The Scarlet Alchemist is a fun book that takes place during the Tang Dynasty in China. It combines magic with historical fiction while simultaneously being both a sibling story and a romance. I appreciated the emphasis on life in the Tang Dynasty as well as the fictionalization of the bureaucratic exam system. I found the characters to be engaging and believable, although it would have been interesting to hear from characters other than the main one. The prince also could have been better developed as a character. I did find the story to be cheesy or predictable at times, but overall I was still entertained. It was difficult to put down, especially in the second half of the story. The ending also implies that there will be a sequel, which I would be excited to read as a further examination of mythology and alchemy. I would also like more situations related to historical events such as the Silk Roads. Overall, this was a fun magical book about the Tang Dynasty.