First of all, look at that cover! Gorgeous and clever design.

Really enjoyed it the whole way through. It was beautifully written and certainly atmospheric, as well as well researched (learned a lot about antiques trade, Victorian London and Grecian artefacts). Even more impressive considering this is a debut.

Pandora (aka Dora) and Edward were great characters. Both have their quirks and their history, and their flaws too. But I liked them both (maybe Dora more) and was rooting for them to find their success. I wasn't sold on their romance, though. Connection and mutual liking? Yes. Romance? Not really, at least not yet. I also liked Cornelius; I'd happily read a book about him.

I do think Hezekiah's p.o.v. wasn't needed, though. I would have preferred to see more of Dora and Edward instead.

For some reason, I expected this to have some travelling and adventure, as well as magic. Not to spoil anything, but the action is all in London, and there is only a hint of supernatural, so I wouldn't class this as fantasy. Even though it wasn't what I expected, I enjoyed the story, the mystery of the vase, Dora's road to becoming a jewellery designer, her parent's story, Edwards's ambitions and relationship with Cornelius.

Overall, liked it a lot and I'd definitely recommend it.

A treasure of a book, which evokes the seedier side of nineteenth century London life with great skill. Dora is a decent girl who loves her inquisitive pet magpie, Hermes (appropriately named after the messenger for the Greek gods). She longs to be accepted as a jewellery designer. Unfortunately she is dependent on her scheming crook of an uncle, who took over the family emporium after her parents died in an accident. Luckily, she has her friend Edward to keep an eye on her, although he seems to have an ulterior motive.

Dora's full name is Pandora, after the Greek myth of the creation of the first woman. Like her namesake, she discovers a hidden treasure. Stokes-Chapman has clearly done her research, referencing the Society of Antiquaries and also Sir William Hamilton, the famous Greek vase collector and his wife, who famously had an affair with Lord Nelson. An atmospheric page-turner told with great skill.

I enjoyed this novel, but I wouldn't say that I loved it.
I enjoyed the writing style immensely and the connection to ancient Greek myths!
I wasn't captivated completely by the characters, which affected my enjoyment, but it was still a pleasant read overall.

[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]

A promise not quite fulfilled - too many ingredients in the mix 3.5 rating

This is a well-written historical novel set in Georgian England. I enjoyed the read, but could not fully surrender as though there is a lot of good time-and-place detail, I could not quite believe in Dora (christened Pandora, after the woman of the legend) or her mother as quite likely women of their time. Of COURSE there have always been women who chafed at the constraints time and place imposed on them, but I could not fully believe in the educational opportunities which had to be realised for both mother and daughter, in order for the narrative to be true. Not for their particular class.

There are several tropes here – mysterious tragedy, leaving daughter an orphan. Brought up by wicked uncle (Hiss! Boo!) A Prince Charming who if not quite galloping to the rescue, does do that.

Then we have some more ‘modern’ musthaves – some discussion about class, sexual orientation. More wicked people. Add a never quite fully satisfying brush with the mysterious supernatural, cursed object, hidden messages.

As indicated in my header, I think this tried somewhat too hard, with a combination which did not work seamlessly for me. There’s a lot of vitality in Stokes Chapman’s writing, which I did appreciate

I am an enormous fan of writing which has some kind of link to Ancient Greece and mythology, which led me to request this as a digital ARC from Net Galley – to whom, thanks.

I love historical novels, I love jewellery, I love ancient Greek mythology – this book was made for me!
This is a real gem of a novel (pun intended), set in Georgian London. The story is centred around the discovery of a mysterious ancient Greek vase and the secrets, lies, and mysteries that it exposes.
But while the plot makes this a great page-turner, the best thing about the book is how well the characters are crafted and how likeable the main characters are. You are just willing things to work out well for Dora and Edward right through the book. And as for Dora’s uncle, the villain of the story, I found myself almost booing him in pantomime fashion, while never really doubting that he would get his comeuppance.
It’s hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel as it feels so well-crafted and perfectly paced.
While some of the twists and turns may stretch your belief, this is a wonderfully atmospheric novel that kept me hooked throughout. It is packed with intriguing subplots and intrigues, some of which never really get resolved so perhaps there’s more to come …
With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in return for an honest review.

