Scan barcode
sundayfever's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was wild and the ending was a batshit gory blood bath. I appreciated how chaotic it was and how it isn't your typical fantasy story about magic and resurrection. I loved the mixed race representation. The "lessons learned" here are very different than your typical story. The plot twists felt so unbelievable and hard to follow though. Read like gory indulgent violent fantasy, which I guess isn't my thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Classism, Body horror, Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Child death, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Xenophobia, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Self harm
emilysreadingbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Zilan is an orphan living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in the southern region of China in an alternate history where Chinese alchemists were successful in finding an elixir of immortality.
Only the rich have access, and while they don’t age, they can die through other means.
Zilan is an alchemist, and she and her cousins, Wenshu and Yufei, perform illegal life alchemy that brings the recently deceased back to life to earn the money they need for their family to survive.
Their dream is to move to the capital, Chang’an, for Zilan to become a royal alchemist, and her cousins to become civil servants; but to become a royal alchemist, Zilan has to pass the entrance exams, and the odds seemed stacked against her.
Can she pass, when it seems like almost everyone is against her? And is being a royal alchemist really everything she thought it would be?
This book was amazing! The plot is creative, and the twists are so well done. I was hooked from the first chapter, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Racial slurs, Body horror, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Animal death, Classism, Death, Gore, Murder, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Kidnapping
Minor: Physical abuse and Pandemic/Epidemic
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Inspired by ancient China, this book re-imagines what might have happened if Chinese alchemists had figured out the secret to immortality. It's definitely a twisty fantasy, and Zilan, our protagonist isn't necessarily the most likable main character, but she is fierce and defiant and knows what she wants. Baker incorporates a lot of plot twists in relation to her character, and I enjoyed that overall, it kept me constantly guessing as to what was going to happen next.
Of course, the ending is left a bit open, leaving room for a second book. I believe it's going to be a duology, but I've been wrong in that aspect before. However, the events in this book are pretty much wrapped up for the most part, just leaving some loose ends that will likely be addressed in the second book.
The way Baker used ancient Chinese alchemy as her inspiration and ran with it made the magic system feel unique. I was invested and intrigued for this entire book, and I'm excited to pick up the second book when it eventually comes out!
Of course, the ending is left a bit open, leaving room for a second book. I believe it's going to be a duology, but I've been wrong in that aspect before. However, the events in this book are pretty much wrapped up for the most part, just leaving some loose ends that will likely be addressed in the second book.
The way Baker used ancient Chinese alchemy as her inspiration and ran with it made the magic system feel unique. I was invested and intrigued for this entire book, and I'm excited to pick up the second book when it eventually comes out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death of parent, Sexism, Classism, Racism, and Self harm
Minor: Child death, Vomit, Cursing, and Kidnapping
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The world building in The Scarlet Alchemist is immaculate. The magic system, Death road, the harsh contrast between the poor and the rich - everything had such detail that the world and everything in it felt real. The necromantic alchemy was so interesting and played such a pivotal role through the story that I must note that the descriptions of the dead are equally, if not more, vivid and specific which gave the scenes life (ha!), but also a goriness and level of body horror I hadn't expected, but thoroughly enjoyed.
The overarching plot also really propelled the story. Though the book started slow, it builds the world well before launching into a plot that is all go-go-go after the 25% mark. Then there's no stopping. Watching Zilan do her exams especially was so interesting - again, digging into the world building and seeing what's possible through the magic system - and everything beyond it kept my interest piqued. While I don't know how I feel about the end of this installment, I'm so curious to see what book 2 has in store for us.
And that brings me to the characters. Until her exams, I honestly felt like I didn't get to know Zilan, let alone her siblings. It was like all the effort went into the world, and the characters got what was left. Yufei and Wenshu kind of just remain the same through the book - Yufei is a stubborn, pretty girl who loves to eat; Wenshu is a nerdy scholar, who protects his siblings. That's all they are for the whole book, even to the very end, and that was kind of sad, especially given the stakes. I couldn't buy into the ending because I didn't feel like I cared and knew them in the same way Zilan clearly did.
In contrast, I feel like Zilan, after she leaves for her exams, starts to find herself away from her cousins. We get to understand her motivations and see her personality start to shine. Even Hong we get to know slightly better than her cousins, though he's also kind of one-note. Their relationship is a bit insta-lovey, but I appreciated Hong's constant concern around consent and ensuring he doesn't abuse his princely power over her, as well as their move from strangers, to friends, to partners in crime, to possibly maybe lovers. Even though the declarations were a bit grand by the end, I understood the admiration they had for each other.
All in all, this book was an adventure. Full of magic and Zilan's gritty determination, The Scarlet Alchemist sets the stakes high and leaves you wanting more. I'm definitely not done with the world that was created here, so that's the biggest draw for me to come back for book 2. I'm so curious as to the heights Zilan will take her alchemy to next!
