A review by ergative
A Conspiracy of Alchemists by Liesel Schwarz

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

 Structurally this was plenty of fun, and I enjoyed the world-building, which was a straightforward but competent combination of steampunk + science vs. magic. But the dialogue was wildly frustrating, with lots of conversations where people never quite respond to what the other person says, and pacing problems where someone over the course of two or three separate scenes makes a vow to fix things on her own without waiting for help. We know, El! You've already vowed to get out of this, in the last scene!