I’ve tried to start reading a number of times and it wasn’t until recently that it stuck. All those times that I attempted to get into reading, I would find a familiar topic that intrigued me but eventually it wouldn’t sustain my interest and I’d go back to watching YouTube or scrolling Instagram. I would consider The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter as a book that I would’ve fallen away from if I wasn’t an avid reader now.
That sounds harsh when I re-read that paragraph. Let’s start with the good. This book hooked me with it’s summary. What if the daughters of monsters had to figure out their pasts? Mystery, a well known topic, it makes sense, but put in action it left me feeling underwhelmed. Theodora Goss does a wonderful job making each character feel different and interesting, and the banter between the members of the Athena Club is very funny and entertaining. That does come with a cost.
The book is structured to have commentary from the characters as they recount their adventure and it falls flat to me. Every intense moment is undercut with a reminder that they get out of this situation. There are no stakes. By the time I got to the end I felt an overwhelming sense of “who cares!”
Plus the final 90 minutes of the audiobook is the author setting up the next book in the series. I get that for a series you need to hook the reader, but 90 minutes? Shouldn’t the first book be enough to make you want to read more? It was like being stuck in a conversation when you are trying to leave the coffee shop and the person isn’t picking up the hints.
All in all, The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter is fine. It’s entertaining most of the way but it doesn’t do much more than fill time. I give it three out of five stars.
