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crows_in_a_trenchcoat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexism, and Torture
k_aro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This is not to say by any means that this was a bad book, but I think I've grown out of this genre more generally (what genre? Good question. My mind always calls it YA Fic, but then that's a massive genre - so, just think something between Hunger Games, Six of Crows, and Marie Lu's whole oeuvre. I think you get an idea). On the other hand, I also enjoy that there's more Chinese representation in fields I didn't see myself represented in, though on the third, mutant hand, my brain treacherously (and cynically) wonders whether this is just regurgitation of tokenization etc etc. Not to belabor the point.
I enjoyed the way that Lin really does infuse a lot of Chinese culture (but again, third mutant hand, etc etc. I had similar problems with Six Crimson Cranes, which I didn't mention because, like, it's a kid's book lol who cares). I love seeing familiar foods being represented, even without having them named - whoever mentioned that this book has lush food descriptions was totally right. I love the concept of tea as a magic, even if it didn't really turn out the way I entirely expected?
As for my misgivings... well, the culture thing has been mentioned. But I am also kind of ambiguous on how Chinese medicine/tea is being framed as magical, which is obviously the central conceit but does also reflect modern attitudes on Chinese medicine. I mean I don't think it'll heal a broken leg or anything, but it has legitimately helped where "Western" has failed.
I'm also not entirely sure I like the characters. I appreciate that Ning is so headstrong, but, I don't know, I think she exhibits a lot of problems I have with YA Fic headstrong female characters. Something like she's an archetype? It's just, I don't know, been done before. I honestly prefer Lian, even though I don't necessarily agree with some of Lian's actions and words - she just felt more, unconstrained by conventions of characters in YA Fic.
I also don't know about where the book lands on the monarchy/emperorship (what is the correct term???). I think it's kind of hard about this genre of Chinese drama where, like, on the one hand the monarchy is OBVIOUSLY corrupt to a certain degree because that's how trying to tame an ever-swelling bureaucracy is like. But then like, it's okay? I don't know, I guess I just don't love monarchy generally. I guess the empress is only 19 though. It's difficult.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
yaoipaddle's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
I am really excited that more books in Chinese inspired settings, lore, everything are being published and recognized.
The world Lin has built for this book feels like it's a real fully fledged place that exists. Nothing about it is described in an annoying high fantasy info dump. Instead I feel like the world is integrated well with the plot and characters.
I love the cast of characters and their interactions with Ning are some of my favorite parts of the story. Some of it is a little predictable like oh this is the new friend, this is the boy she likes, this is xyz but I still found it fun.
My biggest gripe was that some of the characterization of Ning felt poorly paced. Without spoilers, I think she was very flip-flop and intense about things that came as a surprise to me as a reader. It felt like "Whoa since when did she feel THIS strongly about it and had the balls to say it?" Ning also had a lot of "I'm not like other girls" moments in the first third of the book, but it tapers off as the book continues. Kang also at times felt too overly forgiving and flat as a character.
The magic being in tea would seem kind of strange or lame to some people, but it's very well done. It's interesting and unique and almost feels like mixing potions! I really liked the problem solving Ning demonstrated throughout the book in regards to her tea skills.
Some of the plot details felt predictable and like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop, but this is YA and maybe for the target age range it's less predictable. I would go into it with an open mind but gosh sometimes Ning is irritating with her flip-flopping.
I recommend the book a lot! I was intrigued, I teared up at moments, and I'm excited for the sequel.
PS in the back of the book there's a glossary with pronunciation, definitions, and the characters for various terms and character names! (I didn't find it until the end... woops)
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Sexism
romie_chat's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
I guess A Magic Steeped in Poison is one of those books that immediately grabs your attention, and although you still expected it to, you’re still thinking, “wow, what a lovely surprise!” I did expect to love this book, but I didn’t know how comforting it would be.
I’ve never been good at imagining scenes from a book, I struggle visualising what I’m reading, but this book said, ‘it’s okay, I’ll simply make you taste and smell instead.’ I could simply smell each tea being prepared, or taste the food described, and that made this read so delightful and comforting!
