Reviews - Alchemised | The StoryGraph

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57 reviews for:

Alchemised

SenLinYu

4.49 AVERAGE

billie_yankie's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I read the last 30% through tears. 10/10 would recommend.

charli_d's review against another edition

1.5

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

oldsoulsgetbored's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lizzynelson's review against another edition

5.0

Dark and beautiful. 10/10

titannineteen's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

I was so excited to be chosen to receive an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. I had read the original material and it had made me sob. I’m not much of a crier when it comes to reading stories but it really was an emotional and dark read. This is the book I was the most excited about reading this year and it did not disappoint.

While this book has a strong plotline, its strength is in the character work. The author did such a great job of investing you in the characters and made you hope the characters would one day have better. I really enjoy her writing style and how she draws you, investing you in even the more villainous characters. Since the story is about war, trauma and loss; it is very dark. Particularly the first part of the book could be difficult for people who struggle with topics like suicide, sexual assault and torture. While these topics are dark, they do serve a purpose to the greater story and the pay off is worth the suffering at the beginning which is a bit of a slower pace. Once you get into part two things really pick up and the characters become more well rounded. You understand their motivations better and how much they are willing to suffer to achieve a better world. I really enjoyed the exploration of the shades of grey in this fantasy world. There is no clear good and no decision is easy for any of the characters. The world has complex politics which adds more difficulty for all the characters and their choices.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about the book. I will just say that if you read the original material you won’t be disappointed. It is just as devastating. I will say the connection to Lucien is a little bit weaker than I would like because we do not get so much of Helena and Luc’s school day history that establishes their close friendship. But overall I was quite happy with all the changes and worldbuilding. I love that the author kept this one all in one book instead of breaking it up into different books. I think it would not hit as hard if it was not one continuous piece. Solid 4.5 out of 5 for me and can’t wait to see how well it will be received. It is going to be a chonker but it earns every page!

kat_atomic's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

roohi's review against another edition

5.0

5 starts already bc i've read manacled

yay_korrina's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

_elisabeth_'s review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

I would like it to be know I read Manacled, and cried when I finished. I am now crying again with finishing Alchemised. An incredible book, we written, heart wrenching, and bleak. It really shows how absolutely awful war is and how consuming guilt and grief are.
SenLinYu had a task at basically creating a new world and magic system around an already established and well loved story and they finessed it. The world was excellent, the use of necromancy and alchemy brilliant. At first all I could think was how the characters were just renamed of the previous characters, but they quickly developed their own personalities and characteristics. Incredible work. Manacled was five starts. Alchemised is five stars. Very well deserved and earned. And that last paragraph carries a gut wrenching impact.

aspiringliterati's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

A masterpiece.

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