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    The Alchemist's Daughter: A Novel
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    The Alchemist's Daughter: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Alchemist's Daughter: A Novel
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Alchemist's Daughter: A Novel

    Written by Katharine McMahon

    Narrated by Justine Eyre

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    There are long-held secrets at the manor house in Buckinghamshire, England, where Emilie Selden has been raised in near isolation by her father. A student of Isaac Newton, John Selden believes he can turn his daughter into a brilliant natural philosopher and alchemist. Secluded in their ancient house, with only two servants for company, he fills Emilie with knowledge and records her progress obsessively.

    In the spring of 1725, father and daughter begin their most daring alchemical experiment to date-they will attempt to breathe life into dead matter. But their work is interrupted by the arrival of two strangers: one a researcher, the other a dazzling young merchant. During the course of a sultry August, while her father is away, Emilie experiences the passion of first love. Listening to her heart rather than her head, she makes a choice.

    Banished to London and plunged headlong into a society that is both glamorous and ruthless, Emilie discovers that for all her extraordinary education she has no insight into the workings of the human heart. When she tries to return to the world of books and study, she instead unravels a shocking secret that sets her on her true journey to enlightenment.

    The Alchemist's Daughter is a gripping, evocative tale. Set against the backdrop of eighteenth-century London society, it is an unforgettable story of one woman's journey through a world of mystery, passion, and obsession.



    Selden Manor was the crucible in which my father, the Gills, and I lived together. I peer into it now with the respectful caution with which I was taught to approach any volatile experiment. I am searching for a day to illustrate our life before 1725, the year when everything changed. And unlike the blacksmith's daughter, I am an expert in observation. I know what I am looking for-bubbles of gas, a rise in temperature, an alteration in texture-small indications of chemical change that mean something significant is happening. -from The Alchemist's Daughter


    From the Hardcover edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 14, 2006
    ISBN9781415927687
    Unavailable
    The Alchemist's Daughter: A Novel

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    Reviews for The Alchemist's Daughter

