This book had a fantastic premise and therefore fantastic potential, but in the end it was far more gross than interesting.

At first blush, Things in Jars has the makings of what I would consider a potentially good novel: Well-rendered atmosphere, an intriguing plot, and a likable protagonist. Unfortunately none of this could overcome the incessant grotesquerie that pervades the novel.

I’m fine with icky violence and/or grotesque descriptors as long as they 1) serve a strong purpose for the plot and 2) are not deployed so frequently that they essentially take over the book.

I found Bridie an intriguing character and enjoyed the eeriness of the setting. But ultimately all the grossness purely for grossness’ sake overshadowed anything positive that the story had to offer.

The graphic description of the murder of a puppy was particularly off-putting and the fact that it was unnecessary to the story made me start to actively dislike the book.

Too much gratuitous yuck (and I say this as someone who isn’t notably squeamish) to salvage what might have been a good story.

I had a hard time reading this book. The writing style wasn't for me. There was just sooo much detail and most of the time I didn't even understand it. I had to skim through most of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Jess Kidd for a copy of "Things in Jars" for an honest review.

In 1863 Bridie Devine, a pipe-smoking private detective, is hired by a wealthy man to recover his kidnapped 6 year old daughter Christabel Berwick. Christabel was born with an unspecified abnormality and most people had never seen her or even knew she existed. Bridie was used to abnormalities because of her prior experience with collectors of unnatural curiosities preserved in jars.

I enjoyed the story of Christabel’s origin and disappearance. I also liked Bridie’s backstory and her two assistants, Cora (her 7 foot tall, bewhiskered maid) and Ruby (the half-dressed ghost of a former boxer). Unfortunately, this book was often interrupted by gushes of words that were way too florid for me and added nothing to the plot.

“Amid mail boats and passenger boats, paddle and screw steamers, rowing boats and skiffs, steam yachts, steam ferries, and tugs. Watercraft of every size negotiating the beneficent, polluted, bottomless, shallow, fast-rushing, mud-slickened , under-towed Thames. The world enters London by River – vessels are converging from all corners and heading out to all corners. India, America, seas Baltic, Black, and Mediterranean.” Unfortunately, this is not the end of this particular gush which continues for many more paragraphs. If you like this sort of writing, then this is the book for you. I just wanted to skim through it all and get to the actual story.

While I thought that “Himself”, the author’s first book, was much better than this one I still liked this enough to round my 3.5 star rating up to 4.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

WOW what an amazing and unique read - I really loved the style of writing and the characters are just so creatively written that I enjoyed reading about. We start off in 1863 England and introduced to our protagonist, Bridie Devine who is an amazing investigator. There are so many oddities in this story that it is almost a fantasy read of some sorts. This is a mystery read where Bridie is investigating the murders of a mother and child.

I truly enjoy a good historical fiction read and this one did not disappoint. Jess Kidd writes with such amazing rich detail and vivid imagery that you will be transported to the world of oddities and quirkiness during that time. The prose and passages are also very beautiful and once again very creatively done.

I really enjoyed this book very much and enjoy the different type of read that is truly Kidd's amazing ingenuity and creativity.

Bridie Devine was a child of the streets in the mid 1800's, rescued by several benefactors. Raised in diverse circumstances, she has some extraordinary skills.
Now a detective, she takes on the kidnapping case of Cristabel Berwick, a most unusual girl. Rumored to be a merrow, or mermaid, possibly captured to be a collectable or circus freak.
Assisting her on this adventure are Ruby, a handsome, roguish prizefighter who just happens to be a ghost, and Bridie's maid Cora Butter, an amazonian wonder with fierce loyalties.
This dark, whimsical gothic Victorian mystery had great characters and an intriguing plot.
Charming, quaint and unconventional, if a bit rambling at times. A fascinating, magical read. So much heart and humor in this one!
Thank you Atria Books for the e-ARC via NetGalley.

Though the central characters were unique and the writing great, the overall plot of Things In Jars trudged along for me. Elements that could have been suspenseful instead felt repetitive and I lost interest.

I love a female detective in Victorian London. And who doesn't love a 7 ft maid? I do wish Bridie was a little more fleshed out then just her physical description.

The prose was lovely and it was almost necessary to always read with a cup of tea for atmosphere.

Good storyline and ending and I would love more Bridie.

I enjoyed this whimsical novel. It reminded me a bit of a Neil Gaiman novel in how lyrical the author's prose were. A recent book this also had flavors of was Once Upon A River by Dianne Setterfield. I gave that one 5 stars, but that is because I was totally transported to another time and magical place. Things in Jars didn't have quite that effect on me. It was like a fairytale told as if it were a real story, however it seemed too unbelievable to me. I do love the idea of magical realism about "mermaids", though. I never got bored throughout the novel, however I never got invested enough in any characters to say I REALLY liked it. Finally, I have read several books set in Victorian times lately that resort to animal abuse. I get it. It was part of the time. I just don't really want to read about it. I am not sure why in a book that consists of magical realism, those jarring details based fully in reality were necessary.

