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Margaret Mahy
ALCHEMY (YA)
book cover


2003, Apr, Margaret McElderry Books
Buy from Amazon.com (hardcover)


Who recommends: Preeti
Who discommends:

If you liked Margaret Mahy's wonderful classic, THE CHANGEOVER, you should like ALCHEMY, too. In fact, it seemed like an echo of THE CHANGEOVER. It's about a popular New Zealand high schooler who is blackmailed by a teacher into taking an interest in one of the unpopular girls in his class. He immediately discovers that there's much more to her than the dull facade she presents at school. He becomes fascinated by her. Transformed in the process. Alchemy, both literally and figuratively, is the core of the book.

I really liked ALCHEMY while at the same time finding it not as richly textured as THE CHANGEOVER. Mahy is a terrific writer, though. Definitely on the "literary" end of the spectrum while being completely accessible. Recommended.--Preeti (14 Apr 03)



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