The Apothecary Diaries - LN 11

Published in The Apothecary Diaries

The Apothecary Diaries Volumes 11 by Natsu Hyuuga, Illustrations by Touko Shino. Translated by Kevin Steinbach. Published by J-Novel Club.

I feel like there's not really a whole lot I can say without spoiling the main plot line of this book, so I'll split my impressions up in half, one for the 1st half, and one for the 2nd. 

For the first half, the characters have successfully dealt with the locust plague, but there are still dire issues remaining. Much of the food has been wiped out, and the population is going to slowly starve to death if they don't manage to import food and grow something. And even if people have something to eat, their anxieties about the current situation can still spiral out of control. 

Since Maomao is an apothecary, her main task as part of Jinshi's entourage is to find alternate plants for medicines and food sources. I enjoyed hearing how Lahan's Brother (lol) talks through why certain crops can't useful. His knowledge as a true farmer shines, and we're still waiting to learn his name (one day!).

There are several minor mysteries that crop up, and by this point in the series, we know that they'll all tie together somehow. However, in this volume, Maomao truly takes a backseat as the main character, as other characters' stories shine.

 

The second half of the book
 In this book, we learn why Rikuson is on the cover of the volume. We learn his tragic backstory, and the entire reason he ended up working as an aide to the governor of I-sei province. We also learn a LOT about Gyokuyou's family. The truth comes out regarding the mystery of Yi, the Windreader clans, and the tragedy that happened 17 years ago. I think this is the first time that a major mystery was "solved" without Maomao's involvement, and I was honestly surprised. However, there are people who are actively keeping this information from her, and it would be better off if she didn't know, so I guess that makes sense. She can't be kept outside of the loop if she's the one who solved the mystery. I'm also intrigued by the development of Chue's character, and would love to discover more if it ever becomes plot relevant. 

All of the books are good, but the plot twists in this one were great! This volume had it all: humor, mystery, and politics.

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