Infinity Alchemist

Both of Ash’s relationships jumped from budding attraction to deep love real quick, which I didn’t fully buy. I appreciated the polyamory rep and that the three of them talked out their jealousy and insecurities regarding that setup. It’s refreshing to see characters in a “love triangle” actively work to figure out a way to be happy that makes sense for them instead of just competing to see who gets a typical monogamous relationship and who gets shoved to the side. I just didn’t necessarily think the way these relationships were developed and discussed always worked. The characters were being pushed a little too hard to show a perfect, healthy, and deep relationship. Given who they are and where they were in their lives some show more of the resolutions to their problems didn’t fit or felt rushed for their characters.

The ending also suffered from being rushed forward. It felt condensed and resolved too easily to be very satisfying. Maybe in part because I never had a strong sense of the main characters’ limitations or abilities. Ash and Ramsay are prodigies who routinely and with little difficulty accomplish things that we’re told are near impossible even for alchemists who have been studying, training, and practicing for decades. Everything was near effortless with the biggest obstacles being getting hungry or tired. So, to me, it wasn’t satisfying or interesting to see Ash get another never-before-seen ability without effort to win the day.

Disclaimer, though, a major theme of this story was ‘love is everything (literally)’. Due to personal reasons relating to my own relationships with my queerness, that sentiment is very uncomfortable to me. I can’t say if I was able to enjoy that theme whether or not some of these elements of the story would have been more emotionally resonant at least, even if I didn’t think they were written in the best way. So ymmv regarding my critiques. show less

Ash struggles. His mother is dead, his father refuses to acknowledge him, and he has a burning desire to learn magic. He works as a gardener at the school where most learn the subject, learning by reading avidly and listening to students and professors. When he's caught in an instructor's office, he's certain they will turn him in. Instead, it's the start of an uneasy alliance to find a mythical book that is said to be the ultimate answer to source magic. On the run after a disastrous fight with another sorcerer that destroys most of the school, Ash and Professor Ramsay Thorne are joined by Thorne's former friend and lover, Callum, a magician and son of a powerful lord.
What follows is a tense rush to find the book, avoid getting killed, show more and the three learning how to sort and process feelings among themselves. Ash is transgender, Ramsay can shift sexes at will, and Callum loves them both. A most interesting story. show less

I'm somewhat ambivalent about this story, I liked the representation but on another level they didn't really show enough of the building relationships and the problems inherent in having to learn from scratch what you can do intuitively. While the characters are supposed to be in their late teens they did come across as younger and less capable than the plot was suggesting. Somehow I finished feeling that I was missing something, context or background that would be necessary to understand what was going on sometimes. It was interesting to see trans rep and a character whose gender was literally fluid and that this wasn't strange or unusual to the other characters, it was refreshing.
It's a story of a gifted alchemist who can't get into show more the school of alchemy and so becomes a gardener there to try to get access to information. Ash is the illegitimate son of one of the most powerful alchemists and he becomes embroiled in a plot to find a mythical book that could change everything. More of the change may come from within than without. show less

This was a fun, fast-paced read set in a world where alchemists are both feared and revered for the power they can exercise. Ash is an unlicensed alchemist with limited formal training - he can't get accepted to the university and instead he works on the ground crew, watering plants while the wealthy students learn the higher forms of alchemy. However, when he is caught illegally practicing, Ash becomes embroiled with Ramsay Thorne and Callum Kendrick, two alchemists with a history, and questionable motivations. Together, the group might just be able to change their world or they might be executed. Overall, I liked the characters and I enjoyed reading this novel.

Interesting magical world building. Great rep. I enjoyed reading a poly relationship that had some authentic feelings and conversations. Kacen is a great writer - I have enjoyed all of their books. Definitely planning on ordering this one at the library!

Unfortunately, this turned out to be called a young adult book so then I stopped reading it. The protagonist through no-fault of his own in a universe that is truly skewed against him is unable to pass his magic exam. But it sounds like the most ridiculous excuse that anyone would ever make for failure. The test was skewed against him with constantly changing questions because obviously he supposed to use magic to figure out the answers. It’s not that he wasn’t smart. It’s not that he didn’t study. So I just left the book at that.