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coffeedragon's review
3.0
I first read this book back when I was younger (right now I'm 20) and all I knew was that the ending confused me. I had no idea of what actually happened. I tried to look for the book again years later but couldn't find it. I knew the title was Alchemy and the cover had a girl under a tree with some transparent, enlarged eyes.
Years later (being now) I found it! And I just had to reread it, to finally understand what was happening at the end.
I really liked this book, the idea of alchemy just always draws me in. The main character was rather interesting but I have to say that my favorite was Jess. There was something about the jittery way she was portrayed that really drew me in (is that even the right word?). She mixes up her words to make you think, she's very cautious, and she says she doesn't need anyone but then likes to be around the MC. She explains things rather...strangely, sometimes I'm like, hmmm, yeah I get it (not really).
And so I got to the end and I had to really concentrate on what I was reading. I was finally able to understand what happened but I was rather disappointed. Most of it was just the MC going up the stairs and into Jess' room and then he brought her to the kitchen. The actual 'battle' was probably a page long? Because of this I gave the book a 3/5
Also, did the MC break up with Chris? lol Yes, after all that happened I was left wondering about this.
Years later (being now) I found it! And I just had to reread it, to finally understand what was happening at the end.
I really liked this book, the idea of alchemy just always draws me in. The main character was rather interesting but I have to say that my favorite was Jess. There was something about the jittery way she was portrayed that really drew me in (is that even the right word?). She mixes up her words to make you think, she's very cautious, and she says she doesn't need anyone but then likes to be around the MC. She explains things rather...strangely, sometimes I'm like, hmmm, yeah I get it (not really).
And so I got to the end and I had to really concentrate on what I was reading. I was finally able to understand what happened but I was rather disappointed. Most of it was just the MC going up the stairs and into Jess' room and then he brought her to the kitchen. The actual 'battle' was probably a page long? Because of this I gave the book a 3/5
Also, did the MC break up with Chris? lol Yes, after all that happened I was left wondering about this.
smemmott's review against another edition
3.0
This seems rather similar to her earlier book, [book:The Changeover], an old favorite of mine. But it was still worth reading, and I enjoyed her style.
jacalata's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as her others - the magic felt unexplained which made the ending feel a little deus ex machina?
barrons's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
pnw_michelle's review against another edition
4.0
I love Margaret Mahy. Her novels have great atmosphere!
iamshadow's review against another edition
3.0
This one was all right, but it never felt like it quite clicked into gear for me. I kept wishing Roland was more interesting, but I didn't ever feel like I connected with him as a person. I think because he's so passive. It took so long for him to feel strongly and be active about anything, and then, the book was over.
spilled's review against another edition
3.0
I checked this book out of the library solely because of this sentence in the book jacket description that cracked me up:
"Why has a shady magician from Roland's past suddenly come back into his life?"
Turned out to be a pretty good book, as far as YA goes, one of those "realizing one's magical powers of being in extreme harmony with the universe whilst realizing girl you never talked to in school who's all into books about alchemy is actually sort of hot in her own intelligent-and-intriguing way, who knew, so let's simultaneously make out and take down the evil magician" books. Nice.
"Why has a shady magician from Roland's past suddenly come back into his life?"
Turned out to be a pretty good book, as far as YA goes, one of those "realizing one's magical powers of being in extreme harmony with the universe whilst realizing girl you never talked to in school who's all into books about alchemy is actually sort of hot in her own intelligent-and-intriguing way, who knew, so let's simultaneously make out and take down the evil magician" books. Nice.
mmz's review against another edition
4.0
When I picked up this book, I knew I had read it before, but I couldn't remember a single thing about it, as opposed to The Changeover, also by Mahy, about which I can remember much of the plot, but never the name of the book (although I suppose I've fixed that now, haven't I?). That I found this book completely forgettable the first time around, and not much better the second, probably tells you everything you need to know.
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
4.0
I don't think I've ever read a novel by Margaret Mahy that I haven't liked, and this is no exception. The story of Roland, who inexplicably shoplifts something, and is then blackmailed by his teacher to make friends with one of the excluded of the class. There is a lot more to it - they both turn out to have extraordinary gifts, and there is lots of angst, but it is hard to sumarise without giving the whole thing away.
wealhtheow's review
3.0
Read in October 2007: Roland’s teacher blackmails him into spying on his classmate, the solitary and faintly mysterious Jessica Ferret. Roland and Jess strike up an unlikely alliance that gradually shifts as Roland grows ever more dissatisfied with his pretense at a normal life. As their friendship deepens, rival magicians close in on them. It’s a slightly psychedelic YA novel that deals with teenage identities and family more than magic.
Read in October 2016: I accidentally re-read this book. Not a single thing jogged my memory, which is worrisome. This time around (while reading it for the second time but I thought it was the first), I was kinda dissatisfied with the book. Roland has a complex set of feelings about his family, in which he feels the need to be more grownup and perfect than he really is in order to make up for resembling his father, who abandoned them. And I liked his growing relationship with Jess, and the way his relations with his girlfriend and existing friends were written--it all felt quite natural. And the way magic is described is cool--both very subtle and very surreal and overwhelming by turns. But the climax came too suddenly, and too much was explained all at once in the final chapter. I think this book could've done with being at least 50 pages longer, or possibly even more.
Read in October 2016: I accidentally re-read this book. Not a single thing jogged my memory, which is worrisome. This time around (while reading it for the second time but I thought it was the first), I was kinda dissatisfied with the book. Roland has a complex set of feelings about his family, in which he feels the need to be more grownup and perfect than he really is in order to make up for resembling his father, who abandoned them. And I liked his growing relationship with Jess, and the way his relations with his girlfriend and existing friends were written--it all felt quite natural. And the way magic is described is cool--both very subtle and very surreal and overwhelming by turns. But the climax came too suddenly, and too much was explained all at once in the final chapter. I think this book could've done with being at least 50 pages longer, or possibly even more.
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