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Bitter Medicine Paperback – March 14, 2023
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―Publishers Weekly
“There are so many joys in this paranormal. The wealth of languages, mythologies, religions and magicks are a weight that balances the emotional tenderness.”
―New York Times Book Review
In this inspired contemporary fantasy, a Chinese immortal and a French elf try to balance new romance, familial loyalty, and workplace demands. In her debut novel, Taiwanese American author Mia Tsai has created an unforgettable paranormal adventure that is full of humor, passion, and depth.
As a descendant of the Chinese god of medicine, ignored middle child Elle Jiang was destined to be a doctor. Instead, she is underemployed as a mediocre magical calligrapher at the fairy temp agency. Nevertheless, she challenges herself by covertly outfitting Luc, her client and crush, with high-powered glyphs.
Half-elf Luc, the agency’s top security expert, has his own secret: he’s responsible for a curse laid from an old assignment. To heal them, he’ll need to perform his job duties with unrelenting excellence and earn time off from his tyrannical boss.
When Elle saves Luc’s life, they begin a dangerous collaboration, but their chemistry blooms. Happiness, for once, is an option for them both. But Elle is loyal to her family, and Luc is bound by his true name. To win freedom from duty, they must make unexpected sacrifices.
- Print length272 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherTachyon Publications
- Publication dateMarch 14, 2023
- Dimensions6.11 x 0.91 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101616963840
- ISBN-13978-1616963842
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Editorial Reviews
Review
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“There are so many joys in this paranormal. The wealth of languages, mythologies, religions and magicks are a weight that balances the emotional tenderness. Healing magic, rather than fighting magic, takes center stage―and without spoiling things too much, it’s also one of the rare paranormals to feature a heroine who loses rather than gains power. Tsai does not flinch from this grief: ‘The overhead lights cast her shadow, faint and watery, across her threshold, and that’s how she imagines she looks: magic-less and broken, a ghostly husk of herself.’ In a subgenre that so often makes supernatural power the answer to problems, how refreshing to find one that says being mortal―being human, and happy, and safe―is purpose enough.”
―New York Times Book Review
[STARRED REVIEW] “Sparks fly in Tsai’s refreshing and enchanting paranormal debut. A sordid family past has driven gifted immortal Elle Mei, a descendant of Shénnóng, the Chinese god of medicine, into leading a quiet, unassuming life. Though Elle’s exceptional talent at magical calligraphy could easily earn her a lucrative career, she chooses to cover up the extent of her gift, hiding in plain sight as an “ordinary” glyphmaker in Raleigh, N.C. It’s the only way she knows how to protect her family, as using too much power would surely draw attention. But the temptation to use her full abilities becomes too much to resist when it comes to her favorite customer (and crush), the dashing half-elf security expert Luc Villois. When Luc realizes what Elle’s truly capable of, he commissions her to create custom glyphs for an upcoming assignment, and, against her better judgment, she agrees. Meanwhile, Luc has a secret of his own, and he knows that Elle would never choose to spend more time with him if she knew who he truly was. Despite their mutual reservations, their friendship deepens into love―but will their trust in each other be enough to save them when their twisted pasts come back to haunt them? With brilliantly developed, multifaceted characters; a clever magic system; and witty prose, the pages of this fantasy fly. This marks Tsai as a writer to watch.”
―Publishers Weekly
“Overflowing with effervescent charm and sly humor,Bitter Medicine intoxicates with its steamy romance, globe-trotting adventure, family drama mystery, and a fabulously inventive world of magic inspired by cross-cultural lore.”
―Angela Mi Young Hur, author ofFolklorn
“I could not put this book down.Bitter Medicine is a slow-burn romance wrapped in an international spy thriller wrapped in supernatural politics, and it’s tasty as hell.
―Annalee Newitz, author ofThe Terraformers andAutonomous
“An intoxicating blend of mythology, family love and betrayal, and magic, Tsai’s debut is an absolute stunner! Mix together one fiercely talented calligrapher, one swoony French half-elf, and a magical world filled with danger and mystery, and you get a breathlessly compelling contemporary fantasy.Bitter Medicine is as elegant and potent as one of Elle’s spells.”
