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.

 🩸 PLOT:

This book grabbed my attention right on the 1st page! The prologue of “The Scarlet Alchemist” was very interesting (something that is not common, in my opinion 🫢) and I was immediately intrigued. Then chapter 1 begins with our MC, Zilan, being VERY casual about having a dead body in her shop and I was like 😧🤔👀. Tell me MORE!!!

The whole book was very fast paced. And the author managed to include a lot of things in a fairly short amount of pages, and I mean that is a good way; the plot never felt rushed, it was simply fast and exciting! I also never felt the urge to skim scenes or skip “to the fun part” because the whole story was genuinely fun, and no scene felt like unnecessary “fluff”. I think this story is just really engaging and well-paced!

I also really enjoyed the magic system. Using different stones as a way to practice alchemy, and the fact that you need to keep everything balanced – which means that for every “good” action, there’s a “bad” reaction – was genuinely super interesting! And I liked that this magic system made the fight scenes feel unique, since people weren’t fighting with weapons or magical beams of power.

Now for some spoilers:

➤ I really liked seeing Zilan overcome the odds in the alchemy tryouts. Everyone being against her and not even letting things be fair was SOOOOOOOO INFURIATING! But it gave Zilan an opportunity to show her badassery, which I appreciate.

➤ I thought that prisoner with the hazel eyes was for sure gonna be her father (it seemed pretty obvious by the way he was introduced), but then he never came up again… 😅 Maybe it’ll be revealed in book 2 that he actually was. Although her dad would probably be dead, since Zilan would be draining his life lol.

➤ When Zilan pulled back her cousins’ shirt to reveal their names tattooed on their backs…. Meaning they had been REVIVED???? Oh bitch that gagged me a little. 😨 And then learning from the Moon Alchemist that bringing people back from the dead means those revived people basically start draining their loved ones’ life?! And then Zilan realizing that the reason her uncle and aunt were sick was because her cousins were draining them?! And then realizing that SHE hadn’t been feeling sick, which probably meant her cousins didn’t even love her?! OOF!!! BUT THEN!!!! Zilan found out that SHE had been revived too (and that’s why her cousins weren’t draining her life – because she didn’t have any of her own, and she’d actually been draining her aunt and uncle too)…..!!!!!!!!!!! BIIIITCHHHHH. 😱

➤ Zilan’s plan to kill the Empress seemed really good! But that hag is SMART! My heart dropped when Zilan’s idea to poison her failed, and turned out the Empress had kidnapped Yufei and Wenshu. 😥

➤ I REALLY liked learning that the alchemists had actually been conspiring against the Empress! I honestly would’ve liked to know more about their plans.

➤ Zilan and the alchemists’ plan to kill the Empress at the end by taking her blood and feeding it to her monsters so they’d kill her was SO SMART! But, once again, she outsmarted them and fed the alchemists’ blood to the monsters, getting them all killed, except for Zilan 😰 (shoutout to the Moon Alchemist for not wanting to be revived because she believed resurrections were wrong and didn’t want to see her loved ones dying because of her).

➤ BUT THEN my girl Zilan gagged the Empress by eating pearls, becoming a freaky ass monster herself, and then killing that bitch 💪🏻. When one of the guards ripped Zilan’s soul tag I though that she was gone for sure, but the author brought back the whole idea of Zilan being a Fan, not a Su, meaning her soul tag wouldn’t even be fully connected to her soul, so Zilan carved the name she was actually linked to (Fan Zilan) in her skin and managed to stay alive. I thought that was a really clever twist!

➤ Zilan bringing back her cousin/sister into the Empress’s body was really cool. And when she brought back her cousin/brother in Li Hong’s body... gagged me, ngl. 🫢 (though I wonder… aren’t her aunt and uncle going to keep being drained by the 3 of them? 🤔).

