I'll Read What She's Reading: ALCHEMISED by SenLinYu | October Book Club

Date: November 5, 2025
Hosts: Reggie, Mikayla, Kennedy

Episode Overview

This episode of I'll Read What She's Reading centers on the hosts’ in-depth discussion of ALCHEMISED by SenLinYu, the October book club pick. The conversation explores their ratings, emotional responses, worldbuilding, fanfiction origins, favorite and least favorite moments, and emerging hopes (and fears) for its movie adaptation. The hosts offer a frank, passionate, and at times chaotic breakdown—perfect for both new and returning listeners wanting a spoiler-heavy deep dive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Initial Reactions and Star Ratings (02:22–14:00)

• Reggie: 6 stars

  • Devastated and overwhelmed emotionally:

    "I finished the book and I sat and stared at my wall for, like, legit, like, half an hour... I felt empty inside, but I was also so full... There's just no book that's ever made me feel this specific way before." (03:16)

  • Praises how the book handles heavy, war-centric themes and the lack of clear “good” side.

• Kennedy: 4 stars

  • Struggled due to personal timing, mostly used audiobook; found parts repetitive/long but ultimately “obsessed.”

    "This book felt like running a marathon. And that is truly how I felt reading this book because at times it felt like a chore. And then at times I got this, like, weird reader's high..." (09:04)

  • Critiques flashback structure and length but acknowledges the necessity and realism of the narrative.

• Mikayla: 5 stars

  • Finds it loses “shock value” on reread (having read the original fanfic), but still deeply appreciates the new version.

    "If you're reading the story for the first time, I, like, wish I could be you so badly... what I wouldn't give to be able to go read this again." (14:14)

2. Is Alchemised ‘Romantasy?’: Genre Expectations (01:11, 11:00, 11:41)

• All hosts stress this is "not a romantasy book” but a war story. The complexity and murkiness of character motivations and morality are central.
• "There are no good guys and bad guys. It's every—everything is muddied." (Kennedy, 11:41)

3. Fanfiction Origins and Comparison (12:08–21:55)

• Both Mikayla and Reggie have read the original fanfic; Kennedy wishes she hadn’t, feeling it colored her experience.

  • Reggie is surprised she enjoyed the novel even more, noting her increased appreciation for both works.
  • Mikayla views her emotional reaction as muted on this pass but envied new readers’ fresh perspective.

• The “manacolds”/manacles fanfic Easter egg is spotted by fans (22:02–22:26).

• They debate which version is better—Kennedy votes for the novel, Mikayla leans original for deeper connection.

4. Writing Style & Reader Expectations (25:09–27:44)

• Kennedy notes TikTok discourse criticizing SenLinYu’s writing as “passive” not “active” voice; explains this difference and how it contrasts with typical fantasy styles (e.g., Red Rising).

  "A lot of people may be having a hard time [with the writing]." (26:56)

• All agree it’s intentionally different, and that “different isn’t bad.”
• Part One’s repetitiveness and layout is discussed as intentional, mirroring Helena’s confusion.

5. Worldbuilding & Magic System (05:22–06:46, 22:43–25:01)

• The moon-phase calendar, new time system, highly detailed world gets praise for richness and unique touches.

• Magic is “allomancy-like” (cf. Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn), with houses controlling iron or gold, and forms like vivimancy, animancy, necromancy, all drawing a toll.

  "Honestly, not to compare, but I feel like this magic system was easier for me because of Mistborn." (Mikayla, 23:36)

• Some struggle with the system’s arrays; all generally accept and roll with what they don’t fully grasp for immersion’s sake.

6. Favorite and Least Favorite Moments (28:46–45:23)

Least Favorites

• Universal complaint about the book’s length: it could be shorter (Kennedy, 28:57).
• The pacing of Helena and Kane’s relationship is too quick compared to the fanfic’s protracted development (Mikayla, 27:50).
• Gore and brutality felt heavier/gorier here than in the fanfic, though it works to illustrate the horrors of war (Mikayla & Reggie, 36:03–38:17).
• Some dissatisfaction with Kane as a love interest, especially compared to the fanfic version (Reggie, 34:24).

