I’m not sure why, but it took me forever to read Things in Jars. Maybe it was that there was a lot to wrap my mind around - including a female detective main character who rescued and lives with a seven foot woman, has conversations with a ghost, smokes experimental concoctions, is searching for a child who is said to have magical/mythical powers, has a horrifying back story, and is highly skilled in anatomy and medicine.
⠀
Things in Jars, by Jess Kidd, is, at its core, a mystery. However, this novel is so much more than that. Set in Victorian England, Kidd uses elements of social commentary, fairy tale, and magic, to create a highly unusual story.
⠀
I won’t say that I loved this book. I was, however, completely immersed. The ending was satisfying, everything seemed real (even with the magical elements), and Kidd’s writing style added another level of interest.