I have some bad news: I’m in a horrific reading slump. It’s a double-edged sword, though, as a reading slump usually means two things for me. One, nothing I’m currently reading (right now, four different books) is hooking me, but two, I’ve just read something absolutely incredible, and I can’t stop thinking about it. There aren’t many books that hold this kind of power, so it’s always a little surprising when the book you’re reading takes you from “Oh, I’m liking this” to “This book is destroying my life in the best way.” When I finished the 1,000-page brick that is Alchemised by SenLinYu I knew I would never be the same.
Reading this book was a daunting task, but once I was in, I could not put it down. So if you see that page count and immediately want to see yourself out, I don’t blame you. However, Alchemised should be required reading for all fantasy readers; it is absolutely worth the hype. This book consumed me from beginning to end, and if I could go back in time to read it for the first time again, I would. Unfortunately, time travel hasn’t been perfected yet, so the best I can do is spread the word so that as many readers as possible get to experience Alchemised. Here’s why it should shoot to the top of your TBR:
In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.
What is Alchemised about?
The war between the Order of the Eternal Flame and the Undying is over—and the Undying won. The Chosen One, Luc Holdfast, is dead, the resistance is nonexistent, and Paladia is now run by the High Necromancer and his immortal followers. Helena Marino, an accomplished alchemist and Luc’s personal healer, wakes up in the Undying’s clutches with no memories from the last year of the war.
Desperate to uncover what Helena is hiding, the High Necromancer puts his best alchemist, the High Reeve, on the job. Helena doesn’t remember the secret she’s keeping, but she knows she must do everything she can to keep it or die trying. Unfortunately, the more time she spends with the High Reeve, the more she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. And when her memories come flooding back, she realizes the one person she swore she’d save at all costs is still in danger.
Alchemised is a dark romantic fantasy. Before reading, consult the content warnings here.
My review of Alchemised
I had this book on my shelf for ages before I actually picked it up. I had just had a baby, really only had one hand free (if any) at a time, and couldn’t muster the energy required to take on a 1,000-page book in my sleep-deprived haze. Now having read it, I’m kicking myself for ever putting it off. Alchemised has cemented itself as one of my all-time favorite books. However, it wasn’t until I got to the middle of the story that I realized I was reading a generational story—the kind that would stay with me long after I turned the last page.
Alchemised drops you write into the thick of the story—or rather, the end. The war between the Holdfast dynasty that has ruled over Paladia since its founding and the High Necromancer has ended, with the High Necromancer coming out on top. The bad guys won, and as readers, we come in during the aftermath. This premise alone was so fascinating to read and so different from your typical hero-saves-the-world story. But I can’t deny that Alchemised begins in a very dark place, and at no point was I certain that things would get better for our main character. Helena’s story is one of the most heartwrenching I’ve ever read. It’s an intimate look at a single woman’s journey through war and the trauma she endures during and after her capture. At the same time, Alchemised is a deeply and tragically romantic story.
Right away, there is a fair bit of information thrown at you. In the beginning, it can be incredibly hard to follow. I frequently found myself using my e-reader’s search function to look back on terms until I got a handle on how the magic system works. This is perhaps my only hang-up with Alchemised; the world-building is detailed, complicated, and hard to grasp until you’re well into the story. That said, once you do have that grasp on the mechanics, Alchemised is completely enthralling. If you find yourself confused in the beginning, book blogger @cactuspearpaper put together all of the terms you need to know, right here.
“I want to feel the way I felt reading Helena’s story every single time I read a book, if only I could be so lucky.”
Alchemised is divided into three parts. The first is Helena’s immediate present. She’s been captured by the Undying, her memories lost, and sent to the High Reeve as his prisoner and test subject. This first section paints a grim picture of Paladia in the war’s aftermath. With the High Necromancer’s victory comes an era of violence and trauma. The High Reeve’s directive is to untangle Helena’s memory at whatever cost, and that objective leads the story to some very dark places. Right when things cannot possibly get any worse for Helena, we’re plunged back in time to the war during the story’s second part. Which, in my opinion, is where this story becomes unforgettable.
Even though we know how the war ends, SenLinYu’s writing has you hanging onto every single moment, wondering where the story could possibly go next. We follow the war through Helena’s experience. There are highs when you finally have some hope, and then the lowest of lows. Despite knowing where Helena ends up, I found myself completely engaged in this section, unable to put the book down. What’s more, the events of this section make the reality of the present timeline even more agonizing and tense.
In the third section, when her memories finally returned, Helena realizes she still has a long road ahead of her. Despite how grim her current reality is, she now remembers she has someone from the war that she must protect. Suddenly, still the High Reeve’s captive, she has something to live and fight for. The resistance may be gone, the war may be over, but there is still hope for Helena, if only she keeps fighting.
Alchemised is not a story of good triumphing over evil. Helena (spoiler alert) doesn’t become the new chosen one. But she does become her own hero; instead of saving the world, she aims to save herself and finally achieve the peace that colored her wildest daydreams during the war.
I don’t know that Alchemised fits into any box. To me, it is a wholly unique story; nothing about it is expected or formulaic, making it an unforgettable reading experience. Despite my best efforts, I don’t quite know how to put Alchemised into words, other than to say that among every book I’ve ever read (and I’ve read many!) Alchemised is in a category of its own. I want to feel the way I felt reading Helena’s story every single time I read a book, if only I could be so lucky.
Should you read Alchemised?
Yes.
No, seriously, if you love fantasy and have familiarized yourself with the content warnings, Alchemised is a can’t-miss phenomenon. So many popular books end up fizzling out to the point where you can’t even remember what happened in the story. Alchemised isn’t that. Helena’s story is agonizing, hopeful, tragic, and romantic. It truly is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. Don’t let the 1,000 pages turn you off; when you get to the end, you’re going to want to flip back to the front and start all over again.
Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor
As Senior Managing Editor of The Everygirl, Garri oversees the pitching, planning, and creation of all content. You might also find her name pop up as a contributor throughout the site, though she mostly works behind the scenes, leading the team in their creative efforts and ensuring they have everything they need to create top-quality content for our audience.
