been dead half a year, killed in a bar brawl. But Bridie’s memory won’t be jogged. In any event, he begins to accompany her and provide companionship to her, and they grow close.

The author’s colorful descriptions of the sights and smells of Victorian London are a wonder. Humorously, she includes both Bridie’s contemptuous perspective and Ruby’s laudatory one. Bridie is usually expressing disgust over the unpleasant odors in the street, from the sweat of unwashed workers to the reek of the polluted Thames River. But Ruby, who can no longer smell anything in any event, misses all of it, as in this passage:

“The street is hopping: the living swarm before Ruby’s dead eyes - street peddlers doing the go-around with trays of oranges and nuts; street performers limbering; kitchen maids sallying forth with market baskets, eyeing the ribbon vendors and eluding the coalmen. Tribes of pickpockets, fleet-footed miscreants, thread through the traffic. Here trots a dapper wag, high collar, and resplendent whiskers. There steps a blue-eyed beauty in a fetching bonnet. Ruby wishes himself a frock coat and new top hat, a hot shave and a good breakfast, a scarlet cravat, a pair of kid gloves, and a pocket watch. He would give the world just to saunter out onto the streets as a living man again, to look and be looked at.”

As they walk through the streets together, Bridie imagines what it would be like to grow old with Ruby and their “rabble of dark-eyed children.” For his part, Ruby conjures up an image of “their raucous children, green eyed, please God.” Both fantasize about physical contact, and both get watery eyes over their fruitless imaginings. It could break your heart in two.

Meanwhile, Bridie picks up clues as to Cristabel’s whereabouts. The net of suspects widens, and the story goes back and forth in time to flesh out their backgrounds as well as that of Bridie. We also learn about the Resurrectionists, who play a supporting role in the story. These were gravediggers commonly employed by anatomists in the United Kingdom during the 18th and 19th centuries to exhume the bodies of the recently dead for research. Most impressively, the author includes a riff doubly pleasurable for any who catch the reference between two prison guards reminiscent of similar comic relief by the gravediggers in "Hamlet," Act V.

All of the cruelness and horror depicted by the author is juxtaposed by the tenderness and humanity of Bridie and the other “good” characters. It is a truly masterful symphony of impressions and emotions, and the language is so evocative you may think you are watching a movie rather than reading a book. I particularly liked her description of apothecaries, showing both the beauty and the humor of her writing:

“[Apothecaries were] Gatekeepers to an esoteric world of unguents and potions and powders. They sold opiate dreams for fractious babies to exhausted mothers, or ointments to unfaithful husbands with the itch. They poisoned and cured in equal measure and everything they dispensed came with a good old-fashioned bracing purgative.”

Evaluation: Jess Kidd is an excellent writer, and for those who enjoy good literature with a page-turning plot, this book will not disappoint.

DNF on page 61

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. I found the narrative style cumbersome in a way that classics from the period can be. The saving grace of the book is the main character Bridie, who is hilarious and snarky and intensely independent. The juxtaposition of the third-person omniscient narrative voice with the dialogue is jarring to say the least due to the tone mismatch.

I found myself skimming the book after the second chapter and only paying attention to the dialogue. While I kind of want to know who this Rudy fellow is, I never really felt overly invested in the story itself. I'm bummed because this sounded like a story I could absolutely love, but sadly the narrative style just didn't work for me.

eARC provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not impact my opinions in any way.

"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."

True Gothic goodness!