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maisierosereads's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the TBR & Beyond Book Tour.
I was drawn to A Golden Fury by a few things:
I was drawn to A Golden Fury by a few things:
- I love the mix of science and fantasy that comes along with any book about alchemy
- Female alchemists!
- It’s mostly set in England – I’ve spent time in Oxford and London, so it’s interesting to see them in fictional works! (Don’t worry fellow British readers, the author is American but doesn’t write about our rainy little island in a jarringly inaccurate or cringey way)
- This seemed like an excellent choice for a book to read in the run-up to spooky season
- The cover is pretty eyecatching, isn’t it?
I really liked the point of view of the main character, Thea, when it came to thinking about the nature of alchemy and what it should(n’t) be used for. She insists throughout that it is seen as a true science and not (as others in this universe insist) “charlatanry or magic”. There are references throughout to the reality of being an alchemist which I think many scientists will recognise: the difficulties in securing funding and legitimacy, the dangers of working with hazardous materials, the time and energy it requires to be so precise and methodical. It’s so nice to see representation of a young female scientist, particularly in YA – I can imagine teenage girls reading this and feeling inspired to pursue chemistry or other STEAM subjects!
She also gives us an insight into the moral dilemmas that come with alchemy. Her world is full of alchemists seeking money, eternal youth, and fame – just like in many of the other stories you might be able to think of with similar themes. However, Thea recognises this flaw and instead sees alchemy as a way to improve the world and the lives of the many rather than the few.
Thea is intelligent, skilled, and confident in her own abilities. However, that doesn’t stop her from feeling anxious when she has good reason to be, or from making mistakes. She makes morally questionable decisions at times, but she doesn’t do so thoughtlessly or without consequence.
Thea is intelligent, skilled, and confident in her own abilities. However, that doesn’t stop her from feeling anxious when she has good reason to be, or from making mistakes. She makes morally questionable decisions at times, but she doesn’t do so thoughtlessly or without consequence.
Pretty much all of the characters in A Golden Fury are developed into complex, 3D beings by the end of the book. I think that the complicated family dynamics between Thea and her parents are handled well, too. The relationship between Thea and her mother is not exactly a healthy or supportive one, but this is addressed and made clear within the book. Thea’s mother isn’t turned into a one-dimensional antagonist, which could have been easy given her circumstances; her motivations are explored and become clearer as the book progresses. The relationship between Thea and her father is complex, too, and develops quite naturally considering that her father didn’t know she existed at the start of the story!
I can’t review this book without talking about Thea’s romantic subplot(s). I liked that this book showed why Thea was attracted to certain characters, instead of just taking it for granted that it was inevitable. I’m sure that I’m not the only person who finds it annoying when a romance feels forced, like it only exists because the writer thinks that the book needs a romance and not because it makes sense for the characters – I didn’t feel that way with A Golden Fury. I also liked that having romantic feelings didn’t get in the way of Thea from pursuing her own ambitions; and Thea is definitely an ambitious character! She is drawn to characters who she feels help to imrove her: “his admiration was as intoxicating as wine, but unlike wine it sharpened my wits instead of dulling them.”
The one thing I wasn’t sure about when I first read the blurb is how I felt about the focus on characters “losing their sanity” as a result of the curse of the Philosopher’s Stone. What is the curse, you ask? "Alchemistam ultimam lapis elegit. Vae illi, qui non accipit. The Stone chooses the last alchemist, but woe to whom it does not accept."
(Sidenote: I love that the author put her knowledge of Latin to good use in this book – it felt very appropriate!)
I can’t review this book without talking about Thea’s romantic subplot(s). I liked that this book showed why Thea was attracted to certain characters, instead of just taking it for granted that it was inevitable. I’m sure that I’m not the only person who finds it annoying when a romance feels forced, like it only exists because the writer thinks that the book needs a romance and not because it makes sense for the characters – I didn’t feel that way with A Golden Fury. I also liked that having romantic feelings didn’t get in the way of Thea from pursuing her own ambitions; and Thea is definitely an ambitious character! She is drawn to characters who she feels help to imrove her: “his admiration was as intoxicating as wine, but unlike wine it sharpened my wits instead of dulling them.”
The one thing I wasn’t sure about when I first read the blurb is how I felt about the focus on characters “losing their sanity” as a result of the curse of the Philosopher’s Stone. What is the curse, you ask? "Alchemistam ultimam lapis elegit. Vae illi, qui non accipit. The Stone chooses the last alchemist, but woe to whom it does not accept."
(Sidenote: I love that the author put her knowledge of Latin to good use in this book – it felt very appropriate!)
I can’t truthfully say that reading the book completely cleared my misgivings from my perspective as a mental health advocate (and as somebody with mental illnesses of my own), but I think that the context given later on in the book for what exactly the curse is and why it causes behaviour changes helps. I think that the language used by the characters to explain what is happening – e.g. the use of the word “sanity” – is appropriate for the time period it is set in, too. Perhaps I would have felt more comfortable if the idea that mental illness is a bad thing had been challenged just a little bit more.
Overall I enjoyed reading A Golden Fury, and would recommend it if you’re looking for some YA historical fantasy with an empowered female lead. Congratulations to Samantha Cohoe on its publication – I’ll be keeping an eye out for her future work!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence
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