Audiobook Review – The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian, Narrated by Julia Motyka (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 9 hours and 48 minutes
Publisher: Audible Studios
Release Date: January 08, 2015
ASIN : B00RN7LVPG
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Accidental Alchemist Mysteries
Source: Borrowed Audiobook through Audible Plus
Rating: 4/5 stars
“When Zoe Faust–herbalist, alchemist, and recent transplant to Portland, Oregon–begins unpacking her bags, she can’t help but notice she’s picked up a stow away: a living, breathing, three-and-half-foot gargoyle. Dorian Robert-Houdin is no simple automaton, nor is he a homunculus; in fact, he needs Zoe’s help to decipher a centuries-old text that explains exactly what he is. Zoe, who’s trying to put her alchemical life behind her, isn’t so sure she can help. But after a murder victim is discovered on her front porch, Zoe realized she’s tangled up in ancient intrigue that can’t be ignored.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Accidental Alchemist series. I borrowed this audiobook through Audible Plus.
Audiobook Quality (4/5): I listened to this on audiobook and it was well done. No complaints at all. The characters had distinct voices and it was easy to listen to.
Story (4/5): I enjoyed this. This is mostly an investigative urban fantasy featuring an alchemist who has lived for hundreds of years. It’s set in modern day Portland, OR and involves said alchemist trying to both solve the mystery of a break-in at her new house and help her gargoyle friend from completely turning back into stone. There is a lot of alchemical history in here and I enjoyed the mystery.
Characters (4/5): Zoe Faust is a really fascinating character and I enjoyed the dichotomy between her actual age and her appearance. I absolutely loved Dorian (the gargoyle) as well. Some of the other characters, like the kids and the detective Zoe works with, were also well done. This was a book full of characters that were just nice and kind and helpful to each other and I really enjoyed the tone of the characters.
Setting (4/5): This book is set in Portland, which I love. I am a fan of Portland and have visited the city a few times. As far as I could tell, Pandian did a great job of projecting the feel of the region and city. She really made it come alive for me.
Writing Style (4/5): The book is told completely from Zoe’s view. It was easy to read and had a lot of interesting facts about alchemy and herbal lore. I enjoyed the mystery which really kept me guessing until the last minute. I also enjoyed the discussion about Portland’s history and the tunnels under the city.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed this. I liked the characters and the setting and thought the mystery was well done. I enjoy the subtle alchemical magic throughout and also enjoyed learning about the history of alchemy and of Portland. I plan on continuing with this series. I would recommend to those who like more deliberately paced investigative urban fantasies that are more heavy on the mystery than the magic. I would also recommend to those who are fascinated by alchemy and would like to learn more about it.
