A Golden Fury

August 1, 2020

Gr 7 Up-As the novel opens in Normandy, France, Theosebia Hope is her mother's apprentice in the science of alchemy. The two of them have been incredibly thorough and ambitious with their studies. They have learned many languages so that they may draw from the findings of Europe as well as the Islamic world. It appears that during the wee hours, Thea's mother pressed on by herself, perhaps finding success, but not without a price. Legend has it that the final step in the process-the smelting of the philosopher's stone-is really a crucible for alchemists; that the stone will choose its master; and that the unworthy will be destroyed-driven mad. It also appears that Thea's mother did not make the cut, and she is completely unhinged, attempting to kill Thea. With this backdrop, Thea sets out to meet her father (an alchemist at Oxford) who doesn't know she exists. Soon after her arrival in England, it is evident that her father's interest in her is only academic, as he too scrambles to create his own philosopher's stone. The attention to detail in the story is excellent. Period costumes and locations are well imagined. Likewise, the pacing is good as the excitement clips along. There are perhaps too many characters at play, and occasionally readers may have difficulty recalling which Prussian they are encountering, as torturous tough guys who speak German abound. That said, Thea herself is a confident lead with a strong voice. VERDICT A solid fantasy to flesh out the world of alchemy that most readers know only from "Harry Potter."-Leah Krippner, Harlem H.S., Machesney Park, IL

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August 15, 2020
A debut historical fantasy mines unexpected territory. Fair-skinned, dark-haired English teen Theosebeia Hope is a scientist and a scholar. At the side of her single mother, who has leaped from patron to patron in late-18th-century France, Thea has learned languages (including Arabic) and alchemy in their single-minded pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone, the legendary substance said to cure all ills. Talk of revolution recurs, especially from firebrand and love interest Will, but seems more like set dressing than fully realized historical milieu, an impression encouraged by anachronistic references and behavior. The plot careens from France to England, from madness to murder to imprisonment and more madness, as Thea seeks to finish the work her mother began (and work out their complex but almost never on-page relationship) before she too succumbs to the Alchemist's Curse. The madness and the science are, of course, magical in nature, as the reader knows alchemy to be and as Thea gradually realizes. Despite the original premise and avoidance of many tropes (the romance, in particular, follows an interesting and unexpected course), Cohoe never quite pulls together her ideas or fully develops her intriguing characters, although she seems to be aiming for a discourse on magic, revolution, and science � la Frances Hardinge's much more effective The Lie Tree (2016). A pleasant, if lightweight, diversion. (Historical fantasy. 12-18)

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September 1, 2020
Grades 8-11 Alchemy is a hazardous business in 1792 France, even for the daughter of a famous and gifted alchemist, and, as Thea Hope discovers, there are greater perils than failure. Mother and daughter have come close to success, only to have Thea's mother descend into madness, and Thea flee to avoid the consequences. She finds herself in London, where she meets a father who doesn't know her, loves a man with an agenda, and risks death by exercising her skill with alchemy. An engaging concoction of fantasy, romance, and historical fiction, Cohoe's heroine is sincere and forthright and, although she is ultimately saved by a man, her talent for science and her assertive nature make her a role model. One brief acknowledgment provides background for the author's representation of the practice of alchemy in post-Revolutionary France and England. For run-ins with royalty, consider recommending Jeannie Mobley's The Jewel Thief (2020), and for more historical stories about females and alchemy, there is Mary Lawrence's Bianca Goddard Mystery series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)