Opium and Absinthe - The Perils of Tillie- fun and misadventure

Opium and Absinthe
by Lydia Kang
4/5 stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐


In NYC at the end of the 18th century, the story starts when Tillie Pembroke breaks her collarbone following a fall in a failed horse jump. She is medicated for pain, and when she emerges from the haze a couple of days later, she finds that her beloved sister Lucy has disappeared. Lucy's body is ultimately discovered in Central Park, apparently killed by a vampire. (Bram Stoker's new tale Dracula is all the rage). Tillie vows to find out the truth, and the killer.

This book was a very quick read and a good study of the times. It was true to the times in that it really showed how restrained the movements of a young lady of breeding was. Women could not go anywhere alone, and other women of lower social standing were employed as lady's maids or companions because the women could not go alone or they would be "compromised" or perhaps unsafe. The correspondence of the main character was intercepted and reviewed by her mother and grandmother, and they decided whether she could receive or send the letters.

This was kind of a "Perils of Pauline" type tale, but there were some interesting sub-threads within the story. There were some of the stories of the "Newsies" and the strike by the news delivery kids, and they figured heavily in the end. Of course, the issue of drug addiction, to morphine, opium, heroin, and absinthe all figured into the story. It was a really interesting book, and in many ways sad, when you think of how restricted a woman's life was.

I enjoyed this book, and I thought the writing was good. I would recommend it to those who enjoy adventure and suspense within a historical setting.