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erikanorris's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
enderbug's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
theetherealelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
zivareads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Murder
bookishlou's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I love this series. Dorian is amazing, honestly one of my favourite characters in the series.
Zoe has a slice of happiness in this book, which is so nice to see.
A perfect blend of mystery, and wholesome.
Zoe has a slice of happiness in this book, which is so nice to see.
A perfect blend of mystery, and wholesome.
lucy_rose's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ramblingravioli's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism
spookshow's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I originally had it in my head that this was pushing a 2.5 rating for me, but the last 20% of the book pushed it up to a three.
I didn't realise at the time of requesting this that it was actually number 4 in the series, I feel like this may have had an impact on how much I enjoyed the story. This story follows alchemist Zoe Faust, along with her friend and live in gargoyle companion, Dorian, and her longtime fellow alchemist friend, Tobias, in Portland. Zoe comes across a painting being displayed in the front window of a local art gallery that closely resembles her old friend, mentor and father figure, Nicholas Flamel. She is shocked because she knows that Nicholas never sat for portrait paintings, just as she herself doesn't like having photos taken, this can be dangerous for alchemist, as they do not age once they have taken the Elixir of Life. While pondering over the portrait Zoe is thrust into the middle of a mystery and murder investigation when local deceased artist, Logan Magnus', wife Isabelle confronts Zoe accusing her of Logan's murder because of a pendent she is wearing around her neck. What follows is a mystery adventure spanning centuries as Zoe finds an old note written by Nicholas Flamel stating that he is in danger and needs help, she believe that the clues to this note and Nicholas' location lies within the strange painting she saw, but it has now gone missing. The narrative is split between two times, one is the present day where Zoe and friends are desperately trying to locate the painting and solve the murder of Logan, and the other spans between the 1500s and 1700s following the workings of an alchemical painter, Phillip Hayden, who is supposedly the artist of the strange painting that Zoe is trying to find. The story lines do converge near the last quarter of the book.
I found the dual timelines interesting, and somewhat necessary I guess, though this didn't become apparent until it helped reveal clues about the present day mystery. I felt like the clues were kind of jaggedly pulled together and there wasn't quite a flow happening for me for some reason. I enjoyed the characters, Zoe is likable and level headed, Dorian would have to be probably my favourite character, who doesn't love a french gargoyle who is also a master chef? Other than these two, I feel like the characters were pretty beige, maybe a little flat. Again, this could be because I've jumped into the world in the fourth installment of this series, so I haven't had the chance to meet these characters and watch them flesh out and grow through the previous stories.
The mystery itself was well done, and I had no idea who the culprit was until the reveal, this I felt was done spectacularly well, I found myself at times not knowing who to trust, so this is good.
I love the whole premise of this series, following an alchemist who is over 300 years old, and looking at the different aspects of alchemy, not just the gold making side of it. I haven't come across any other stories thus far that touch on the subject the way that this author has. I am incredibly intrigued by it, so I believe that I will try to get a hold of the first in the series, and go back to the beginning. I do feel that you can read the story independently, however, there are past events that are spoken about which I assume happened in the other installments, so the gravity of these situations didn't really hit for me how it would have if I knew about them in their entirety. Also, if you haven't read the previous books, you may find yourself not feeling very connected to the characters as I did, I believe with series of books, you need to read them from the start otherwise you aren't learning and growing with the characters, and for me, this can have an impact on the story itself.
All in all, a nice premise, and quirky characters in a series that I will definitely be going back to the start for.
I originally had it in my head that this was pushing a 2.5 rating for me, but the last 20% of the book pushed it up to a three.
I didn't realise at the time of requesting this that it was actually number 4 in the series, I feel like this may have had an impact on how much I enjoyed the story. This story follows alchemist Zoe Faust, along with her friend and live in gargoyle companion, Dorian, and her longtime fellow alchemist friend, Tobias, in Portland. Zoe comes across a painting being displayed in the front window of a local art gallery that closely resembles her old friend, mentor and father figure, Nicholas Flamel. She is shocked because she knows that Nicholas never sat for portrait paintings, just as she herself doesn't like having photos taken, this can be dangerous for alchemist, as they do not age once they have taken the Elixir of Life. While pondering over the portrait Zoe is thrust into the middle of a mystery and murder investigation when local deceased artist, Logan Magnus', wife Isabelle confronts Zoe accusing her of Logan's murder because of a pendent she is wearing around her neck. What follows is a mystery adventure spanning centuries as Zoe finds an old note written by Nicholas Flamel stating that he is in danger and needs help, she believe that the clues to this note and Nicholas' location lies within the strange painting she saw, but it has now gone missing. The narrative is split between two times, one is the present day where Zoe and friends are desperately trying to locate the painting and solve the murder of Logan, and the other spans between the 1500s and 1700s following the workings of an alchemical painter, Phillip Hayden, who is supposedly the artist of the strange painting that Zoe is trying to find. The story lines do converge near the last quarter of the book.
I found the dual timelines interesting, and somewhat necessary I guess, though this didn't become apparent until it helped reveal clues about the present day mystery. I felt like the clues were kind of jaggedly pulled together and there wasn't quite a flow happening for me for some reason. I enjoyed the characters, Zoe is likable and level headed, Dorian would have to be probably my favourite character, who doesn't love a french gargoyle who is also a master chef? Other than these two, I feel like the characters were pretty beige, maybe a little flat. Again, this could be because I've jumped into the world in the fourth installment of this series, so I haven't had the chance to meet these characters and watch them flesh out and grow through the previous stories.
The mystery itself was well done, and I had no idea who the culprit was until the reveal, this I felt was done spectacularly well, I found myself at times not knowing who to trust, so this is good.
I love the whole premise of this series, following an alchemist who is over 300 years old, and looking at the different aspects of alchemy, not just the gold making side of it. I haven't come across any other stories thus far that touch on the subject the way that this author has. I am incredibly intrigued by it, so I believe that I will try to get a hold of the first in the series, and go back to the beginning. I do feel that you can read the story independently, however, there are past events that are spoken about which I assume happened in the other installments, so the gravity of these situations didn't really hit for me how it would have if I knew about them in their entirety. Also, if you haven't read the previous books, you may find yourself not feeling very connected to the characters as I did, I believe with series of books, you need to read them from the start otherwise you aren't learning and growing with the characters, and for me, this can have an impact on the story itself.
All in all, a nice premise, and quirky characters in a series that I will definitely be going back to the start for.
lm121's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
johannabeek's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5