Title: Infinity Alchemist 
Author: Kacen Callender
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy 
Publisher: Tor Teen, Tor Publishing Group
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Format: Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by Tor Teen/Tor Publishing in exchange for an honest review
Length: 400 pages

Read if you like: unique energy-based magic, enemies to lovers, magic schools and studies, political scheming, LGBTQ+ main characters, gender fluidity

Rating: 

*A quick note: when I receive a complimentary ARC of a book via Net Galley, a publisher, an author, or otherwise, this does not impact my review of the book. All of my reviews are my honest and genuine thoughts and feelings.

Infinity Alchemist is a new young adult fantasy due to hit shelves early in the new year and it has one of the more original approaches to magic that I’ve read in the last while. When I read YA novels, I typically expect the world-building and magic aspects to be a little more simplistic, but in this novel, Callender didn’t shy away from an intricate magic and political system. Combine this with a fast-paced plot and I was almost immediately sucked in.  

While the description for Infinity Alchemist feels like it’ll be primarily focused on a magic school, the novel quickly morphs into a much deeper look at oppression and the meaning of power. It explores more complex relationship dynamics alongside a fascinating strand of magic that feels almost like a sci-fi-style experience, all while effortlessly incorporating diverse representation and gender fluidity in a way that feels authentic. 

There were so many interesting and unique aspects to Infinity Alchemist that I can’t recall anything similar to it that I’ve read in recent memory. I didn’t fall head over heels in love with the main character, but the plot, the magic, and the pacing were so good that somehow that didn’t end up mattering. I enjoyed this book and feel like it’s a great match for anyone looking for fantasy with a truly unique premise, a fast pace, and a lot of reflection on the meaning of power and how we wield it. 

The Book: Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender

Infinity Alchemist is told from the perspective of Asher “Ash” Woods, an 18-year-old boy from a bad part of town who desperately wants to learn magic but has never been able to afford the education and tutelage necessary to get into college. Because of this, he’s forced to practice in secret in his apartment while he works as a groundkeeper at the college he had hoped to attend. 

While doing his regular job duties, Ash is caught doing simple magic by notoriously brilliant scholar Ramsay Thorne. He assumes Ramsay will report him to the authorities, who at minimum would imprison him but in the worst case, could execute him immediately for his use of magic. Instead, Ramsay offers Ash the opportunity to work alongside them as they work to find the mythical Book of Source. No one has ever successfully found the Book of Source before, and myth suggests that the person who finds it would become the most powerful alchemist to have ever existed. In exchange for his assistance, Ramsay agrees to help Ash learn alchemy in the hopes that he could eventually write and pass the alchemy licensing exam.

As soon as Ash and Ramsay start to work together, they begin to fall for each other, but as this is happening, more nefarious plots are also unfolding. It turns out that Ramsay isn’t the only one searching for the Book of Source, and the other parties involved all want it badly enough that they’re prepared to kill for it. Together, Ash and Ramsay will need to work quickly if they’re going to beat everyone else to find the book. If they don’t find it first, the fate of their entire world may be the price. 

The Review

Infinity Alchemist was an inventive, unique approach to fantasy that I found engrossing for a few different reasons, first and foremost being the unique and interesting magic system. I loved the concept of Source and the nature of alchemy, and I loved that the very use of it was political. At times the magic felt almost sci-fi-like with vibes that kind of felt like Interstellar, and seeing it manifest differently across characters made alchemy feel limitless. Combined with a society steeped in oppression and a lot of ongoing political scheming, it was a magic-steeped plot that kept me wanting to keep reading. 

The book was also exceptionally diverse and tackled topics like gender fluidity seamlessly, integrating it into the story in an organic way that represented the characters authentically and without judgment. Admittedly the romantic subplot wasn’t my favourite aspect of the book, but I did have a lot of appreciation for the representation that Callender incorporated and how much it added to the overall story.

I loved the way that Callender used Source as an exploration of power and what it meant within the society it created. Ash is young and still deciding for himself what it means to be conventionally successful and powerful, and as he’s exposed to different types of magic and different motivations, he works through what power would mean to him and how he wants to wield it. Simultaneously, almost everyone around him is also going through power struggles, both with themselves and with each other. 

I did struggle a little with the characters, particularly Ash and Ramsay, who felt a little angsty for me. Ash was always brash and at times abrasive and while he grows, he kind of retained that a little more than I would have liked. That said, I’m cognizant that this was a YA novel and that the characters themselves were supposed to be young and growing, so I’m chalking up some of it to that. 

I loved how fast-paced this book was, loved that there was consistent action, and enjoyed the magic system. I felt like this was a unique YA fantasy and I think it will hold a lot of appeal for YA readers looking for an intellectual-style fantasy with great LGBTQ+ representation. A big thank you to Tor Teen and Tor Publishing for the complimentary copy of Infinity Alchemist—looking forward to seeing it hit shelves in the new year!