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The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell
An engrossing historical saga based on the life of the eighteenth-century woman who endured loss and betrayal—and dared to pursue her dreams.
Her parents warned Elizabeth that Alexander Blackwell would not make a dependable husband, and only after eloping with him did she learn they may have been right . . .
After their marriage, the couple finds lodgings in London. Alexander looks for work while Elizabeth learns engraving. Before long, though, Alexander is in the Marshalsea, the notorious debtors’ prison, and she is left to fend for herself.
Alone and penniless, she has a few things going for her: a skill, an idea, and an acquaintance. Elizabeth embarks on a quest that earns her a small fortune and may allow her to buy her husband’s freedom. It seems like she may live happily ever after. But her extraordinary story isn’t over yet . . .
Her parents warned Elizabeth that Alexander Blackwell would not make a dependable husband, and only after eloping with him did she learn they may have been right . . .
After their marriage, the couple finds lodgings in London. Alexander looks for work while Elizabeth learns engraving. Before long, though, Alexander is in the Marshalsea, the notorious debtors’ prison, and she is left to fend for herself.
Alone and penniless, she has a few things going for her: a skill, an idea, and an acquaintance. Elizabeth embarks on a quest that earns her a small fortune and may allow her to buy her husband’s freedom. It seems like she may live happily ever after. But her extraordinary story isn’t over yet . . .
- GenresHistorical Fiction
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2022
173 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 25, 2022
In a Nutshell: A historical fiction inspired by the true story of Elizabeth Blackwell, a Scottish botanical illustrator from the 18th century. The story should have wowed me, but the writing was just okay. I appreciate the intent, not the content.
Story Synopsis:
Once again, the same question comes up for historical fiction reviewers: If a book is based on a real person, do we rate the person’s story or the book? I see many readers calling the story inspiring, crediting Elizabeth Blackwell as being a resourceful, smart and courageous woman. Absolutely no doubt in any of these points. However, as this is a *book* review, I shall focus on the writing and the approach towards the narration of this amazing woman’s story. And therein lies the problem: both were below par.
Where the book worked for me:
🌺 History seems to have forgotten the contribution of this Scottish botanical illustrator. I appreciated the book’s attempt to bring her story back into the public eye.
🌺 There’s no denying the strength of Elizabeth Blackwell. Hand-creating, engraving and painting more than 500 individual images by hand over a period of two years – her efforts deserve to be remembered and celebrated. I loved learning about her and her methodology. I looked up her illustrations online and ended up awed by her talent and the intricate detailing in her work.
🌺 Some of the secondary characters are interesting, though they get only a minor focus.
🌺 The book does cover a few good themes, such the value of women’s education and the need for them to have their own career. While some of the content didn’t fit in with the image we have of the 18th century, it was still a good attempt.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
🌵 Whenever a book is based on facts, I know that there will be some liberty taken with the actual events. But when these creative licenses go beyond what is necessary, I don’t like it. (This is the main reason why ‘Year of Wonders’ and ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ failed so miserably for me.) Blackwell had a child when her husband was imprisoned; in the book, she has no children until much after he is released. Online articles reveal that she stayed faithful to her loser husband throughout their marriage; this isn’t the case in the book. I get the need to fill in the blanks when history has no mention of the truth, but surely not at the cost of compromising on the values of the original person.
🌵 It’s not just that facts are twisted but certain facts, which could have helped us understand the situation better, aren’t mentioned in the book at all. For instance, Alexander was her second cousin in real life; this isn’t revealed anywhere. Elizabeth’s age also is never specified, though there are a few references to “he was a few years older” or “my daughter would have been as old as you are”. A character’s age is one of the essentials in understanding their behaviour. I had assumed Elizabeth to be in her teens or so when she eloped, that’s how her behaviour was portrayed. Imagine my surprise when I discovered online that she was in her late twenties!
🌵 The first half of the book has only minor hurdles but the second half drags the pace as well as the plot development. There are needless twists just to enhance the impact of a few facts. I had to force myself to complete it.
🌵 There is one secondary character who seems to be a closeted lesbian and moves to another city to be with her lady lover. While I appreciate the addition of a queer arc to the story, I don’t think it was depicted realistically.
🌵 Even for such a dramatic story, I didn’t end up feeling anything for any of the characters. It felt like they were at a distance and the writing didn’t allow me to connect with them. Being emotionally invested in a story always helps in liking a book better.
🌵 I always appreciate it when such stories come with a detailed author’s note, clarifying their approach towards the facts and revealing more about their writing decisions. There is an author’s note in this book but it is minimal and doesn’t reveal much of value.
🌵 The writing was quite basic, I’m sorry to say. The narrative focus shifts across various characters while it should have been restricted mainly to Elizabeth and Alexander. Elizabeth’s sister, Christian, gets an interesting arc, but most of it isn’t even relevant to the main proceedings and one track in it (related to Harriet) isn’t even completed. Elizabeth’s character is written as loving Alexander to regretting their marriage to loving him to regretting… and so on without showing a smooth shift in the emotions; the overall effect is as if she has a shaky personality instead of being a woman tormented by the ghost of her hasty decision. Most of the story is in the past tense but the last few chapters suddenly shift to the present tense without any justification. The narration is jumpy and often skips days or years; these skips are sometimes mentioned with tags such as “five days later” but often go unannounced. It just felt very haphazard.
All in all, I had expected to love this book for its efforts to highlight a long-forgotten brave and intelligent woman of the past. But the lacklustre writing ended up sullying my experience. If you are not a stickler for quality in writing, please do try this book to know at least a little about the talented female illustrator that science and history forgot.
2 stars.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books for a complimentary copy of “The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
If you intend to Google more about this artist, make sure you search for “Elizabeth Blackwell herbalist”; searching merely by name shows the results of another remarkable Elizabeth Blackwell, a 19th century physician who was the first woman in America to receive a medical degree.
