A Magic Steeped in Poison

Rating: 4/5

A Magic Steeped in Poison has one of the more creative and beautiful worldbuilding I’ve seen from YA in a while, combining fantasy with a rich Chinese setting.  It reminded me a lot of Spin the Dawn, at least in terms of plot. In the novel, Ning goes to the emperor’s court to compete in a tea-making ceremony—because the magic of the novel revolves around tea and the people who make it, called shennong-shi—and while she’s there, stumbles across a plot to take over the emperor’s throne.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because while the worldbuilding is beautiful, the plot is completely predictable and unoriginal, reminding me of many other YA books I’ve read before, most notably the one I just mentioned and All the Wandering Light. I honestly am completely baffled that a book that shows much promise could have such a recycled plotline, but maybe the sequel will surprise me.

And I do intend to pick up the sequel because I did actually enjoy this book despite the plot. Like I said, it’s beautifully written, a beautiful, lavish world that just comes alive, with a unique magic system revolving around tea and some sort of mystical connection that people can make with tea (it’s never explained, but whatever, it fits the vibe). Ning is a great female protagonist, which I don’t say lightly because I hate most female protagonists, and even though her relationship with Kang is boring and predictable, at least the majority of the plot doesn’t revolve around that (there’s actually a ton of female characters that have important roles in this book; Kang’s role is pretty irrelevant, so if that’s your jam, grab this book!).

I hope the sequel is not as predictable as the first book, but I hope it will continue to be as beautiful.  

Info: Judy I. Lin; published 2022 by Feiwel and Friends

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Notes: None

Recommended Age Range: 14+