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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
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
snowwhitehatesapples's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Also on Snow White Hates Apples.
A captivating and vivid reimagining of Chinese history during which the only (regarded as) legitimate female Emperor Wu Zetian ruled, The Scarlet Alchemist is a new addition to a growing and much-loved subgenre that needs to be read.
Here, we have Zilan, half-Chinese and half-wailao who’s without a mother and father, but much loved by her aunt, uncle and two cousins — so much so that they’re practically immediate family. Together, they run a mingqi business, which despite death being a daily occurrence, isn’t doing well. The poor are too poor to buy mingqi for their deceased loved ones while the rich are too scared of death to die so they resort to eating life gold which gives them longevity.
Nevertheless, an extended life doesn’t mean that one can’t die so what do the rich do when one of their own dies? When they’re desperate enough to pay any price to bring back the deceased? Why, they go to a backwater village, walk through the part of the neighbourhood even the villagers themselves turn their noses up at, and find Zilan who has that exact ability they’re looking for.
It’s breaking all sorts of laws — in fact, anything related to the necromantic/blood alchemy Zilan does defies the balance and can have severe consequences or less-than-ideal results, But, for Zilan, it’s a means of survival for her family because the gold the rich pays to stay alive can bring rice to their table, can improve the health of her ailing aunt and uncle, can allow Zilan and her cousins to travel to the capital for the imperial exams that can better their lives should they pass both the exams and the political games that are undoubtedly there.
So, Zilan’s willingness to go against everything for her and her loved ones’ sake? That’s admirable. I really like how she braves her fears and how she takes on the challenges that come her way with cleverness and viciousness. Zilan may come off as rude or selfish to some, but I think it makes her complex and more relatable.
Other than that, I like that Prince Li Hong is a more lighthearted character in contrast to Zilan. He isn’t as strong, as smart or as brave, but he’s sweet, loves his ducks dearly and provides the story with seamlessly integrated touches of humour. Though, I must admit the romance between him and Zilan felt unbalanced. It’s clear that Li Hong likes Zilan more than she likes him, so this makes all the romantic parts feel out of the blue. Still, I think that this simply means more opportunity for Zilan’s feelings to develop and strengthen in the next book.
(Also, idk about you but that moment when Zilan had to choose between the two in her life? Amazing. 10/10 the perfect choice. I bawled at that scene.)
Anyway, if a BAMF female lead who can resurrect people and a gentle male lead who loves his pet ducks caught up in the typical political games of the upper class isn’t enough of a win for you, consider the following plusses: undead made of gems, stunning twists and turns, and fast-paced action. (Yes, you need to read The Scarlet Alchemist ASAP!)
A captivating and vivid reimagining of Chinese history during which the only (regarded as) legitimate female Emperor Wu Zetian ruled, The Scarlet Alchemist is a new addition to a growing and much-loved subgenre that needs to be read.
Here, we have Zilan, half-Chinese and half-wailao who’s without a mother and father, but much loved by her aunt, uncle and two cousins — so much so that they’re practically immediate family. Together, they run a mingqi business, which despite death being a daily occurrence, isn’t doing well. The poor are too poor to buy mingqi for their deceased loved ones while the rich are too scared of death to die so they resort to eating life gold which gives them longevity.
Nevertheless, an extended life doesn’t mean that one can’t die so what do the rich do when one of their own dies? When they’re desperate enough to pay any price to bring back the deceased? Why, they go to a backwater village, walk through the part of the neighbourhood even the villagers themselves turn their noses up at, and find Zilan who has that exact ability they’re looking for.
It’s breaking all sorts of laws — in fact, anything related to the necromantic/blood alchemy Zilan does defies the balance and can have severe consequences or less-than-ideal results, But, for Zilan, it’s a means of survival for her family because the gold the rich pays to stay alive can bring rice to their table, can improve the health of her ailing aunt and uncle, can allow Zilan and her cousins to travel to the capital for the imperial exams that can better their lives should they pass both the exams and the political games that are undoubtedly there.
So, Zilan’s willingness to go against everything for her and her loved ones’ sake? That’s admirable. I really like how she braves her fears and how she takes on the challenges that come her way with cleverness and viciousness. Zilan may come off as rude or selfish to some, but I think it makes her complex and more relatable.
