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indigoblue777's review
4.0
I listened to the free audiobook on YouTube over the course of about 6 months.
This book was ok. I was originally going to give it 3 stars, but the ending somewhat redeemed the story. If I had read it when I was twelve I might have enjoyed it more. I like the world-building, especially Hekate's shadow realm, and the Torc Allta.
My biggest problem with this book is Josh.
He annoys me to no end, is always causing problems, and has all the makings of becoming Edmund from the Chronicles of Narnia, if you know what I mean.
Things that were hinted at for future books:
- The witch is going to die because she said she'll never see Scatty again
- Either Sophie or Josh is going to go evil. The witch hinted that it might be Sophie, but it's looking more like Josh at the moment. We didn't get a lot of character development for Sophie because she was passed out for a good portion of the book, so she might be able to go evil. But at the moment Josh seems more likely. Fortunately, he was significantly redeemed at the end of the book.
This book was ok. I was originally going to give it 3 stars, but the ending somewhat redeemed the story. If I had read it when I was twelve I might have enjoyed it more. I like the world-building, especially Hekate's shadow realm, and the Torc Allta.
Spoiler
I'm surprised that Hekate was killed off so early in the series, especially when they hyped her up as being such a powerful Elder.My biggest problem with this book is Josh.
He annoys me to no end, is always causing problems, and has all the makings of becoming Edmund from the Chronicles of Narnia, if you know what I mean.
Spoiler
I mean, he was the most afraid of being Awakened, but then as soon as Sophie gets all of her powers, he becomes jealous. He even gets jealous of how her aura smells like vanilla and his smells like oranges. Hello? Would he rather have rotten egg smell like D??? Not looking good.Things that were hinted at for future books:
Spoiler
- Hekate needs to be avenged- The witch is going to die because she said she'll never see Scatty again
- Either Sophie or Josh is going to go evil. The witch hinted that it might be Sophie, but it's looking more like Josh at the moment. We didn't get a lot of character development for Sophie because she was passed out for a good portion of the book, so she might be able to go evil. But at the moment Josh seems more likely. Fortunately, he was significantly redeemed at the end of the book.
linzthebookworm's review against another edition
3.0
I liked The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. I thought it was a fun, light read, and a good adventure. I thought the magic was interesting, but for being titled The Alchemyst, I feel like the actual Alchemy was missing. It is a kid's book, so I guess that may have been too complicated to put in. It just felt a little glossed over. There were a lot of parts of the story where I wanted more background information, but it seemed like it just got set aside for later, and by the time it came up again, the details felt unimportant. It was an enjoyable story, but it felt more tell than show.
For my full review, check out: https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2021/12/book-review-alchemyst-by-michael-scott.html
For my full review, check out: https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2021/12/book-review-alchemyst-by-michael-scott.html
amus34's review
2.0
cute, but reads exactly like something I would have written when I was 13 and thought I was ~*special*~. when will adult men stop trying to write teenage girls?
marscandy37's review
3.0
I have one word for you wrong.
I know it's weird to start a book review this way. You're probably wondering what I mean. Is the book strange, or morally incorrect in some way? No, it's not. At least I don't think so.
The reason I started this review like this is because of the hundreds of times the word "wrong" was used in this book. It was used so frequently I actually made it a game each time I read it. Then, after the 10th time, I begun to grow bored and literally rolled my eyes each time the word popped up. It became sooo annoying!
Sentences like this--
"There was something wrong about him."
"Something was wrong with her face."
"The cloud looked wrong somehow."
On and on and on. Until the end, and every time I read it, it made my teeth grind.
But of course that alone wouldn't have bothered me, I can simply ignore that and it wouldn't have been a huge impact on the rating...but there are other things, and those things have contributed to the rating I have given this book.
• The annoying way in which the perspectives kept changing within the same chapter
One second we are in one person’s head, the next second someone completely different is talking and you as the reader are left with a “what the heck just happened” expression on your face as you tried to work out who is who. I was so confused at some parts I had to go back and re-read it just to figure out what had happened.
• The strange relationship of the twins with their parents
I’m a mom, and as such I can tell you that there is no way I would let my fifteen year old daughters go with anyone I don’t know personally for any length of time. I don’t care how neglectful their parents were. Unless they were really stupid, and come on they're archeologist (which was reiterated 30 million times throughout the story) or they really didn’t care about their kids. I don’t care who was sick, who got blown up, or who is in the hospital. Not going to happen.
