A review by accidentalmuse
The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker

challenging dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

I thought this book had interesting ideas but failed to execute them. The writing felt like it lacked maturity - especially the romance.
I wasn't invested in the story, in large because of weird pacing. This was a shame, because it was unique plot. Things got pretty dark as we progressed through the book but there were 2 key things (romance aside) which led me to be uninvested.
  1. The villain really wasn't villainous enough when on the page. They actually seemed quite immature and petty in the writing, yet 'off-screen' they were incredibly cunning, and driven. It didn't match.
  2. Death lacked impact. It's a classic problem - bringing characters back from the dead. The problem is, it means death no longer has any weight.
Unfortunately, I don't recommend this book, but I do see potential in future works. It was great to have a morally ambiguous, strong female character, and that was definitely the highlight of the book.
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