The National Library of Medicine’s online archive has a virtual copy of Blackwell’s book, ‘A Curious Herbal’. Do page through it and view the intricacies of each illustration created by her hands.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
1730. Elizabeth Blachrie, who is the daughter of a wealthy trader, elopes with Alexander Blackwell as she is sure her family won't accept him. They settle in London, and smart-talking Alexander lands up owning a printing press after some hiccups. However, when things don’t go as planned and Alexander is imprisoned for some breach of business laws and debts, Elizabeth has to make a living not just to survive but also to free her husband. She falls back on her drawing skills, and with support from the team at the Chelsea Physic Garden, begins a series of engravings on exotic plants that could function as remedies. Will this skill save her husband and her? How will things work out for the pair?
The story comes to us in the limited third person narration of various characters.
Once again, the same question comes up for historical fiction reviewers: If a book is based on a real person, do we rate the person’s story or the book? I see many readers calling the story inspiring, crediting Elizabeth Blackwell as being a resourceful, smart and courageous woman. Absolutely no doubt in any of these points. However, as this is a *book* review, I shall focus on the writing and the approach towards the narration of this amazing woman’s story. And therein lies the problem: both were below par.
Where the book worked for me:
🌺 History seems to have forgotten the contribution of this Scottish botanical illustrator. I appreciated the book’s attempt to bring her story back into the public eye.
🌺 There’s no denying the strength of Elizabeth Blackwell. Hand-creating, engraving and painting more than 500 individual images by hand over a period of two years – her efforts deserve to be remembered and celebrated. I loved learning about her and her methodology. I looked up her illustrations online and ended up awed by her talent and the intricate detailing in her work.
🌺 Some of the secondary characters are interesting, though they get only a minor focus.
🌺 The book does cover a few good themes, such the value of women’s education and the need for them to have their own career. While some of the content didn’t fit in with the image we have of the 18th century, it was still a good attempt.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
🌵 Whenever a book is based on facts, I know that there will be some liberty taken with the actual events. But when these creative licenses go beyond what is necessary, I don’t like it. (This is the main reason why ‘Year of Wonders’ and ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ failed so miserably for me.) Blackwell had a child when her husband was imprisoned; in the book, she has no children until much after he is released. Online articles reveal that she stayed faithful to her loser husband throughout their marriage; this isn’t the case in the book. I get the need to fill in the blanks when history has no mention of the truth, but surely not at the cost of compromising on the values of the original person.
🌵 It’s not just that facts are twisted but certain facts, which could have helped us understand the situation better, aren’t mentioned in the book at all. For instance, Alexander was her second cousin in real life; this isn’t revealed anywhere. Elizabeth’s age also is never specified, though there are a few references to “he was a few years older” or “my daughter would have been as old as you are”. A character’s age is one of the essentials in understanding their behaviour. I had assumed Elizabeth to be in her teens or so when she eloped, that’s how her behaviour was portrayed. Imagine my surprise when I discovered online that she was in her late twenties!
🌵 The first half of the book has only minor hurdles but the second half drags the pace as well as the plot development. There are needless twists just to enhance the impact of a few facts. I had to force myself to complete it.
🌵 There is one secondary character who seems to be a closeted lesbian and moves to another city to be with her lady lover. While I appreciate the addition of a queer arc to the story, I don’t think it was depicted realistically.
🌵 Even for such a dramatic story, I didn’t end up feeling anything for any of the characters. It felt like they were at a distance and the writing didn’t allow me to connect with them. Being emotionally invested in a story always helps in liking a book better.
🌵 I always appreciate it when such stories come with a detailed author’s note, clarifying their approach towards the facts and revealing more about their writing decisions. There is an author’s note in this book but it is minimal and doesn’t reveal much of value.
🌵 The writing was quite basic, I’m sorry to say. The narrative focus shifts across various characters while it should have been restricted mainly to Elizabeth and Alexander. Elizabeth’s sister, Christian, gets an interesting arc, but most of it isn’t even relevant to the main proceedings and one track in it (related to Harriet) isn’t even completed. Elizabeth’s character is written as loving Alexander to regretting their marriage to loving him to regretting… and so on without showing a smooth shift in the emotions; the overall effect is as if she has a shaky personality instead of being a woman tormented by the ghost of her hasty decision. Most of the story is in the past tense but the last few chapters suddenly shift to the present tense without any justification. The narration is jumpy and often skips days or years; these skips are sometimes mentioned with tags such as “five days later” but often go unannounced. It just felt very haphazard.
All in all, I had expected to love this book for its efforts to highlight a long-forgotten brave and intelligent woman of the past. But the lacklustre writing ended up sullying my experience. If you are not a stickler for quality in writing, please do try this book to know at least a little about the talented female illustrator that science and history forgot.
2 stars.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books for a complimentary copy of “The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
If you intend to Google more about this artist, make sure you search for “Elizabeth Blackwell herbalist”; searching merely by name shows the results of another remarkable Elizabeth Blackwell, a 19th century physician who was the first woman in America to receive a medical degree.
The National Library of Medicine’s online archive has a virtual copy of Blackwell’s book, ‘A Curious Herbal’. Do page through it and view the intricacies of each illustration created by her hands.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
October 27, 2022
2.5 Stars
One Liner: Starts well but goes downhill in the second half
Elizabeth goes against her family’s wishes to marry Alexander Blackwell. She knew life with him would be different but hoped it would be exciting. While the excitement was certainly present, Elizabeth learns that dreams are different from reality, and what made Alexander unique may not be his best traits.
Life in London was good and bad, and Elizabeth took things in stride without compromising her individuality. But when things take a turn for worse, and Alexander is in debtor’s prison, she has to be braver than ever to get him out of prison and deal with what life throws at her. Can Elizabeth handle the pressure and lead the life she dreamt of?
The story comes from Elizabeth’s third-person POV, with a few scenes from other characters’ third-person POVs.