The fact that their parents just gave in so quickly without any reservations felt so unrealistic, and how easily Sophie lied to them. Yep, couldn’t get over that.
• The slimy character of Nicholas Flamel
I know that Nicholas Flamel is supposed to be portrayed as a hero. But from the beginning I didn’t seem to like the guy. At the end I actually started cheering for Dr. John Dee.
Firstly, I don’t like that he just basically said follow and the twins went with him.
I would have put much more resistance.
No, thanks.
Then there were his motives. He seemed to put the twins in danger for his own selfish needs.
“Just maybe, if I play my cards right, I’ll be able to see Perenelle again – oh, and get my book back, and stay immortal.” (Not a direct quote just my version of what he was thinking)
He kept saying he was trying to keep them safe, but yet forgetting to disclose important information – while info bombing them about completely pointless stuff.
Maybe, just maybe Nicholas it would have been wise to warn the twins about Hekate’s variable personalities – before she almost tried turning them into slime.
Josh: “I didn’t know.”
Nicholas: “How would you?”
Why don’t you tell them!
• Scathach’s supposed emotionlessness
For someone who has very little emotions – she sure gets angry…a lot!
She’s touchy about being called a blood sucker.
Then gets all chocked up when her grandmother tells her she wasn’t going to see her again.
Make up your mind! Is she or is she not a void-less wonder.
• The icky-ness of Josh and Sophie’s twin-ism
This was the strangest sibling relation portrayed in a book (that I’ve read so far). At times I felt more like they were a romantic couple instead of a sister and brother.
I know, you may say—“but they’re twins—they’ve been together their whole lives.”
“It’s a twin thing!”
No, no it’s not.
Not like this.
They tried to justify just that, by saying that though they weren’t identical and didn’t have twin-sense. They had grown closer through their living circumstance and their social life.
At one point the brother says, “Will she love me now that she’s super powerful and I’m nothing but a normal guy?”(Again not a direct quote so please don’t stone me to death)
I wouldn’t think like that about my brother…and he would laugh at me in return if I told him that.
Despite all these major flaws—in my opinion, I still gave the book three stars. Why?
Because I’m a firm believer in a well-executed world, and the world building in this book was top notch.
Any writer who puts this much effort into his world building deserves at least some acknowledgment of his hard work.
I actually learned a lot when I researched some of the things in the book. So now I have some knowledge of ancient Celtic legends and mythos I didn’t know about.
The many different legends coming together were incredibly well thought out. I have to give credit to Michael Scott for the research he did.
But unfortunately the world building alone wasn’t enough to raise the rating of this book to more than a three.
I’m not yet sure if I’ll continue with the series. If I do I really hope he finds a different word for wrong. Anything, anything at all.
I know it's weird to start a book review this way. You're probably wondering what I mean. Is the book strange, or morally incorrect in some way? No, it's not. At least I don't think so.
The reason I started this review like this is because of the hundreds of times the word "wrong" was used in this book. It was used so frequently I actually made it a game each time I read it. Then, after the 10th time, I begun to grow bored and literally rolled my eyes each time the word popped up. It became sooo annoying!
Sentences like this--
"There was something wrong about him."
"Something was wrong with her face."
"The cloud looked wrong somehow."
On and on and on. Until the end, and every time I read it, it made my teeth grind.
But of course that alone wouldn't have bothered me, I can simply ignore that and it wouldn't have been a huge impact on the rating...but there are other things, and those things have contributed to the rating I have given this book.
• The annoying way in which the perspectives kept changing within the same chapter
One second we are in one person’s head, the next second someone completely different is talking and you as the reader are left with a “what the heck just happened” expression on your face as you tried to work out who is who. I was so confused at some parts I had to go back and re-read it just to figure out what had happened.
• The strange relationship of the twins with their parents
I’m a mom, and as such I can tell you that there is no way I would let my fifteen year old daughters go with anyone I don’t know personally for any length of time. I don’t care how neglectful their parents were. Unless they were really stupid, and come on they're archeologist (which was reiterated 30 million times throughout the story) or they really didn’t care about their kids. I don’t care who was sick, who got blown up, or who is in the hospital. Not going to happen.
The fact that their parents just gave in so quickly without any reservations felt so unrealistic, and how easily Sophie lied to them. Yep, couldn’t get over that.