Other than that, I like that Prince Li Hong is a more lighthearted character in contrast to Zilan. He isn’t as strong, as smart or as brave, but he’s sweet, loves his ducks dearly and provides the story with seamlessly integrated touches of humour. Though, I must admit the romance between him and Zilan felt unbalanced. It’s clear that Li Hong likes Zilan more than she likes him, so this makes all the romantic parts feel out of the blue. Still, I think that this simply means more opportunity for Zilan’s feelings to develop and strengthen in the next book.
(Also, idk about you but that moment when Zilan had to choose between the two in her life? Amazing. 10/10 the perfect choice. I bawled at that scene.)
Anyway, if a BAMF female lead who can resurrect people and a gentle male lead who loves his pet ducks caught up in the typical political games of the upper class isn’t enough of a win for you, consider the following plusses: undead made of gems, stunning twists and turns, and fast-paced action. (Yes, you need to read The Scarlet Alchemist ASAP!)
Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker is available at all good bookstores.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Death, Bullying, and Gore
Minor: Classism, Murder, Kidnapping, and Misogyny
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
opalmars's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
🩸 PLOT:
This book grabbed my attention right on the 1st page! The prologue of “The Scarlet Alchemist” was very interesting (something that is not common, in my opinion 🫢) and I was immediately intrigued. Then chapter 1 begins with our MC, Zilan, being VERY casual about having a dead body in her shop and I was like 😧🤔👀. Tell me MORE!!!
The whole book was very fast paced. And the author managed to include a lot of things in a fairly short amount of pages, and I mean that is a good way; the plot never felt rushed, it was simply fast and exciting! I also never felt the urge to skim scenes or skip “to the fun part” because the whole story was genuinely fun, and no scene felt like unnecessary “fluff”. I think this story is just really engaging and well-paced!
I also really enjoyed the magic system. Using different stones as a way to practice alchemy, and the fact that you need to keep everything balanced – which means that for every “good” action, there’s a “bad” reaction – was genuinely super interesting! And I liked that this magic system made the fight scenes feel unique, since people weren’t fighting with weapons or magical beams of power.
Now for some spoilers:
➤ I really liked seeing Zilan overcome the odds in the alchemy tryouts. Everyone being against her and not even letting things be fair was SOOOOOOOO INFURIATING! But it gave Zilan an opportunity to show her badassery, which I appreciate.
➤ I thought that prisoner with the hazel eyes was for sure gonna be her father (it seemed pretty obvious by the way he was introduced), but then he never came up again… 😅 Maybe it’ll be revealed in book 2 that he actually was. Although her dad would probably be dead, since Zilan would be draining his life lol.
➤ When Zilan pulled back her cousins’ shirt to reveal their names tattooed on their backs…. Meaning they had been REVIVED???? Oh bitch that gagged me a little. 😨 And then learning from the Moon Alchemist that bringing people back from the dead means those revived people basically start draining their loved ones’ life?! And then Zilan realizing that the reason her uncle and aunt were sick was because her cousins were draining them?! And then realizing that SHE hadn’t been feeling sick, which probably meant her cousins didn’t even love her?! OOF!!! BUT THEN!!!! Zilan found out that SHE had been revived too (and that’s why her cousins weren’t draining her life – because she didn’t have any of her own, and she’d actually been draining her aunt and uncle too)…..!!!!!!!!!!! BIIIITCHHHHH. 😱
➤ Zilan’s plan to kill the Empress seemed really good! But that hag is SMART! My heart dropped when Zilan’s idea to poison her failed, and turned out the Empress had kidnapped Yufei and Wenshu. 😥
➤ I REALLY liked learning that the alchemists had actually been conspiring against the Empress! I honestly would’ve liked to know more about their plans.
➤ Zilan and the alchemists’ plan to kill the Empress at the end by taking her blood and feeding it to her monsters so they’d kill her was SO SMART! But, once again, she outsmarted them and fed the alchemists’ blood to the monsters, getting them all killed, except for Zilan 😰 (shoutout to the Moon Alchemist for not wanting to be revived because she believed resurrections were wrong and didn’t want to see her loved ones dying because of her).
➤ BUT THEN my girl Zilan gagged the Empress by eating pearls, becoming a freaky ass monster herself, and then killing that bitch 💪🏻. When one of the guards ripped Zilan’s soul tag I though that she was gone for sure, but the author brought back the whole idea of Zilan being a Fan, not a Su, meaning her soul tag wouldn’t even be fully connected to her soul, so Zilan carved the name she was actually linked to (Fan Zilan) in her skin and managed to stay alive. I thought that was a really clever twist!