What I Like:
The first 40-50% has steady pacing and yet presents a clear picture of the characters and their lives.
There isn’t much ‘show’, but ‘telling’ works for the storyline. There are enough descriptions to visualize the setting and the story.
The details about Elizabeth’s artwork and the creation of Curious Herbal were great to read. I loved reading about the process of engraving and the skills required to create something so intricate.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Using real-life stories to write fiction comes with responsibility. The writer has to balance the authenticity of real people while using creative liberties to dramatize their lives and events. However, staying true to their characters is crucial. While Alexander’s arc seems to align with the real person, I’m not impressed by certain changes to Elizabeth’s character.
A few changes have been made, some of which are not a big deal. But a couple of changes did affect the plot. One of those doesn’t stay true to Elizabeth’s original character and grit. I read a few versions of her life’s story, and none mentions anything close to what has happened in the book. What’s more, I don’t even see the need for it. This isn’t something we should be doing to real people. She isn’t alive to present her side, right?
Apart from the said creative liberties (I understand all about it. I’m a writer myself), the second half is slower and even drags in some places. While I appreciate the details about the conditions at the debtor’s prison, I would have liked it better with quicker pacing.
The side characters are not fully explored. There are hints with bits and pieces of information but those seem to help the main characters more. Only Christian’s character has a good arc. Therese and George seem to drift in and out. Tobias… well, let’s not talk about it.
To summarize, The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell starts on a solid note but dips and dips further towards the end, especially after reading her true story.
Thank you, Bloodhound Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
One Liner: Starts well but goes downhill in the second half
Elizabeth goes against her family’s wishes to marry Alexander Blackwell. She knew life with him would be different but hoped it would be exciting. While the excitement was certainly present, Elizabeth learns that dreams are different from reality, and what made Alexander unique may not be his best traits.
Life in London was good and bad, and Elizabeth took things in stride without compromising her individuality. But when things take a turn for worse, and Alexander is in debtor’s prison, she has to be braver than ever to get him out of prison and deal with what life throws at her. Can Elizabeth handle the pressure and lead the life she dreamt of?
The story comes from Elizabeth’s third-person POV, with a few scenes from other characters’ third-person POVs.
What I Like:
The first 40-50% has steady pacing and yet presents a clear picture of the characters and their lives.
There isn’t much ‘show’, but ‘telling’ works for the storyline. There are enough descriptions to visualize the setting and the story.
The details about Elizabeth’s artwork and the creation of Curious Herbal were great to read. I loved reading about the process of engraving and the skills required to create something so intricate.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Using real-life stories to write fiction comes with responsibility. The writer has to balance the authenticity of real people while using creative liberties to dramatize their lives and events. However, staying true to their characters is crucial. While Alexander’s arc seems to align with the real person, I’m not impressed by certain changes to Elizabeth’s character.
A few changes have been made, some of which are not a big deal. But a couple of changes did affect the plot. One of those doesn’t stay true to Elizabeth’s original character and grit. I read a few versions of her life’s story, and none mentions anything close to what has happened in the book. What’s more, I don’t even see the need for it. This isn’t something we should be doing to real people. She isn’t alive to present her side, right?
Apart from the said creative liberties (I understand all about it. I’m a writer myself), the second half is slower and even drags in some places. While I appreciate the details about the conditions at the debtor’s prison, I would have liked it better with quicker pacing.
The side characters are not fully explored. There are hints with bits and pieces of information but those seem to help the main characters more. Only Christian’s character has a good arc. Therese and George seem to drift in and out. Tobias… well, let’s not talk about it.
To summarize, The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell starts on a solid note but dips and dips further towards the end, especially after reading her true story.
Thank you, Bloodhound Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
October 25, 2022
Elizabeth Blackwell, fearful that her family wish her to marry a man she doesn't love, elopes with Alexander Blackwell who has been courting Elizabeth on the sly. They are married in London & Alexander is full of dreams & promises of making it big, he just needs the idea & the capital. He gets a job as a reader for a printing company, & one day a visitor to the shop discusses with him their idea of how to print multiple copies cheaply. Alexander knows this could revolutionise publishing but the boss doesn't want to know.
Luckily, Elizabeth's family have eventually accepted their marriage, & sent them a nest egg. They purchase the printing company & start a modestly successful business, but it's not long until the printing trade take them to court as Blackwell has not completed an apprenticeship in the trade. He is heavily fined & sent to Marshalsea prison for debt to remain there until his debts are paid. Elizabeth utilises her skill in drawing by producing engravings of plants which were sold to students of botany, & physicians amongst others, in a collection entitled 'A Curious Herbal'. Alexander is released from prison but things do not go to plan.
As I started reading this, it soon became apparent that in my snap judgment of whether to request to read this book or not, I'd mistaken the Elizabeth Blackwell in the title for Dr Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female medical doctor on the General Medical Council's register in 1859. No matter, this Elizabeth Blackwell's story is just as interesting. It should be noted that this is historical fiction based on a true story & checking up online there are several differences.
Overall I enjoyed reading about Elizabeth, even though at times it was infuriating that she was basically the breadwinner but still at the behest of her husband. Elizabeth works for several years to get him out of prison - only for him to swan off abroad. He seems to have had front enough for anything mind. The narrative kept my attention & I was invested to find out what happened, but some aspects felt underwritten. For example Therese was a fascinating character but as the book went on, she became someone who just wandered in & out of their lives when they needed something, & I thought the ending was rather abrupt. 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)
My thanks to publishers, Bloodhound Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
Luckily, Elizabeth's family have eventually accepted their marriage, & sent them a nest egg. They purchase the printing company & start a modestly successful business, but it's not long until the printing trade take them to court as Blackwell has not completed an apprenticeship in the trade. He is heavily fined & sent to Marshalsea prison for debt to remain there until his debts are paid. Elizabeth utilises her skill in drawing by producing engravings of plants which were sold to students of botany, & physicians amongst others, in a collection entitled 'A Curious Herbal'. Alexander is released from prison but things do not go to plan.
