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soryualan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was such a fun book to read!! It's very dark at times, but it also has very heart warming moments. I'm
Not sure how I feel about the ending, not the decisions the lead character makes, but the way in which everything gets resolved, but it's ok and it sets us up perfectly fine for a sequel.
Not sure how I feel about the ending, not the decisions the lead character makes, but the way in which everything gets resolved, but it's ok and it sets us up perfectly fine for a sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Racism, and Blood
Minor: Body shaming
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 cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Abandonment
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, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
maiareadss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
First, Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for this honest review!
This beautiful masterpiece destroyed me. That stayed up of night to finish it kind of destroyed. The good kind of destroyed that makes you dream about it for a week after. The Scarlet Alchemist excels across the board. It has phenomenal worldbuilding, an intense writing style, complex characters, and a plot that leaves you glued to the pages.
The Scarlet Alchemist is a high fantasy deeply rooted in Chinese history with a backdrop of romance. Our main character, Fan Zilan, is a dirt-poor half-Chinese, half-White merchant set on her path to becoming a royal alchemist. However, consequences have a habit of always catching up to you, especially when you dabble in illegal resurrections. Zilan and her two cousins, who are taking the civil service exam, make it to the capital city, Chang'an, in hopes of a better life. Life as a royal alchemist is not as rewarding as it would seem. As a reader, you will be kept on your toes by the fast-moving plot and unveiled secrets. This book also has a fair amount of terror, suspense, gore, and body horror. Overall, an astonishing 5-star read!
P.S. I have become a champion for Kylie Lee Baker. I will follow her in whatever direction she may go, and I would kill to see this on the big screen.
This beautiful masterpiece destroyed me. That stayed up of night to finish it kind of destroyed. The good kind of destroyed that makes you dream about it for a week after. The Scarlet Alchemist excels across the board. It has phenomenal worldbuilding, an intense writing style, complex characters, and a plot that leaves you glued to the pages.
The Scarlet Alchemist is a high fantasy deeply rooted in Chinese history with a backdrop of romance. Our main character, Fan Zilan, is a dirt-poor half-Chinese, half-White merchant set on her path to becoming a royal alchemist. However, consequences have a habit of always catching up to you, especially when you dabble in illegal resurrections. Zilan and her two cousins, who are taking the civil service exam, make it to the capital city, Chang'an, in hopes of a better life. Life as a royal alchemist is not as rewarding as it would seem. As a reader, you will be kept on your toes by the fast-moving plot and unveiled secrets. This book also has a fair amount of terror, suspense, gore, and body horror. Overall, an astonishing 5-star read!
P.S. I have become a champion for Kylie Lee Baker. I will follow her in whatever direction she may go, and I would kill to see this on the big screen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
catreads247's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
LOVED this one! It does lag a bit in the middle, but holy cow does it pack a punch. Zilan is a total badass! Trigger warnings for a lot of body horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Violence