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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Centuries-old alchemist Zoe Faust is tired of running from her past. She's finally got her life on track in Portland, Oregon, gardening and cooking in her fixer-upper house with her mischievous best friend, Dorian the gargoyle chef. It seems like the perfect life for Zoe—until she discovers that her old mentor Nicolas Flamel, who she thought had abandoned her, has been imprisoned.
A local artist holds the secret that could lead Zoe to her mentor, but the artist is murdered and the painting containing the hidden clue is stolen. To rescue Nicolas, Zoe and Dorian must explore art forgery, a transformative process that has much in common with alchemy and cooking—but one that proves far more dangerous.
Includes delicious vegan recipes!
Review:
I started reading this series midway, with The Elusive Elixir. The author, Gigi Pandian, did such a wonderful job of summarizing previous events, that I didn't know this was a series until after I finished the book. I loved the characters (and the delicious recipes!) immediately.
The Alchemist's Illusion continues to entertain with more Dorian, Zoe, and her skeptical boyfriend, Max. With its dual storylines, and lots of new characters, this is a worthy addition to this series.
What I Liked:
Characters:
Zoe, and her circle of friends, are very entertaining. I loved learning even more about the Gargoyle chef, Dorian, and his quest to become more than a sculpture come to life. Zoe's policeman boyfriend, Max was appropriately grounded in reality. It is his spot-on reactions to the magical that anchor the book. This was both necessary and heartbreaking to read. Newer characters such as the artist's widow, Perenelle Flamel, and Edward Kelly were complicated and made it hard to know if they were villains or not. I liked the unpredictability of this.
Food:
A major reason I enjoy this series is for the delectable descriptions of cooking, and food! Meals are lovingly detailed so the reader is salivating along with the characters. Plus, there are several yummy looking recipes to be found at the end of the book.
Plot:
The story alternates between present-day Portland, Oregon, and nearly four-hundred years earlier in Prague where we learn the origins of the painting that is the centerpiece of this book. I liked the two different stories and the fact that it was ambiguous as to who the villain was. Did Nicolas' wife Perenelle conspire with someone to imprison him? Who is Edward Kelly? So many little mysteries to solve!
What I Was Mixed About:
There was one aspect of the plot which I was quite dissatisfied with. The plot relied heavily on coincidences to move the story along. At the beginning of the book, Zoe randomly sees a painting in a window that may hold the key to finding her long-lost friend Nicolas. Considering that this art work was made in Europe hundreds of years ago, how likely is it that it would find its way to present-day Portland, Oregon? This happens several times throughout the book, which made it hard for me, as a reader, to accept.
Rating:
Release Date: January 8th, 2019
Author: Gigi Pandian
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Genre: Mystery Fiction
Page Length: 336 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: An entertaining addition to this series, even with some very convenient plot twists.
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