As I started reading this, it soon became apparent that in my snap judgment of whether to request to read this book or not, I'd mistaken the Elizabeth Blackwell in the title for Dr Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female medical doctor on the General Medical Council's register in 1859. No matter, this Elizabeth Blackwell's story is just as interesting. It should be noted that this is historical fiction based on a true story & checking up online there are several differences.
Overall I enjoyed reading about Elizabeth, even though at times it was infuriating that she was basically the breadwinner but still at the behest of her husband. Elizabeth works for several years to get him out of prison - only for him to swan off abroad. He seems to have had front enough for anything mind. The narrative kept my attention & I was invested to find out what happened, but some aspects felt underwritten. For example Therese was a fascinating character but as the book went on, she became someone who just wandered in & out of their lives when they needed something, & I thought the ending was rather abrupt. 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)
My thanks to publishers, Bloodhound Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
September 17, 2025
The subject matter of the novel is what was most interesting to me. Botanical illustration is a very intricate and beautiful art form. The work that Elizabeth Blackwell produced is gorgeous. It’s remarkable that a woman in the 18th century was able to not only produce this large body of artistic and informative work, but that she was able to make a living doing so. Author Holmes created an interesting story to fill in the gaps that history (HERSTORY) is unable to recover. The descriptions of herbs and flowers and their applications was fascinating coupled with the actual illustrations which can be found online.
October 23, 2022
I am a fan of historical fiction and this tale didn’t disappoint me. I want to applaud the author for the level of research that she has clearly undertaken whilst writing this novel. She has done a fine job in recreating life in 18th century London. I felt like I was there too observing it all. I have discovered things that I didn’t know before, such as life in a debtor’s prison. All in all a very good book and I would recommend this book to others to enjoy. Thanks to Bloodhound Books for providing me with an ARC to review.
December 15, 2022
When an author tells you that they have a historical novel coming out, the least you can do is read it, if only out of politeness. In this instance, politeness gave way to pleasure.
Elizabeth, daughter of a respectable Scots family, was a girl of independent views. She eloped with Alexander, a partly-trained medical student because “I will not be a bystander in life”, but when he puts their horses ahead of providing her with breakfast, and says “I'll tell John it was you who persuaded me to elope”, she realised that she'd picked a wrong 'un. A wrong 'un who lives by his wits as they make their way to an Edinburgh described with Dickensian relish to the seedy part of London where they originally settle.
London was the making of Elizabeth - “London was a city for brave and bold women.” For Alexander it offered too much of a challenge - taking a basic job in a printer's shop, he thought he saw great possibilities when he learned about a new printing process. As he told Elizabeth “I didn't come all this way to London to work in a print shop”, and the new process, along with the failure of the printing shop, led Alexander to borrow Elizabeth's money to buy the business, without thought of the reaction from the printers' guild, the trade union of its day. Troubles multiplied, while Elizabeth took on the responsibility of running everything in their marriage and her husband's debt-laden life..
That turned her to reviving her childhood art skills. Learning engraving at a private art school, she met Sir Hans Sloane and showed him her engravings of wild flowers. An invitation to the Chelsea Physic Garden led to a collection of precisely detailed pictures of the plants used in medicine, to which Alexander added notes on their use, drawn from his long-forgotten medical studies. Moving to a cottage close to the Physic Garden, she turned out picture after picture. Financial security at last seemed to be within reach, but what did Alexander do ? Was he grateful ? Was he blazes. Frustrated by having to depend on his wife's earnings, he took off to Sweden, was talked into another dubious scheme, and once again left Elizabeth to her own devices. - which she used to the greatest effect, turning out 250 of her pictures for a book she published in 1737 with hundreds more in the next few years..
Now it's time to come clean. This is a novel and a page-turner of a novel, but it's solidly grounded in history. There was an Elizabeth Blackwell, and she was married to Alexander. Pamela Holmes has taken a good story and applied the skills of fiction to put flesh on the bones of the story. Almost all the characters in the novel are real people – Hans Sloane's Phyisic Garden is still there in Chelsea, even the James Wilson who married the Blackwells in a backstreet ceremony and really was also known as the poet Claudero, is given credit. So – if it's a story of real life people, it's as good as a biography - and much more readable.
And - you can follow the story to its source .... Go to the British Library website (www.bl.uk) and type “Elizabeth Blackwell” in to the search block.. Tick the first of the eight options ('Elizabeth Blackwell's “A Curious Herbal”) - tick the option to view it on line, and scroll down to the end of Elizabeth's life story. There you'll find the title of the Curious Herbal highlighted in blue. Click on that and you'll arrive at the “turn the page” option, where you can see the “Curious Herbal” for yourself, page by page. You can even listen to a page-by-page commentary.
Elizabeth, daughter of a respectable Scots family, was a girl of independent views. She eloped with Alexander, a partly-trained medical student because “I will not be a bystander in life”, but when he puts their horses ahead of providing her with breakfast, and says “I'll tell John it was you who persuaded me to elope”, she realised that she'd picked a wrong 'un. A wrong 'un who lives by his wits as they make their way to an Edinburgh described with Dickensian relish to the seedy part of London where they originally settle.
London was the making of Elizabeth - “London was a city for brave and bold women.” For Alexander it offered too much of a challenge - taking a basic job in a printer's shop, he thought he saw great possibilities when he learned about a new printing process. As he told Elizabeth “I didn't come all this way to London to work in a print shop”, and the new process, along with the failure of the printing shop, led Alexander to borrow Elizabeth's money to buy the business, without thought of the reaction from the printers' guild, the trade union of its day. Troubles multiplied, while Elizabeth took on the responsibility of running everything in their marriage and her husband's debt-laden life..
