This book is an excellent queer spin on magical fantasy, brilliant characters diverse and interesting mixed with a cool magic system make for an entertaining read.

The pace flags a little in the middle but sprints to the finish nicely. Overall, a real departure from Callender’s contemporary work but this was successful enough I would definitely read more of their work in this field.

For the good points, the queer rep is definitely here , and its really well done. We have a trans protagonist, a genderfluid protagonist and a truly polyamorous relationship. And all of these are just present and exist nautrally they don’t feel pushed in or used to make a point. There were some good discussions on privilege and the ‘elite’ here, and I like how that was handled, athough I disliked the stigma against those who studied.
However I wasn’t as keen on the plot, it didn’t feel as strong as I would have liked, and I wanted a bit more from it. The pacing didn’t help this as much as I’d have liked, I did struggle at points. While I loved the rep from the characters, I didn’t actually like a lot of the character themselves. It wasn’t that they were dark or flawed characters, they were just really unlikable and a struggle to read about and have any care about what happened to them.
I’m not sure the world was as developed as it could have been, and this can be forgiven if you have a strong plot and characters to carry the story but the combination of all the above made i hard for me to care about the world or get invested in the story.

“Energy is infinite, and love is energy, so love has the potential to be infinite too.”

For lovers of Aiden Thomas and Callender’s previous books, such as ‘Felix Ever After’, Kacen Callender has completely changed the field with this new fantastical work.

The story follows Ash, who is practising alchemy even though it is a crime, and two other main characters that appear alongside him during his quest, Ramsay and a secret character whom I won’t spoil.

You will have to read to find out!

I switched from an Arc review of this book into an audiobook so I could read it on the go while travelling to college and work, and I honestly felt that I became more engaged with the story and eager to read more. The narrator, Wes Hass, did an excellent job immersing me in Ash and Ramsay’s journey, and I genuinely think Hass’s voice perfectly fits the narrator.

I will say that for Ash, being of college age, his character did feel and sound a bit younger than anticipated. In comparison to Ramsay, I would think the two were years apart in age when that was not the case at all!

As a fantasy book, I did find the story lacking in some areas. For one, there is quite a lot of predictability within the book, and while there is a significant journey and a race against time to get there before an evil character, there is also a lot of romance that sometimes backseats the quest at hand. If you want to start your fantasy reading journey at a more accessible level, this could be an excellent place to start!

I think this story also lacked world-building. We get the basics, and then it is more of a guess or quick mention of what must be known about the world. We know that people hold power, but we are not told if there are any limits to said power or repercussions.

Considering Kacen’s other works are mainly contemporary, I understand that the switch to creating a whole world and power system can be daunting (trust me, I respect all the sci-fi and fantasy writers out there!), but I do think the story would have benefitted more if the reader had a bit more of a deeper understanding of the system that the world operates around and again its limits.

I found the concept of Source fascinating, but all we learn about it is from the titbits that Ash learns from being in the world and a brush of knowledge from other characters.

I think without the audiobook, I would have enjoyed this story less. The narration did lend a lot to the story and made it easier to engage with.

Overall, it is an enjoyable book with excellent and diverse queer rep between the main three characters that I would recommend for young teens.

I want to thank the publishers at Faber & Faber for providing me with the eArc for my honest review.

If you're looking for a fun YA fantasy romance with great representation, then Infinity Alchemist is the book for you or, better yet, for your child. A good introduction to the genre.

Despite a gorgeous cover, Kacen Callender's "Infinity Alchemist" leaves a lot to be desired. Although the cast of characters is engaging, the novel suffers from a plot that is neither unique nor interesting. The world building needed to be expanded for a novel like this to work, but unfortunately there was a lot missing.

I have adored every Kacen Callender book I have read and Infinity Alchemist is no different. The magic system is very different and I'm intrigued to see where this story goes

BOOK REVIEW - INFINITY ALCHEMIST by Kacen Callender

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you, NetGalley, Faber and Faber & Kacen Callender, for providing an eARC for review.

This is a very intriguing read. I loved Felix Ever After and enjoyed Stars in Our Eyes by Callendar. It is fascinating to see that writing applied to a fantasy piece.

I enjoyed Ash and the magical system. It will be interesting to see how the universe is explored in the future. I felt the love triangle was a bit too obvious; I have no issues with a love triangle trope, but I don't know if it contributed to the storytelling. Maybe it's just me?

All in all, it's a solid read.

The magic was really interesting in this book. I loved the idea of everyone being connected and made of source and how something as simple and natural as breathing can be actually alchemy. It was interesting to see the different tiers and affinity that the different characters could access with alchemy.

I wasn’t so keen on the romance, but I loved the polyamory aspect of it. I love that I’m seeing more and more polyamory in books and seeing characters believe that a person can love more than one person at once. What I didn’t like was how quickly the characters could go from sleeping with one another to betraying one another and vice versa.