―Sierra Simone, USA Today bestselling author ofThe Fae Queen’s Captive
“Tsai delights with this fast-paced, romantic-fantasy debut brimming with ancient xianxia magic, simmering heat, and murderous family feuds that cross time and space. . . . The end result is a refreshing and cleverly written novel that is finely attuned to both fantasy and romance and highlights the best of each genre.”
―Booklist
“A half-elf mobster falls for a descendent of the Chinese god of medicine in this lushly romantic urban fantasy that mixes ancient Celtic heroes with svarta´lfar of Norse folklore and fox spirits from Chinese mythology (there are also epic flying battles). Elle Jiang is hiding in plain sight, pretending she’s a low-level magical calligrapher, while also pretending that her older brother is dead, even as she takes the blame for the younger brother who killed him. Her elaborate pretense unravels when she falls for Luc, the “Fixer” who is supposed to bring what’s left of her family to justice. Luc’s boss expects him to sacrifice Elle for duty―as he has sacrificed everything else. But Elle shows him there’s another way if he’s willing to give up everything he is for a future they might not live to see.VERDICT Urban fantasy readers will appreciate the well-crafted hidden world, and lovers of bad boy or Mafia romances will see Luc as their darkly delicious type, all while Elle’s long sacrifice will break readers’ hearts. Fans of Sarah J. Maas’s epic paranormal fantasies will also find much to savor in Tsai’s debut.” ―Library Journal
“As a contemporary fantasy debut, Mia Tsai’sBitter Medicine is an extraordinary and distinct blend of agent thriller, the supernatural, and romance.”
―Asia Pacific Arts
“Creative, tense, and extremely swoonworthy, Mia Tsai’sBitter Medicine brings together cultures, mythical creatures, and genres for an unforgettable mash-up debut that will appeal to fans of Fonda Lee and paranormal romance enthusiasts.”
―Mike Chen,New York Times bestselling author ofStar Wars: Brotherhood
“The modern Chinese diaspora fantasy that I’ve yearned for―fresh, exciting, with characters who leap off the page.”
―Courtney Milan, author ofThe Devil Comes Courting
“Contemporary fantasy at its best: sharp, complex but contained and driven by two lovable characters working hard for their Happily Ever After.”
―Shelf Awareness
“The dialogue stands out for its wit, natural quality, and intentional omissions. A love letter to code-switching and its many forms: exchanging phrases in multiple languages, finding loopholes, and thriving under restrictive rules, adapting to different worlds. It is its own power and talent.”
―Mochi Magazine
“Magical, sexy, and snarky,Bitter Medicine is perfect for grown up fans ofArtemis Fowl looking to scratch that fairy heist itch.”
―Lara Elena Donnelly, author of theAmberlough Dossier andBase Notes
“A romp of a supernatural action-romance,Bitter Medicine is a sparkling mix of angsty yearning, cool magic, family drama, and intriguing side characters, with a garnish of wonderful use of language!”
―Malka Older, author ofInfomocracy
“I love a good fantastical, paranormal romance, don’t you? About the only romance novels I go for these days include elves and fairies in slow-burn steam and magical mythology anyway, and Mia Tsai’s debut has plenty of all of it!”
―Ms. Magazine
“Bitter Medicine goes down like a spoonful of sugar with a dash of spice: a dazzling and adventurous romantic fantasy with tons of heart. I can't wait to see what Mia Tsai does next!”
―Hugo Award-winning editor Diana M. Pho
“Bitter Medicine is a magical novel in which two lonely people have to let go of their pasts and forgive themselves for the sake of their romance.”
―Foreword
“I ended up finishing this book days before I was supposed to because I was captivated by both Luc and Elle.”
―Utopia State of Mind
“This book was just amazing.”
―The Smut Report
“If you’re looking for a touching fantasy romance full of tenderness and emotions, Mia Tsai’s debut should be on your list.”
―Bibliosanctum
“A recommended debut for all enthusiastic fantasy fans.”
