The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian

a Book Review by Sophia Williams

Have you ever heard the joke, "How do you know someone is vegan?" "Just wait, they'll tell you." Well, faithful readers of this blog, the main character of the Accidental Alchemist is definitely vegan.

"The Accidental Alchemist" by Gigi Pandian is the definition of an average mystery novel. The story is readable and fun, but not innovative. My favorite part about the book are the food descriptions. The food is vegan so one might think is wouldn't sound good, but Pandian has a way with food related words. Some authors can do that. C.S. Lewis even made me think Turkish Delight was ambrosia... until I tried it. He sold his soul for that?! If youre going to sell your sould for candy, at least make it good candy...

Anyway, "The Accidental Alchemist" is about Zoe Faust, an alchemist who has given up the craft after her lover, Ambrose, died in a mysterious accident. Decades later, Zoe is still not over him and has been moving from city to city until she buys a fixer-upper in Portland, Oregon, a place she wants to settle down. The second she steps into her new home, the drama commences.

Zoe accidentally found the Elixir of Life centuries before and has been alive since the Salem Witch Trials. Her skills lie in herbal medicine and having unspeakably good luck. In this novel she is asked to be a sleuth for Dorian, an adorable gargoyle who was animated by a magician hundreds of years before.

Everything in the novel is very convenient. Dorian is a conveniently amazing chef who brings Zoe a mystery to solve. The magic that animates him is failing and he is slowly turning back into stone. Dorian brings Zoe an extremely valuable alchemist book that contains the potion that originally animated him; he needs her help translating the text. But the book is immediately stolen and someone is murdered.

Zoe also conveniently has friends with the background to help her solve the mystery, and who also have money to solve all her problems. This is not a finely plotted, exciting mystery; it is an okay romance novel smashed together with an okay mystery novel. (The love interest Max Liu is a hottie cop with an apothecary hobby.)

It's not that I think "The Accidental Alchemist" isn't worth reading; it is enjoyable. However, I did get my copy at the library. If the library had the second book, I would probably pick it up to read it over this winter, but since they don't have it, I won't be spending $4.99 on Book 2.

The Don’t Call Me Ishmael Official Book Rating, Sponsored by The Vegan Whale Warriors (VWW):

3/5 - Pleasantly Diverting