➤ Anyways. That brings me to the 1 thing I didn’t love about this book, and that is the setup to book 2. I don’t think I love it…… Apparently, all that’s gonna happen is that Zilan is going to that mythical island and she’ll bring some people back to life. First of all, Zilan’s plan brings up ethical problems: who can you bring back to life? Surely not EVERYONE who’s ever died, right? And who decides who should be revivded? Because Zilan apparently already decided she’ll bring back Li Hong, his family, all of the alchemists… There’s definitely a moral dilemma there, though the author can for sure make Zilan have some kind of corruption arc, where she doesn’t take into consideration anything other than her selfish desires. 🤔 But, anyways… I kind of feel like Zilan traveling to an island and bringing some people back will not really be…. *enough* for an entire book. Even if the author included a bunch of obstacles and shenanigans in that journey, I think that a book about traveling to an island and bringing some people back is a downgrade, compared to book 1. I sure hope she can manage to pull it off. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

🩸 CHARACTERS:

Zilan is a GREAT main character! First of all, she takes no shit, which I absolutely LOVE! Somebody tries to scam her? She’ll just charge them more, or leave them begging. She’s not given all the necessary materials at the royal alchemist tryouts? She’ll stab the man who kept taunting her and use the metal in his blood to pass the test. They try to lie, once again, to stop her from becoming a royal alchemist? She’ll literally break her tooth to prove she’s right. The rich men are begging for their lives? She keeps walking, not even looking back, bc #EatTheRich. The prince only cares about himself? She’ll literally call him out for being selfish, as she should! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Zilan is also very ambitious (and a bit aggressive) which is great for a MC, because it means the plot is constantly moving forward, since Zilan never backs down!

Something I REALLY appreciated was the fact that Zilan wasn’t a great fighter. She constantly gets her ass beat, which makes sense since she never fought before. I’m glad she isn’t just ~magically~ a great fighter lol. That is not to say she isn’t badass, though! Because she for sure is! It’s just that, to win fights, Zilan had to use her wits, and find ways to use her alchemical powers to get out of sticky situations and overpower her stronger opponents.

I also really liked seeing her struggle with her identity. I thought it was really well integrated into the story. Also, #tall girl rights!! 💪🏻


The LI, Li Hong, was really sweet! He was naïve and kind, and a little bit silly, but in an endearing way. He was a bit selfish at times, but, as I mentioned, Zilan called him out on his shitty attitudes and he corrected himself. I always appreciate LIs who aren’t just *broody rude tall mean very tall moody* men. I’ve always liked kind LIs more, so I really enjoyed Li Hong. I just would’ve liked to see more of his internal struggle, though that would’ve only really been possible with dual POVs.

With that said, I have to admit that I didn’t really care about the romance. I didn’t dislike it at all! And I liked that Li Hong fell first and harder (which should always be the case with str8 couples!!!!!) and I thought their scenes were very sweet! For some reason, though, I just didn’t feel much, you know? I wish there’d been a little more development, or perhaps some more scenes between them, because I honestly just don’t feel very strongly about them, and I couldn’t really understand their *deep* connection at the end of the book. 😕 Also, I have to ask: wasn’t there a bit too much PDA for ancient China? That’s a genuine question. 😅 ALSO! This book did that thing that I HATE and that happens a lot in fantasy books, which is: the characters have their 1st kiss and IMMEDIATELY jump to ~undressing~…… sure, in this case it advanced the plot, BUT STILL!!!! I HATE THAT SHIT. 😭🤚🏻


As for the SC::::: Zilan’s cousins/siblings, Yufei and Wenshu, were really cool! I think they were great supporting characters for Zilan, and they actually had personality, and weren’t just bland and forgettable. And I really liked that they were *actually* integrated into the story, instead of only showing up when the MC needed them!

On the other hand, we have the alchemists, which were unfortunately pretty underdeveloped. 😕 The Moon Alchemist was the only one we actually saw on page (and, although I though she was cool, I never cared too much about her as a person). The other alchemists, though, were barely in the story. There’s like 2 scenes with the Paper and River Alchemists in the whole book. The Comet Alchemist is mentioned 3 times

and they die the 3rd time we ever hear about them… lol. I honestly just didn’t feel ANYTHING about any of these deaths, because I didn’t know these characters AT ALL

. I think Zilan’s friendship with the other alchemists was definitely lacking.