I enjoyed this gothic mystery featuring a female sleuth in Victorian London.
This novel reminded me so much of The Museum of Extraordinary Things with the "sea creature" curiosity collectors and The Doll Factory with the apprentice/teacher dynamics. The author offers several unique characters and storylines but each one is missing the final polish to give readers a sense of completion.

Things in Jars
Jess Kidd
Atria Books
US release: February 4, 2020
What happens when you mix Victorian London with a female super sleuth and more hidden secrets than you care to unearth? You end up with Things in Jars by Jess Kidd! This is not your father’s Sherlock Holmes.

Londonite Author Jess Kidd’s 3rd book Things in Jars is a dark mystery filled with unique characters and a touch of humor that makes this book a perfect book to read on those days that you need something entertaining and macrabic.
Rag Rat-turned—medically smart sleuth Bridget (Bridie) Devine wanders the streets of London trying to solve her first case after failing to solve her last case where a young kidnapped boy died before she could save him. Christabel Berwick has been kidnapped and it’s Bridie’s job to find her. Rumored to have special talents and/or traits six year old Christabel Bridie fears is in danger.

Accompanied by a unusual suitor – the ghost of famous London boxer Ruby Doyle, Bridie encounters many bewildering happenings while searching for Christabel. Things in Jars is told from the modern search of Christabel and the backstory of Bridie’s childhood. I really liked this format. Ms. Kidd weaves the two time periods in a way that flows like the Thames — dark, dirty and wild through the whole breadth of the book.

Things in Jars is filled with Irish Tales, murder and strange, surreal things in jars. The book is one that you can’t help but keep racing through its pages to find out what happens next.

“You go on to steal this child, under the nose of a bleeding lord—” “A baronet.” Bill narrows his tiny eyes. “And transport the poor wretch about the country in a coffin.” “A casket, for her own good.” “You truly are a nasty old bitch,” Bill replies. He picks up a knife from the table. “Release her. Return her to her friends,” he orders, heroically.”
Character’s such as Bill’s wife are what nightmares are made of. The macabre theme of this book is weirdly a delight. I know that sounds ironic but it is true. I found this book written in such a way that it was just a joy to read. I am not sure you have ever read anything that you could have nightmares over and yet still enjoy the book. Things in Jars is just that kind of book

The let down in this book for me was the quick story of Ruby Doyle at the end. It felt like an afterthought. It was like Ms. Kidd got through the story and went, “oh, I forgot that Bridie is supposed to figure out where she knows Ruby Doyle from.” The companionship of Ruby is one that you feel you need the answer to in his relationship with Bridie. I have to be honest, he brought the real emotion to this book, so getting his origin at the end just felt disrespectful to his character. It just left me feeling empty.
4 1/2 stars for a great story. Minus 1/2 star for what i felt was rushing Ruby Doyle’s origin story.

Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books, and Author Jess Kidd for the opportunity to read Things in Jars in lieu of my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! The magical realism is very subtle and interesting, and I liked trying to figure out the connections between all the characters. This book is purple prose-y, but I really enjoyed it, it didn't feel overdone in any way. Really liked Kidd's writing style, and can't wait to try more of her books!

There are authors that write beautiful lyrical prose and there are authors who write intricately woven story lines. Then there are authors like Jess Kidd who do both.

From the very first word of this novel to the very last, I was hooked. So many times, while reading I paused to admire the writing. The way she turns a phrase, the perfect use of alliteration, the sort of old school type of writing, with words that I have to look up.

The story takes place in the grimy underbelly of London in the mid 1800’s. Bridie Devine, a sort of freelance female detective, is searching for a missing girl, Christabel Berwick. But Christabel is not an ordinary girl.

The descriptions of London at that time are so real, you can almost feel the dragging of your mud soaked hem as you make your way through the streets.

Mixing supernatural, humor and gothic mystery, this book has it all. From Bridie’s 7 foot tall maid, to a tattoo covered ghost.

I loved every single thing about this book, it was an enchanting ride and I hated for it to end. May not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was everything I wanted it to be and more.

I received an ARC of the book.

I found this to be a very interesting book. The characters were wonderful - good, evil, eccentric, a bit of everything! The story was good and the writing exceptional. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Things in Jars was not what I expected! A widowed detective Bridgette Divine has just failed a case and is commissioned to take on another missing child case. However, there is more to this case than meets the eye. Things in Jars are not your usual historical fiction mystery thriller. Bridgette is assisted by a giantess woman Kora and the ghost of an ex-boxer Ruby from her past. Bridgette learns that there is more to this case, especially when it involves people from her past. There are triggers of abuse, assaults, and rape. These are not explicit within the novel but implied in the fade away method.

The prose within this novel was magical and engrossed you further into the story. I am not sure if this is standalone or if it will be turned into a series, but I am curious about what will happen to Bridgette Divine.