➤ Zilan bringing back her cousin/sister into the Empress’s body was really cool. And when she brought back her cousin/brother in Li Hong’s body... gagged me, ngl. 🫢 (though I wonder… aren’t her aunt and uncle going to keep being drained by the 3 of them? 🤔).
➤ Anyways. That brings me to the 1 thing I didn’t love about this book, and that is the setup to book 2. I don’t think I love it…… Apparently, all that’s gonna happen is that Zilan is going to that mythical island and she’ll bring some people back to life. First of all, Zilan’s plan brings up ethical problems: who can you bring back to life? Surely not EVERYONE who’s ever died, right? And who decides who should be revivded? Because Zilan apparently already decided she’ll bring back Li Hong, his family, all of the alchemists… There’s definitely a moral dilemma there, though the author can for sure make Zilan have some kind of corruption arc, where she doesn’t take into consideration anything other than her selfish desires. 🤔 But, anyways… I kind of feel like Zilan traveling to an island and bringing some people back will not really be…. *enough* for an entire book. Even if the author included a bunch of obstacles and shenanigans in that journey, I think that a book about traveling to an island and bringing some people back is a downgrade, compared to book 1. I sure hope she can manage to pull it off. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
🩸 CHARACTERS:
Zilan is a GREAT main character! First of all, she takes no shit, which I absolutely LOVE! Somebody tries to scam her? She’ll just charge them more, or leave them begging. She’s not given all the necessary materials at the royal alchemist tryouts? She’ll stab the man who kept taunting her and use the metal in his blood to pass the test. They try to lie, once again, to stop her from becoming a royal alchemist? She’ll literally break her tooth to prove she’s right. The rich men are begging for their lives? She keeps walking, not even looking back, bc #EatTheRich. The prince only cares about himself? She’ll literally call him out for being selfish, as she should! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Zilan is also very ambitious (and a bit aggressive) which is great for a MC, because it means the plot is constantly moving forward, since Zilan never backs down!
Something I REALLY appreciated was the fact that Zilan wasn’t a great fighter. She constantly gets her ass beat, which makes sense since she never fought before. I’m glad she isn’t just ~magically~ a great fighter lol. That is not to say she isn’t badass, though! Because she for sure is! It’s just that, to win fights, Zilan had to use her wits, and find ways to use her alchemical powers to get out of sticky situations and overpower her stronger opponents.
I also really liked seeing her struggle with her identity. I thought it was really well integrated into the story. Also, #tall girl rights!! 💪🏻
The LI, Li Hong, was really sweet! He was naïve and kind, and a little bit silly, but in an endearing way. He was a bit selfish at times, but, as I mentioned, Zilan called him out on his shitty attitudes and he corrected himself. I always appreciate LIs who aren’t just *broody rude tall mean very tall moody* men. I’ve always liked kind LIs more, so I really enjoyed Li Hong. I just would’ve liked to see more of his internal struggle, though that would’ve only really been possible with dual POVs.
With that said, I have to admit that I didn’t really care about the romance. I didn’t dislike it at all! And I liked that Li Hong fell first and harder (which should always be the case with str8 couples!!!!!) and I thought their scenes were very sweet! For some reason, though, I just didn’t feel much, you know? I wish there’d been a little more development, or perhaps some more scenes between them, because I honestly just don’t feel very strongly about them, and I couldn’t really understand their *deep* connection at the end of the book. 😕 Also, I have to ask: wasn’t there a bit too much PDA for ancient China? That’s a genuine question. 😅 ALSO! This book did that thing that I HATE and that happens a lot in fantasy books, which is: the characters have their 1st kiss and IMMEDIATELY jump to ~undressing~…… sure, in this case it advanced the plot, BUT STILL!!!! I HATE THAT SHIT. 😭🤚🏻
As for the SC::::: Zilan’s cousins/siblings, Yufei and Wenshu, were really cool! I think they were great supporting characters for Zilan, and they actually had personality, and weren’t just bland and forgettable. And I really liked that they were *actually* integrated into the story, instead of only showing up when the MC needed them!
On the other hand, we have the alchemists, which were unfortunately pretty underdeveloped. 😕 The Moon Alchemist was the only one we actually saw on page (and, although I though she was cool, I never cared too much about her as a person). The other alchemists, though, were barely in the story. There’s like 2 scenes with the Paper and River Alchemists in the whole book. The Comet Alchemist is mentioned 3 timesand they die the 3rd time we ever hear about them… lol. I honestly just didn’t feel ANYTHING about any of these deaths, because I didn’t know these characters AT ALL . I think Zilan’s friendship with the other alchemists was definitely lacking.