That turned her to reviving her childhood art skills. Learning engraving at a private art school, she met Sir Hans Sloane and showed him her engravings of wild flowers. An invitation to the Chelsea Physic Garden led to a collection of precisely detailed pictures of the plants used in medicine, to which Alexander added notes on their use, drawn from his long-forgotten medical studies. Moving to a cottage close to the Physic Garden, she turned out picture after picture. Financial security at last seemed to be within reach, but what did Alexander do ? Was he grateful ? Was he blazes. Frustrated by having to depend on his wife's earnings, he took off to Sweden, was talked into another dubious scheme, and once again left Elizabeth to her own devices. - which she used to the greatest effect, turning out 250 of her pictures for a book she published in 1737 with hundreds more in the next few years..
Now it's time to come clean. This is a novel and a page-turner of a novel, but it's solidly grounded in history. There was an Elizabeth Blackwell, and she was married to Alexander. Pamela Holmes has taken a good story and applied the skills of fiction to put flesh on the bones of the story. Almost all the characters in the novel are real people – Hans Sloane's Phyisic Garden is still there in Chelsea, even the James Wilson who married the Blackwells in a backstreet ceremony and really was also known as the poet Claudero, is given credit. So – if it's a story of real life people, it's as good as a biography - and much more readable.
And - you can follow the story to its source .... Go to the British Library website (www.bl.uk) and type “Elizabeth Blackwell” in to the search block.. Tick the first of the eight options ('Elizabeth Blackwell's “A Curious Herbal”) - tick the option to view it on line, and scroll down to the end of Elizabeth's life story. There you'll find the title of the Curious Herbal highlighted in blue. Click on that and you'll arrive at the “turn the page” option, where you can see the “Curious Herbal” for yourself, page by page. You can even listen to a page-by-page commentary.
November 14, 2022
I have to admit I had never heard of Elizabeth Blackwell, but I had seen quite a few good reviews about this book so I gave it a go.
It is a very interesting book about an outstanding lady. She was born in 1707 into a well to do family in Aberdeen in Scotland, her father was a merchant and he was quite liberal for the time. He allowed his daughters to be educated when most women of that era were not. They were expected to look pretty, learn embroidery, household management and settle down with a husband chosen by her parents.
This was not for Elizabeth though, the man her parents had in mind for here was too insipid for her tastes, and talked down to her in conversations or ignored her views altogether.
She eloped to Edinburgh to marry her second cousin Alexander Blackwell, he was a rather bombastic man, but she adored him. He dropped out of medical college after just one year of studying and went on to have many madcap ideas and schemes to make money by doing as little as he could. He lost money hand over fist many times with Elizabeth bailing him out.
Eventually they had to flee Edinburgh as people were beginning to question his qualifications and others were chasing him for money owed.
They ended up in London where he set up a printing business, once again knowing very little about it, and because he had not served his 7 years apprenticeship and registered with the guild of printers he was arrested and thrown into the debtors jail. Many other things had happened meantime, but these would be spoilers.
This is when Elizabeth comes into her own, she needed to pay rent, bills and keep herself, whilst also paying to keep her husband in a cell with three other men (which was a bit of a luxury) rather than in the main prison because he said he would not be able to live if he had to go there. She paid over 2 shillings a week for his keep, as well as bribes to the prison guards, and boat trips every other day to take him baskets of food because he would not tolerate the prison food. Along with this she was also paying off the substantial debts he had run up with the business including bank loans he had not told her about. He would not be released from jail until these were paid in full.
She was a very good artist and had often drawn the plants and flowers in the hills around her Scottish home. So went to a night class to learn how to engrave printing plates and created over 500 plates of medicinal plants and herbs with their descriptions and uses. She then painted these prints and eventually managed to see a few to the Physic Garden in Chelsea where medical students learned their craft and eventually produced her own book called "A Curious Herbal" which was very successful and a first for a woman of that time
She had many other adventures and got into scrapes of her husband's making. The story has light moments and very sad ones too, but never fails to hold your attention throughout
It is a very interesting book about an outstanding lady. She was born in 1707 into a well to do family in Aberdeen in Scotland, her father was a merchant and he was quite liberal for the time. He allowed his daughters to be educated when most women of that era were not. They were expected to look pretty, learn embroidery, household management and settle down with a husband chosen by her parents.
This was not for Elizabeth though, the man her parents had in mind for here was too insipid for her tastes, and talked down to her in conversations or ignored her views altogether.
She eloped to Edinburgh to marry her second cousin Alexander Blackwell, he was a rather bombastic man, but she adored him. He dropped out of medical college after just one year of studying and went on to have many madcap ideas and schemes to make money by doing as little as he could. He lost money hand over fist many times with Elizabeth bailing him out.
Eventually they had to flee Edinburgh as people were beginning to question his qualifications and others were chasing him for money owed.
They ended up in London where he set up a printing business, once again knowing very little about it, and because he had not served his 7 years apprenticeship and registered with the guild of printers he was arrested and thrown into the debtors jail. Many other things had happened meantime, but these would be spoilers.
This is when Elizabeth comes into her own, she needed to pay rent, bills and keep herself, whilst also paying to keep her husband in a cell with three other men (which was a bit of a luxury) rather than in the main prison because he said he would not be able to live if he had to go there. She paid over 2 shillings a week for his keep, as well as bribes to the prison guards, and boat trips every other day to take him baskets of food because he would not tolerate the prison food. Along with this she was also paying off the substantial debts he had run up with the business including bank loans he had not told her about. He would not be released from jail until these were paid in full.
