Author: Natsu Hyuuga
Artist: Nekokurage
Publisher: Square Enix Manga
Released: March 4, 2025
Find it on Storygraph | More Manga | The Apothecary Diaries
Book Summary:
Maomao spent the earliest parts of her life training in herbal medicine. She had a path in life that she loved. Unfortunately, that was all ripped away from her when she was captured and sold to the inner palace.
For some reason, Jinshi has taken Maomao out on a hunting trip, so now she’s neck deep in an attempted assassination, not to mention another mystery. This is not the sort of adventure she was looking for.
My Review:
If you ever need to solve a mystery, having Maomao or her father (adopted or biological) around is essential. The Apothecary Diaries Vol. 13 helps confirm that theory, as Maomao carefully orchestrates a way to reveal who’s behind the attempted assassination.
This volume is essential reading if you want to get a better idea of the political landscape of the situation. There are many more moving parts than it appears, especially if you’re only looking from the perspective of the Inner Palace.
Maomao’s ability to predict and manipulate the situation really does prove that she’s a powerful tool (using Jinshi’s language here) in this dangerous political scheme. That said, by this point, it’s pretty obvious that Jinshi has grown attached to his toy, so his willingness to flaunt or risk her has changed significantly.
Finally, the volume ends with Maomao’s return to the Inner Palace, and that brings a new mystery to the forefront. We’re back to dealing with ghost stories and the like, which is as different as we can get from the last mystery. In other words, this was a nicely balanced volume, and I cannot wait for more.
Highlights:
- Historical Fiction
- Manga
- Poison & Medicine
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