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lyrareadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable read, mainly due to the character of Dorian, but I didn’t connect with these characters in the same as I did with the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries by the same author.
loxleyhall's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
4.25
katreader's review against another edition
4.0
The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian
The First Accidental Alchemist Mystery
Zoe Faust (gotta love the name) has decided to settle down in Portland, Oregon after centuries of traveling. (Yes, Zoe is over 300 years old.) She decides to buy a home, a fixer upper, and perhaps begin to practice alchemy once again. There are many surprises awaiting her-a French gargoyle requesting her alchemical help, a troubled youth, a burglary, an intriguing detective, and a dead contractor on her doorstop.
Blend historical fact with modern day reality and add a dollop of fantasy and you get Gigi Pandian's newest book, The Accidental Alchemist. Gigi Pandian creates a truly unique mystery. While one may find a veritable plethora of witches in mysteries, it is quite rare to find an alchemist.
The Accidental Alchemist is filled with unique characters. Not only do we have a 300 year old alchemist with the appearance of a 28 year old woman, we have Dorian Robert-Houdin, a French gargoyle come to life who also happens to be a world class chef. There's a troubled teenager with a fly by night mother and we also find a hint of romance in the form of Detective Max Liu.
Alchemy is about transformation. The mundane can become the extraordinary. At the start of the book Zoe Faust is a woman searching for a normal life and Brixton is a punk looking to prove something. Through the course of the story their lives and the lives of those around them are transformed. As Dorian transforms simple ingredients into gourmet fare, so the lives of these characters are transformed by the circumstances they face together. Gigi Pandian balances the mundane and the extraordinary in this intriguing mystery. There are lots of things to relish in this delightful read-more than one mystery, a few what-ifs, and in depth characterization, all of which leaves a desire to learn more about this vision of Portland. The Accidental Alchemist is a magnificent start to a new series and I look forward to meeting up with Zoe, Dorian, and that dishy detective again.
Recipes included.
The First Accidental Alchemist Mystery
Zoe Faust (gotta love the name) has decided to settle down in Portland, Oregon after centuries of traveling. (Yes, Zoe is over 300 years old.) She decides to buy a home, a fixer upper, and perhaps begin to practice alchemy once again. There are many surprises awaiting her-a French gargoyle requesting her alchemical help, a troubled youth, a burglary, an intriguing detective, and a dead contractor on her doorstop.
Blend historical fact with modern day reality and add a dollop of fantasy and you get Gigi Pandian's newest book, The Accidental Alchemist. Gigi Pandian creates a truly unique mystery. While one may find a veritable plethora of witches in mysteries, it is quite rare to find an alchemist.
The Accidental Alchemist is filled with unique characters. Not only do we have a 300 year old alchemist with the appearance of a 28 year old woman, we have Dorian Robert-Houdin, a French gargoyle come to life who also happens to be a world class chef. There's a troubled teenager with a fly by night mother and we also find a hint of romance in the form of Detective Max Liu.
Alchemy is about transformation. The mundane can become the extraordinary. At the start of the book Zoe Faust is a woman searching for a normal life and Brixton is a punk looking to prove something. Through the course of the story their lives and the lives of those around them are transformed. As Dorian transforms simple ingredients into gourmet fare, so the lives of these characters are transformed by the circumstances they face together. Gigi Pandian balances the mundane and the extraordinary in this intriguing mystery. There are lots of things to relish in this delightful read-more than one mystery, a few what-ifs, and in depth characterization, all of which leaves a desire to learn more about this vision of Portland. The Accidental Alchemist is a magnificent start to a new series and I look forward to meeting up with Zoe, Dorian, and that dishy detective again.
Recipes included.
jezebe11e's review against another edition
4.0
Just listened to this on a whim. It was cute and I rather liked Dorian, the gargoyle. A bit sluggish in spots but otherwise a solid 3.5 stars.
harleybasswood's review against another edition
3.0
I’m … not quite sure why some folks are so turned off by the food talk. I mean, I read reviews before I read the book and expected to be exasperated with the vegan theme, but honestly, it’s not overpowering to me at all. Yes, it’s tangential and not fully necessary to the storyline all the time, but it also never pulled me out of the story. So, basically, give it a chance!