Of course, it does not mean this book was not action-packed and simply cosy. It heavily deals with court intrigue, classicism and elitism. Seeing Ning becoming her own person, fighting for what she believes in and experiencing all these new things was brilliant. I truly felt like I knew her and was rooting for her the entire time!
I’m extremely excited to read A Venom Dark and Sweet as I simply adored spending time with all our characters and truly connected to the writing style! (4.15)
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Torture
azrah786's review against another edition
4.25
CW: violence, blood, injury, murder, death, death of parent, animal cruelty, animal death, terminal illness, medical content, grief, bullying, confinement, torture, sexism, misogyny, classicism
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As a massive tea lover the mention of a magic system involving tea had me running to pick up A Magic Steeped in Poison and it did not disappoint!
Wracked with guilt after unknowingly serving her mother and sister poisoned tea, Ning is determined to do anything to save her sister. So when word from the Imperial Palace arrives inviting the apprentices of the Shennong-Shi (masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making) from across the kingdom to compete to be the court’s tea-maker, Ning is driven to participate by the promise of a favour from the princess for the winner.
However, being double-crossed by fellow opponents soon become the least of Ning’s worries as she unintentionally becomes entangled with the politics and conspiracies around court.
Judy I Lin’s prose is just as dreamy as the books cover and immediately draws you in to a page-turning story and setting imbued with spellbinding magic. Not only will the magical tea charm your senses but the vivid descriptions of places and all the mouth-watering food will undoubtedly immerse you fully into the world.
The pacing really keeps you on your toes in this one because the plot is just constantly rolling with Ning being swept away into the competition almost immediately. Now this tempo keeps up for pretty much the whole book and once you settle into the story it isn’t too much of a problem.
The only real place that I had an issue with it was when it came to the romance.. It definitely came around a little too fast and felt quite insta lovey which isn’t a favourite trope of mine. Though I will say the banter and spark that there was between the MC and LI was great, I just wish more development could have been shown between them on page.
That aside the overall plot was fascinating and though there were some twists that were a little obvious the political tensions of the empire were brilliantly woven around Ning’s personal story. Her love for her family was big driving force over the course of the story which I really loved and it was great to see wholesome female friendships there too!
Really looking forward to picking up the sequel!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
bookishkale's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
I am kind of a fantasy snob, where if the book has any magical element to it, I am all for it. It has to be intriguing however, and this book hits it right on the head. This book is inspired by both Chinese and Taiwanese mythology, and Lin does an amazing job. Her writing is so magical and poetic. Any time Ning brews a cup of tea, the descriptions are so fluid and delightful, that I found myself craving a cup of tea any time I picked up the book. I was fully immersed in this world, and if this ever gets picked up by a production company, the only format that would do it justice is animation. I loved the descriptions of food, it made my mouth water every time.
I wasn't surprised by the plot in anyway, I felt like for the first time in a while a cover blurb actually did the book justice! The plot moves a bit slower than I wanted it too, however that doesn't mean it's bad at all. When it was moving, I couldn't tear my eyes off the page. Parts of me wishes the competition part of the book was longer, but I understand why it was wrapped up the way it was. I thought all of the rounds in the book made sense, with ample explanation as to why it was going in this direction. The book was very easy to understand, making sure that even people who don't understand Chinese and Taiwanese culture, or tea culture that well can still follow along easily. The plot twists make sense and add suspense without adding any unnecessary drama. There's a hint of a miscommunication trope, which I don't usually care for, but it does actually add to the plot so I am not upset about it. The end of the book moves a lot faster than the rest of the book. I wish it was either fully expanded upon and added another two-three big chapters, or we had a much bigger cliffhanger earlier and it was expanded upon in the sequel. I can look passed this since there is a sequel to the book, so I feel like anyone who reads these back to back won't feel that as much.
