Pandian, Gigi: The Accidental Alchemist

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=Tamar

Lieutenant
May 20, 2012
11,961
2,900
#1
Pandian, Gigi: The Accidental Alchemist (2020). Advertised as a cozy mystery; yes, it was. A reasonable mystery plot, a comfortably quiet hint of romance, and an awful lot of vegan cooking that tended to slow the action. First of a series of at least five, but I'd say try it from the library.
 

=Tamar

Lieutenant
May 20, 2012
11,961
2,900
#4
I gather that the author is vegan. There are a few actual recipes at the end. This is in the genre of "recipe mysteries" where something mentioned briefly in the story is given in detail later, but the text goes on in more detail than usual about the meals the meat-eating chef cooks while grumbling about the restriction.
 

RathDarkblade

Moderator
City Watch
Mar 24, 2015
15,992
3,400
47
Melbourne, Victoria
#5
Hmm. Is there a story-specific reason for these vegan meals, or is it just because the author is vegan?

If it's the former, I can forgive that. If it's the latter ... I'd rather not read the book! Waste of time. =P
 

=Tamar

Lieutenant
May 20, 2012
11,961
2,900
#6
It provides some reasons for discussion and mild conflict between the protagonist and the cook, who is a grotesque (formerly of Notre Dame) that was accidentally brought to life a few centuries ago and wants to renew the potion, as it is wearing off. There is some overlap between cooking and alchemy. Also, the chef has found shelter in the past by working for blind people. The protagonist is an alchemist from only a few hundred years back; she accidentally found immortality, hence the title, [longevity only; violence can kill her] but has had to work on her studies alone since then. She can make gold when she needs cash but it's harder to get away with selling it lately, and I think she's vegan because the way food animals are raised makes the meat taste wrong and she's worried that the chemicals will affect how her herbal remedies work.
 

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