In general, I think some of the emotional beats weren’t the best, since I didn’t care about the romance or the friendships with the alchemists. I still really liked Zilan’s relationship with her cousins/siblings, though!
-------
Overall, I just found this book really gripping and enthralling. And I’m at a point in my life where I get bored very easily, so the fact that this *fantasy* book (not my preferred genre, nowadays) managed to keep my attention from the first page to the very last is definitely saying something! Despite my criticisms, I think this is a very strong book, and I’d definitely recommend it. Excited for book 2
This book grabbed my attention right on the 1st page! The prologue of “The Scarlet Alchemist” was very interesting (something that is not common, in my opinion 🫢) and I was immediately intrigued. Then chapter 1 begins with our MC, Zilan, being VERY casual about having a dead body in her shop and I was like 😧🤔👀. Tell me MORE!!!
The whole book was very fast paced. And the author managed to include a lot of things in a fairly short amount of pages, and I mean that is a good way; the plot never felt rushed, it was simply fast and exciting! I also never felt the urge to skim scenes or skip “to the fun part” because the whole story was genuinely fun, and no scene felt like unnecessary “fluff”. I think this story is just really engaging and well-paced!
I also really enjoyed the magic system. Using different stones as a way to practice alchemy, and the fact that you need to keep everything balanced – which means that for every “good” action, there’s a “bad” reaction – was genuinely super interesting! And I liked that this magic system made the fight scenes feel unique, since people weren’t fighting with weapons or magical beams of power.
Now for some spoilers:
➤ I thought that prisoner with the hazel eyes was for sure gonna be her father (it seemed pretty obvious by the way he was introduced), but then he never came up again… 😅 Maybe it’ll be revealed in book 2 that he actually was. Although her dad would probably be dead, since Zilan would be draining his life lol.
➤ When Zilan pulled back her cousins’ shirt to reveal their names tattooed on their backs…. Meaning they had been REVIVED???? Oh bitch that gagged me a little. 😨 And then learning from the Moon Alchemist that bringing people back from the dead means those revived people basically start draining their loved ones’ life?! And then Zilan realizing that the reason her uncle and aunt were sick was because her cousins were draining them?! And then realizing that SHE hadn’t been feeling sick, which probably meant her cousins didn’t even love her?! OOF!!! BUT THEN!!!! Zilan found out that SHE had been revived too (and that’s why her cousins weren’t draining her life – because she didn’t have any of her own, and she’d actually been draining her aunt and uncle too)…..!!!!!!!!!!! BIIIITCHHHHH. 😱
➤ Zilan’s plan to kill the Empress seemed really good! But that hag is SMART! My heart dropped when Zilan’s idea to poison her failed, and turned out the Empress had kidnapped Yufei and Wenshu. 😥
➤ I REALLY liked learning that the alchemists had actually been conspiring against the Empress! I honestly would’ve liked to know more about their plans.
➤ Zilan and the alchemists’ plan to kill the Empress at the end by taking her blood and feeding it to her monsters so they’d kill her was SO SMART! But, once again, she outsmarted them and fed the alchemists’ blood to the monsters, getting them all killed, except for Zilan 😰 (shoutout to the Moon Alchemist for not wanting to be revived because she believed resurrections were wrong and didn’t want to see her loved ones dying because of her).
➤ BUT THEN my girl Zilan gagged the Empress by eating pearls, becoming a freaky ass monster herself, and then killing that bitch 💪🏻. When one of the guards ripped Zilan’s soul tag I though that she was gone for sure, but the author brought back the whole idea of Zilan being a Fan, not a Su, meaning her soul tag wouldn’t even be fully connected to her soul, so Zilan carved the name she was actually linked to (Fan Zilan) in her skin and managed to stay alive. I thought that was a really clever twist!
➤ Zilan bringing back her cousin/sister into the Empress’s body was really cool. And when she brought back her cousin/brother in Li Hong’s body... gagged me, ngl. 🫢 (though I wonder… aren’t her aunt and uncle going to keep being drained by the 3 of them? 🤔).
