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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Chymist by Sarah Newland, the second book in The Coelacanth Project series, follows Natalie Morrigan and her friends who are on the run from the totalitarian Nautilus organization. Taking refuge in a lighthouse called Ancora III, they seek safety with their dogs, Enzo and Angie. Natalie finds herself at great odds with her newfound time-traveling ability, or 'tacking,' as it is called, while keeping her friends' adoption a secret. Nautilus still holds their parents captive, prompting the group to devise a plan to infiltrate its headquarters during a festival. Meanwhile, Leo, far away and wounded, finds allies in three sisters who despise Nautilus. Natalie has a mysterious key, yearning to discover the truth and reunite their families. Invited to masquerade as a recruit, Natalie enters Nautilus's center, the Helix, and comes face to face with ghosts from her past. The journey is perilous and Natalie understands that conquering her own demons is vital to safeguarding the world and her powers.
Chymist is a fantastically intriguing blend of the occult and time travel that makes for a creative and unique storyline and plot drivers. I adore Natalie, who is a strong and capable female protagonist and a very refreshing presence in an adventure genre that demands more like her. Sarah Newland does well in building her dark and atmospheric settings, from the detailed descriptions of Paris, its famed English bookstore and Notre Dame, and swathes of hidden corners. These outward descriptions go hand in hand with emotionally poignant scenes. Natalie's grave visit is melancholic and one of the best examples of Newland's gorgeous prose. "The granite was as cold and permanent as the day they’d laid it in the ground." Chymist is one of those special reads that offers both a thrilling adventure and a beautifully woven tapestry of emotions, and while I did read it perfectly well on its own, I will absolutely go back for book one, Extant. Its fortunate readers will not have to wait for book three, Regent, as it is already out. Very highly recommended.
