CBR14 Bingo: “Gaslight” – In a setting influenced by ancient China, there is no electricity, all lights are flame based.
A Magic Steeped in Poison was featured by Mysterious Galaxy earlier this year. As a self-described tea snob, I was instantly interested. I got the audiobook to listen during my health stomps. While listening, I appreciated hearing the correct pronunciations of the Chinese (or Chinese inspired) names. However, sitting down to try and write the review I’m hampered by not knowing how names are spelled. Google, help me out!
What I love best about this book is that Lin has created a magic system based around tea. A trained shennong-shi can imbue teas for healing, speed, clarity of thought, and strengthening the body for a few examples. The shennong-shi carefully selects the necessary ingredients for the desired effect and masterfully brews a cup, calling forth the magic within themselves to activate the tea. Throughout the book there are many descriptions of tea brewing. These tea ceremonies were soothing to read. If your tea brewing experience has been a tea bag in hot water, this will be a unique encounter as you read how the vessels are prepared and the many steps in Gong Fu tea brewing.
Someone has spread poisoned tea brinks through the Empire of Daxi. Unknowingly, Ning brewed her mother and younger sister a cup tainted by the poison. Ning’s mother, a powerful shennog practitioner, directs Ning on how to save her sister, Shu’s life but is unable to save her own. Wracked with guilt, Ning seeks a way to cure her sister of the poison. An invitation to the royal palace in the capital of Jia provides a tantalizing promise, win the competition to become the next court shennong-shi and receive a favor from the princess. Ning takes her mother’s tea chest and fakes her way into the competition desperate in the hope that a princess would have a cure.
What follows is a fun adventure. Ning befriends a mysterious boy in the Imperial city, only to discover he is far more than he seems. Her backwater ways quickly earns her the disdain of court officials and high ranking competitors often putting her at disadvantage. Bonding over being country bumpkins, Ning gains the friendship of a fellow contender, Lian, and the two attempt to navigate the trials together. All is not as it seems and the contest isn’t the only game being played in the capital.
A unique magic system, courtly intrigue, delicious food descriptions that had my stomach growling, and a touch of romance makes for an entertaining read. I’ve already started listening to the second half of the “Book of Tea” duology, A Venom Dark and Sweet.