TW: death, gore, blood, murder, sexism, fire/fire injury, injury detail, racism, sexual harassment, self-harm (for ritual purposes), classism, bullying, animal death (not dog); mentions death of a parent, death of a child, vomit, kidnapping
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley by Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.
The overarching plot also really propelled the story. Though the book started slow, it builds the world well before launching into a plot that is all go-go-go after the 25% mark. Then there's no stopping. Watching Zilan do her exams especially was so interesting - again, digging into the world building and seeing what's possible through the magic system - and everything beyond it kept my interest piqued. While I don't know how I feel about the end of this installment, I'm so curious to see what book 2 has in store for us.
And that brings me to the characters. Until her exams, I honestly felt like I didn't get to know Zilan, let alone her siblings. It was like all the effort went into the world, and the characters got what was left. Yufei and Wenshu kind of just remain the same through the book - Yufei is a stubborn, pretty girl who loves to eat; Wenshu is a nerdy scholar, who protects his siblings. That's all they are for the whole book, even to the very end, and that was kind of sad, especially given the stakes. I couldn't buy into the ending because I didn't feel like I cared and knew them in the same way Zilan clearly did.
In contrast, I feel like Zilan, after she leaves for her exams, starts to find herself away from her cousins. We get to understand her motivations and see her personality start to shine. Even Hong we get to know slightly better than her cousins, though he's also kind of one-note. Their relationship is a bit insta-lovey, but I appreciated Hong's constant concern around consent and ensuring he doesn't abuse his princely power over her, as well as their move from strangers, to friends, to partners in crime, to possibly maybe lovers. Even though the declarations were a bit grand by the end, I understood the admiration they had for each other.
All in all, this book was an adventure. Full of magic and Zilan's gritty determination, The Scarlet Alchemist sets the stakes high and leaves you wanting more. I'm definitely not done with the world that was created here, so that's the biggest draw for me to come back for book 2. I'm so curious as to the heights Zilan will take her alchemy to next!
TW: death, gore, blood, murder, sexism, fire/fire injury, injury detail, racism, sexual harassment, self-harm (for ritual purposes), classism, bullying, animal death (not dog); mentions death of a parent, death of a child, vomit, kidnapping
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley by Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Classism, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Bullying, and Animal death
Minor: Child death, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Death of parent
ddnreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I love it. It offered a perfect combination of action and pace. It didn't let you sleep.
The characters are well written. They have significant trait that's make it bearable throughout the story. A pinch of jokes and sassines here and there. OH THE EMPRESS. I love it when woman right, but I like it even more when woman wrong. Clever, sadistic, and ten steps ahead. AND THE PRINCE HIMBO!!!! 🐣🐣🐣
Go pick up this book if you like an alternate universe of Tang dynasty, dead bodies come to life, PLOT TWIST, gripping story telling, kingdom political intrigue, with thick lines of sibling love and romance. Historical trivias here and there. Highly recommended!!!
The characters are well written. They have significant trait that's make it bearable throughout the story. A pinch of jokes and sassines here and there. OH THE EMPRESS. I love it when woman right, but I like it even more when woman wrong. Clever, sadistic, and ten steps ahead. AND THE PRINCE HIMBO!!!! 🐣🐣🐣
Go pick up this book if you like an alternate universe of Tang dynasty, dead bodies come to life, PLOT TWIST, gripping story telling, kingdom political intrigue, with thick lines of sibling love and romance. Historical trivias here and there. Highly recommended!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Gore, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Torture
luckylulureads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Vomit, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Racial slurs and Xenophobia
Minor: Death of parent and Cannibalism
carola84's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Murder, Animal cruelty, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Violence, Bullying, and Child abuse
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
thank you to @netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book!
I already knew Kylie Lee Baker would have me in my mixed race feels after loving The Keeper of the Night, but I wasn’t expecting the absolute rollercoaster that was The Scarlet Alchemist. Not only are there painful moments of not fitting in and feeling like those you love the most still don’t understand you, there was also frank commentary on poverty being a deliberate choice by the ruling class, complicated first love, and tons of political intrigue.
I think what I love about Baker’s writing is that it is distinctly YA, with young protagonists grappling with what it means to be a person in the world, feeling insecure, making stupid choices, and saying things they don’t mean, but she also doesn’t shy away from deep world-building, complicated moral dilemmas, and some truly disturbing body horror and violence.
I had so much fun reading this book: I gasped, I shouted, I grimaced, I gagged, and I teared up. If you love being dragged through the expanse of human emotions, morally gray mixed-race women, fake dating [concubinage], alternate Chinese historical periods, and amazing / complicated sibling dynamics, then boy. Have I got a recommendation for you.
