Alchemised
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Narrated by:
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Saskia Maarleveld
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By:
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SenLinYu
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
***The record-breaking debut and instant Sunday Times Bestseller***
In a world ruled by necromancers, a woman with missing memories threatens the dark order that keeps her captive - and the man sent to break her. Gothic in tone, epic in scope - this debut is destined to become a modern classic.
Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner – of war and of her own fractured mind. The Resistance is crushed, her allies dead, her abilities suppressed.
The world she knew is gone.
Paladia’s corrupt guild families and their necromancer overlords, aided by vile undead creatures now rule - and hold Helena captive.
Resistance records claim she was a healer of little importance. Yet, Helena’s inexplicable memory loss makes her enemies wonder: Is she truly insignificant, or do her missing memories conceal the Resistance’s final secret?
To uncover the truth, Helena is delivered into the hands of the High Reeve – Paladia’s most feared and merciless necromancer.
Trapped on his crumbling estate, she must fight to protect what remains of herself and unearth the secrets buried in her mind, her prison, and her captor . . . whatever the cost.
‘A work of quite staggering ambition. Detailed world-building, intricate plot, Gothic claustrophobia, wraps the readers in its dark embrace’ Daily Mail
‘A superb dark fantasy novel set in a war torn world of black magic and alchemy’ Sun
© Forest Rain Inc 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Critic reviews
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SenLinYu’s prose is exquisite. Every line feels carefully chosen, every moment dripping with subtext and emotion. The writing is lyrical without being flowery, poetic yet razor-sharp and it carries the weight of the story's themes with haunting precision. There is a quiet power in the way the narrative unfolds, with tension woven into every sentence and a constant undercurrent of dread, longing, and hope that keeps you reading…even when it hurts.
The emotional intensity of this story is staggering. Alchemised is dark. It is heavy. It is, at times, suffocating because it forces you to feel everything. There are moments so raw and unflinching they took my breath away. The author does not flinch from exploring trauma, manipulation, power imbalance, and emotional abuse, but handles each element with immense care and thoughtfulness.
What truly makes this story unforgettable is the character work particularly the slow, delicate, and deeply painful unravelling and rebuilding of trust between Helena and Kaine. Their dynamic is one of the most emotionally compelling relationships I’ve read in a long time. Watching them shift from fear, mistrust, and survival into something fragile and profoundly human is like watching light slowly seep into darkness. It’s excruciatingly slow, but every step, every hesitation, every moment of vulnerability is earned and it hits hard.
Helena is a remarkable protagonist, she is intelligent, resilient, and deeply scarred. Her strength lies in her determination to survive and to hold onto her sense of self, even when everything around her tries to strip that away. Kaine is equally complex, terrifying, enigmatic and broken in his own way. The way SenLinYu writes their relationship is masterful: it’s never romanticised, never rushed, and always layered with tension, fear, and the possibility of something more. Their bond is forged in pain, and yet, there is something incredibly tender at the core of it.
Another standout element of the story is the magic system which was easily one of my favourite parts to explore. It’s deeply thought-out, richly layered, and seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the world. There’s a sense of logic and structure behind it, but it still retains a sense of wonder and mystery. The alchemy, the rituals, the consequences, it all feels tangible, earned, and grounded in the emotional and political realities of the characters. I loved how learning about the magic became its own journey, full of tension, discovery, and danger. It adds so much depth to the world and serves as a perfect mirror for the emotional and psychological stakes of the story itself.
SenLinYu also excels at writing morally complex characters who are shaped by the world around them but still wrestle with choice, identity, and agency. Every action has consequence. Every decision costs something. The world-building is subtle and rich, never overwhelming, but always present, a constant backdrop of danger and power that adds to the story’s oppressive atmosphere. You feel the stakes, both personal and political, with every page.
Even in its quietest moments, the story’s steady, reflective pacing keeps you deeply engaged. Every scene builds tension, every conversation reveals something new, and the emotional stakes rise with devastating precision. I often found myself pausing just to process. And yet, I could not stop reading. The final chapters are as emotionally shattering as they are beautiful, leaving me in awe of what I had just experienced.
This is a story that does not offer easy answers or quick fixes. It demands patience, empathy, and emotional investment and it rewards that investment with one of the most powerful, transformative reading experiences I’ve had in a long time.
I will be thinking about Helena, Kaine, and the world SenLinYu created for a long, long time. And I already know I’ll read anything she writes next.
Alchemised Review
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Excellent
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phenomenal beautifully and tragic
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Dark, very dark and icky
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