A review by gabriellebw
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

3.0

I am drawn to fictional stories based on some tidbit of history, biography, or geography as a starting point. This book uses Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel as starting points (which I really enjoyed) and then leapt into the realm of mythical beasts and magical creatures in ways that I found dull when they should have been exciting. It seemed whenever the author needed to reveal the next bit of plot, he just created more creatures. Perhaps this is creative and clever, but I thought it seemed a cheap and easy. Another disappointment was the fact that way before the end I knew he wasn't going to resolve anything but rather urge the reader onto the next in the series; that feels like a marketing ploy rather than a literary device. Grrr.