I was about 50 pages into the The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter, and I knew I was going to give it 5 stars. As a Victorian lit nerd, the very concept of this book is a thrilling one. Once I dove in, the story was everything I wanted. It's what The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen ought to have been.

The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter follows Mary Jekyll, the daughter of the infamous Dr. Jekyll, in her pursuit of her erstwhile father, making end's meet, and justice for her fellow women. Along the way, she forms the Avengers finds a new family of women like her.

At its core, the book is a love letter to Victorian creature features. Goss' handles the same themes of science and aberration with tender deftness and sly humor. Throughout the novel, there are script-style interjections by the main cast, and it works with a flair I don't think I've seen since the footnotes of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. The female friendship and character development are epic and a balm to the world-weary soul. Suddenly the strange tales, the terrors of unfettered science, and the gaslamp glow depicted women like me. Their reality of caring for one another, surviving and thriving together, going on adventures, and making ends meet are dreams my own group of friends have had over and over. Goss takes pains to make each woman distinct, and their chemistry sparks off the page. I'm already eager for the next book.

I do benefit from my whiteness here, though. As far as I can tell, only Catherine, who is literally a former puma, has dark skin and is of color. Boo. Black Victorian lit nerds are still waiting for their mirror. There are hints that Catherine and Justine Frankenstein might be lovers, but I wish that it was confirmed. The good the book did for me is real, but I respect any queer reader of colors' opinions if they wanted more. Totally understandable. Maybe the next book will add more diversity.