As someone who has never felt inclined to read fan fiction of any kind, I can say with certainty that Alchemised by SenLinYu is worth reading.
While Alchemised is not technically a fan fiction itself, it is based on one — Manacled. As is the case with other popular fan fiction-turned-books like Fifty Shades of Grey and The Love Hypothesis, the fan fiction elements are evident. However, Alchemised is much more than the fan fiction it originated from. It contains elements of war, love, betrayal and trauma.
Alchemised is a truly amazing read for anyone, whether you’re a fan fiction lover or not.
What is Manacled?
Manacled is a fan fiction that was originally published on the popular site Ao3 by SenLinYu. It’s set in the Harry Potter universe and imagines a world in which Voldemort and the Death Eaters won the war. It follows two main characters from the original novels — Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy.
The fan fiction was immensely popular on the website, garnering upwards of five million reads. Yet despite its popularity, SenLinYu has made no money from it. Therefore, they decided to change the world and characters so that they could publish their work and profit from it. And, of course, so that it could reach more people.
What is Alchemised?
Alchemised is set in the fictional world of Paladia, a war-torn country divided between the religious group The Order of the Eternal Flame and a group of necromancers.
The magic system is also strikingly original. Characters use resonance to control different metals. Additionally, some have the ability to control the human body through vivimancy, to control the mind through animancy, or to control the dead through necromancy.
Since its publication, Alchemised has sold more than one million copies in the United States, with 300,000 of those copies selling in the first week alone.
What are the differences between the two?
While Alchemised is based on Manacled, there are several key differences.
The first, of course, is the setting. Like I mentioned, Manacled is set in the world of Harry Potter. Alchemised, however, is set in a world with a unique magic system.
Additionally, a few characters were changed around. While main characters like Helena Marino (Hermione Granger) and Kaine Ferron (Draco Malfoy) stayed pretty much the same, other characters like Shiseo and Jan Crowther represent a mix of the original character, Severus Snape.
Lastly, certain character motivations were changed. The protagonist Helena is a member of the Order of the Eternal Flame, a religious group that believes the use of vivimancy, animancy and necromancy are wrong. This inherently altered motivations and plot points from the fan fiction.
For anyone looking to immerse themselves in a reimagining of Harry Potter, Manacled is the perfect read. However, for people interested in an original world with its own magic system, Alchemised is the best fit.
My opinion of Alchemised
Ultimately, I thought Alchemised was an excellent read. However, I did have a few quams.
The first was how confusing the magic system was. Since the work started with the magic system from Harry Potter, the revised magic system in Alchemised was not as fleshed out. I often had to look up the different types of magic and how they worked.
Luckily, the magic system was only a minor part of the novel, and most of the plot could still be understood without having a firm grasp on it. Still, it took away from the reading experience when I had to put my book down and Google vivimancy.
Another confusing part of Alchemised was the main character’s motivation for working with The Order of the Eternal Flame (the good guys). While it makes sense in Manacled (because Hermione Granger was always a good guy), it does not make sense in the world of Alchemised.
The Order of the Eternal Flame opposes anyone who can do vivimancy, animancy or necromancy, and Helena Marino can perform both vivimancy and animacy, making her an outcast in the group. Thus, she really has no motivation for working for The Order of the Eternal Flame, especially since they alienate her and use her without giving her anything in return.
Aside from these criticisms, I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The book’s three-part structure helped break it up, and its flow and pace were flawlessly executed.
I also loved the characters. The two protagonists were beautifully depicted, and it was incredible to see how their relationship developed over the course of the story as they grew and changed.
Lastly, I was drawn toward the atmosphere of the book. It was dark and gritty and grim, completely unlike other fantasy books I have read. Set in a war-torn world, Alchemised deals with more mature themes.
Alchemised also had romantic tropes that departed from the typical romantasy book. It contained just enough romance for it to be a meaningful plot point, but it never overdid it.
In conclusion, there is much to love about Alchemised. Despite not being a fanfiction reader and having never read Manacled, I relished every page.
There are well-developed characters, riveting arcs, and surprising twists.
I would recommend Alchemised to anyone who is open to trying something new or who is simply curious about all of the hype.
