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A review by muryan83
The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker
4.0
3.5 stars
The Scarlet Alchemist offers a dark and intriguing journey, even if it stumbles near the finish.
Kylie Lee Baker drops us into a gorgeously grim world of alchemy, ghosts, and imperial secrets, and I was hooked. The setting is lush, the magic system eerie and inventive, and Zilan is a compelling lead with grit, grief, and guts to spare… even if she’s a bit too rash at times.
But while Zilan feels vivid and layered, the rest of the cast… not so much. Most side characters orbit her like plot devices, and the story itself plays a little too nice with convenience. You can almost see the narrative threads being tugged into place, and that predictability starts to dim the glow.
And then there’s the ending. No spoilers, but I sighed, more than once. Let’s just say it felt like a cop-out, undercutting the darker promises and emotional weight the story had carefully built. Plus, the queen could’ve used fewer monologues and more nuance. The villainy was just a touch too theatrical.
Still, there’s undeniable charm in the bones of this one: dark academia vibes, haunting alchemy, a heroine worth rooting for, immersive world-building, and solid writing. I just wish the payoff had matched the promise.
A strong brew of blood and bone… that falters in the final act.
The Scarlet Alchemist offers a dark and intriguing journey, even if it stumbles near the finish.
Kylie Lee Baker drops us into a gorgeously grim world of alchemy, ghosts, and imperial secrets, and I was hooked. The setting is lush, the magic system eerie and inventive, and Zilan is a compelling lead with grit, grief, and guts to spare… even if she’s a bit too rash at times.
But while Zilan feels vivid and layered, the rest of the cast… not so much. Most side characters orbit her like plot devices, and the story itself plays a little too nice with convenience. You can almost see the narrative threads being tugged into place, and that predictability starts to dim the glow.
And then there’s the ending. No spoilers, but I sighed, more than once. Let’s just say it felt like a cop-out, undercutting the darker promises and emotional weight the story had carefully built. Plus, the queen could’ve used fewer monologues and more nuance. The villainy was just a touch too theatrical.
Still, there’s undeniable charm in the bones of this one: dark academia vibes, haunting alchemy, a heroine worth rooting for, immersive world-building, and solid writing. I just wish the payoff had matched the promise.
A strong brew of blood and bone… that falters in the final act.