I already knew Kylie Lee Baker would have me in my mixed race feels after loving The Keeper of the Night, but I wasn’t expecting the absolute rollercoaster that was The Scarlet Alchemist. Not only are there painful moments of not fitting in and feeling like those you love the most still don’t understand you, there was also frank commentary on poverty being a deliberate choice by the ruling class, complicated first love, and tons of political intrigue.
I think what I love about Baker’s writing is that it is distinctly YA, with young protagonists grappling with what it means to be a person in the world, feeling insecure, making stupid choices, and saying things they don’t mean, but she also doesn’t shy away from deep world-building, complicated moral dilemmas, and some truly disturbing body horror and violence.
I had so much fun reading this book: I gasped, I shouted, I grimaced, I gagged, and I teared up. If you love being dragged through the expanse of human emotions, morally gray mixed-race women, fake dating [concubinage], alternate Chinese historical periods, and amazing / complicated sibling dynamics, then boy. Have I got a recommendation for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Classism, Murder, Sexism, Blood, Animal death, Violence, Child death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gore
Minor: Abandonment
allapaz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I would like a personal apology from Kylie Lee Baker for writing a book that sucked me in so deeply that I didn't go to sleep until 2am last night. Seriously, I'm almost 30. I can't bounce back from that like I used to.
The Scarlet Alchemist is INTENSE. Stakes have never been higher, and the magic never more deadly. Our main character Zilan has her heard set on becoming a royal alchemist so she can earn enough money to support her family back home. Her and her cousins, Yufei and Wenshu, endure rigorous testing to prove themselves worthy of the kingdom's employment. This book is sprawling, exploring class and race issues in a fictionalized Tang dynasty and a delicious magic system that pulls people into and out of power as viciously as it pulls them in and out of life.
This book went hard. My only notes here were a struggle on whether YA could really be this dark, and I almost wonder if this would be more suited for a 'New Adult' classification. I will say the violence didn't feel gratuitous, but dang there were some parts in here with blood and monsters that just crawled right under my skin and will not leave.
I struggle to say anything else about the plot here, as I think this story is best enjoyed with the twists and surprises being an absolute blindside. This is one of the rare books that I fully cared about every single supporting character, and Kylie Lee Baker knows this and chewed up my heart anyway. Everyone is so well-developed and interesting and as a result, Zilan feels more relatable as a main character because she doesn't stand out as the only one who's interesting or has talents or quirks or flaws. Just incredible character work here, and that always gets me hooked.
All in all, this is a fave for sure. If it weren't marketed as YA I think I'd be at the full 5, but part of me really does struggle with the level of gore, but I'll trust the publishers on that one. I also just have personal beef with a series-starter that doesn't feel like it needs a sequel....but I'll reserve my thoughts on that until we are blessed with that sequel (which is an insta-buy for me, let's be real).
Thank you to Bookishfirst/the publishers for an ARC of this one! All opinions are my own.
The Scarlet Alchemist is INTENSE. Stakes have never been higher, and the magic never more deadly. Our main character Zilan has her heard set on becoming a royal alchemist so she can earn enough money to support her family back home. Her and her cousins, Yufei and Wenshu, endure rigorous testing to prove themselves worthy of the kingdom's employment. This book is sprawling, exploring class and race issues in a fictionalized Tang dynasty and a delicious magic system that pulls people into and out of power as viciously as it pulls them in and out of life.
This book went hard. My only notes here were a struggle on whether YA could really be this dark, and I almost wonder if this would be more suited for a 'New Adult' classification. I will say the violence didn't feel gratuitous, but dang there were some parts in here with blood and monsters that just crawled right under my skin and will not leave.
I struggle to say anything else about the plot here, as I think this story is best enjoyed with the twists and surprises being an absolute blindside. This is one of the rare books that I fully cared about every single supporting character, and Kylie Lee Baker knows this and chewed up my heart anyway. Everyone is so well-developed and interesting and as a result, Zilan feels more relatable as a main character because she doesn't stand out as the only one who's interesting or has talents or quirks or flaws. Just incredible character work here, and that always gets me hooked.
All in all, this is a fave for sure. If it weren't marketed as YA I think I'd be at the full 5, but part of me really does struggle with the level of gore, but I'll trust the publishers on that one. I also just have personal beef with a series-starter that doesn't feel like it needs a sequel....but I'll reserve my thoughts on that until we are blessed with that sequel (which is an insta-buy for me, let's be real).
