The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Holy heck! When can I get the sequel? Seriously, when?!
I really enjoyed Kylie Lee Baker’s The Keeper of the Night duology. I was super impressed by the characters and dark imagery she delivered throughout those books.
I was expecting something similar here and happily, I received exactly what I was hoping for and then some.
In this story we follow Zilan, a teenage girl, who lives in an impoverished village in the South of China. Even though she is a member of the merchant class, Zilan has dreams to become a royal alchemist.
Zilan already practices a certain form of alchemy to make money to help her family, but it’s illegal. She is able to bring people back from the dead. In spite of its illegality, she has earned a bit of reputation for her successes.
When the time for Zilan’s imperial exams comes, she is able to travel to the capital, along with her two cousins, to compete against the best alchemists in the country.
During her time in the capital, Zilan attracts the attention of the royal family and is soon drawn into their dangerous political machinations.
Most interestingly, the Crown Prince, Li Hong, who knowing of her ability to bring people back from the dead, approaches Zilan for help because he fears he is about to be assassinated.
There is so much going on in this story, but it is beautifully told, fluid and engaging. It’s easy to follow and I really grew to love these characters. Zilan is so well developed and I loved the exploration of her character.
As with The Keeper of the Night duology, there is some great character work involving complicated family dynamics.
Zilan was basically raised with her two cousins, Wenshu and Yufei. They call her sister and their relationship is very close.
However, Zilan is of mixed descent, with her father being a foreigner, so she looks very different than her cousins. It sets her apart and even though they have never treated her differently, she feels like an outsider; like she can never be truly accepted and loved for who she is.
I like that Baker includes these types of details. It adds great substance to the story and makes you feel like you’re gaining a deeper understanding of MC and her motivations.
So, not only does this story include fantastic action and gripping intrigue, it also has thoughtful moments where more sensitive issues are touched upon.
Yet again, I was completely swept away by Kylie Lee Baker’s storytelling. Once I got into this story, I couldn’t put it down. She’s so underrated, y’all.
You know what I’m gonna say. If you haven’t checked out Kylie Lee Baker’s work yet…
Thank you so much to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Baker is definitely one of my go-to authors. I can’t wait to be reunited with Zilan in the next book. The possibilities are endless as to where this story will go next!!