The Scarlet Alchemy is an entertaining if somewhat predictable read.
The story is an alternate take on the Tang Dynasty. But don’t let the ancient historic time period worry you. The language is modern, by design, to make for a reader-friendly experience.
Pacing is slow, and parts dragged a bit for me.
The magic system fascinated me, and I enjoyed the way alchemy was used throughout. I would have loved more of the magic early on.
Zilan was an interesting character. I felt most of the other characters were a little flat, lacking development. And the prince was an absolute wuss, which was unfortunate.
This is the first book in a duology. I appreciated that we weren't left dangling off a cliff. While we have a lead-in to book 2, there’s enough closure here for the book to work on its own.
*Thanks to BookishFirst and Inkyard Press for the giveaway!*
The story is an alternate take on the Tang Dynasty. But don’t let the ancient historic time period worry you. The language is modern, by design, to make for a reader-friendly experience.
Pacing is slow, and parts dragged a bit for me.
The magic system fascinated me, and I enjoyed the way alchemy was used throughout. I would have loved more of the magic early on.
Zilan was an interesting character. I felt most of the other characters were a little flat, lacking development. And the prince was an absolute wuss, which was unfortunate.
This is the first book in a duology. I appreciated that we weren't left dangling off a cliff. While we have a lead-in to book 2, there’s enough closure here for the book to work on its own.
*Thanks to BookishFirst and Inkyard Press for the giveaway!*