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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
katiemack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This distinguishes itself remarkably from other YA historical fantasy books. I loved the alternative history nested within the Tang dynasty (coupled with the fact that Zilan is loosely based on a Chinese cultural figure); it gives some context for Kylie Lee Baker's worldbuilding. Zilan is oddly relatable, and I admired her stubbornness and courage in the face of bloody violence and death. (I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is much more visceral and gory than I was expecting.) The alchemical system, though not unfamiliar, is also fascinating and fleshed out well. The romance, on the other hand, is not--it was tough for me to see the trajectory of Zilan's feelings for the prince--but that's understandable given the ending.
While I think this could have ended as a standalone, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
This distinguishes itself remarkably from other YA historical fantasy books. I loved the alternative history nested within the Tang dynasty (coupled with the fact that Zilan is loosely based on a Chinese cultural figure); it gives some context for Kylie Lee Baker's worldbuilding. Zilan is oddly relatable, and I admired her stubbornness and courage in the face of bloody violence and death. (I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is much more visceral and gory than I was expecting.) The alchemical system, though not unfamiliar, is also fascinating and fleshed out well. The romance, on the other hand, is not--it was tough for me to see the trajectory of Zilan's feelings for the prince--but that's understandable given the ending.
While I think this could have ended as a standalone, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexism, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
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
sol_journal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
*Thank you Netgalley, Inkyard Press, and Harlequin for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 28 March 2023
4.6 (rounded up to 5) out of 5 stars.
This has been my first read from Kylie Lee Baker and the way I absolutely devoured this book is insane. Were it not for my personal schedule, this could’ve easily been a book that I read in one sitting- I didn’t want to put it down!
What I loved most right off the bat is the world-building and the magic system. The alchemy used in this book was interesting- albeit my first read featuring magic like it, but it had me enraptured nonetheless.
The characters were also so lovable. I’m always down for a badass sibling trio, especially when the sisters are fueled by anger and their hatred for the rich, and the brother is the occasional voice of reason who will not hesitate to dirty his hands if his sisters need help.
Quick on her feet like Honey Lemon but with all the fire and means to get what she wants like Princess Azula, Fan Zilan takes the stage as an alchemist from southern China who helps her family get by, by using a form a illegal alchemy- resurrection. By far, she is one of my favorite leads who will bloody her hands for what she thinks is just. She is not without her flaws, and has some amazing scenes of displaying her potential when pushed into a corner.
I also absolutely love seeing different (for lack of a better word) depictions of Empress Wu Zetian and Kylie Lee Baker’s was so intriguing! As her character was introduced more and more, I knew I had to finish the book and unravel the story or else I’d be left on the edge of my seat until I could pick it up again!
All in all, The Scarlet Alchemist is a MUST for those who like the darker sides of reimagined historical fantasy. Taking the darkness from Juniper and Thorn and the self-assured yet secretly insecure main leads from These Violent Delights, and mixing them with the vibes of ‘Gilded Lily’ by Cults and ‘Show You A Body’ by Haley Heynderickx (to name a few), you get the binge-able story that is ‘The Scarlet Alchemist’. I cannot wait to catch up with the rest of Kylie Lee Baker’s books while awaiting the second installment to this series!
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 28 March 2023
4.6 (rounded up to 5) out of 5 stars.
This has been my first read from Kylie Lee Baker and the way I absolutely devoured this book is insane. Were it not for my personal schedule, this could’ve easily been a book that I read in one sitting- I didn’t want to put it down!
What I loved most right off the bat is the world-building and the magic system. The alchemy used in this book was interesting- albeit my first read featuring magic like it, but it had me enraptured nonetheless.
The characters were also so lovable. I’m always down for a badass sibling trio, especially when the sisters are fueled by anger and their hatred for the rich, and the brother is the occasional voice of reason who will not hesitate to dirty his hands if his sisters need help.
Quick on her feet like Honey Lemon but with all the fire and means to get what she wants like Princess Azula, Fan Zilan takes the stage as an alchemist from southern China who helps her family get by, by using a form a illegal alchemy- resurrection. By far, she is one of my favorite leads who will bloody her hands for what she thinks is just. She is not without her flaws, and has some amazing scenes of displaying her potential when pushed into a corner.
I also absolutely love seeing different (for lack of a better word) depictions of Empress Wu Zetian and Kylie Lee Baker’s was so intriguing! As her character was introduced more and more, I knew I had to finish the book and unravel the story or else I’d be left on the edge of my seat until I could pick it up again!
All in all, The Scarlet Alchemist is a MUST for those who like the darker sides of reimagined historical fantasy. Taking the darkness from Juniper and Thorn and the self-assured yet secretly insecure main leads from These Violent Delights, and mixing them with the vibes of ‘Gilded Lily’ by Cults and ‘Show You A Body’ by Haley Heynderickx (to name a few), you get the binge-able story that is ‘The Scarlet Alchemist’. I cannot wait to catch up with the rest of Kylie Lee Baker’s books while awaiting the second installment to this series!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
lastblossom's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
An incredible read, featuring dark magic, an engrossing plot, a strong lead, and a genuinely terrifying villain.
Thoughts
The Chinese novel plot line of "get summoned to the palace to compete for stuff" plot is so SO delicious to me, and I was delighted to see the author's notes even touch on the historical roots of this plot. And while the fact that it's one of my favorite tropes certainly didn't hurt, this book is also just very good. The narrative skips right over asking if we "should" raise the dead and leaps straight into the cost. The consequences are quiet at first, ramping up into a terrifying fallout and a high adrenaline ending that had me screaming. Zilan is firey, powerful, and often out of her depth. Her determination mixed with insecurity is palpable, and oftentimes utterly relatable. And the villain! WOW! It's rare to find one so clever and coldly terrifying. I'm breathless. That ending's going to be stuck in my head for a while, and I am counting down the days until the next book.
Edit: Countdown over! My review of the second book is here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
An incredible read, featuring dark magic, an engrossing plot, a strong lead, and a genuinely terrifying villain.
Thoughts
The Chinese novel plot line of "get summoned to the palace to compete for stuff" plot is so SO delicious to me, and I was delighted to see the author's notes even touch on the historical roots of this plot. And while the fact that it's one of my favorite tropes certainly didn't hurt, this book is also just very good. The narrative skips right over asking if we "should" raise the dead and leaps straight into the cost. The consequences are quiet at first, ramping up into a terrifying fallout and a high adrenaline ending that had me screaming. Zilan is firey, powerful, and often out of her depth. Her determination mixed with insecurity is palpable, and oftentimes utterly relatable. And the villain! WOW! It's rare to find one so clever and coldly terrifying. I'm breathless. That ending's going to be stuck in my head for a while, and I am counting down the days until the next book.
Edit: Countdown over! My review of the second book is here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Racism, Sexual violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture and Death of parent