➤ Anyways. That brings me to the 1 thing I didn’t love about this book, and that is the setup to book 2. I don’t think I love it…… Apparently, all that’s gonna happen is that Zilan is going to that mythical island and she’ll bring some people back to life. First of all, Zilan’s plan brings up ethical problems: who can you bring back to life? Surely not EVERYONE who’s ever died, right? And who decides who should be revivded? Because Zilan apparently already decided she’ll bring back Li Hong, his family, all of the alchemists… There’s definitely a moral dilemma there, though the author can for sure make Zilan have some kind of corruption arc, where she doesn’t take into consideration anything other than her selfish desires. 🤔 But, anyways… I kind of feel like Zilan traveling to an island and bringing some people back will not really be…. *enough* for an entire book. Even if the author included a bunch of obstacles and shenanigans in that journey, I think that a book about traveling to an island and bringing some people back is a downgrade, compared to book 1. I sure hope she can manage to pull it off. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
🩸 CHARACTERS:
Zilan is a GREAT main character! First of all, she takes no shit, which I absolutely LOVE! Somebody tries to scam her? She’ll just charge them more, or leave them begging. She’s not given all the necessary materials at the royal alchemist tryouts? She’ll stab the man who kept taunting her and use the metal in his blood to pass the test. They try to lie, once again, to stop her from becoming a royal alchemist? She’ll literally break her tooth to prove she’s right. The rich men are begging for their lives? She keeps walking, not even looking back, bc #EatTheRich. The prince only cares about himself? She’ll literally call him out for being selfish, as she should! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Zilan is also very ambitious (and a bit aggressive) which is great for a MC, because it means the plot is constantly moving forward, since Zilan never backs down!
Something I REALLY appreciated was the fact that Zilan wasn’t a great fighter. She constantly gets her ass beat, which makes sense since she never fought before. I’m glad she isn’t just ~magically~ a great fighter lol. That is not to say she isn’t badass, though! Because she for sure is! It’s just that, to win fights, Zilan had to use her wits, and find ways to use her alchemical powers to get out of sticky situations and overpower her stronger opponents.
I also really liked seeing her struggle with her identity. I thought it was really well integrated into the story. Also, #tall girl rights!! 💪🏻
The LI, Li Hong, was really sweet! He was naïve and kind, and a little bit silly, but in an endearing way. He was a bit selfish at times, but, as I mentioned, Zilan called him out on his shitty attitudes and he corrected himself. I always appreciate LIs who aren’t just *broody rude tall mean very tall moody* men. I’ve always liked kind LIs more, so I really enjoyed Li Hong. I just would’ve liked to see more of his internal struggle, though that would’ve only really been possible with dual POVs.
With that said, I have to admit that I didn’t really care about the romance. I didn’t dislike it at all! And I liked that Li Hong fell first and harder (which should always be the case with str8 couples!!!!!) and I thought their scenes were very sweet! For some reason, though, I just didn’t feel much, you know? I wish there’d been a little more development, or perhaps some more scenes between them, because I honestly just don’t feel very strongly about them, and I couldn’t really understand their *deep* connection at the end of the book. 😕 Also, I have to ask: wasn’t there a bit too much PDA for ancient China? That’s a genuine question. 😅 ALSO! This book did that thing that I HATE and that happens a lot in fantasy books, which is: the characters have their 1st kiss and IMMEDIATELY jump to ~undressing~…… sure, in this case it advanced the plot, BUT STILL!!!! I HATE THAT SHIT. 😭🤚🏻
As for the SC::::: Zilan’s cousins/siblings, Yufei and Wenshu, were really cool! I think they were great supporting characters for Zilan, and they actually had personality, and weren’t just bland and forgettable. And I really liked that they were *actually* integrated into the story, instead of only showing up when the MC needed them!
On the other hand, we have the alchemists, which were unfortunately pretty underdeveloped. 😕 The Moon Alchemist was the only one we actually saw on page (and, although I though she was cool, I never cared too much about her as a person). The other alchemists, though, were barely in the story. There’s like 2 scenes with the Paper and River Alchemists in the whole book. The Comet Alchemist is mentioned 3 times
In general, I think some of the emotional beats weren’t the best, since I didn’t care about the romance or the friendships with the alchemists. I still really liked Zilan’s relationship with her cousins/siblings, though!
-------
Overall, I just found this book really gripping and enthralling. And I’m at a point in my life where I get bored very easily, so the fact that this *fantasy* book (not my preferred genre, nowadays) managed to keep my attention from the first page to the very last is definitely saying something! Despite my criticisms, I think this is a very strong book, and I’d definitely recommend it. Excited for book 2
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
Minor: Abandonment
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
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