• The slimy character of Nicholas Flamel
I know that Nicholas Flamel is supposed to be portrayed as a hero. But from the beginning I didn’t seem to like the guy. At the end I actually started cheering for Dr. John Dee.
Firstly, I don’t like that he just basically said follow and the twins went with him.
I would have put much more resistance.
No, thanks.
Then there were his motives. He seemed to put the twins in danger for his own selfish needs.
“Just maybe, if I play my cards right, I’ll be able to see Perenelle again – oh, and get my book back, and stay immortal.” (Not a direct quote just my version of what he was thinking)
He kept saying he was trying to keep them safe, but yet forgetting to disclose important information – while info bombing them about completely pointless stuff.
Maybe, just maybe Nicholas it would have been wise to warn the twins about Hekate’s variable personalities – before she almost tried turning them into slime.
Josh: “I didn’t know.”
Nicholas: “How would you?”
Why don’t you tell them!
• Scathach’s supposed emotionlessness
For someone who has very little emotions – she sure gets angry…a lot!
She’s touchy about being called a blood sucker.
Then gets all chocked up when her grandmother tells her she wasn’t going to see her again.
Make up your mind! Is she or is she not a void-less wonder.
• The icky-ness of Josh and Sophie’s twin-ism
This was the strangest sibling relation portrayed in a book (that I’ve read so far). At times I felt more like they were a romantic couple instead of a sister and brother.
I know, you may say—“but they’re twins—they’ve been together their whole lives.”
“It’s a twin thing!”
No, no it’s not.
Not like this.
They tried to justify just that, by saying that though they weren’t identical and didn’t have twin-sense. They had grown closer through their living circumstance and their social life.
At one point the brother says, “Will she love me now that she’s super powerful and I’m nothing but a normal guy?”(Again not a direct quote so please don’t stone me to death)
I wouldn’t think like that about my brother…and he would laugh at me in return if I told him that.
Despite all these major flaws—in my opinion, I still gave the book three stars. Why?
Because I’m a firm believer in a well-executed world, and the world building in this book was top notch.
Any writer who puts this much effort into his world building deserves at least some acknowledgment of his hard work.
I actually learned a lot when I researched some of the things in the book. So now I have some knowledge of ancient Celtic legends and mythos I didn’t know about.
The many different legends coming together were incredibly well thought out. I have to give credit to Michael Scott for the research he did.
But unfortunately the world building alone wasn’t enough to raise the rating of this book to more than a three.
I’m not yet sure if I’ll continue with the series. If I do I really hope he finds a different word for wrong. Anything, anything at all.
alex_hev's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Great story, with very cool world building. Blending together mythologies from across the world, very fun. Quick, easy read. And I'm learning a little.
soniagracelm's review
4.0
I thought the balance Michael Scott struck between all of the characters was excellent. It would be easy in this kind of book (a coming-of-age of a sort) to lose sight of the adults, but he manages to make Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel both important and interesting, rather than simple mentor figures. There are also a few errant gods and goddesses who make wonderful side characters, and who will be familiar to anyone with a background in ancient world mythology.
Full review at http://rosiesreadingroom.tumblr.com/post/62093024596/rec-the-alchemyst
Full review at http://rosiesreadingroom.tumblr.com/post/62093024596/rec-the-alchemyst
chrystalo's review against another edition
2.0
This book has a lot of potential. I really think the story itself, however, was designed far too much to be a series, and to make sure that many books could be made out of the plot, was filled with an overabundance of faux history and potential storylines that may develop later, and that really took away from the book as a whole. I feel like this series is probably compared a lot to Percy Jackson, but this has much more superfluous detail and too little compelling action. I felt next to nothing about the main characters (the twins), and I feel like many plot holes will be exposed throughout the rest of the series. With that said, there is enough interest in me to rate this book 2 stars (rounding down from 2.5), and to want to read another book in the series (mostly because this book ended with very little actually happening at all). If you're into YA series, though, you could probably do better.
kmesserdova's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
gatoraly's review against another edition
3.0
My absolute favorite part of this book was the magic that Michael Scott created. It was fun and different from other magical books. This book took me on a journey along with the twins and was very action packed. It was well written and the descriptions were wonderful. It was like a movie playing in my mind. I can't wait to see Josh get his magic awakened in Paris!