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A review by ninegladiolus
Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender
adventurous
emotional
fast-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? Yes
3.75
Kacen Callender is an author I’ll always take a chance on, especially when they go ahead and write a magical polyamory book. While I don’t feel Infinity Alchemist was their strongest work, what I enjoyed about it was enough to outweigh some of the issues I had.
Main character Ash is forbidden by law from practicing alchemy though he’s drawn to it, as only the wealthy elite have the resources to go to school and get a formal license. He takes a job as a groundskeeper at Lancaster Mage's College and studies in secret. But after being caught by alchemical protege and apprentice Ramsey Thorne, the two enter into a pact: Ash won’t be given up to the law, but only if he helps Ramsay find the Book of Source.
Where this novel excels for me is in the romantic relationships and character work. The main cast is incredibly diverse and their identities are written with care. The main character Ash is deeply flawed; many readers have and likely will find him annoying (generously). But a recurring theme in Callender’s work is a reminder that we deserve love, care, and equitable treatment even and especially when we act out and make mistakes—their recent adult romance, With Stars in Their Eyes, dials this theme up to 9000—and so I appreciate seeing someone flawed being cared for and supported. I loved all three protagonists dearly.
The polyamory representation in particular is a highlight for me, though I wish this novel weren’t limited by the space constraints of YA so that the relationships can have room to breathe. For teenagers, the main cast is shockingly (unrealistically) good at resolving some of the conflicts that can come with polyamory, though I appreciated that the novel took the time to showcase some of the difficulties that can come with it too.
My biggest issue with this book is that it was overambitious. The fantasy plot and worldbuilding didn’t offer many new insights into the existing genre, and sometimes detracted from what I thought to be this novel’s strength, which was character development and relationships. Additionally, the pacing was very unbalanced to me, to the point where I wasn’t exactly thrilled to pick up the book at certain sections.
Infinity Alchemist is flawed, but flawed in ways I can tolerate better than other readers might be able to. If you’re the type of reader who focuses on relationship and character, Infinity Alchemist is worth picking up; if you’re looking for a mind-blowing and unpredictable fantasy read, maybe give it a pass. I’ll be continuing with the rest of the series and hopeful that, with a lot of the setup out of the way, it will hit its stride in book two.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
Main character Ash is forbidden by law from practicing alchemy though he’s drawn to it, as only the wealthy elite have the resources to go to school and get a formal license. He takes a job as a groundskeeper at Lancaster Mage's College and studies in secret. But after being caught by alchemical protege and apprentice Ramsey Thorne, the two enter into a pact: Ash won’t be given up to the law, but only if he helps Ramsay find the Book of Source.
Where this novel excels for me is in the romantic relationships and character work. The main cast is incredibly diverse and their identities are written with care. The main character Ash is deeply flawed; many readers have and likely will find him annoying (generously). But a recurring theme in Callender’s work is a reminder that we deserve love, care, and equitable treatment even and especially when we act out and make mistakes—their recent adult romance, With Stars in Their Eyes, dials this theme up to 9000—and so I appreciate seeing someone flawed being cared for and supported. I loved all three protagonists dearly.
The polyamory representation in particular is a highlight for me, though I wish this novel weren’t limited by the space constraints of YA so that the relationships can have room to breathe. For teenagers, the main cast is shockingly (unrealistically) good at resolving some of the conflicts that can come with polyamory, though I appreciated that the novel took the time to showcase some of the difficulties that can come with it too.
My biggest issue with this book is that it was overambitious. The fantasy plot and worldbuilding didn’t offer many new insights into the existing genre, and sometimes detracted from what I thought to be this novel’s strength, which was character development and relationships. Additionally, the pacing was very unbalanced to me, to the point where I wasn’t exactly thrilled to pick up the book at certain sections.
Infinity Alchemist is flawed, but flawed in ways I can tolerate better than other readers might be able to. If you’re the type of reader who focuses on relationship and character, Infinity Alchemist is worth picking up; if you’re looking for a mind-blowing and unpredictable fantasy read, maybe give it a pass. I’ll be continuing with the rest of the series and hopeful that, with a lot of the setup out of the way, it will hit its stride in book two.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.