OVERVIEW
I forgot to post about reading this ebook because I was on a social media and blog hiatus. My mistake!
This was a lovely and sweet book to begin 2025. I originally thought it would be my last book of 2024, but life got in the way. So instead I finished after midnight on New Year's Day!
This was my first book by Lynda Cohen Loigman and won't be my last. It combined magical realism, Jewish culture, mystery, and a dual timeline with historical fiction. Perfection!
The two timelines are 1920s Brooklyn and 1980s Florida. The two periods dovetailed beautifully into a satisfying novel. The Brooklyn timeline included a family pharmacy, Jewish gangsters, love and loss, and a changing socioeconomic period. The Florida timeline was about a retirement home with eclectic and eccentric retired Jewish folks - they were a hoot!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The writing was descriptive, fascinating, and authentic. It reflected the language of the two times and used great Yiddish words interspersed throughout. The characters still used the phrasing and slang of their youth in their eighties which was adorable!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main character is Augusta "Goldie" (daughter/retired pharmacist). Her name is in the book title so it is evident that the book revolves around her. She is the kind of elderly woman I want to be when I grow up!
The secondary characters are Solomon (Augusta's father), Irving (Augusta's friend), Bess (Augusta's sister), Esther (Augusta's great-aunt), and Jackie (Augusta's niece).
The tertiary characters are the Brooklyn neighbors, Brooklyn pharmacy customers, and Florida retirees.
As is true for most historical fiction, many characters are necessary for the detailed storyline. But the main characters and secondary characters are fully developed and so fascinating.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
The first part of the storyline is about Augusta's family, their pharmacy, and their life in Brooklyn which is upended when Aunt Esther comes to live with them. The second part of the storyline is about Augusta retiring to Florida and the wild and crazy lives of retirees.
The main locations were Brooklyn, New York, and Florida.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
I always enjoy learning about different times and cultures. So the Jewish part of Brooklyn in the 1920s was a very close-knit and wonderful community. The food descriptions alone make me want chicken soup with kreplach!!
What intrigued me was the similarities to the local Boyle Heights community here in Los Angeles. The neighborhood is now primarily Hispanic, but remnants of the former large Jewish community remain!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Very pretty!!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Combination of the plot. Excellent choice!
HIGHLY recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman
317 pages
St. Martin's Press
Release date of 10/8/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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