Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: October 13, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: YA / Fantasy / Historical
Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous
mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary
Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn
any metal into gold—but just when the promise of the Stone’s riches is
in their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of
violent madness.
While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea
learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to
make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution
looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father
who doesn’t know she exists.
But in Oxford, there are alchemists
after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the
curse—instead, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how
to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she
will have to choose: create the Stone and sacrifice her sanity, or let
the people she loves die.
In her debut novel, Samantha Cohoe
weaves a story of magic and danger, where the streets of Oxford and
London come to life, and the curse of the Philosopher’s Stone will haunt
you long after the final page.
A Golden Fury is author Samantha Cole's debut historical fantasy novel set in the 18th century France and Oxford where a young alchemist must save the people she loves from the curse of the Philosopher's Stone. The year is 1792, France is in the middle of a revolution which started in 1789 and will end in 1799. The revolution overthrew the monarchy; established a republic; catalyzed violent periods of political turmoil; and finally culminated in a dictatorship under Napoleon, who brought many of the revolution's principles to areas he conquered in Western Europe and beyond.
But let's focus on
the story itself. Thea is a young alchemist working with her famous mother,
(Marguerite made her reputation by creating alchemical armor for the French
King), when she's shut out of the lab. Thea knows that they were close to
making the philosopher's stone and is certain her mother wants all the glory of
the accomplishment herself even though she has put as much blood, sweat, and
tears into the work, as her mother. The Philosopher Stone is alleged to be able
to turn any metal into gold and heal any illness. It's every alchemist's dream.
But it’s also said to be cursed.
“The Stone chooses the last alchemist. But woe to whom it does not accept.”
But when her mother goes mad and smashes the almost complete stone, Thea takes her mother’s notes with her, and ends up in Oxford where her father, Professor Vellacott, is teaching Chemistry, but wants to expand to alchemy. Vellacott never knew Thea existed until her arrival. Vellacott and others like Dominic are way too interested in finishing the Philosopher's Stone. A stone that apparently makes everyone who attempts to finalize the last step, go crazy. Thea eventually comes to realize that the Philosopher's Stone is a living thing, that will creep into your mind and drives you mad, takes your mind for its own after you nearly kill yourself, and lose yourself, to create it. And if you're brave enough to fight back, it will haunt you even if it's gone.
Thea finds herself in a bad situation when she discovers that her former beau, Will Percy, is dying of consumption. It also appears that after he was told to leave by Thea's mother, he wronged a very powerful family that wants their pound of flesh, and if Thea can't figure out how to survive the making of the Stone, she will be forever lost as will her new friend Dominic who is suddenly thrown into the middle of something he has no idea what is happening. When science meets magic, with a little touch of love and danger, it gave an amazing adventure through the French and English roads.
Thea is an interesting character. Theo is an educated woman who is more than just an ornamental piece. Her mother may be tough and unlikable, but she made sure to raise a young woman who knows her worth to society. She’s intelligent, brave, stubborn, and often naive. She wades her way through a cascade of events and characters like Valentin Wolff who has his own agenda, but never once treats Thea as anything but a human being. Her father is something of a conundrum seeing as how he didn't know she existed, then tries to betray her for the secrets of the Stone, only to rush in and try to save her from those like Wolff who want Thea to create the same magic her mother did for the French monarchy.
Overall: A Golden Fury is a decent debut. Even though Thea could be a lot to deal with at times, that authors provides her with a compelling narrative and a story that will keep reader intrigued right to the end.
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