REVIEW: ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Season 3 Episode 3 – “Let Them Eat Cake”

Maomao (Aoi Yūki) is not your average heroine; that much is clear in the taut and subtly emotional The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3. In “Let Them Eat Cake,” we get a full view of both her cynicism and compassion while she stands firm in her belief in maintaining order and economic stability. It’s a profound piece of storytelling that understands the innate hardships of the time and the perils of being a woman in a world where even family might abuse and force servitude in a desperate effort to maintain their own meager profit. 

This level of understated writing, armed with harsh edges, is just one of the many reasons the series is such a success. Despite some of the sillier character beats and the central dynamic that cruises along in a vague will-they/won’t-they, slow-burn pace, it finds greater weight in the expectations these characters have in this specific world. 

Maomao, from the start of the series, knows what’s expected of her and the dangers of being a woman, having grown up near impoverished and in a brothel. She draws freckles (sigh) on her face to make herself seem less desirable so she won’t be kidnapped, and she knows the dangers men present and how something like pregnancy can debilitate one of the courtesans working in the Verdigris house. Her cynicism is hard-earned, and it influences how she deals with others and confronts the world. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3 finds Maomao making difficult decisions. 

All of which is to say that her reaction in The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3 is completely in character, even if at first it seems cold. It is cold. But what is her alternative? 

While we see Jinshi (Takeo Ōtsuka) momentarily as he learns about suspicious drugs circulating the streets, the main thrust of the story is with Maomao. Maomao and a family of unlikely victims of this potential drug. Summoned by a man to treat his daughter, Maomao first makes him sign a contract ensuring he’ll pay her after the fact, even if he can’t now. Yes, she’s an apothecary, but she refuses to be walked over and forced to live on scraps because of others. 

What follows is both a mystery and a way to envelop us further into the dire nature of this world. The patient in question is a young girl who doesn’t speak, malnourished and seemingly near death. Her older sister discloses what she fed her, a mysterious sweet that has an abortifacient ingredient. Their late mother – who died during a miscarriage likely caused by this ingredient – told her daughters to only eat when supplies were low and to not share it with their father. 

The plights of women are put into focus in the unyielding yet compassionate “Let Them Eat Cake.”

The family dynamic is clear. Three women who were looking after one another and a man who took advantage of his daughters and wife, who’s more concerned with losing more labor than a daughter. Maomao sees this and takes the younger girl back with her, promising to help. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3 operates in this tension. Maomao feeds and guides the girl to recovery, with Chou-u (Natsumi Fujiwara) offering support as well. But this isn’t a story with a neat ending. Instead, the older sister appears to check in, beaten clearly by her father. When Maomao suggests that the younger sister be raised as a courtesan to pay the medical fees, the older sister jumps to take the role instead. She’ll become a courtesan, raise her sister, and escape the abuse of her father. It’s not an easy life, but it’s better than the one she has. 

There are details that further show the lengths she’s willing to go for her sister in a way that doesn’t shy away from the ugly realities. Little things like the frigid water she cleans herself with or Maomao’s dispassionate reminder that any sign of lice will have her kicked out immediately.  There’s no easy route for women in this world, just better choices, or ones that give them a little more agency. 

A story of two sisters brings unlikely heart to a harrowing tale.

It would seem depressing, but there’s something triumphant in the moment where their father comes to retrieve them, and they stare down at him, finally out of his reach. This is the nature of this world, and any minor victory is worth celebrating. And, more than anything, a reminder of why Maomao is such an extraordinary character. 

Because yes, it seems like she doesn’t care and is just trying to pay a debt. But she also clearly sees the girls are being mistreated. She also understands there are limited options for girls of their station. She knows the Verdigris house and has worked and lived there. She’s giving them an opportunity they wouldn’t have had, and on a path she knows, rather than alleys she doesn’t. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3 also opens up the wider conspiracy as pieces begin to pool together, from the mysterious drug, the “White Lady” behind it, and the missing insect volume. This pushes the story forward, as Maomao must embark on a journey to retrieve it. This leads to reuniting with Suirei (Nazuka Kaori), now going by the name “Rei,” who lives with Ah-Duo (Kaida Yuko). 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3 circles back to two crucial characters.

The reintroduction of both Suirei and Ah-Duo opens up the story to bring together Maomao and Jinshi characters who are pivotal to their development. It is also a reminder of all of the ways women have been discarded in the past, a linking theme in the series. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3 both works to direct the course as the season continues to develop while also serving as a fantastic reminder of why Maomao is such a force to be reckoned with. With sweeping, haunting visuals and a score that continues to hit all of the right notes, “Let Them Eat Cake” might feel like a setup, but as a self-contained story, it excels. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 3 is available now on Crunchyroll.

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