Okay, listen. I dnf’d this because I was so bored. I was told to push to part 2, but I didn’t care to. THEN I kept seeing fanart…and more fanart, to which I said, sighs “Fine. Second chance.” Aaaaand now I get it. I finally get why part 2 hooks you. As a romance girly, yes, thank you. If you’re a romance girly and you’ve been struggling, get to part 2.

please im doing my best to take my time with this book but i cant put it down. and listening to hozier is not helping.

At the second solstice party in the flashbacks, theres a camera described as a "large intricate box hanging from (character's) neck" she fiddles with lenses a bit, then the box clicks and flashes. I'm assuming its an electric flash, and while I'm no expert I'm pretty sure electric flash cameras weren't invented until the 1920s. I know this isnt a one to one irl historical fiction, its fantasy, but that just doesn't fit with the beginning of the industrial revolution time period. This would imply photography being a very important part of their society for it to be developed so quickly, and this is the first mention of a camera.

Did anyone else notice this? Theres been one or two things i noticed before that seemed to be a decade or two before they were invented irl, but that i can easily suspend disbelief because its fantasy. 150 years, not so much!

Okay…. I never read Mancled. Heard about it though. Was intensely interested. However, I bought this book without even realizing what it was. Happy coincidence, I guess.

But like WTF is going on?! I have no idea, and I can’t stop looking for HP characters everywhere; I need my brain to STOP.

Curious for those who read Manacled… how different is this to the original?

I finished Manacled and needed to take breaks a few times as the darkness bought in by the Handmaid tales themes were too much for me.

However, I LOVED how the world was built and characters were fleshed out. Is Alchemised as dark? darker? completely different? Does it not have the handmaids tale influence? Any comments are welcome. Im unsure if I want to buy it as I find the Insta/ Tik Tok reviews to be very one sided and bias these days.

I'm listening to the audiobook and Saskia Maarleveld's narration is pure magic IMHO, but I can't seem to move past comparing everything to Manacled - even though I read it 3 years ago.

The world-building’s a bit clunky, and listening on audiobook makes it harder to follow, plus I can’t help but compare it to Manacled. I remember the sense of hopelessness hitting much harder at this stage in that story, but honestly? I’m still hooked.”

Oh this gorier and darker than manacled 😳