Review of 'A Golden Fury'

Synopsis

In her debut novel A Golden Fury, Samantha Cohoe weaves a story of magic and danger, where the curse of the Philosopher’s Stone will haunt you long after the final page.

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 a revolution looming, Thea is sent to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.

But 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.

Review

An excellent debut novel, A Golden Fury, brings to life the Philosopher’s Stone with alchemy and magic through the lens of Historical Fiction.

Compelling Characters

Theo is a great main character. Cohoe did an excellent job of giving her character life to connect to the reader.

What makes Theo great is that she is not just a woman but a young lady, on the cusp of 18 in 19th century France. Raised to think, 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. Theo holds onto her intelligence as the story progresses, maintaining a tough façade; Theo holds her head high up and meets the challenges head-on.

It creates an incredible amount of tension for the story, but it mainly creates a strong character. During this period, women were not valued much for their intelligence, but to see Theo valued and respected for her intelligence creates an excellent picture for the reader. Moreover, the fact that Theo never plays dumb or submits herself to the whims of men makes her a compelling protagonist.

Wonderful Storytelling

What also works well for the story is the pacing and direction of the story. The reader already knows the story is about the philosopher’s stone and the curse surrounding it. Theo is the only one with enough sense to see the cost of all the power that comes with it, yet no one will listen to her.

However, the story is about more than just creating the stone; it is about the curse, and the stone itself. Cohoe gives the stone life; she gives it personality and explores this curse. A Golden Fury is not a fast-paced novel, but it holds the attention of the reader through the mystery. The curse compels the reader to see how the story unfolds and, in the end, it leaves the reader satisfied.

Final Thoughts

A Golden Fury is an excellent debut. It gives readers a strong female protagonist with a compelling narrative and a story that keeps the reader intrigued until the very end.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.