While this book is incredibly engaging and well-written, I struggled to connect with the MC. Baker tries very hard to make her a morally grey character, in the vein of "The Poppy War" but I found it hard to root for her. I loved the way the author incorporated actual Chinese history and how she adapted. Unsure if I'll continue with the sequel, though.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book!

Literally from the first page I was hooked with the story, characters and historical and fantastical world building. From the first few pages I immediately knew The Scarlet Alchemist could become a new favourite book of mine.

The Scarlet Alchemist follows Zilan, a girl who dreams of becoming a royal alchemist. Joining her cousins on their quest to become royal scholars, Zilan finds herself among the royal court uncovering political plots and schemes. When the Prince appears, knowing of Zilan's ability to resurrect the dead, she discovers things are not as they seem.

I absolutely loved the world-building in this book. Zilan's home town? The royal palace? I could imagine every place and I felt transported into the story. I loved seeing the home life and relations between Zilan and her cousins and their secret resurrection business. The resurrections brought another element to the book including a rock based alchemy system that I really enjoyed reading about. 

The characters made this book. Wenshu and Yufei's banter with Zilan made me laugh out loud. Each character has their distinct personality and there was never a dull moment with them. Two other characters I loved was the Prince and the duck, Durian. The entire scene at the pond with the ducks made me cackle out loud. 

The only criticism I have is with the side characters, the alchemists. They clearly were a big part of Zilan's life and yet we never learned more about them than their titles (the moon alchemist being an exception here). The ending would've hit harder if we got to know the alchemists a little better. 

Speaking of endings though, this book was plot twist after plot twist after plot twist. My mouth hung open wide at some points with the thought: "That did not just happen??" at the forefront. I cannot wait for book two, I desperately need to talk over this ending with someone!

ACTUAL RATING: 4.8 STARS 

 Also on Snow White Hates Apples.

A captivating and vivid reimagining of Chinese history during which the only (regarded as) legitimate female Emperor Wu Zetian ruled, The Scarlet Alchemist is a new addition to a growing and much-loved subgenre that needs to be read.

Here, we have Zilan, half-Chinese and half-wailao who’s without a mother and father, but much loved by her aunt, uncle and two cousins — so much so that they’re practically immediate family. Together, they run a mingqi business, which despite death being a daily occurrence, isn’t doing well. The poor are too poor to buy mingqi for their deceased loved ones while the rich are too scared of death to die so they resort to eating life gold which gives them longevity.

Nevertheless, an extended life doesn’t mean that one can’t die so what do the rich do when one of their own dies? When they’re desperate enough to pay any price to bring back the deceased? Why, they go to a backwater village, walk through the part of the neighbourhood even the villagers themselves turn their noses up at, and find Zilan who has that exact ability they’re looking for.

It’s breaking all sorts of laws — in fact, anything related to the necromantic/blood alchemy Zilan does defies the balance and can have severe consequences or less-than-ideal results, But, for Zilan, it’s a means of survival for her family because the gold the rich pays to stay alive can bring rice to their table, can improve the health of her ailing aunt and uncle, can allow Zilan and her cousins to travel to the capital for the imperial exams that can better their lives should they pass both the exams and the political games that are undoubtedly there.

So, Zilan’s willingness to go against everything for her and her loved ones’ sake? That’s admirable. I really like how she braves her fears and how she takes on the challenges that come her way with cleverness and viciousness. Zilan may come off as rude or selfish to some, but I think it makes her complex and more relatable.

Other than that, I like that Prince Li Hong is a more lighthearted character in contrast to Zilan. He isn’t as strong, as smart or as brave, but he’s sweet, loves his ducks dearly and provides the story with seamlessly integrated touches of humour. Though, I must admit the romance between him and Zilan felt unbalanced. It’s clear that Li Hong likes Zilan more than she likes him, so this makes all the romantic parts feel out of the blue. Still, I think that this simply means more opportunity for Zilan’s feelings to develop and strengthen in the next book.