Favorite Moments

• Full-circle callbacks, especially Helena’s journey from being forgotten in war’s annals to quietly never being celebrated:

  "At the end of the book, the world will never know what she did for the war." (Kennedy, 31:58)

• Luke’s death and the reveal (“favorite plot twist”)—he was possessed by Morrow (Kennedy, 38:52).
• Fan art shoutout: Avondale’s work lauded for emotional resonance (39:31–40:32).
• The transformation of Kane’s hair (brown to silver) and subtle callbacks to muscle memory and relationship dynamics (Mikayla, 42:35–44:44).
• The “wolf dog,” Amaris, and the intense emotion around her arc (44:55–45:23).

7. Endings and Reader Response (30:32–34:15)

• The ending divided readers—some call it anticlimactic.
  • The hosts argue its “bittersweetness” and cyclical/poignant tragedy are the point.

    “There’s so much depth and layer to the fact that she is said to have never fought… the world will never know what she did for the war. That is soul crushing.” (Kennedy, 31:52)

• They speculate whether the ending sets up a possible sequel about Enid (“Eden… Paul… Apollo?”) (33:17–34:13), but agree not to revisit Helena & Kane directly.

8. Character Dynamics & Secondary Characters (47:20–49:52)

• Lila’s role as frenemy/friend, her hypocrisy and the tension with Kane (“he took such good care of you… there was almost literally no appreciation” – Reggie, 47:49).
• Kane’s dark humor and detachment amuse even as his brutality is foregrounded.
• Lila’s badassery celebrated, but her choices (abandoning her child to fight) draw questions.

9. Adaptation: Movie Hopes, Casting Fantasies (52:13–65:15)

• SenLinYu is directly involved with the film (53:30), produced by Legacy (creators of Dune). Quality adaptation expected.
• Discuss whether it should be multiple films or a long one (agree it’s tricky to split).
• Fan Casts:
  • Kane: Discussed models like Otto Sepulin and Danny Griffin (“could see it”), but dislike Tom Blyth as a pick (too obvious/circular from fandom). Bill Skarsgård, Finn Bennett, and others floated.
  • Helena: Many models and actresses mentioned, but Aubrey Ebrag (from The Buccaneers) and Whitney Peak get praise for their look and acting potential (63:27–65:26).
• Consensus: more excited than nervous based on current team; hope for nuanced casting, especially showing Kane’s transition “from boyishness to a hardened man.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• On the book’s emotional impact:

  "I finished the book and I sat and stared at my wall for, like, legit, like, half an hour... I felt empty inside, but I was also so full..."
  — Reggie (03:16)

• On genre expectations:

  "This is not a romantasy book. This is not supposed to be… a healthy relationship, because it’s not. It is a story. It is a war story of what actually happens and what could happen."
  — Kennedy (11:07)

• On the writing style:

  "It was like, no, we're gonna tell this how it is. And you better sit down, buckle up..."
  — Reggie (12:08)

• On reading for the first time:

  "If you're reading the story for the first time, I, like, wish I could be you so badly... what I wouldn't give to be able to go read this again."
  — Mikayla (14:14)

• On the book’s ending:

  "At the end of the book, the world will never know what she did for the war. That is soul crushing."
  — Kennedy (31:58)

• On adaptation casting:

  "I'm just really sick of seeing people casting Tom Blythe... I just feel like I can't see Tom Blythe doing [Kane]."
  — Reggie (61:46)

Timestamps: Major Segments

• 00:00–01:43 — Introduction, book premise, and format outline
• 02:22–14:00 — Ratings and emotional responses
• 14:00–21:55 — Fanfic comparisons
• 22:43–25:01 — Worldbuilding, magic system, and writing style discussion
• 27:44–34:24 — Narrative structure, endings, and what makes the book work
• 34:24–38:08 — Character analysis, gore, lowlights
• 38:08–45:39 — Favorite scenes, callbacks, fan art
• 47:20–49:52 — Side characters (esp. Lila), humor, and complexity
• 52:13–65:15 — Movie adaptation details and casting speculation

Conclusion & Next Month’s Pick

• Next Book Club Selection:
  Soul Searching by Lila Sage — “a little bit of a pace change” after Alchemised’s intensity; hosts tease it’s fun and slightly paranormal (66:27–66:53).

In Short:

ALCHEMISED floored all three hosts with its unflinching emotional storytelling, dense worldbuilding, and deep exploration of trauma, survival, and moral ambiguity in war. While there’s debate on pacing and how the book compares to its fanfic roots, consensus is clear: SenLinYu has delivered a unique, gutting, and memorable read—one that even on a podcast packed with hot takes inspires awe.

For further discussion, follow the hosts at @whatshe'sreadingpod on TikTok and Instagram.