―Locus
“It’s been a long time since I found a book in the genre that excites me as much as Bitter Medicine. Mia Tsai’s take on the “every mythology in the world is real” subgenre is refreshing in its diversity of the myths she draws upon.”
―Boston Public Library
“Highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy and fantasy romance!”
―The Book on the High Shelf
“Regular readers of this column will know I love a good fantasy story and so I’m no stranger to magic and the like. But Tsai introduces a magical system based on healing and language, which I hadn’t really read before and really enjoyed.”
―Northwest Asian Weekly
“The current crop of contemporary fantasy romances can feel a little cookie-cutter, and Bitter Medicine stands out for its richly varied world-building and its emphasis on the power of magic to create, rather than to destroy.”
―Tor.com
“A paranormal novel with intelligent things to say about language, mythology, and love.”
―Fordham News
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Tachyon Publications (March 14, 2023)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 272 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1616963840
- ISBN-13 : 978-1616963842
- Item Weight : 14.1 ounces
- Dimensions : 6.11 x 0.91 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #439,939 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,272 in Romantic Fantasy (Books)
- #14,515 in Paranormal & Urban Fantasy (Books)
- #14,685 in Fantasy Romance (Books)
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Anyway, one of Elle’s clients is the handsome and charming half-elf Luc, and she can’t seem to stop herself from making his calligraphy orders just a little more powerful. So he notices her, and that sets off both their romance and all the rest of the plot. I love the take on magic here: every culture’s folklore is true. The rules of magic operate differently from culture to culture and intersect in unexpected ways.
This multicultural world is reflected in the book’s multilingual nature. When characters speak another language, it’s printed without translation. So when Luc speaks French, there’s French on the page. When Elle and her brother speak to each other in Mandarin, or when Elle does calligraphy, the book shows us the Chinese characters. Sometimes characters’ names or other words are transliterated into Pinyin, with diacritics marking the tones, but when a character who does not speak Mandarin says a word, it’s printed without the tone diacritics, which is such a cool, nuanced way to indicate someone’s unfamiliarity with the language.
Luc and Elle are so sweet and supportive to each other, which makes a wonderful contrast to the difficult, cutthroat world of magic they live in. There are gigantic obstacles to their relationship. One of the reasons I’m drawn to fantasy and sci-fi settings in romance is that I love a good external obstacle, a “we can’t be together because my dad is evil and might magically compel me never to speak to you again” type of deal, and this book really delivers on that front—both in the problems and in their solutions. Such a fun read.
This book has its ups and downs and there were some aspects I really loved and some I didn’t like much.
I liked Luc and Elle in general. They had such beautiful chemistry and the smut scenes were fantastic. Honestly all their scenes together were beautiful. I loved the way they handled each other’s feelings and pasts. Definitely the highlight of the book.
On the other hand, the overall plot was weird. We get a very early climactic scene (about halfway through) and then the rest of the book feels like a long-winded conclusion. I feel like that scene needed to be moved closer to the end because for most of the second half, the book felt really slow and simple. While there was a small conflict, it didn’t feel as impressive as the one already resolved.
Still, it was a book I mostly liked and I think a 3.5 is a good fit.
So starting with what I loved - the unique world, the ending, the themes of work stress and family loyalty (because I could 100% relate to those), and mention of so many types of fantasy creatures that I enjoyed reading about. Luc’s sphinx aunt was especially cool. I thought the magic system from Elle was really interesting, too. I also loved seeing Chinese words in the story that weren’t directly translated all the time, it added to the realism for me.
Sadly…a big part of this book was the romance between Elle and Luc, but I didn’t feel much chemistry between them, so, sadly I wasn’t really buying the intense love that sprouted between them. And very little buildup to the sex or action scenes. Elle also seemed like she was acting quite young despite being over 100 years old. I also wish there was more worldbuilding…it seemed like such a cool world but I didn’t know a lot about it. Finally, I never got the sense that Elle or Luc were in any sort of danger, even at the climax, so there was a lack of tension for me in many parts.
Overall this was an okay read. I enjoyed it while I was reading, but I didn’t love it.