Dorian is one of my favorite characters of all time, and this quirky cozy mystery is a lovely easy read. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Dorian is one of my favorite characters of all time, and this quirky cozy mystery is a lovely easy read. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
eastofthesunwestofthemoon's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the characters, especially Dorian, and the story was pretty good. Parts of it do come across as somewhat scatterbrained. The main character seems to have difficulty staying on task for more than a few pages, and sometimes meanders off to do something seemingly completely unnecessary when she is supposed to be focusing on something we are told is more important.
sillyhumantricks's review against another edition
5.0
This is a completely delightful story full of wonderful magic and fun flavor. Is it world changing? No. Is it a great piece of engaging, magical fluff? Absolutely.
sheriatthelibrary's review against another edition
3.0
Originally published on http://www.Sherisherbs.com
The cover of this one caught my attention immediately; quirky and fun. Kinda like the book it’s self. Is that a Gargoyle holding a whisk you ask? In fact it is.
Zoe, is a 300 year old herbalist, antiques dealer and retired alchemist. In an attempt at a new start, she buys a fixer-upper in Portland, Oregon. While unpacking her things she is surprised by a French stowaway, Dorian a living, breathing, and gourmet cooking gargoyle. When 14 year old Brixton, the neighborhood trouble maker, who just knows the house is haunted, spies the gargoyle through window while snooping around, Zoe tricks him into helping her clean up the house, in exchange for not pressing charges. After all she can’t let him tell the world about their secrets.
Dorian is convinced that Zoe is the only one who can help him decode his ancient book and save him from returning to his stone state forever. Zoe is not so sure she can help, she has, after all given up on alchemy. Then one day she comes home from a walk to see the handy-man she hired dead on her door step surrounded by an odd smell. She may have to reopen her alchemical lab, and painful past memories, to figure out what is really going on.
The unlikely murder mystery solving trio team up to investigate. They delve into the city and it’s resident tea shop patrons secrets. Soon there is another attempted murder, this time on someone they know and care about. Dorian is dying, and there’s a murder on the loose. Things start to get more serious, and they all could be in danger. The police investigator assigned to the case suspects the new girl in town, and in return Zoe thinks she might be falling for him…
It’s a mystery, so I’ll leave it at that. No spoilers here. It was a fun read, and as an herbalist it was refreshing to see the few herbal references were researched and not unrealistic, as were the historical alchemy references. Though I thought Zoe was bit too much of the stereotypical herbalist type (we’re not all like that!) What really brought it all together for me was reading the afterword. The author shares her story of the writing of this book as a tool to help her through her cancer. She also thoughtfully shares a few of the recipes from the book (and a link to her website with more!) I haven’t made any of them yet, but plan on it. They sound pretty good! I am certainly looking forward to the continuation of this series.
The cover of this one caught my attention immediately; quirky and fun. Kinda like the book it’s self. Is that a Gargoyle holding a whisk you ask? In fact it is.
Zoe, is a 300 year old herbalist, antiques dealer and retired alchemist. In an attempt at a new start, she buys a fixer-upper in Portland, Oregon. While unpacking her things she is surprised by a French stowaway, Dorian a living, breathing, and gourmet cooking gargoyle. When 14 year old Brixton, the neighborhood trouble maker, who just knows the house is haunted, spies the gargoyle through window while snooping around, Zoe tricks him into helping her clean up the house, in exchange for not pressing charges. After all she can’t let him tell the world about their secrets.
Dorian is convinced that Zoe is the only one who can help him decode his ancient book and save him from returning to his stone state forever. Zoe is not so sure she can help, she has, after all given up on alchemy. Then one day she comes home from a walk to see the handy-man she hired dead on her door step surrounded by an odd smell. She may have to reopen her alchemical lab, and painful past memories, to figure out what is really going on.
The unlikely murder mystery solving trio team up to investigate. They delve into the city and it’s resident tea shop patrons secrets. Soon there is another attempted murder, this time on someone they know and care about. Dorian is dying, and there’s a murder on the loose. Things start to get more serious, and they all could be in danger. The police investigator assigned to the case suspects the new girl in town, and in return Zoe thinks she might be falling for him…
It’s a mystery, so I’ll leave it at that. No spoilers here. It was a fun read, and as an herbalist it was refreshing to see the few herbal references were researched and not unrealistic, as were the historical alchemy references. Though I thought Zoe was bit too much of the stereotypical herbalist type (we’re not all like that!) What really brought it all together for me was reading the afterword. The author shares her story of the writing of this book as a tool to help her through her cancer. She also thoughtfully shares a few of the recipes from the book (and a link to her website with more!) I haven’t made any of them yet, but plan on it. They sound pretty good! I am certainly looking forward to the continuation of this series.
kittycaserine's review against another edition
4.0
Really fun to read. Lots of fun elements to it. I’m not sure if I would go back to read the sequels but I enjoyed this one! From what I understand you can read any of the series out of order. They’re independent with the same characters.
croseklotz's review against another edition
3.0
A cute and enjoyable story. I felt like the ending was a little rushed but I’m happy to keep reading more in the story.