In general, I think some of the emotional beats weren’t the best, since I didn’t care about the romance or the friendships with the alchemists. I still really liked Zilan’s relationship with her cousins/siblings, though!


-------

Overall, I just found this book really gripping and enthralling. And I’m at a point in my life where I get bored very easily, so the fact that this *fantasy* book (not my preferred genre, nowadays) managed to keep my attention from the first page to the very last is definitely saying something! Despite my criticisms, I think this is a very strong book, and I’d definitely recommend it. Excited for book 2 

I love it. It offered a perfect combination of action and pace. It didn't let you sleep. 

The characters are well written. They have significant trait that's make it bearable throughout the story. A pinch of jokes and sassines here and there. OH THE EMPRESS. I love it when woman right, but I like it even more when woman wrong. Clever, sadistic, and ten steps ahead. AND THE PRINCE HIMBO!!!! 🐣🐣🐣

Go pick up this book if you like an alternate universe of Tang dynasty, dead bodies come to life, PLOT TWIST, gripping story telling, kingdom political intrigue, with thick lines of sibling love and romance. Historical trivias here and there. Highly recommended!!!

thank you to @netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book!

I already knew Kylie Lee Baker would have me in my mixed race feels after loving The Keeper of the Night, but I wasn’t expecting the absolute rollercoaster that was The Scarlet Alchemist. Not only are there painful moments of not fitting in and feeling like those you love the most still don’t understand you, there was also frank commentary on poverty being a deliberate choice by the ruling class, complicated first love, and tons of political intrigue. 

I think what I love about Baker’s writing is that it is distinctly YA, with young protagonists grappling with what it means to be a person in the world, feeling insecure, making stupid choices, and saying things they don’t mean, but she also doesn’t shy away from deep world-building, complicated moral dilemmas, and some truly disturbing body horror and violence. 

I had so much fun reading this book: I gasped, I shouted, I grimaced, I gagged, and I teared up. If you love being dragged through the expanse of human emotions, morally gray mixed-race women, fake dating [concubinage], alternate Chinese historical periods, and amazing / complicated sibling dynamics, then boy. Have I got a recommendation for you. 

I would like a personal apology from Kylie Lee Baker for writing a book that sucked me in so deeply that I didn't go to sleep until 2am last night. Seriously, I'm almost 30. I can't bounce back from that like I used to.

The Scarlet Alchemist is INTENSE. Stakes have never been higher, and the magic never more deadly. Our main character Zilan has her heard set on becoming a royal alchemist so she can earn enough money to support her family back home. Her and her cousins, Yufei and Wenshu, endure rigorous testing to prove themselves worthy of the kingdom's employment. This book is sprawling, exploring class and race issues in a fictionalized Tang dynasty and a delicious magic system that pulls people into and out of power as viciously as it pulls them in and out of life.

This book went hard. My only notes here were a struggle on whether YA could really be this dark, and I almost wonder if this would be more suited for a 'New Adult' classification. I will say the violence didn't feel gratuitous, but dang there were some parts in here with blood and monsters that just crawled right under my skin and will not leave. 

I struggle to say anything else about the plot here, as I think this story is best enjoyed with the twists and surprises being an absolute blindside. This is one of the rare books that I fully cared about every single supporting character, and Kylie Lee Baker knows this and chewed up my heart anyway.  Everyone is so well-developed and interesting and as a result, Zilan feels more relatable as a main character because she doesn't stand out as the only one who's interesting or has talents or quirks or flaws. Just incredible character work here, and that always gets me hooked.

All in all, this is a fave for sure. If it weren't marketed as YA I think I'd be at the full 5, but part of me really does struggle with the level of gore, but I'll trust the publishers on that one. I also just have personal beef with a series-starter that doesn't feel like it needs a sequel....but I'll reserve my thoughts on that until we are blessed with that sequel (which is an insta-buy for me, let's be real).

Thank you to Bookishfirst/the publishers for an ARC of this one! All opinions are my own.

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews because I don’t like leaving them. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless of the lack of stars. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial

Wow, this was such a wild historical fantasy adventure! Zilan is a young alchemist (the future "Scarlet Alchemist" of the royal family) from the impoverished South, who travels to the capital to take the imperial exams in order to become a royal alchemist and pull her family (aunt, uncle, cousins-but-she-calls-them-sister-and-brother Yufei and Wenshu) out of poverty. When Zilan was young, her parents passed away so her aunt and uncle took her in as one of their own.

Zilan, Yufei & Wenshu practice an illegal form of alchemy, bringing back the dead (look, it pays the bills!), and this dark reputation spoils her chances of having a fair shot in the imperial exams. The crown prince Li Hong goes to Zilan to ask her for a favor, but she turns him away, and then runs into him at the capital Chang'an, where the odds and the judges are stacked against her! Fun fact: in the capital, the royals eat magical gems (like gold and pearls) to live forever. Ah, the price of youth. WILD! COULD NOT BE ME! SEE YA IN HELL! 

This book moves fast, and the constant twists and turns kept me at the edge of my seat until the very end! I had to remind myself to let out a breath I didn't know I was holding (I finally understand this phrase in books now hahaha). Kylie Lee Baker did a phenomenal job of building up tension & mystery, shocking and horrifying readers, and then providing a glimmer of hope in rooting for Zilan to succeed! The political power plays at the palace (omg this alliteration is so annoying, I'm sorry) begin to unnerve Zilan, who also begins spending more time with Hong, and unraveling the inner workings of the palace history. It's DARK, and it's uncomfortable.

I really enjoyed Zilan as our main character - her tenacity, determination, and ability to investigate and troubleshoot make her a millennial dream even though she's not one hahaha. I also loved the dynamics between her and her cousins, who you could tell she cared for so deeply! I love this representation of a close-knit extended family! Zilan's dynamic with the Moon Alchemist was a fun mentor x mentee relationship to watch grow too.

The villain in the story was so fascinating - we have seen variations of the woman in power who remains obsessed with youth and maintaining her position of power before; it's a huge part of history, especially with empress consorts and queen mothers! Though this character felt familiar, I didn't think it was too derivative! Plus, she was modeled after a real empress in Chinese history. (Though remember, this is not historical fiction - it may be loosely inspired, but it's fantasy and an alternative history if you will!)

This is my first read by Kylie Lee Baker and I will absolutely be looking more into her backlist because this was a wild ride! 

Not sure what I was expecting out of this book, but honestly this was not it in the best of ways. 

I knew I was going to like this book when in the content note the author explained that modern Chinese was used in the novel for practical reasons as well as “ a reluctance to learn a dead language for the sake of a fantasy novel”. This is my first book by this author, and suddenly I need to add everything else she has written to my TBR. 

This book revolves around Zilan and her two siblings who are trying to make ends meet (or more accurately trying to “unend” meat). Zilan is desperately preparing for an exam to become a royal alchemist in order to support her sick family, with a casual side business of reviving the recently deceased. 

Honestly, you would think this was going to be a light-ish, kinda funny YA fantasy. And at some points it is funny. I laughed out loud. But it is not YA and the content is not light. There are some plot moments and twists that are downright gruesome. I honestly spent a medium amount of time confused, but in the fantasy world building kinda way not the bad way. 

I had a wonderful time throughout this entire novel. I absolutely love Zilan. She is smart, witty, stubborn, and just an absolute treat of a FMC. She is 17, and she feels 17 in a really authentic, naive way. The kind of 17 where you’re invincible and you’re going to change the world. She is really well fleshed out, and one of the best representations of a teenager I’ve seen in fantasy in awhile. Really all of the characters feel incredibly well done. ESPECIALLY the antagonist. *not spoiling who* but they are so intelligently wicked, I loved it. 

The entire thing was spectacular. I laughed. I cried. I’m devastated that I’m ready for book two when book one hasn’t hit shelves yet. 

Thank you so very much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC 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.