In London 1799, Dora Blake is an aspiring jewellery artist who lives with her uncle Hezekiah in what used to be her parents' shop of antiquities. When a mysterious Greek vase is delivered, Dora is intrigued by her uncle's strange behaviour and wants to learn more. Through the intervention of a mysterious, white-bearded old man, she is introduced to Edward Lawrence, a young man seeking acceptance into the Society of Antiquaries. Together they embark on an adventure to discover hidden secrets and family deceits.

What follows is a fine, fast-moving, gothic romance, with all the classic figures – downtrodden young woman, evil uncle, handsome hero, a mysterious benefactor, plus real-life diplomat William Hamilton . We even have a dusty, mysterious shop full of hidden treasures. That’s not to say the book is formulaic or the characters two-dimensional – it’s got enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages.

Both Dora and Edward see the ancient vase as an opportunity to change their futures, and we learn enough about their pasts to understand their motivations, and both are likeable characters. We get insights into the issues faced by women in Georgian society, as well as some ideas of the way in which the British Empire rode roughshod over the countries it laid claim to.

As we learn more about Uncle Hezekiah and the secrets he’s been keeping, he sinks deeper into the mire and is a lovely mad, bad and utterly despicable villain.

The book is based loosely on the myth of Pandora’s Box (a false description based on an incorrect translation that actually meant “jar”) but we never really learn much more about it or its fate– but actually, it’s not important. The story of Dora, Edward and Hezekiah is all you need to enjoy the ride.

The book will appeal to fans of Stacey Halls, Sarah Perry, Diane Setterfield and Madeline Miller. Thoroughly recommended.

I read this very quickly as I couldn’t wait to find out what happened.It’s set in Georgian London with a feisty main character,Pandora Blake ,who has to outwit her villainous uncle in order to secure the antiquities shop once owned by her parents.There’s a bit of mystery because of a strange Greek vase which has links to the myth of Pandora’s box and which seems to set off a chain of unexplained events.Some characters are real ,and the rest are well portrayed and interesting.
A very enjoyable read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

This was so addictive, easy to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The perfect mix of historical fiction, mystery, fantasy and romance. It is sure to have a wide appeal. The characters, setting and back stories were so engrossing, I raced through just wanting more!
Thank you to the publishers for an early digital peak, I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy - the design looks stunning and hopefully it will fly off our shelves.

A beautifully written piece of historical fiction! Well fleshed-out characters and a plot interlaced with Greek myths made this a novel a joy to read. Perfect for fans of (as another review has pointed out) Sarah Perry!

A gloriously descriptive and captivating tale which took me on a fascinating trip to Georgian London, in which I felt immersed as I trudged from the unspeakable mire at the bustling docks into the opulence of high society. I loved the Greek mythological theme blended with the intriguing characters.

Blake’s Emporium for Exotic Antiquities is a rundown shop of fakes; a mockery of the lustre and status it once held. Hezekiah Blake is to blame of course, him and his greed, but if her Uncle choses to run her dead parent’s legacy into the ground then there is not much more that Dora can do but watch. Watch and mourn and plan her escape. When the ancient Greek urn first arrives in the shop Dora sees it only as an inspiration for her jewellery designs. Little does she know that it will be the catalyst for the discovery of a lifetime and the shattering of her world as she knows it. Where did Hezekiah find the urn and why does he keep it hidden away behind a locked door? These are just the tip of the iceberg for the questions that Dora isn’t sure she really wants the answers to. But one way or another she will find out.

All of the characters in this novel have very strong personalities. Dora in particular has a fierce independent streak, coupled with a determination to achieve her dreams no matter what anyone else has to say about it. The fact that her dreams are slightly unorthodox for a woman, and she has no money or formal training, does not seem to faze her in any way. This bold combination, along with the quirky and loveable pet bird, makes her into an idealised strong female protagonist who is easy to like and to support. Similarly, Edward, despite his mistakes and ambition, is made into an endearingly loveable character by his loyalty, honour and silent determination. They make the perfect pair and it is impossible not to root for them at every step of the way.

In contrast Hezekiah is an easy villain who is given no redeemable qualities to sway the reader’s support in his direction. Instead he only grows more and more villainous throughout the novel as more and more of his secrets are revealed. It makes a good metaphor to see his mind and disposition fester into something evil, matching pace with the festering of his physical wound. As the novel progresses he becomes a monster both inside and out.