She was a very good artist and had often drawn the plants and flowers in the hills around her Scottish home. So went to a night class to learn how to engrave printing plates and created over 500 plates of medicinal plants and herbs with their descriptions and uses. She then painted these prints and eventually managed to see a few to the Physic Garden in Chelsea where medical students learned their craft and eventually produced her own book called "A Curious Herbal" which was very successful and a first for a woman of that time
She had many other adventures and got into scrapes of her husband's making. The story has light moments and very sad ones too, but never fails to hold your attention throughout
January 18, 2024
The Physic Garden in Chelsea, London is this oasis of greenery with a most extensive collection of plants useful for various medical ailments. I visited it last year and came across this book “The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell”. Interested in Botanic Art, I began to read it and was fascinated by this strong minded, independent woman who produced “The Curious Herbal” with over 500 drawings and hand coloured engravings of plants found in the Physic Garden. Information on how these plants can be useful for treating health issues was also included in this book first published in 1737-1739 and found to be invaluable to doctors and apothecaries. I couldn’t finish it then and so after some efforts manage to acquire and read this book last week.
Pamela Holmes appears to have researched the life of Elizabeth Blackwell in detail. Her writing flowed effortlessly and I was caught up in this successful and also most tragic life of Elizabeth Blackwell. Elizabeth, one of a number of children to William Blackrie and Isobel Fordyce elopes with her second cousin, Alexander Blackwell. They marry and live in London where Alexander sets himself up as a Printer. Alexander is this impetuous, entrepreneur. He had completed a year of medical school but dropped out because it didn’t seem to satisfy his yearning for success now. This demand for immediate gratification meant that he hadn’t established the credentials needed to be a printer as required by the Printers Guild. Sent to prison with outstanding debts, Elizabeth turns to painting producing “The Curious Herbal” over 5/6 years, raising funds,
paying off her husbands debt. An extraordinary achievement. Of course, such characteristics of self serving as found in her husband don’t disappear and soon enough her husband is in trouble again.
At times, I found myself furious at how Alexander Blackwell treated his wife. Elizabeth’s kindness and perseverance is outstanding. Her ability to keep loving and find ways to view her husband kindly is extraordinary. This is what I particularly liked about this historical fiction. The generosity in Elizabeth’s character is the same quality which enabled her to produce over 500 hand coloured engravings of plants. I attempted to find out more about this woman but the various biographical details seem to vary. So how accurate Holmes biography of Elizabeth Blackwell is I am not sure. It certainly had me intrigued and that is good writing. 4 stars.
Pamela Holmes appears to have researched the life of Elizabeth Blackwell in detail. Her writing flowed effortlessly and I was caught up in this successful and also most tragic life of Elizabeth Blackwell. Elizabeth, one of a number of children to William Blackrie and Isobel Fordyce elopes with her second cousin, Alexander Blackwell. They marry and live in London where Alexander sets himself up as a Printer. Alexander is this impetuous, entrepreneur. He had completed a year of medical school but dropped out because it didn’t seem to satisfy his yearning for success now. This demand for immediate gratification meant that he hadn’t established the credentials needed to be a printer as required by the Printers Guild. Sent to prison with outstanding debts, Elizabeth turns to painting producing “The Curious Herbal” over 5/6 years, raising funds,
paying off her husbands debt. An extraordinary achievement. Of course, such characteristics of self serving as found in her husband don’t disappear and soon enough her husband is in trouble again.
At times, I found myself furious at how Alexander Blackwell treated his wife. Elizabeth’s kindness and perseverance is outstanding. Her ability to keep loving and find ways to view her husband kindly is extraordinary. This is what I particularly liked about this historical fiction. The generosity in Elizabeth’s character is the same quality which enabled her to produce over 500 hand coloured engravings of plants. I attempted to find out more about this woman but the various biographical details seem to vary. So how accurate Holmes biography of Elizabeth Blackwell is I am not sure. It certainly had me intrigued and that is good writing. 4 stars.
November 5, 2022
A historical fiction story that is well written and so well researched that I felt like I was back in the 1700s. A time when women were nothing but the property of the man they married or their father.
Elizabeth is a young woman who is in love with Alexander Blackwell. Her parents don't approve as they say he isn't dependable enough. Elizabeth and Alexander elope and marry. She begins to discover her parents may have been correct in their estimations.
They start married life and Alexander looks for work while she learns engraving. He ends up in a debtors prison leaving Elizabeth to fend for herself.
She comes up with the idea to make engravings of plants for botany students and physicians. All put together as a collection called A Curious Herbal. After her husband is released they expect to restart their lives but nothing goes easy as they soon find out.
I always like to be educated as well as entertained. Elizabeth Blackwell was a woman I haven't heard of so I was happy to be able to learn of her life. Pamela Holmes has made Elizabeth so lifelike and relatable, that I could have been with her in her struggle to live after her husband gets thrown in prison. I felt so sad for her. The setting was so well described as I said I was there.
A novel I enjoyed although the ending seemed a little abrupt. I would say don't let this put you off. It's a great story set in long gone times. Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC.
Elizabeth is a young woman who is in love with Alexander Blackwell. Her parents don't approve as they say he isn't dependable enough. Elizabeth and Alexander elope and marry. She begins to discover her parents may have been correct in their estimations.
They start married life and Alexander looks for work while she learns engraving. He ends up in a debtors prison leaving Elizabeth to fend for herself.
She comes up with the idea to make engravings of plants for botany students and physicians. All put together as a collection called A Curious Herbal. After her husband is released they expect to restart their lives but nothing goes easy as they soon find out.
I always like to be educated as well as entertained. Elizabeth Blackwell was a woman I haven't heard of so I was happy to be able to learn of her life. Pamela Holmes has made Elizabeth so lifelike and relatable, that I could have been with her in her struggle to live after her husband gets thrown in prison. I felt so sad for her. The setting was so well described as I said I was there.
A novel I enjoyed although the ending seemed a little abrupt. I would say don't let this put you off. It's a great story set in long gone times. Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC.
