There's something about food or drink that can really make a book come alive, appealing to the sense of smell and the memories it evokes. A Magic Steeped in Poison helps bring the story to life with tea and the role it plays in Ning's life - the poisoning of her mother and sister, and the need it creates for her to travel from home. The start is very atmospheric, and draws the reader in, though one scene seems to both clash and foretell events later in the book.