You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Reviews tagging 'Grief'
Los diarios de la boticaria, Vol. 1 by Nekokurage, Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
8 reviews
mabellene's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Kidnapping
Moderate: Grief and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
➽ I was pleasantly surprised by The Apothecary Diaries! I wasn't sure if the setting would work for me, but Maomao stole my heart! The story is set in a world based on Imperial China during the Tang dynasty and takes place in the inner palace, where the Emperor's concubines reside. Maomao is a lowly servant who was sold into servitude and used to be an apothecary. I immediately liked her whip-smart commentary and cynical nature. She really stood out as an authentic, intriguing protagonist. Maomao is very clever but used to downplaying her skills as they'll only make more work for her and her kidnappers still get a cut of her wages. I understood that she didn't want to admit that she can read and knows about medicinal herbs, as being unseen in court can sometimes be better. I just found her so endearing and loved her darker humor!
➽ When Maomao helps out one of the most coveted concubines Gyokuyō, she finds herself as the new food tester. Despite wanting to fly under the radar, she is now in a much better position and helps solve mysteries inside the court with the help of her apothecary skills. She can finally experiment with concoctions and herbs again! There are a lot of serious topics in the Manga, but Maomao's different expressions and commentary definitely lighten them. I'm intrigued to see what'll happen with Jinshi, an eunuch close to concubine Gyokuyō as he's still quite mysterious. Maomao's not sure about his true intentions and it'll be interesting to see what he might be hiding!
➽ When Maomao helps out one of the most coveted concubines Gyokuyō, she finds herself as the new food tester. Despite wanting to fly under the radar, she is now in a much better position and helps solve mysteries inside the court with the help of her apothecary skills. She can finally experiment with concoctions and herbs again! There are a lot of serious topics in the Manga, but Maomao's different expressions and commentary definitely lighten them. I'm intrigued to see what'll happen with Jinshi, an eunuch close to concubine Gyokuyō as he's still quite mysterious. Maomao's not sure about his true intentions and it'll be interesting to see what he might be hiding!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Kidnapping, and Grief
corallydeer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I adore the anime adaptation of this manga so I just had to give reading it a shot! I love the art style in the manga and it's always really cool to see comparisons between the adaptation and the manga. I still adore the story and I'm so excited to read through the manga and see what lies ahead!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Child death, Self harm, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Trafficking
Medical Contentparadicsomleves's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Grief
alyssa_s10's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I like this series bit more than I thought I would. I love the main characters intelligence and cunning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child death, Self harm, and Grief
Minor: Body shaming, Death, and Lesbophobia
ashlikes's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Child death, Self harm, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
'The Apothecary Diaries' by Natsu Hyuuga is a fascinating peek into the life in the inner court of a palace.
Kidnapped and working as a servant in the palace, Maomao's life takes a turn when she solves the mystery of a curse that is affecting the emperor's heirs. Promoted, the inner court utilizes Maomao's knowledge of herbal medicine to cure ails and solve apparent mysteries that are circulating.
'The Apothecary Diaries" blends a historical story with intrigue and mystery. Maomao is a sympathetic character who we are slowly getting to know better. This first volume introduces her and a hint of her backstory while also weaving her into the life of the inner court. I have a feeling that this story will continue to explore the political intrigue in the palace and how Maomao's knowledge can help solve different issues. I'm intrigued to see where this story goes next.
Kidnapped and working as a servant in the palace, Maomao's life takes a turn when she solves the mystery of a curse that is affecting the emperor's heirs. Promoted, the inner court utilizes Maomao's knowledge of herbal medicine to cure ails and solve apparent mysteries that are circulating.
'The Apothecary Diaries" blends a historical story with intrigue and mystery. Maomao is a sympathetic character who we are slowly getting to know better. This first volume introduces her and a hint of her backstory while also weaving her into the life of the inner court. I have a feeling that this story will continue to explore the political intrigue in the palace and how Maomao's knowledge can help solve different issues. I'm intrigued to see where this story goes next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Grief
Minor: Child death and Kidnapping
caramiaculpa's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Child death and Lesbophobia