The Apothecary Diaries (vol 3) - 18/09/2026

Date - 18th September 2026

Book Title - The Apothecary Diaries (volume 3)

Author - Natsu Hyuuga

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of the Apothecary Diaries anime - it's my feel good anime which I have watched multiple times. Whenever I don't know what to watch, I always fall back to Maomao and Jinshi. So, as a big fan, I've started slowly making my way through the light novels (and will be getting the manga at some point too). 

Volume 1 and 2 were really good, but I have just finished this one (volume 3) late on Wednesday evening, so my review today is going to focus on volume 3 because I'm still gushing from the events of the hunt (if you know, you know). 

Normally, I try really hard to avoid spoilers in my reviews. That still stands - I don't want to include any spoilers in this. But a few of the events in volume 1 and 2 might be mentioned here, so that the review of volume 3 makes sense.

I do also want to add that, for the fans of the anime, the events of volume 3 are the events of the first half of season 2 of the anime for western viewers (season 3 for Japanese viewers I believe). And if you do enjoy the anime, you can rest assured that it's very close to the events of the light novel - there are literally one or two differences that I've spotted so far in all three volumes, and these very minor differences have only added to the story.

Genre - Romance / Historical / Mystery 

Year Released - 2021

Length - 344 pages

Series or Standalone - On going series

How I Read - Paperback

Other Adaptations - ebook, manga, anime

Summary

Maomao, the adopted daughter of an apothecary from the pleasure district, returns to the rear palace to support Consort Gyokuyo during her pregnancy. Threats and intrigue lurk around every corner as she navigates life in the emperor's garden, tasked by the eunuch Jinshi, and even the Emperor, with solving mysteries within her skills, intellect and unique perspective.

Perspective - Third Person, Past Tense

Tropes - Slow-Burn, Mystery, Miscommunication, Grumpy/ Sunshine, Medical

Triggers - Death, Poison

Review

Setting and Atmosphere 

The series is set primarily in the rear palace of the Imperial capital, in a setting heavily inspired by Imperial China. It's important to note that it is only 'influenced' by Imperial China, as Natsu Hyuuga has tweaked elements to make it fit their world - so don't expect a 100% historically accurate setting. I'm not very well-versed in Asian history and culture (which I'm in the process of learning more about through non-fiction!), but as far as I know, it's quite accurate in terms of the setting design.

My only critique with the series is the lack of descriptive writing in the world building. It does exist occasionally, but it's not consistent and the setting often relies on the reader's imagination. This isn't unique to The Apothecary Diaries - this is a comment I have of any light novel. But, as a big fan of world building and setting descriptions, I feel like I need to mention that it's not always there in this series. Uniquely, this hasn't really bothered me too much for The Apothecary Diaries, perhaps because I have watched the anime and so I already have a picture in my mind of the characters and locations. I'm interested to see if that changes when I overtake where the anime is in my reading. 

That said, every area feels unique within the story - from the Jade Pavilion, the Crystal Pavilion, the outer palace, the Verdigris House and the location of the hunt. The nature of being a woman in the rear palace means that there are limited locations, yet they all feel different and organic.

Characters and Development 

I really love the characters in this series. They're well written and their personalities are evident within their expressions and actions. The descriptions of Maomao's reactions to Jinshi, for example, show so much of her personality.

There are a lot of characters in the series. You have the key characters in each area and the many minor characters that Maomao runs into during her adventures. But, it always feels like every character is important, and Natsu Hyuuga is very talented at hinting at significant characters before they have a key role to play.

The relationship between Maomao and Jinshi is changing slowly, and it really feels like an organic pace. There's miscommunication between their characters, but it's refreshing that it's not just because of being blind to the other's feelings or actions - it's entirely because they don't want to cross the line that will make everything change. But Natsu Hyuuga doesn't prolong that tension - the steady developments between them feel genuine and inevitable, making the series immersive and realistic.

Another thing to mention is that, as someone who went to an all-girls secondary school, I love the dynamic between the women of the inner palace in the series. There's an undertone of cattiness and expectation that (I feel) is really realistic for an area of just women (aside from the eunuchs and the emperor).

Pacing and Plot Development 

I find that the pacing in this series is brilliant. There are some slower moments in the story, but you can feel the frustration of Maomao during these, making it feel realistic and giving them a purpose in the story.

The fact that each chapter is its own contained event within Maomao's adventure, keeps you engaged and the style of the light novel episodic in a way that's similar to the anime. Personally, I like this style, with the breaks in the chapters to break up the scenes, as it makes it easier for me to put the book down when life gets in the way - it doesn't stop in the middle of a really dramatic event because of the chapters and breaks.

The plot development in the series is thoroughly enjoyable. There are multiple moments when important information is slipped into the story in passing, and yet later embellished into something more important for Maomao. It makes you question every character and event that you come across, knowing that it would be crucial for the story later.

Prose and Writing Style

In true light novel fashion, this series is easy to read in terms of language. The sentence structure isn't overly flowery or convuluted, so you can enjoy focusing on the details of the unfolding mysteries.

That said, there have been a few moments where I have had to reread paragraphs to make sure that I full understood the events. Due to the complex and multifaceted nature of the events within the story, I find that sometimes I need to take a little bit longer to get the more complicated facts.

Favourite Character

It's tricky to choose my favourite character. Jinshi is always my favoruite for the series, but for this volume I think I'd say that Gyokuyo is my top character in volume three. She has so much charisma, and is such an intelligent character. The true MVP, however, has to be the frog (if you know, you know).

Favourite Part

There was so many parts that I could call my favourite. My top three (whilst being vague to avoid spoilers) were the mushrooms, the Shrine of Choosing (it's so clever!) and the hunt.

Similar to: 

Raven of the Inner Palace (anime and light novel) - Imperial Palace setting and mysteries, although this is more occult in nature. I've watched the anime and the light novel is on my TBR for after The Apothecary Diaries.

A Magic Steeped in Poison (novel, duology) - This is also on my TBR list, hugely in part to my love of The Apothecary Diaries, after it was suggested on a Facebook thread I saw a few months ago.