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neuroqueer 's review for:
The Accidental Alchemist
by Gigi Pandian
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Zoe Faust, a 300 year old alchemist tackles a murder mystery in a small neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. With Dorian, the sentient gargoyle and Brixton, a spunky teenage boy, can Zoe figure out this whodunit?
Probably, but you will probably not care after a few chapters.
Likes
- Dorian is adorable. I would love a French gargoyle cook. He likes Agatha Christie and you are my friend if you are a Hercule Poirot fan.
- The narrator did a great job with the read. She was enjoyable to listen to. I think I only finished this torture because her voice is so pleasant.
Dislikes
- BRIXTON: the worst part of the book. Brixton is intolerable. I understand the logic of his character: he’s a poor 14 year old kid with a mother who only cares about herself. I get he’s going to be impulsive, guarded and at times selfish. But he was just too annoying. He wasn’t endearing and he didn’t have any redeemable characteristics. He is Scrappy Doo. NO ONE LIKES SCRAPPY DOO. He is an example of how not to write a teenager.
- Zoe is just a wasted character. She is over 300 years old and has probably seen so much shit during her day but is just always fretting. When the book isn’t about something vegan, it’s her fretting. I think by at least age 150 you would have more confidence, more planning skills, MORE INTERESTING PERSONALITY TRAITS besides being vegan!!!!!
- Max, the detective and love interest is bland as a loaf of bread. I think the author was trying to make him a bit mysterious but he just came across as boring and uninteresting. His repeated responses of “I cannot discuss an ongoing investigation” just made my eyes roll out of my head and across the room.
- Because Max is bland and Zoe is boring, I am not interested if they will get together. They have zero chemistry. I don’t get why she became so attracted to him. I guess saying “I cannot discuss an ongoing investigation” reminded Zoe of a Pokémon saying their name over and over and that is too cute to ignore!
- I have no problems with veganism - hell, I see the health benefits of it - but this book went too heavy handed. There is always a mention of Zoe being vegan or Zoe eating something vegan related or Dorian cooking something vegan over and over and over. If it was done a little bit more minimally, it could work but it takes up so much time that could be dedicated to spicing up the murder mystery or making Max and Zoe’s relationship more organic. Some the recipes sounded good - no lie - but the beating of the vegan stick over and over just turns me off. I think being vegan or on keto or whatever diet you choose should be an aspect of who you are, NOT YOUR ENTIRE PERSONALITY!
- The murder mystery started off interesting: Zoe finds a dead body in front of her newly purchased house. But then after a while, it felt like it took a background to Zoe’s veganism and Brixton’s hijinks. At first, I was enthusiastic about finding out the culprit but as time went on, it became more of “I just want to finish the book, get to the point already”. My original curiosity just died.
There is so much that could have been done with a 300 year old wildcrafting alchemist and a chef gargoyle tackling robbery and murder. The idea is so original but the execution was so terrible.
Recommended for: Hardcore vegans, I guess?