(Also, idk about you but that moment when Zilan had to choose between the two in her life? Amazing. 10/10 the perfect choice. I bawled at that scene.)

Anyway, if a BAMF female lead who can resurrect people and a gentle male lead who loves his pet ducks caught up in the typical political games of the upper class isn’t enough of a win for you, consider the following plusses: undead made of gems, stunning twists and turns, and fast-paced action. (Yes, you need to read The Scarlet Alchemist ASAP!)

 

The world building in The Scarlet Alchemist is immaculate. The magic system, Death road, the harsh contrast between the poor and the rich - everything had such detail that the world and everything in it felt real. The necromantic alchemy was so interesting and played such a pivotal role through the story that I must note that the descriptions of the dead are equally, if not more, vivid and specific which gave the scenes life (ha!), but also a goriness and level of body horror I hadn't expected, but thoroughly enjoyed.

The overarching plot also really propelled the story. Though the book started slow, it builds the world well before launching into a plot that is all go-go-go after the 25% mark. Then there's no stopping. Watching Zilan do her exams especially was so interesting - again, digging into the world building and seeing what's possible through the magic system - and everything beyond it kept my interest piqued. While I don't know how I feel about the end of this installment, I'm so curious to see what book 2 has in store for us.

And that brings me to the characters. Until her exams, I honestly felt like I didn't get to know Zilan, let alone her siblings. It was like all the effort went into the world, and the characters got what was left. Yufei and Wenshu kind of just remain the same through the book - Yufei is a stubborn, pretty girl who loves to eat; Wenshu is a nerdy scholar, who protects his siblings. That's all they are for the whole book, even to the very end, and that was kind of sad, especially given the stakes. I couldn't buy into the ending because I didn't feel like I cared and knew them in the same way Zilan clearly did. 

In contrast, I feel like Zilan, after she leaves for her exams, starts to find herself away from her cousins. We get to understand her motivations and see her personality start to shine. Even Hong we get to know slightly better than her cousins, though he's also kind of one-note. Their relationship is a bit insta-lovey, but I appreciated Hong's constant concern around consent and ensuring he doesn't abuse his princely power over her, as well as their move from strangers, to friends, to partners in crime, to possibly maybe lovers. Even though the declarations were a bit grand by the end, I understood the admiration they had for each other.

All in all, this book was an adventure. Full of magic and Zilan's gritty determination, The Scarlet Alchemist sets the stakes high and leaves you wanting more. I'm definitely not done with the world that was created here, so that's the biggest draw for me to come back for book 2. I'm so curious as to the heights Zilan will take her alchemy to next!

TW: death, gore, blood, murder, sexism, fire/fire injury, injury detail, racism, sexual harassment, self-harm (for ritual purposes), classism, bullying, animal death (not dog); mentions death of a parent, death of a child, vomit, kidnapping

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.

First, Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for this honest review!

This beautiful masterpiece destroyed me. That stayed up of night to finish it kind of destroyed. The good kind of destroyed that makes you dream about it for a week after. The Scarlet Alchemist excels across the board. It has phenomenal worldbuilding, an intense writing style, complex characters, and a plot that leaves you glued to the pages.

The Scarlet Alchemist is a high fantasy deeply rooted in Chinese history with a backdrop of romance. Our main character, Fan Zilan, is a dirt-poor half-Chinese, half-White merchant set on her path to becoming a royal alchemist. However, consequences have a habit of always catching up to you, especially when you dabble in illegal resurrections. Zilan and her two cousins, who are taking the civil service exam, make it to the capital city, Chang'an, in hopes of a better life. Life as a royal alchemist is not as rewarding as it would seem. As a reader, you will be kept on your toes by the fast-moving plot and unveiled secrets. This book also has a fair amount of terror, suspense, gore, and body horror. Overall, an astonishing 5-star read!

P.S. I have become a champion for Kylie Lee Baker. I will follow her in whatever direction she may go, and I would kill to see this on the big screen.