The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter Leaves Solving Crime to the Ladies
Even if you’ve delighted in the classic tales of Jekyll and Hyde, Doctor Moreau, Rappaccini’s Daughter, and Frankenstein, you may have noticed these narratives all tend to be missing a certain voice. That is to say, where are the women? Much of Elizabeth and Victorian fantastical literature was written by men, and even when it wasn’t, favored the perspectives of the men of the time. If women appear at all, they are silent companions, bawdy prostitutes, waifish servants, or victims, relegated to the background and unimportant to the plot. In The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, Theodora Goss gives these women their voices back, setting a league of extraordinary gentlewomen against monstrous foes, and I, for one, am so here for it.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
Hardcover $25.99
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
Hardcover $25.99
Mary Jekyll is mourning the death of her mother when she learns her deceased father’s strange fugitive friend Mr. Hyde might be back in town. As Mary examines her mother’s paperwork, she finds a clue to his whereabouts, and resourcefully turns to the famous Sherlock Holmes for help finding the scoundrel, intending to turn him in for the reward money. The investigation leads Mary to a surprising discovery, and she winds up rescuing a number of women in distress—the kind of women polite society might think of as worthy only for freak shows and traveling circuses. But Mary finds them daring, brave, and intelligent, and they friends—even sisters—for life.
Mary finds the 14 year old Diana Hyde in a strict religious home for fallen women. The two are hilariously at odds from the jump, as each attempts to learn more about the fathers who abandoned them. They next rescue the beautiful, deadly Beatrice Rappaccini, the subject of biological experiments conducted by her father. She’s being kept as an object of fascination when Mary and Diana find her, but soon blossoms into a formidable scientific mind. She’s suffered the loss of a love, but refuses to pine away. We also learn the story of the fierce Catherine Moreau, who is, as you may have guessed, the most successful experimental creation of the infamous Dr. Moreau. Once a puma, she’s been transformed into something greater, and though she’s not quite human, her bravery and cunning make her a valuable addition to this crew of clever women.
Finally, there is Justine Frankenstein. In Mary Shelley’s novel, Victor Frankenstein never follows through with making his original creation a bride; instead, he throws all of her parts into the sea for fear the two monsters would mate and bring about the end of mankind. Justine is appreciative of Mrs. Shelley’s attempts to keep Victor’s second creation a secret, and though she clashes with Adam, the first monster, she wins her freedom, making for a gentle giantess who uses her extraordinary strength to protect the women as they explore the seedier parts of London in pursuit of a mystery.
We’re used to Sherlock and Watson being the stars of these kinds of stories, but not so here: they are the sidekicks assisting the women as they seek to avenge the sins of their fathers. Sometimes, the ladies even have to rescue the boys when things go sideways. I love that Sherlock recognizes Mary’s knack for observation and treats her as an equal on his cases, despite Inspector Lestrade’s protests. And Watson is a dear fellow who allows Mary to make decisions for herself, even as he worries so tenderly for her safety. Perhaps a romance is afoot? I think any man who clearly respects a woman’s choices would be a good match.
This novel’s format might challenge the casual reader—the story is told by Catherine, but she faces constant interruptions by the other women, who offer a sort of editorial commentary. It can be jarring, interrupting the flow of the narrative, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing—all of the women are interesting, and this method gives them all a chance to tell their stories. It’s a choice that dovetails with the theme of female empowerment that is the book’s raison d’etre, and I don’t think it would be as effective without taking the risk. Already we’ve seen the origin stories of a handful of these rather extraordinary ladies, and I hope we’ll get to see more of them in future novels.
If you’re looking for adventure, kick-ass ladies, a good mystery, and a touch of the monstrous, look no further—The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is the brainy, gleefully madcap literary mashup of your dreams.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is available now.
Mary Jekyll is mourning the death of her mother when she learns her deceased father’s strange fugitive friend Mr. Hyde might be back in town. As Mary examines her mother’s paperwork, she finds a clue to his whereabouts, and resourcefully turns to the famous Sherlock Holmes for help finding the scoundrel, intending to turn him in for the reward money. The investigation leads Mary to a surprising discovery, and she winds up rescuing a number of women in distress—the kind of women polite society might think of as worthy only for freak shows and traveling circuses. But Mary finds them daring, brave, and intelligent, and they friends—even sisters—for life.
Mary finds the 14 year old Diana Hyde in a strict religious home for fallen women. The two are hilariously at odds from the jump, as each attempts to learn more about the fathers who abandoned them. They next rescue the beautiful, deadly Beatrice Rappaccini, the subject of biological experiments conducted by her father. She’s being kept as an object of fascination when Mary and Diana find her, but soon blossoms into a formidable scientific mind. She’s suffered the loss of a love, but refuses to pine away. We also learn the story of the fierce Catherine Moreau, who is, as you may have guessed, the most successful experimental creation of the infamous Dr. Moreau. Once a puma, she’s been transformed into something greater, and though she’s not quite human, her bravery and cunning make her a valuable addition to this crew of clever women.
Finally, there is Justine Frankenstein. In Mary Shelley’s novel, Victor Frankenstein never follows through with making his original creation a bride; instead, he throws all of her parts into the sea for fear the two monsters would mate and bring about the end of mankind. Justine is appreciative of Mrs. Shelley’s attempts to keep Victor’s second creation a secret, and though she clashes with Adam, the first monster, she wins her freedom, making for a gentle giantess who uses her extraordinary strength to protect the women as they explore the seedier parts of London in pursuit of a mystery.
We’re used to Sherlock and Watson being the stars of these kinds of stories, but not so here: they are the sidekicks assisting the women as they seek to avenge the sins of their fathers. Sometimes, the ladies even have to rescue the boys when things go sideways. I love that Sherlock recognizes Mary’s knack for observation and treats her as an equal on his cases, despite Inspector Lestrade’s protests. And Watson is a dear fellow who allows Mary to make decisions for herself, even as he worries so tenderly for her safety. Perhaps a romance is afoot? I think any man who clearly respects a woman’s choices would be a good match.
This novel’s format might challenge the casual reader—the story is told by Catherine, but she faces constant interruptions by the other women, who offer a sort of editorial commentary. It can be jarring, interrupting the flow of the narrative, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing—all of the women are interesting, and this method gives them all a chance to tell their stories. It’s a choice that dovetails with the theme of female empowerment that is the book’s raison d’etre, and I don’t think it would be as effective without taking the risk. Already we’ve seen the origin stories of a handful of these rather extraordinary ladies, and I hope we’ll get to see more of them in future novels.
If you’re looking for adventure, kick-ass ladies, a good mystery, and a touch of the monstrous, look no further—The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is the brainy, gleefully madcap literary mashup of your dreams.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is available now.