August 24, 2024
Based on the life of an actual person, Elizabeth Blachrie, a 23-year-old woman, elopes with Alexander Blackwell, who her parents have deemed not a fit suitor, since he is without a job and flits from one thing to another. They make their way to London, where they are married and begin to look for jobs. She takes an engraving class, persuading the teacher to take her on even though she is a woman. Alex is still flighty, looking to be a man of business instead of being a working man. When her parents send her a check for their wedding, Alex uses the money to buy the printing business where he works. But he has not trained in the art of printing, and is called to court by the printing guild. He acts as his own attorney, and loses, being sentenced to Marshalsea Prison, the notorious debtor’s prison, until he pays what he still owes. Elizabeth uses her drawing and engraving skills to make money, hoping to pay off her husband’s debts. And she does. When he comes home from prison, she rents a house and furnishes it for them. But now she’s in a family way and he is back at his old tricks. Will a child keep him working, or were her parents right after all?
October 23, 2022
The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell is all the more interesting as it is based on the life of a real person. It was amazing to read about what she achieved at a time when women were less likely to have received any education and were not encouraged to have any views of their own. Elizabeth, living in Aberdeen, decides to elope with Alexander Blackwell and that decision sees her going to live in London as Alexander has the desire to make his fortune. Sadly, their printing business is closed down
and Alexander is thrown into debtor's prison but Elizabeth is resourceful and determined to pay the debts and secure his release by making money from botanical illustrations and using the art of engraving to print them for sale. I really enjoyed this book and had the utmost admiration for Elizabeth Blackwell and her contribution to the medical profession. Thanks to the author and Bloodhound Books for an ARC of this book.
and Alexander is thrown into debtor's prison but Elizabeth is resourceful and determined to pay the debts and secure his release by making money from botanical illustrations and using the art of engraving to print them for sale. I really enjoyed this book and had the utmost admiration for Elizabeth Blackwell and her contribution to the medical profession. Thanks to the author and Bloodhound Books for an ARC of this book.
January 11, 2023
I’m not a person who will critique a book down to it’s ink.
If I like it I might tell a few friends - If I don’t I won’t bother finishing it. I’m one of those people.
When I enjoy a book as much as I did this one, it gets stars and The curious life of Elizabeth Blackwell was one of those.
Welcomed me into the new year being easy to read, super descriptive and took me to London 1700s with the characters. A couple of chapters in it became unputdownable which during a mad start to 2023 kept me in a bubble of flowers, bravery and courage which was inspiring.
I only realised half way through it was based upon a real person so a bit of history in there too when researching these people.
Well written, a classic page turner and the perfect book for long winter evenings - Thank you Pamela!
If I like it I might tell a few friends - If I don’t I won’t bother finishing it. I’m one of those people.
When I enjoy a book as much as I did this one, it gets stars and The curious life of Elizabeth Blackwell was one of those.
Welcomed me into the new year being easy to read, super descriptive and took me to London 1700s with the characters. A couple of chapters in it became unputdownable which during a mad start to 2023 kept me in a bubble of flowers, bravery and courage which was inspiring.
I only realised half way through it was based upon a real person so a bit of history in there too when researching these people.
Well written, a classic page turner and the perfect book for long winter evenings - Thank you Pamela!
October 23, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is based on the true story of Elizabeth Blackwell, born in Aberdeen in the beginning of the eighteenth century. She goes to London with her husband, an ambitious entrepreneur. However, he does not stick to the rules, he takes over a printing business, but as he is neither a member of the Guild or a time served apprentice he ends up in debtors prison.
Elizabeth is left with no means of support and turns her skill of drawing and her newly learnt skill in engraving to earn money to both support herself, her husband and pay off the debts.
This is an enlightening book and well worth reading.
Elizabeth is left with no means of support and turns her skill of drawing and her newly learnt skill in engraving to earn money to both support herself, her husband and pay off the debts.
This is an enlightening book and well worth reading.
October 25, 2022
An intriguing, historical adaptation of the life story of Elizabeth Blackwell. I have to admit I hadn’t heard of her before reading this book and she seems to have lead an interesting life.
This book is a slow burner, starting with Elizabeth eloping with Alexander from Aberdeen to their move to London, they have little money but this doesn’t stop Alexander from living beyond their means. Sadly he ends up in debtors prison which gives Elizabeth a chance to show her determination that woman can be successful in what was mostly a man’s world in London in the 1730s.
This book is a slow burner, starting with Elizabeth eloping with Alexander from Aberdeen to their move to London, they have little money but this doesn’t stop Alexander from living beyond their means. Sadly he ends up in debtors prison which gives Elizabeth a chance to show her determination that woman can be successful in what was mostly a man’s world in London in the 1730s.
October 25, 2022
This is a new author for me which I enjoyed reading. This is a historical story that has mysterious and touch of suspense. This is a well written story where Elizabeth and her quest to free her husband. She took me on an adventure of making money for her husband's freedom. She is a great character that is strong and engaging. She has great growth throughout and added to the story. There are some twists and turns that had me wondering what would happen next. This is a great story that I found to be fast paced and entertaining. I highly recommend this book.
October 26, 2022
The curious life of Elizabeth Blackwell by Pamela Holmes.
Her parents warned Elizabeth that Alexander Blackwell would not make a dependable husband, and only after eloping with him did she learn they may have been right . . .
After their marriage, the couple finds lodgings in London. Alexander looks for work while Elizabeth learns engraving. Before long, though, Alexander is in the Marshalsea, the notorious debtors’ prison, and she is left to fend for herself.
Very good read. Likeable story. 4*.
Her parents warned Elizabeth that Alexander Blackwell would not make a dependable husband, and only after eloping with him did she learn they may have been right . . .
After their marriage, the couple finds lodgings in London. Alexander looks for work while Elizabeth learns engraving. Before long, though, Alexander is in the Marshalsea, the notorious debtors’ prison, and she is left to fend for herself.
Very good read. Likeable story. 4*.
