Book Review: ‘Pandora’ by Susan Stokes-Chapman

Reading the sampler of this book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the full version. A feisty, independent, female lead? A pet magpie? A Georgian London setting but with Greek myth elements? Absolutely, sign me up now!

The story centres on Dora Blake, a young woman living in her family’s antiquities shop in London, 1799. She dreams of being a jewellery designer and escaping her oppressive situation as Uncle Hezekiah runs her parents’ shop into the ground after their tragic deaths. When an ancient Greek pithos arrives, surrounded by secrecy and rumours of a curse, Dora wants to draw the vase’s designs for use in her jewellery, However, the pithos seems to hold mysterious power – and is also in the sights of Edward Lawrence who sees it as his ticket to acceptance within the hallowed walls of the Royal Society. The vase becomes the focus for so many people’s hopes and dreams – but holds some disturbing secrets that Dora will bring to light.

There was so much that I liked about this novel, but especially the way that the curse of the pithos manifested itself in creepy and low-key ways. It seemed absolutely fitting that those involved with essentially stealing the vase from its Greek home would suffer in some way – and the slowly spreading sense of infection was developed effectively, adding a repulsive and decaying quality to those who disturb the past. This worked perfectly with the vivid (but often grim) Georgian setting – especially the gloomy bindery where Edward worked, the antiquities shop packed with corruption and forgeries, the streets of less-salubrious areas of London, the docks, the Royal Society… I loved the sense of setting and enjoyed the authenticity of the period detail.

I also found the character of Dora appealing – I admired her willingness to be unconventional and to try to independently forge her own path in a world hostile to women, Her pet magpie, Hermes, was a nice touch and also important to the story. I liked the fact that Dora developed as a character throughout the novel, becoming someone who was prepared to defy her uncle, join forces with Edward in a way that society probably wouldn’t condone for a young lady and seek her truth.

My only reservation was that the book – beautifully-written and rich – took a while to hook me. I loved the setting and characters, but thought the actual plot was a little slow at first. Once it takes hold, it’s an absolute joy to follow as it rattles along at quite a pace towards the satisfying ending – but it did take me a while to get fully involved.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with plenty of colourful and striking detail. You’ll feel at times that you can see, touch and smell Georgian London – although maybe you’ll want to skip the latter! There’s lots to admire in Stokes-Chapman’s take on the Greek myth of Pandora and there are some unexpected events along the way to keep things interesting.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Header photo by Arno Senoner on Unsplash.