The ending left me a bit unsatisfied. It felt like it was too easy. I hate when they build up something to be unstoppable and then just have a character magically solving it with what seems like no effort.

It was a good world and a good magic system though, so I enjoyed it.

As what I believe is the author’s YA fantasy debut, I think this book absolutely knocked it out of the park. It was amazing! The characters were so captivating and I found myself rooting for certain characters throughout (my favourite was probably Ramsay), and a touch I thought was very well done was how gender identities were portrayed throughout. Characters wore binders or frequently changed pronouns depending on the day, and it was not made to be a big deal but rather casually introduced, which I thought was excellently done and a feature I really enjoyed. I can’t wait for more from these characters because the ending was both satisfying and set up the next book really well. Definitely read this one!!

I enjoyed some aspects of this - it was well written and I loved the queer rep, particularly the gender presentation.

Unfortunately I thought the pacing was a bit off, there was a bit too much focus on the romance for me and I wasn't the biggest fan of Ash as a character.

i really like Kacen Callender's books, so i was looking forward to this...and i guess it didn't really win me over. the characters and the world-building weren't great or all that unique.

I loved this book so much!

When I saw this was a YA fantasy from Kacen Callender with trans and polyamory rep, I knew I had to read it asap. I was totally hyped, and it totally lived up to that. This book has great romance, it has friends to lovers, enemies to lovers and second chance romance all in one book and it was the best. Then it had an interesting plot, an awesome magic system, big secrets, awesome fighting scenes and a plot that gripped me from the start, and basically everything I want in a book.

On the romance, I loved it so much. Because this book is a polyamorous romance it shows love from 3 different angles in the triad. I loved having multiple tropes I love all in one book. Then to top it off them being executed well *chefs kiss.* I loved the drama, the fights and the hate, but also the tender touches which were slowly earned. This book gave my big romance reader heart so much to eat up it was everything I could want.

The plot went in so many directions, from simple life in the school to traveling across this world, however at no point it felt overwhelming. The plot was so much fun and there was so much to see and to do I was at the edge of my seat every chapter to see where this would lead us. I'm usually not the best with predicting stories in books, but there were twists here I definitely did not see coming.... and I loved it.

All together I loved this book so so much so please people go out read it!

INFINITY ALCHEMIST is a tale of magic and trying to work out complicated relationships.

It took me a while to get into this book, to which I attribute fatigue and jet-lag. However, once I hit about the 100 page mark, it started picking up and pulling me in more (also the number action sequences, explosions, and near-death experiences significantly increases from this point!)

The book, from there, becomes a desperate race to find the book before anyone else does, with an assassin after them as well as the authorities. And if that wasn't enough, Ramsay, Ash, and enemy-turned-maybe-ally Callum all have to figure out their feelings for one another, which is clouded by their past histories and fears of abandonment.

The book is largely told from Ash's perspectives, but there are some flashbacks to Ramsay's childhood/adolescence as well as chapters from the assassin's perspective. These last chapters gave an insight into the movements of Ash's (and crew's) enemies, putting additional pressure on.

Coming from a science background (chemistry was the second of the three sciences I studied at undergraduate) I do prefer a harder magic system when it's called "alchemy." To me, alchemy is chemistry with added magic - precision measurements, combining chemicals/ingredients, and taking care with the reaction conditions. That is not what this book has. It's a energy-to-do-anything system, which did mean I was a bit disappointed as there was nothing at all of what I expect from alchemy magic systems. This is a personal taste, but it was a disappointing.

The book ends in a way that feels very complete, like the story has come to its end in its entirety. However, this book is apparently the first in a series, which means the slate feels pretty clean for the second book to do what it wants.

Loved every second!! 😍 Flew through this! The book is so faced paced and full of mystery to keep you turning the pages!

Great rep too! Ash is trans (but everyone in this world sees people as their intended gender) , Ramsey is gender fluid (changes their gender throughout the book) and Callum is involved with both characters!

I really struggled to get into this book. Ended up DNF'ing at around 20% in. I found the world and magic confusing and just struggled to get invested in the story.

“Chaos, in a sense, was Source: a raw explosion of energy that then organized into the threads of existence. Two sides of the same coin.”

Such a fascinating novel! The magic system and worldbuilding were undeniably unique – it was an intricate (and occasionally confusing) system based around a matter (??) termed Source, which only those given a license were allowed to utilise. I did enjoy learning about the fantasy aspects, though I feel some of it went a little over my head (The Atlas Six vibes, almost).

“It’s lazy to put a multifaceted human being, created from the alchemy of the universe, into a box of good or bad. No one is only one of the two.”

