A review by mattiedancer
A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Writing: 4⭐️/5 
The writing is strong throughout the book and yet a few sections throughout the novel really pulled me from the story. When the writing is good, it’s great. When it’s not, I wished an editor had pushed a little harder on the prose because it’s jarring. The weaker sections of writing – mixed with a few grammatical errors that really screwed with my head – really marred the otherwise strong writing in other sections. 

Characters: 4⭐️/5
The characters were lovable and felt mostly rounded. A few side characters relied on us just innately understanding that they were worth knowing, though, which I didn’t love. I wanted a bit more exploration of these characters to understand why they were so worthy of our love and faith. 

Plot: 4.25⭐️/5 
A few moments of “trust me even though I’m your enemy shit talking your friend” aside, I did like the overarching plot. It seems like the second book (which I have yet to read) is going to dive into the main story. This book started to feel like its main job was to set up the next plot, which isn’t a bad thing as it makes me more excited to read the next one. 

Post-Reading Rating:  4.5⭐️/5
Should have bought book two already. 

Who Should Read This? 
  • Fans of YA fantasy
  • Someone looking for a fun and often well-written book, who doesn’t mind a few errors
  • A unique plot mixing magic and nobility

CW: Death, death of a parent, vomiting, animal abuse

Final Rating: 4⭐️/5
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