Wickett’s Remedy
Wickett’s Remedy†by Myla Goldberg
This novel takes place around South Boston in the early part of the twentieth century, and is about Lydia, an Irish American shopgirl. Lydia is happily married but her life is completely turned around when her husband a former medical student, creates a mail order patent medicine called Wicketts Remedy. Soon after, however, Henry succumbs to the infamous Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918 and Lydia’s life is irrevocably changed.
Meanwhile, a parallel narrative explores the world of QD soda, the illegitimate offspring of Wickett’s remedy, stolen away by Henry Wickett’s one time business partner, Quentin Driscott, who transforms it into a soft drink empire.
A chorus of other voices offer a running commentary from the book’s margins.
The book is an easy read, with believable characters and situations, but not as enjoyable as an earlier book that I read by the same author. I found the skipping around from time period to time period, distracting.