The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands is a historical fiction book filled with elixir, recipes, and things that go boom. Set in London, England in 1665, Christopher Rowe is an apothecary, or potion maker’s, apprentice. He learns how to make everything from a cure for asthma to a healing salve for burns from his wonderful master, Benedict Blackthorn, who picked him from the orphanage out of all of the other boys.
Knowing Christopher and his many endeavors, he and his friend Tom, the baker’s son, decide to build a cannon and fire it in his master’s shop. Naturally, the idea takes a steep turn downward and they end up shooting Benedict’s precious stuffed bear that his grandfather gave to him. On page 19, Benedict asks “Then perhaps, you could explain in God’s holy name why you shot my bear.” But Benedict isn’t the enemy. That’s Nathaniel Stubb, an apothecary who owns a shop two doors over and only makes his money selling Stubb’s Oriental Cure-All Pills, which as Christopher thinks on page 24 “The only real effect Stubb’s pills have were to reduce the weight of the coin purse.” …show more content…
Apothecaries left and right are being killed by a group supposedly called “The Archangel’s Cult” A madman runs throughout the streets screaming “The Cult is coming! Coming to destroy us all!” on page 44. Christopher makes a map of the city with pins representing killed victims, and the cult is making a beeline for them! The only way to stop them from killing his master is by making a powerful recipe called “The Archangel’s Fire” But Isaac the bookseller warns them not to mess with the fire, telling them “It is too dangerous for man!” on page 80. Christopher thinks that Stubb may be part of the Archangel’s Cult. To prove this further, one of Stubb’s apprentice’s sash was found at the scene of one of the
Knowing Christopher and his many endeavors, he and his friend Tom, the baker’s son, decide to build a cannon and fire it in his master’s shop. Naturally, the idea takes a steep turn downward and they end up shooting Benedict’s precious stuffed bear that his grandfather gave to him. On page 19, Benedict asks “Then perhaps, you could explain in God’s holy name why you shot my bear.” But Benedict isn’t the enemy. That’s Nathaniel Stubb, an apothecary who owns a shop two doors over and only makes his money selling Stubb’s Oriental Cure-All Pills, which as Christopher thinks on page 24 “The only real effect Stubb’s pills have were to reduce the weight of the coin purse.” …show more content…
Apothecaries left and right are being killed by a group supposedly called “The Archangel’s Cult” A madman runs throughout the streets screaming “The Cult is coming! Coming to destroy us all!” on page 44. Christopher makes a map of the city with pins representing killed victims, and the cult is making a beeline for them! The only way to stop them from killing his master is by making a powerful recipe called “The Archangel’s Fire” But Isaac the bookseller warns them not to mess with the fire, telling them “It is too dangerous for man!” on page 80. Christopher thinks that Stubb may be part of the Archangel’s Cult. To prove this further, one of Stubb’s apprentice’s sash was found at the scene of one of the