A review by katietotallybooked
Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue by Christine Higdon

emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Will Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue win the award for the most surprising star rating in 2025?

Honestly, I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It reminded me of Little Women and Hamilton—two favorites of mine—but it took me over 30% of the book to really get into the story and sort out the characters. However, as the story progressed, the characters grew on me, and the pacing picked up, which made it much more engaging. I flew through the last 25% in just two sittings. Ultimately, I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.

The writing is beautiful, and the audiobook is wonderfully narrated—a bonus for a tandem reader like me. That said, the lengthy chapters made switching between the audio and physical versions a bit challenging.

Even so, this book was a hit for me, and it’s currently my top pick for OLA’s Forest of Reading Evergreen Award for adult fiction and non-fiction.

Quote:
A quiet rage rose in me as Llewellyn stood, the kind of rage that promises that if you can just remain calm for thirty seconds, things will end well, you will not embarrass yourself or ruin the evening; but if you can't, well, then it will not be held responsible for whatever you say. p. 302