The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi PandianMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
"It was a good thing I added extra chia seeds and cocoa powder to my smoothie that day."
If you enjoy being proselytized to about veganism, this is definitely the book for you. The above quote is a representative microcosm of why this book is getting a less-than-stellar review from me. Although the blurb on the author's website says "recipes included" (assuming that's the print version?) there is nothing to explain (or warn us about) the obsession with incorporating plant-based diets into this story. And I have NO ISSUE with a plant-based diet. Had this incorporated omnivorous or carnivorous diets in the same way, it would still be incredibly irritating.
I note the several one-star reviews that decry the same feature. I felt one star was a bit harsh because there are some aspects that have/had tremendous potential. Zoe Faust, the protagonist, is not overly interesting as voiced in the audiobook, but her story is. The story is steeped in historical trivia both local and global, with references to magician/illusionist Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805 - 1871), the Shanghai Tunnels in Portland, OR, the Salem (MA) witch trials and the history of alchemy. Sometimes, like the chia seed and non-stop vegan food references, these historical nods seem too forced, as if the author is trying to prove she's done her research. By far the best part of the book is the character of the epicurean Dorian Robert-Houdin, about whom I shall say not much so as not to spoil it. But Dorian is a wonderful character, befitting the genre, and Julia Motyka does a great job bringing the French character to life. It is Dorian who should be the star of the show here and for whom I had the most empathy.
Zoe's backstory could be more interesting, but it is all related through Zoe's voice and largely disconnected from the plot. The character of Max starts as a rather sterile love interest and instantaneously turns into Fabio in one scene, which I found overwritten and out of left field. The "small-town" aspects of Portland are heavily amplified (although I find myself grateful that it is not the clichéd small town in New England, for once), but this serves the Cabot-Cove - cozy-mystery type plot.
I did listen to the free preview of the next book in the series (the Masquerading Magician), and I was relieved that the first chapter seems to be free of vegan food references. That said, I'm not sure there was enough to hold my interest for me to give the series a second chance.
The author is clearly talented and well-steeped in research, which I applaud. That Zoe Faust would be vegan and that it is connected to her health as a former alchemist is fine and makes total sense. But the book would be more aptly called the Intentional Vegan given how frequently the reader is forced to hear/read the ingredients of everything consumed in the protagonist's daily existence. It is actually a really creative idea for a cookbook, to be fair--but then it should be marketed and designed as such.
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