Thank you to Bookishfirst/the publishers for an ARC of this one! All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Animal death, Violence, Death, Animal cruelty, Racism, Child death, and Gore
Moderate: Sexism, War, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Classism
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews because I don’t like leaving them. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless of the lack of stars. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
Wow, this was such a wild historical fantasy adventure! Zilan is a young alchemist (the future "Scarlet Alchemist" of the royal family) from the impoverished South, who travels to the capital to take the imperial exams in order to become a royal alchemist and pull her family (aunt, uncle, cousins-but-she-calls-them-sister-and-brother Yufei and Wenshu) out of poverty. When Zilan was young, her parents passed away so her aunt and uncle took her in as one of their own.
Zilan, Yufei & Wenshu practice an illegal form of alchemy, bringing back the dead (look, it pays the bills!), and this dark reputation spoils her chances of having a fair shot in the imperial exams. The crown prince Li Hong goes to Zilan to ask her for a favor, but she turns him away, and then runs into him at the capital Chang'an, where the odds and the judges are stacked against her! Fun fact: in the capital, the royals eat magical gems (like gold and pearls) to live forever. Ah, the price of youth. WILD! COULD NOT BE ME! SEE YA IN HELL!
This book moves fast, and the constant twists and turns kept me at the edge of my seat until the very end! I had to remind myself to let out a breath I didn't know I was holding (I finally understand this phrase in books now hahaha). Kylie Lee Baker did a phenomenal job of building up tension & mystery, shocking and horrifying readers, and then providing a glimmer of hope in rooting for Zilan to succeed! The political power plays at the palace (omg this alliteration is so annoying, I'm sorry) begin to unnerve Zilan, who also begins spending more time with Hong, and unraveling the inner workings of the palace history. It's DARK, and it's uncomfortable.
I really enjoyed Zilan as our main character - her tenacity, determination, and ability to investigate and troubleshoot make her a millennial dream even though she's not one hahaha. I also loved the dynamics between her and her cousins, who you could tell she cared for so deeply! I love this representation of a close-knit extended family! Zilan's dynamic with the Moon Alchemist was a fun mentor x mentee relationship to watch grow too.
The villain in the story was so fascinating - we have seen variations of the woman in power who remains obsessed with youth and maintaining her position of power before; it's a huge part of history, especially with empress consorts and queen mothers! Though this character felt familiar, I didn't think it was too derivative! Plus, she was modeled after a real empress in Chinese history. (Though remember, this is not historical fiction - it may be loosely inspired, but it's fantasy and an alternative history if you will!)
This is my first read by Kylie Lee Baker and I will absolutely be looking more into her backlist because this was a wild ride!
Wow, this was such a wild historical fantasy adventure! Zilan is a young alchemist (the future "Scarlet Alchemist" of the royal family) from the impoverished South, who travels to the capital to take the imperial exams in order to become a royal alchemist and pull her family (aunt, uncle, cousins-but-she-calls-them-sister-and-brother Yufei and Wenshu) out of poverty. When Zilan was young, her parents passed away so her aunt and uncle took her in as one of their own.
Zilan, Yufei & Wenshu practice an illegal form of alchemy, bringing back the dead (look, it pays the bills!), and this dark reputation spoils her chances of having a fair shot in the imperial exams. The crown prince Li Hong goes to Zilan to ask her for a favor, but she turns him away, and then runs into him at the capital Chang'an, where the odds and the judges are stacked against her! Fun fact: in the capital, the royals eat magical gems (like gold and pearls) to live forever. Ah, the price of youth. WILD! COULD NOT BE ME! SEE YA IN HELL!
This book moves fast, and the constant twists and turns kept me at the edge of my seat until the very end! I had to remind myself to let out a breath I didn't know I was holding (I finally understand this phrase in books now hahaha). Kylie Lee Baker did a phenomenal job of building up tension & mystery, shocking and horrifying readers, and then providing a glimmer of hope in rooting for Zilan to succeed! The political power plays at the palace (omg this alliteration is so annoying, I'm sorry) begin to unnerve Zilan, who also begins spending more time with Hong, and unraveling the inner workings of the palace history. It's DARK, and it's uncomfortable.
I really enjoyed Zilan as our main character - her tenacity, determination, and ability to investigate and troubleshoot make her a millennial dream even though she's not one hahaha. I also loved the dynamics between her and her cousins, who you could tell she cared for so deeply! I love this representation of a close-knit extended family! Zilan's dynamic with the Moon Alchemist was a fun mentor x mentee relationship to watch grow too.
The villain in the story was so fascinating - we have seen variations of the woman in power who remains obsessed with youth and maintaining her position of power before; it's a huge part of history, especially with empress consorts and queen mothers! Though this character felt familiar, I didn't think it was too derivative! Plus, she was modeled after a real empress in Chinese history. (Though remember, this is not historical fiction - it may be loosely inspired, but it's fantasy and an alternative history if you will!)
This is my first read by Kylie Lee Baker and I will absolutely be looking more into her backlist because this was a wild ride!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Medical content, Murder, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Confinement, and Body horror