June 1, 2023
Such a Remarkable Woman
When Elizabeth eloped with the love of her life, Alexander Blackwell, she could not have imagined the life they would share. Despite tragic occurrences, Elizabeth pushed forward, doing anything she could to contribute to their financial stability. She was a gifted artist and successful businesswoman in the eighteenth century when women were overlooked and even belittled for any successes they might pursue.
A very engrossing story; this book was hard to put down.
When Elizabeth eloped with the love of her life, Alexander Blackwell, she could not have imagined the life they would share. Despite tragic occurrences, Elizabeth pushed forward, doing anything she could to contribute to their financial stability. She was a gifted artist and successful businesswoman in the eighteenth century when women were overlooked and even belittled for any successes they might pursue.
A very engrossing story; this book was hard to put down.
June 2, 2023
I thought "The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell" by Pamela Holmes was excellent! From the first page to the last it was filled with a great story about a woman who may have made a wrong calculation about her husband, but refuses to give up on him, no matter how many times he disappoints her.
I had a hard time putting this one down and highly recommend it to anyone interested in HF, marital drama and danger, and a love for a female protagonist who is tough as nails and resilient as heck! Happy Reading!
I had a hard time putting this one down and highly recommend it to anyone interested in HF, marital drama and danger, and a love for a female protagonist who is tough as nails and resilient as heck! Happy Reading!
October 22, 2022
A well written historical fiction based on the story of a real woman in 1700s London, who wrote The Curious Herbal. Very descriptive and certainly puts the reader in that scene. I wanted the book to carry on and find out more about the heroine and her life.
I would recommend to any reader who likes historic fiction with a touch of romance.
I was given an ARC of this book to review and this is my honest opinion.
I would recommend to any reader who likes historic fiction with a touch of romance.
I was given an ARC of this book to review and this is my honest opinion.
October 22, 2022
Elizabeth and Alexander elope after her parents try to control who she will marry as they don't approve of Him. They fine there way to London and begin their married life but all is not as Elizabeth had hoped. A roller coaster of a life, I was page turning wanting to know what would befall them next. A bit of a slow burner to begin but by the final chapter I felt invested in her future and didn't want it to end.
October 25, 2022
Not my usual kind of read but I have to say I really enjoyed it, a well written historical storyline, it’s descriptive and detailed and gave me a good mental picture of the era. A story of love, life and woe’s and the struggles of a young couple eloping who find themselves in London. I won’t write about the storyline as I feel this is best left to the blurb, to peak your interest and draw you in and this book certainly does that.
October 27, 2022
A fascinating historical novel about the life and times of botanist Elizabeth Blackwell.
In this novel, the author skilfully mixes fact and fiction to tell the tale of a strong woman who uses her artistic skills and botanical knowledge to keep her family from ruin when faced with the consequences of some bad business decisions. I did not know about Elizabeth Blackwell before reading this book, and thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into an interesting woman.
In this novel, the author skilfully mixes fact and fiction to tell the tale of a strong woman who uses her artistic skills and botanical knowledge to keep her family from ruin when faced with the consequences of some bad business decisions. I did not know about Elizabeth Blackwell before reading this book, and thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into an interesting woman.
November 1, 2022
I found this story interesting -- and a bit aggravating. Elizabeth put up with a lot, but I guess given the time period of the story, her actions were understandable. I expected this to be more of a historical novel. Although there was a real Elizabeth Blackwell (in fact, two!), I would say this book was only loosely based on her real life (at least, according to Wikipedia!). Regardless, I enjoyed the book overall, but would have liked a more satisfying ending!
February 3, 2024
This was a surprise. It was a random pick, something to listen to while colouring. I ended up finishing it as an ebook because I wasn't patient enough to wait for the many hours listening to it was going to take. I'm a fast reader, so I just needed to devour this book. Loved it. It came very close to 5 stars, but I'm terribly picky with my 5 stars. So... It's 4.4 from me - and I highly recommend it.
October 25, 2022
Real life story of an amazing woman, this book didn’t disappoint me. With a very exhaustive historical research and a penchant for details this book brings to life not only the story of Elizabeth Blackwell but the life in London in the 18th century. I learned a lot reading this book and truly recommend it.
October 31, 2022
An absolutely fantastic historical fiction. The writing is so descriptive you really are transported to the 1700s. I hadn’t heard of Elizabeth Blackwell & found her story fascinating, along with her determination and resolve. My only small criticism is that the ending felt a little abrupt, however this may be in part because I didn’t want it to end!
November 7, 2022
fast paced tale
Very easy to read and I liked that it went straight through the story without side tracks. I found the twists to the story quite unbelievable, and the characters a bit one dimensional, nevertheless, a good bedtime read. The best books are those you don’t want to finish but this was not one of them.
Very easy to read and I liked that it went straight through the story without side tracks. I found the twists to the story quite unbelievable, and the characters a bit one dimensional, nevertheless, a good bedtime read. The best books are those you don’t want to finish but this was not one of them.
March 16, 2023
Elizabeth elopes with her lover against her better judgement, and before too long she is the one having to work to pay off his debts while in prison. On his release his ideas of grandiose leave her abandoned and bereft in a time of great cultural upheaval in attitudes, opionions and morals in 18th century London.
November 27, 2023
3.5 stars. I learned that this was based on the real life of Elizabeth Blackwell after I finished the book. The author certainly took a lot of creative liberties, but made for an entertaining story and categorized as historical fiction. I learned a few things which is one of the reasons why I like historical fiction.
February 4, 2024
Endurance
Not that the book was something to be endured, actually found it quite enjoyable. It's the marriage that Elizabeth was in that was a test of endurance. The patience she took with her husband was probably more than most would. The gullibility that women have all in the name of love and duty for a man can be absolutely idiotic!
Not that the book was something to be endured, actually found it quite enjoyable. It's the marriage that Elizabeth was in that was a test of endurance. The patience she took with her husband was probably more than most would. The gullibility that women have all in the name of love and duty for a man can be absolutely idiotic!
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