I really enjoyed this historical fantasy book. I learned a lot about alchemy and science. It was a bit of a slow start at the very beginning, but then the plot quickly picked up to a very quick pace and was full of intrigue and twists. I'm not always a fan of the romantic relationships in this genre of books, because they often feel like an afterthought, but that was not the case here with Zilan and Hong. I appreciate Zilan's strength and Hong's sweet and gentle nature. Zilan grows so much through their relationship, and that was really interesting and enjoyable to watch. Some of the other characters were not as well developed, but the writing and world-building were both excellent. The descriptions of the setting were really well done, and they contrasted in such a great way with some of the darker elements of the atmosphere and storyline. I now plan to read the author's first book!