This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce
Abigail has always worked with metal, watching as her father worked in his foundry, transforming plain pieces of metal into objects of beauty.
Later, while studying at university, Abigail becomes fascinated with alchemy and the act of turning lead into gold.
When her father suggests a trip to Venice, Abigail agrees and continues her research into alchemy there. But this research has disastrous consequences and Abigail and those she cares about are put in grave danger.
I found the first part of A Rarer Gift Than Gold to be quite slow, but once Abigail reaches Venice and really delves into the subject of alchemy, it became a much pacier read.
Abigail goes on quite an adventure in her quest to find out the truth about the theory and practice of alchemy, which I wasn’t expecting at all. The book becomes pretty brutal at times, particularly towards the end.
The author has obviously done a lot of research into the subject, which is clear from Abigail’s knowledge and what she discovers, but I have to be honest and say that a lot of the science parts went way over my head, which left me a little baffled at times. Having said that, I could overlook the confusion and it made for quite an enjoyable read.
The book is packed with action, with betrayal and danger lurking around every corner.7/10