Alchemised

De: SenLinYu

Narrado por: Saskia Maarleveld

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 it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A sweeping tale set in an uncharted dark fantasy world. It encompasses the realities of war and a romance that fights for survival.”—People

“SenLinYu’s debut is a doorstopper of a fantasy. . . . The superb worldbuilding and intricate plotline make this a must-read.”—Kirkus Reviews

“In this high fantasy with very dark themes, SenLinYu weaves a tale of political intrigue with centuries of depth and nuance. Many readers will be . . . drawn into the complex morality of two broken people finding love during a war.”—Booklist

“SenLinYu has created a vivid new universe. Alchemised made me remember what makes reading good fantasy so enjoyable.”—The Atlantic

“A book that digs its teeth in like a starving wolf. It unsettles, it gnaws, and yet by the final page, I wanted to thank it for what it put me through. . . . In a genre often dominated by safe formulas, SenLinYu’s debut is a reminder that speculative fiction still has teeth and knows how to bite.”—Grimdark Magazine

The Audiobook = Chef’s Kiss 🤌

While I haven’t finished the book yet, I wanted to shout to the world that I’m so glad that the audiobook released at the same time as the physical copy! (And it’s amazing quality! 😭🙏) I sometimes struggle to sit down and read, but I’m able to take audiobooks with me around the house or on my long walks. Thank you for considering the accessibility of this book for people who can’t stay focused long enough to visually read the entire thing. Even though it didn’t come with the new book smell 🤣, this audiobook is tremendous and I’d recommend it to anyone who is okay with the dark content it contains.

No, you do NOT need to read the popular wizard series to understand this book. I promise. 😤

No Words Through The Sobs!

I have no words. Actually, I do. Don't like the size of Alchemised or the threat of emotional wreckage stop you from reading!

I did read Manacled in 2022, and I never forgot that book. That being said, I will never forget Alchemised. The author successfully removed all HP from the plot. All of the best parts - the emotions, the angst, the characters - they were still there. The story was told present, past, present as she did in Manacled. Helena is a healer. Kaine is the High Reeve, and Helena is his prisoner. She couldn't remember the past but Kaine knew, and he had to impregnate her. He was controlled to do evil things, but Kaine would not stop protecting her. There were some changes to events and plot points, but it added to Alchemised and helped it stand on its own. I loved how she wrote Kaine and Helena. There were parts that made me sob, especially that ending!

Now I'm going to eat some chocolate a cry some more.

My Rating: All of the Stars

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what a beautiful, devastating, heartbreaking, emotionally dense wreckage of a book. I love any book that makes me feel deeply; be it hatred or adoration or abject sorrow, any book that brings out emotional depth and genuine empathy, anything that is so evocative that I feel it in my bones is an exceptional read for me. I don't want to over analyze the tropes or over think the narrative. I just want to FEEL the words, intuit the authors want from the audience, and this book absolutely succeeds.

to be more...thoughtful, I suppose, for review purposes...I'd personally characterize this with a good deal of fieldsurg and active war accuracy given the context, which i personally appreciate, but please do take care if that's something you need to mentally prep for/skip altogether.

the toll of combat surgery is seriously not something to minimize.

How far will a person go to win a war

This book has made a home in my head. Ever since I finished this book, it is all I can think about. It is a look at what a person will do and what will they sacrifice in order to win a war and save the people they love. SenLinYu has written a heartbreaking story of war and how politics and religion can influence people. This book is dark and not for everyone. The first part is confusing, but trust the process. With every chapter more and more is reviled and the world makes more sense.

Wow what a story!

If you saw a single female narrator and became weary about a long listen this narrator will not disappoint you. She did an amazing job with a plethora of different characters. I listen to about 200 audiobooks a year and she is top tier.
Now for the story. The way the story was told in parts was the perfect way to tell the story. I was a bit confused in the beginning and honestly could have used a bit of a guide to reference for names and majors but even without that the writing pulls you in. I have never experienced a writing style with so much detail and things happening that aren’t so obvious. It was truly masterful. The book is dark but in a way that the world is dark.
Now if you’re looking for something spicy 🌶️ this isn’t the book. They’re are several scenes but they are not descriptive and short. The really are there for the story purpose only. This is a story of war, love, and the stories we tell.