Ever since reading books like Bone Deep by Bonnie Dee, Menagerie (Menagerie, #1) by Rachel Vincent or The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman the topic of curiosities and oddities has been fascinating.

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

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 Jarsis 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.

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

My thoughts

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I’ve always been drawn to the unique, and sometimes macabre, especially when it comes to curiosities. Things in Jars was a Victorian mystery with characters that very vibrant and and unforgettable.

But what I’ll be taking away from this book are the uniquely quirky, weird and strange characters. Their interactions, witty dialogues and the overall wonderfully strange story.

I love the world of curiosities, oddities and wonder, drawn from folklore, fairytales as well as the many unexplainable mutations in nature. The author did a fantastic job of weaving it all together in a very poetic book. I can’t say that I was wowed by it all. The writing didn’t entirely sync with me, and I often skipped the very detailed descriptions. Nevertheless the story, the mystery, and the wonderfully vibrant characters will stay with me for longer.

Bridie/Bridget, is for all intents and purposes a kind of detective in Victorian England. She doesn’t officially work as one, but is given cases on the side. Her talent is seeing what others might overlook. In that regard she and the story weren’t anything special, but her personality, and especially her backstory were fascinating.

But, what the author really excels at is creating wonderful relationships that just fly off the pages. Bridie and her housemaid Cora, “the most terrifying seven-foot-tall house-maid in London” have the most wonderful connection. Supportive, understanding, open, with a subtle wit that made me smile.

And then there is the ghost, Ruby Doyle, famous champion boxer. Maybe a triangle love story too. And a dark, bizarre, and at times gruesome case that made me wonder what to believe. There is definitely a super-natural part to the story. It’s not in your face super-natural, but it’s there.

Also the ending actually sounded like there is more to come, which I would love. Especially since I rooted for Bridie and Inspector Valentine Rose of Scotland Yard. They have history, were childhood friends and they work in the same field. And I really liked the little bit we saw of him. Hope we’ll see more in a second book.

Overall, the book really shone when it came to the characters. Their interactions and relationships. That’s, at least what will stay with me until the next book.

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3.5 stars

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Things in Jars by Jess Kidd