I recently finished The Scarlet Alchemist, and I have to say,I found the story quite interesting, especially with its setting in ancient China, based on a real dynasty, where alchemy is real and humans have mastered the art of creating longevity elixirs and resurrecting the dead. The concept of using alchemy in this context was refreshing and reminded me a lot of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime.

The first half of the book was really compelling. I was drawn in by the main character’s fierce determination to become a royal alchemist. Her single-minded focus on her goal, even with the male lead in the picture, was admirable. I also appreciated the strong family bonds, particularly the loyalty between the protagonist and her cousins, which added depth to the story.

However, as the story progressed into the second half, my interest started to wane. The protagonist began making frustratingly childish and irrational decisions, which led me to pause reading a few times out of sheer irritation. While I liked the depiction of her family relationships, I wasn’t sold on her romance with the crown prince. Their love story didn’t resonate with me, and I found the crown prince to be the least interesting character—despite being different from the typical male lead, he didn’t contribute much until the very end.

I enjoyed the climactic fight toward the end, but the cliffhanger has left me undecided. There’s a sequel coming out, but I’m still debating whether I’m interested enough to pick it up.

Overall, The Scarlet Alchemist offers a unique take on historical fantasy with its intriguing alchemical elements and a strong start, but the second half left me feeling conflicted. If yo 're interested in historical fantasy and curious about alchemical concept this book has, you might want to give this one a try.