However, I felt the strongest aspects of the story were the complex characters. Our MC was hotheaded, angry, and lonely, but I loved his growth and realistic portrayal, and thought he was interesting and certainly not bland. Our other main characters were equally flawed and fascinating, though I found I didn’t connect as much to Ramsay as I wished to. I did admire Kacen’s inclusion of lgbtq+ rep, of course – they never disappoint, and the same was true here. Ramsay was genderfluid, and I really liked the way Kacen wrote that. The poly rep was also phenomenal – I don’t wish to spoil the third person in our little throuple, but he was possibly my favourite character overall, just a little adorable cinnamon roll.

“Energy is infinite, and love is energy, so love has the potential to be infinite, too.”

Overall, I thought this was a really interesting book with powerful characters and stunning rep, but I didn’t connect as much as I hoped. Perhaps the worldbuilding was a little too complex for me, perhaps I couldn’t relate very much to some of the characters – I’m not sure why, but I felt a little disconnected while reading. Nonetheless, a fascinating read! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC copy provided.

I have loved Kacen's previous books but I didn't manage to connect with this one. Ash really rubbed me the wrong way - which, to be fair, may have been the author's intent. My issue was that feeling continued until well past the halfway mark of the book.

What I did love was the representation in the book. And one thing I always love is a book in which there just happen to be queer characters or genderfluid characters and it's of no major concern. (ie. it's not the entire plot of the book.)

Kacen is the author of a favourite of mine "Felix Ever After" and the writing style of this book was great - I feel like it's more of a me problem :) I'm still a huge fan

This YA fantasy romance is centred round the search for a powerful book, it is set in a world with magic but only the rich and powerful are allowed to study it. You can tell that it is a fantasy world as while there is plenty of oppression and hatred but nobody is being oppressed because of their gender or sexuality, when a gender fluid character changes gender presentation nobody bats an eyelid. Yes the main characters make stupid decisions and while that can be annoying they are behaving as teenagers do, all in all it is a good start to the series.

Prepare to be immersed in the captivating journey of three young alchemists as they navigate the realms of love and power beyond their wildest imaginations.

Meet Ash, a passionate lover of books, particularly those on magic. Though the term "magic" is now considered outdated, Ash's fascination remains unchanged. Being self-taught in the art of alchemy, Ash conceals his true abilities, fearing the consequences should anyone discover his secret. Enter Ramsay Thorne, a condescending figure, an alchemy professor, who catches Ash off guard. Instead of turning him over to authorities, Ramsay offers Ash a proposition: aid her in the search for the legendary Book of Source, and she will teach and safeguard his secret. This sacred text holds unimaginable power for its reader, and as Ash and Ramsay grow closer in collaboration, their connection takes an unexpected turn.

"The universe is a woven tapestry made of threads of energy streams that we think of as life. With Source, we are aware of each and every single string."

Amid their shared mission, Ash uncovers the true peril that lies ahead, putting them up against influential and formidable alchemists, including Ash's own estranged father. Ash's journey stretches across the vast landscapes of New Anglia, encompassing both bustling cities and untamed wilderness. Throughout this adventure, Ash must redefine his understanding of true power and confront the lengths to which alchemists will go to claim it.

In this remarkable YA fantasy debut by bestselling and award-winning author Kacen Callender, the pages are ablaze with passion. It stands in stark contrast to traditional fantasy fare, breathing new life into the genre. The characters feel authentic, embarking on transformative journeys that captivated my imagination. Witnessing their mistakes, growth, and learning was a delight that had me teetering on the edge of my seat, hoping for their success.

Prior to reading this book, I had never experienced Kacen Callender's writing. Suffice to say, I was enthralled by their unique style. The representation of diverse identities is skillfully woven into the narrative, and the world-building is executed with precision. The story maintains an ideal pacing, I definitely felt carried along on an exhilarating adventure.

There is so much to adore about this book. From the intricate workings of magic and alchemy to the exploration of queer and gender fluid identities, as well as the importance of staying true to ourselves and the intricacies of polyamorous relationships, Infinity Alchemist offers a tapestry of themes to captivate many readers. While it may not be flawless, there is undeniable power in crafting a tale that is both enchanting and adventurous. Infinity Alchemist receives a rating of 4.5 out of 5.

I am very grateful to NetGalley and Faber for the advance reader copy.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars!

I think Callender is a born fantasy writer.

Firstly, to get the criticism out of the way first: I think some scenes moved a little fast, I would have liked it to be a little more paced. Another thing I wish had been done was the development of side characters (besides the villains), but that's about it!
However, the world-building was so much fun to dive into and the characters so unique and lovable. I really appreciated the way the relationships between the characters were built, the foreshadowing and pining was delicious!! the characters back stories were SUPER well used to give the characters some motivations, but I liked it the most how the author made their characters outgrow their own pasts.