Considering that the Greek urn is the centrepiece of this novel, in multiple ways, its own mystery is merely hinted at and never fully solved. It runs through the novel as an undercurrent whilst more powerful forces take centre stage. I love how so many things rely on its presence; everything is interwoven and connected with the urn at the root of it all. Is this magic or coincidence? The reader is left to decide this for themselves.

I loved this book, there is no other way to say it. I love the setting anyway, but the characters were both brilliant and flawed, the story takes some interesting twists, and you always have to wonder about the supernatural side of things. Read it, that is all I can say without giving anything away!

This is a wonderfully atmospheric book, with well drawn characters and descriptions of places and events. I would describe this book as a page-turner and I read it very quickly because the story is intriguing enough to keep you reading and the main characters are likeable enough to make you want to find out what happens to them. The pace is quite fast, which I like because the focus is on driving the main story forward. That suits my style of reading and it was exactly what I needed just now!

There are no twists in the story, and no character reveals. Every character's personality is signposted pretty clearly so motivations aren't hard to guess. But this doesn't detract from the main story, and the supernatural element only makes it more compelling. Note: I just looked up from writing that line and there's a magpie outside my window. So I'll mention that the bird was an interesting character too!

If you are looking for a quick read, something to jump into and immerse yourself to escape from the modern world, I would recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for a review.

What can I say about this novel? It has all the right ingredients for a brilliant mix, including plot and especially characters, and the writing is superb. I really felt what Pandora was feeling, and Edward, and Cornelius, and even Hezekiah and Lottie. My degree of empathy with the characters shows that they were well drawn. I got an excerpt of the novel, and thought it wonderful, the full book keeps up the very high standard of writing. All in all, an excellent read.

This ticks all the hallmarks of gothic historical fiction - years old mystery, Evil Uncle, sweet innocent young woman, handsome man who just wants to do right by her, and hard-faced housekeeper who here undergoes a pretty amazing change of heart in the end.

It's very slow to get get going, and honestly I felt like it trod water for much of the first three quarters, but as secrets are revealed the pace picks up, and all is wrapped up satisfactorly, if a little ridiculously.

This is a fun enough read, but I didn't really feel connected to the characters and it just fell a little flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc!!

I’m always on the hunt for Greek mythology inspired reads (even better If they’re historical fiction) and this was one of them! Set in England in 1799 this novel weaves an intricate plot all connected by mythology and feminism.

I highly recommend this!

I love a good gothic historical novel and Pandora is a great one. There is a ridiculous, evil uncle, a sweet niece and a family secret. I loved all the characters whether they were good or bad, and felt like I was in the London of Dora. I liked the relationship between the main characters. I just loved it! Highly recommended.

Read a sample of this book and it’s very atmospheric. The characters seem interesting and the story pulls you in.

An intriguing, if slightly slow start. I know the Society of Antiquaries well so it's fun to see it in its old Somerset House location, and the struggles of a character to be elected a Fellow. There's a kind of cod-Dickensian feel, especially The Old Curiosity Shop - but the sample of around 55 pages is only a taster. By the end of the sample I still don't know where the story is going...

I'm always on the hunt for ancient Greece-inspired reads, so when I read the title, I knew I had to read this! I'm not disappointed. Of course, I feel like some things could be done better; Dora and Edward are so quick to trust each other it's astounding. Lottie's transformation is really something (but she's definitely one of the more well fleshed out characters here), I loved Cornelius at the start for being the only person to think that Dora and Edward trusting each other so much wasn't a great idea given that they could get hanged for this (but I mean the real reason gets a bit boring). I love that we know what the jar kinda is, but don't entirely know for sure until the very end and even then none of the characters know (that can be counted as a spoiler).

Of course, there are things that could have been improved, and I was so sure that this would have to be spread out over a few parts which could have given the author space to really develop each character, but I'm going to be forgiving here because this does seem to be a debut novel, and I've read so much crap that it seems like people have forgotten to write and Susan Stokes-Chapman seems to be able to. I know I've talked about how I think the characters could have been better done, but the plot was good, stayed away from being too cheesy with the old man thing, and I'm definitely excited to read more by this author!

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read and review this ARC! Now I just have to decide if I can put this in my top reads for 2021 or 2022!