I really enjoyed Jess Kidd's <i> Things in Jars </i>. It hits on a lot of the big literary trends right now (folklore, mermaids, mysteries, etc.) but is not formulaic and take a different approach to those themes. Set in Victorian London, the book follows Mrs. Bridget "Bridie" Devine as she tries to find the secret, but stolen daughter of a local baronet. Things quickly change as Bridie realizes the stolen child isn't exactly what she seems, and Bridie finds herself in a world of ghosts and sea creatures as she must also with the demons from her past who also seem to be too real.

I love the setting of the book and Kidd's descriptions of this magic infused Victorian London. It's the right blend of creepy and beautiful.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I tried hard to get into this book. It sounded so interesting. I just didn't get it. Gave up at 30%.

Lady investigator Bridie Devine lives a quiet but strange life in Victorian London. She is often utilized by the London Police, but is in disgrace after her failure to recover a stolen child. She has now been hired by a wealthy Baronet to find his secret daughter Christabel, who has been kidnapped. She is helped by her giantess maid and a flirtatious ghost. What Bridie does not know is that Christabel is not a normal child and may have supernatural abilities.

There were a lot of things I liked about the book. Kidd's descriptions of Victorian London, particularly the disgusting realities are well done. The general plot is slow moving, but engaging. Bridie and Christbel's kidnappers circle each other until a very exiting denouement. Along the way we find a kindhearted apothecary, an eccentric circus master, collectors of oddities and several strange dead bodies.

Unfortunately I was not as enamored with Bridie as I had hoped. While her physical features are often described (red hair, stout of form, widows cap), I didn't get much of a feel for her as a person. Her childhood and current circumstances are well depicted, but there is not much said about her life in between. Does she have friends beyond her maid, foster parents and foster brother? Any interests outside of her investigations? I wish other aspects of her life were a little more detailed.

A Haunting lyrically written thriller so atmospheric, characters that come alive ..Birdie so unusual a female who helps police in investigations her maid Cora who is an extremely tall woman.I was swept away to a different country a different time by this extraordinary author.#netgalley#atriabooks

Bridie Devine is a female detective in Victorian London who aids the police in solving murders and takes in private cases. Bridie in turn is aided by her 7-foot-tall housemaid, Cora, whom she rescued from deplorable conditions in a circus.

Bridie is asked to help find the missing daughter of Sir Edmund Berwick, a 6-year-old who has been kept in hiding at the baronet’s estate and who has rather strange and unique traits. With her background and some experience in looking for children with odd birth defects, Bridie knows it’s likely little Christabel will be sold to collectors or anatomists, so she gets to work right away. A woman of science and utter practicality, Bridie finds the stories she hears about the girl as she goes about the investigation hard to believe — that the child brings memories to mind; that she can drown someone with no water around; that her bite is venomous.

In a visit to a church, Bridie gains an unexpected and unsettling companion: a transparent former boxer named Ruby Doyle, who is delighted to see Bridie, telling her he hasn’t seen her in years but that he’d recognize her flaming red hair and her “irresistible scowl” anywhere. He ends up accompanying her throughout her whole investigation.

The story winds through a distinctly atmospheric London and environs, through dirty and smelly streets to decrepit churches and old manors. The author takes her time describing her characters inside and out and bringing the whole tale to vivid life, and the reader doesn’t begrudge her one perfectly chosen adjective or colorful phrase. Things in Jars is deliciously gothic.

Bridie must draw upon all she’s experienced and been subjected to in her life as she tries to save a little girl, solve the mystery of the supposed ghost who insists she knows him, and confront a veritable demon from her youth. The story goes back and forth between Bridie’s present and her past, and every plot line is threaded in just so to create a very satisfying tapestry of a story. A really fine novel.

W O W.

I didn't really read the blurb on this one [it just sounded good to me] and therefore was a bit surprised at the content, but WOW. What a great read. I loved this book. It is just SO Neil Gaimanish without copying him. Jess Kidd is her own voice and the creepy, crawly, ick [and I mean ick in the BEST sort of way possible] of this book was just magnificent. Her writing is just lyrical and flows and every sentence says something, No words or ideas are wasted here. I just fell in love with her writing.

Bridie is a fantastic main character. I love Cora. I REALLY love Ruby. And the evils of this book [and trust me, there is MUCH evil in this book] are exactly what you want horrible, evil, corrupt, bad guys to be. I cannot tell you how many times I grimaced when one or more of them were on the page. <shudder>

It is really difficult for me to review this because I don't want to give anything away. This is a book you need to go into actually NOT knowing too much. It just makes all that creepiness so much better. If you love Neil Gaiman [especially Neverwhere], you will love this book. I was able to listen to the audiobook for this [due to be spectacularly behind in my reading - the book was published BEFORE I could get it read] and I HIGHLY recommend that. The narrator is amazing and really, really brought this book to life. Her narration made me, at times, feel like I was right there. It was awesome.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.