The characters are somewhat lackluster in some places, but I have a feeling that the second book will flesh them all out some more. I think as a whole, from start to finish there was a ton of character development. That to say, it's a bad thing, especially with another book in this series to expand on everyone. Ning has a lot of flaws, but it's not really the main point of the book, but it's not ignored either. She tends to get herself in trouble because she doesn't fully think through her actions. All Ning wants to do is save her sister, so she's focused on winning the competition to do so. Ning is an easy character to relate to and understand her motives. However, parts of her character do lack depth. Everything was about her saving her sister and avenging her mother's death.
Overall, highly recommend as good end of summer read, as the nights get longer again and the weather gets a bit chiller.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and War
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
A lot of the worldbuilding revolves around every bit of her surroundings looks. The descriptions are usually brief enough to not slow things down too much, but this is a book that makes sure you get a sense of how most rooms (or at least the people in them) appear. There's also a lot of sensory information related to the tea. The magic system is consistent enough to make sense but loose enough to allow for a bunch of cool stuff which fits the kind of thing we know can be done even if it wasn't mentioned before it initially appears.
The audiobook narrator is great, her style fit the story and it was pretty easy to tell everyone apart (even minor characters).
One thing which was a bit frustrating is that Ning kept obsessing (and trying not to obsess) about this guy who at first appears unconnected to the palace but turns out to be much more than he appears. He works well as a plot device but I don't feel like I know anything about him and I don't get why she's interested in him (other than him being mysterious). Plots where people are lying stress me out, and having Ning not seem to know why she was so interested in him made it a bit harder for me to believe their romantic tension as well.
I'm confused by some of the strategies in the competition and the treatment of animals. It's so morally grey (even within the book, as evidenced by the judges' reactions) that it made me wonder if this is actually a villain arc rather than a hero arc. It establishes how far Ning will go to try to get this position and save her sister, but I can't tell whether that's meant to be good or bad.
As the first book in a duology, this ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Most major things from early in the book get a resolution, but right at the end several things happen which set up a direction for the sequel, but leave this book frustratingly unresolved on some key points. It works in the book, but whether it works for any reader will depend on your tolerance (or desire) for unresolved endings. This is the first half of a specific longer story, and it shows. I'm interested enough to finish that story and find out.
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Vomit
karcitis's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism
Minor: Police brutality, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
foreverinastory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5 rounded up! I need everyone to pick up this book immediately!
A Magic Steeped in Poison features a magic system based on Taiwanese tea culture! This story follows Ning as she navigates the grief over her mother's death and trying to find a cure for her sister who is deathly ill. When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi, she travels to the imperial city to compete in the hopes that winning will grant her a favor to cure her sister.
Between dark court politics, backstabbing competitors and the challenging contest, Ning has her hands full. Not to mention Ning wasn't actually her mother's apprentice, so her knowledge about the art of brewing tea is not as strong as other competitors.
I was swept away by the world building and amazing magic system. I loved seeing Ning navigate the challenges of the shennong-shi. Competition books like this are some of my favorite fantasy books to read. The competition is so fun and cool. I loved the various events, except the one that involved birds. Ning's skill and magic was so freaking cool. I loved that she could do so many things with tea and I need her to come over and make me so magic tea.
I loved Ning’s character. She was curious, protective and dedicated. I have a feeling we’ve only seen the tip of her magical abilities and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the sequel.
Chinese coded cast. Cis female MC, sapphic female side characters, achillean male side characters, various side characters are poisoned and terminally ill.
CW: Violence, bullying, grief, death of parent, classism, animal cruelty, animal death, death, attempted murder/murder, blood, medical content, injury/injury detail. Moderate: alcohol consumption, misogyny, sexism, terminal illness. Minor: vomit, confinement, torture, war.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Torture, Vomit, and War
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
- A MAGIC STEEPED IN POISON is gorgeous and action packed. The descriptions of the teas made even this tea hater want to try some of them.
- I did take some issue with the pacing in some parts, and didn't really understand and/or buy the motivations of some characters.
- However, if you're looking for an atmospheric, inventive read with a determined heroine, it's worth giving this book a try.
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism