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!)

 

Inspired by ancient China, this book re-imagines what might have happened if Chinese alchemists had figured out the secret to immortality. It's definitely a twisty fantasy, and Zilan, our protagonist isn't necessarily the most likable main character, but she is fierce and defiant and knows what she wants. Baker incorporates a lot of plot twists in relation to her character, and I enjoyed that overall, it kept me constantly guessing as to what was going to happen next.

Of course, the ending is left a bit open, leaving room for a second book. I believe it's going to be a duology, but I've been wrong in that aspect before. However, the events in this book are pretty much wrapped up for the most part, just leaving some loose ends that will likely be addressed in the second book. 

The way Baker used ancient Chinese alchemy as her inspiration and ran with it made the magic system feel unique. I was invested and intrigued for this entire book, and I'm excited to pick up the second book when it eventually comes out!

The Scarlet Alchemist follows Zilan who dreams of being an alchemist for the royal family. But when she receives the opportunity to become an alchemist, she realizes that the royal court might be more sinister than she realizes.
I really loved this book! I thought it would be right up my alley considering the content and I love historical books. I found this to be a really interesting story that was told so well. My jaw was on the floor at the end of this book because I couldn't believe what was happening. That ending made me so excited for the next book.
Kylie Lee Baker's writing is exquisite. The way the world was built and the story was done was perfect. I absolutely loved reading her prose and seeing how she told this story. It was so clear that she knew her characters and really took the time to get to know and tell their stories. I thought that this was such an interesting story and the fantasy twist in it was so well done.
I really loved Zilan and the Crown Prince so much. They were such interesting characters to follow and the Crown Prince was so sweet. Zilan had to fight her whole life and seeing her start to open up to him was so satisfying.
I am so excited for the next book to come out next year because I need to know what's going to happen. I absolutely enjoyed this. If you find the premise interesting, it's definitely worth a read.

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.

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 received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This distinguishes itself remarkably from other YA historical fantasy books. I loved the alternative history nested within the Tang dynasty (coupled with the fact that Zilan is loosely based on a Chinese cultural figure); it gives some context for Kylie Lee Baker's worldbuilding. Zilan is oddly relatable, and I admired her stubbornness and courage in the face of bloody violence and death. (I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is much more visceral and gory than I was expecting.) The alchemical system, though not unfamiliar, is also fascinating and fleshed out well. The romance, on the other hand, is not--it was tough for me to see the trajectory of Zilan's feelings for the prince--but that's understandable given the ending.

While I think this could have ended as a standalone, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. 

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!