A review by atalanta_nins
The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 5 by Natsu Hyuuga

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

First five chapters is such an incredible arc in a way that it establish the new conflict for this part (although, I think it will continue in the next few chapters or other volumes so, hopefully it would turn out good). 

Something about Maomao explaining to Lahan and Rikuson how the White Lady's magics works made me think. During the whole explanation and convo, there were parts how he mentioned Jinshi and Gaoshun and like how they would easily followed her explanation than Lahan's and Rikuson's (though Lahan's knowledgeable with numbers, it seems he has an inadequacy or certain limitations when it comes to such interests or world knowledge that Maomao had picked on). Also, it made me realize that though Maomao and Jinshi had an opposite background and upbringing, both of them are smart, in a way that jives with each other. Jinshi could easily pick up what was Maomao's thinking, there's something so profound about that fact.
 

Something very endearingly touching about Maomao redoing Jinshi's fake burn on his face. Probably because for the previous light novel, there were barely scenes of them together. Even now, it's clear that somehow there's this gap between them as Maomao is poor with poor family connections compared to Jinshi who is the younger brother of the current emperor.
 

Also that minute detail on chapter 9 to where Maomao ordered an alcohol and Jinshi just lets her and her thinking that she had caught on (contrary to Lahan and Rikuson on chapter 6)
 

Also, the white lady from Chapter 6 keeps reappearing (vaguely mentioned on Chapter 12) so there might be a possibility that this story will continue in the next chapters and will provide as another story arc (much like the Shi rebellion).
 

Also, maybe I'm judging all too quickly but Lahan doesn't seem to be an eccentric but rather a strange conniving sexist man coz like how he comments on Maomao (how he suggested to her to bear Jinshi's seed or something like that and like my initial thought was that maybe he'd raise the child as his own but like when Maomao explicitly said that when the theoretical child might be a girl, he would have married her, just for the throne?) and the other women in the banquet. I completely understand how Maomao is pissed and in my opinion, it's completely justified for Maomao to stepped on his toes.
 

Also, what bothered me was that Epilogue. There were two surprises there (obviously) so let me talk about it briefly and share my opinions with it. 

So firstly, that scene between Maomao and Jinshi, like how he explained to her that she's also one of the candidates to be his bride but Maomao (much to Jinshi's chagrin) seems to be oblivious or undervalues her worth. Though, because The Apothecary Diaries is mainly on Maomao's perspective, there has been minute clues but I think she never considered herself as one because she doesn't want to be involved in the politics. I think, the politics only interest Maomao if the politics affect her way of living especially the poor people who always receive the endstick of the outcome or decisions of the palace. Also, though I certainly didn't like how Jinshi forced himself to Maomao and how Maomao somewhat played along with me there were things that bothered me around that. First is that it's on Jinshi's character to act out his frustrations on the oblivious Maomao, especially as Jinshi seemed to be the kind of person who is used to get what he wants. But like I think it frustrate him even more because it seems he had been direct on his want of Maomao while Maomao seemed oblivious to this (or acting oblivious, because I remember that time Jinshi bitten her from the previous light novels).
 Second thought was that Maomao's response to that act. Somehow, it felt that Maomao only did that to caught Jinshi by surprise (maybe for him to loosen his grip on her so that she could get away) or that maybe Maomao is somehow curious? I also kept thinking about that time when Maomao talked about her parents, how she was sure that her biological mother also want to keep Maomao (remain pregnant) as if her mother didn't want Maomao, she could have just have her aborted (I think this was on the 2nd light novel). 

And lastly, the other surprise but more like big reveal was Jinshi is not the Emperor's brother but his first son with Lady Ah Duo. This revelation bothered me because of countless reasons but mainly these reasons are more like questions.
 Did the emperor knew that Jinshi is his child? Because it seems he sent Jinshi to the rear palace so that Ah Duo could see him from time to time. Also, I think it didn't occurred to me that Jinshi would be Ah Duo's (though it was hinted on Maomao's perspective as Ah Duo and Jinshi could played each other) because it was also heavily mentioned that Jinshi (somehow) looked strikingly similar to the former emperor (the idiotic, pedophilia emperor). 

Also, it' weird to say but this felt like the shortest of the light novels that I have read (or maybe that is just how I feel since this one has fewer chapters compared to the previous one). 

I can't wait to read the sixth one. Off I go.