    3.5/5

    205 ratings21 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I liked the period details of this story, but the character took so long to learn anything - and she's very dour. A young woman in the early 18th century is brought up in isolation by her father, a natural philosopher. She is vulnerable to the first men she meets which eventually leads to disappointment on the part of everyone involved.
    • 4/5
      This story has a strong female complex character. I like how we see this historical period thru Emilie's eyes and how in the end she comes to terms with who she really is.
    • 2/5
      I was so excited about this book: it looked so cool! But I had a hard time getting into it: it lags quite a bit in the middle. & it doesn't really have an ending: it just cuts off, with acknowledgements & "about the author" where the epilogue, or a last chapter should be.It was also a rather frustrating read, as the author consistently makes reference to "guineas", "alembics", & "retorts", as though the reader will of course know exactly what is being referred to, so keep Wikipedia handy if you wade into this. (Incidentally, the spelling in my copy was American.). Beyond that, though, there really isn't much about science or alchemy in here.Overall, I'd have to say it had many interesting moments, the writing was good, but there were too many plot lines & none of them was ever fully developed. Sorry: can't recommend.
    • 2/5
      All-in-All a some what frustrating read - much potential that never actually came to fruition. Not a bad read - just disappointing.
    • 3/5
      A bit too much romance for my taste but a good story nonetheless. Emilie is a strong willed, well educated young woman who works with her father in alchemy and natural philosophy. Her father has great plans for her but these are spoiled when Emilie falls for and then marries Robert Aislabie. As Mrs Aislabie Emilie finds life is a lot more complicated that her father prepared her for. For me, it wasn't a page turner but an enjoyable read anyway.
    • 3/5
      I picked this one up because I'd heard good reviews of another of the author's works, but this was not a great book for me. The heroine was insipid and weak, and spoiled what seemed like a very interesting premise.
    • 5/5
      In 18th century England, 19-year-old Emilie Selder is trained by her father in the alchemist's art.This moving story draws you right in. It's a "bodice ripper with a brain" that documents the personal growth of the heroine while it involves us with details of her rebellion against her rigid, scientist father, and subsequent marriage to the wrong man. I found it atmospheric and gripping; a real page turner.
    • 4/5
      I liked this story, it was a fast read, but somehow it missed being something special. It's the story of Emilie Seldon, who was raised during the time of Isaac Newton in the spirit of scientific inquiry, and, despite her sex, to be a natural philosopher--a scientist. But her father forgot to include the social--and hormonal--in his calculations. Motherless, home-schooled, without other family or friends beyond the housekeeper and never allowed beyond the bounds of the estate, Emilie is so isolated she's all too vulnerable to a seductive visitor, Roger Aislabie. Despite this being told first person, Aislabie comes across from the beginning as trouble to the reader--and to everyone else, except the too-sheltered, naive teen Emilie. McMahon obviously did her homework on the period, and she's good at getting the esoteric concepts of those early scientific inquiries across and the story is told in a clean style. There's also a mystery at the heart of this book about Emilie's parentage I found quite moving. However, I feel that's more because her situation hit home for personal reasons--and because of my own personal experience, I think part of the problem is that in the revelation scene is too detached--nor do I ever buy how it leads to her change of heart over Sarah. I also think part of why I wasn't more taken with Emilie is that she's too passive. I don't blame her too much for that, or find her stupid like some reviewers--not given her upbringing and the lack of power women had in the period. But it makes it hard to care. I kept waiting for Emilie's scientific mind and training to kick in somehow for her to find a way out of her problems, but the science and the alchemy is really mere trappings in this novel. I also felt dissatisfied with the lack of resolution at the end. Not a novel I wanted to hurl against the wall once finished--but not one I'd want to put on my bookshelf either.
    • 5/5
      This book was a really good read. I had to ignore the scientific bits as they were really over my head. This book was a real page turner and I was with Emile all the way. Felt she was very naive but due to her father you couldn't wonder at it, but you find out he had his reasons. I felt the moral of the story was that out of something bad there can be something good. I would highly recommend this book.
    • 3/5
      A good book. I enjoyed reading it. The interesting thing was I would almost classify it as chick-lit maybe and had I of known the entire story I would've probably never read it. I found myself really wanting to know the outcome of Emilie's story though. Sometimes a little annoying with her inability to understand the world around her, but perhaps that was just simply because of the way she was brought up. I enjoyed the read.
    • 4/5
      Set mostly in an early 18th-century manor outside London, a fairly elderly father trains his daughter in alchemy & in the scientific method of the period (Newton is his hero) but not in the art of living, which leads to disappointment & alienation when she comes of age. It occasionally verges on becoming an old-fashioned historical romance (which probably explains its best-sellerdom) but is always engaging & mostly rewarding.
    • 4/5
      Katharine McMahon spins an intriguing tale of a young woman, sheltered and trained by her father in the natural sciences, who embarks on an education in the art of being human. When she falls for a handsome young visitor, she is sure that the attraction is alchemical, but she soon learns how little she knows of human nature and the world outside of her country home. While the novel does have overtones of historical romance, it seems to me more about Emilie's search for identity and knowledge--life knowledge, not knowledge gained from books and the laboratory. The novel is well written and engaging, and McMahon includes fascinating details of life in the early 18th century.
    • 4/5
      This gothic novel takes place in the 1700's at a time when women have a limited choice of roles in society, and the most important accomplishment is to get married and produce children. This young women who has been brought up in virtual seclusion is exposed to more education then most of the population of the era, but is completely unprepared for dealing with men and love and a society that she doesn't fit in with.
    • 4/5
      Emilie Selden, living in early 18th century England, grows up motherless, living somewhat secluded with her father in their rural manor house. Her father, a philosopher/alchemist, raises her to follow directly in his footsteps, neglecting to educate her in basic social skills. Thus, when one day a young stranger comes to visit, she is swept off her feet & leaves her father to follow the young man to the much more colorful, action-filled London scene. She quickly realizes she is ill-equipped for this lifestyle and yearns to return to her father's house. When she does eventually return, things have inevitably changed, and she must come to terms with that, as well as seek out her own niche in life.This is basically a coming-of-age novel, where a young woman, initially relatively sheltered, is thrust into the reality of human nature. I was initially pulled into this story early on, really enjoying the author's beautiful and almost lyrical writing. However, somewhere along the way it seemed to lose something which I can't put my finger on. It was not a bad story by any means, but neither was it necessarily fulfilling. The ending was abrupt, which may off-put some readers & took me somewhat by surprise (especially listening on audio), but it seemed more or less fitting. As noted above, I enjoyed the author's writing style, and am curious about her other works.
    • 3/5
      Poetic and evocative prose, and an interesting view into the world of early eighteenth century London, but very little otherwise. It's a mostly pointless love story involving a petulant protagonist who makes annoying decisions.
    • 3/5
      I liked it...but I didn't LIKE it, like it. The characters were a bit to one dimensional to be really engaging, and the plot a bit predictable. That said, the way the author weaves the alchemy into both the surface story -- Emilie's activities, and into the psychological story -- Emilie's development, were really enjoyable. From reading other reviews, it seems that many of the people who didn't like the book were not picking up on the multiple layers of alchemical process. I think, perhaps, it was a bit too subtly done, and I say that as a neutral comment, not a compliment or a criticism.

      There are some books that I would recommend to anyone standing still long enough for me to say, "You've got to read this!" This is not one of those books. I would definitely recommend it, but only to a certain sort of reader.
    • 1/5
      Really not worth the effort. We've read a few of this author's books in our book club, with the most common reaction being the urge to slap at least one character. that trend persisted with Emily, the main character and narrator being the recipient of the slap on this occasion. Set in the early 1700s, she's the daughter of an elderly alchemist and man of science, who has made it his aim to train Emily to be the perfect natural philosopher. Only he's neglected to teach her anything what so ever about life and human beings and how to live. So she is promptly swept off her feet by the first man she has anything to do with - and he turns out to be a cad (what a surprise). Emily had been trained to observe and record her observations, making deductions from them but spends the entire book being remarkably dense about the people she has anything to do with. She's also extremely self centered and selfish throughout. Not a great read, as she was far too annoying for her own good.
    • 4/5
      I loved the setting and the topic, the drama I could take or leave. The prose was lovely and all was beautifully told. I love this steam punk setting! It was such a time of wonder when science and fantasy were essentially one in the same! It concludes a little sharply. Not all is resolved though much is hinted at. I was brought up a bit short, though in the end, I could not fail to be grateful for the experience.I think, in essence, it is a story about a young female scientist, brought up in the classical tradition, learning that human beings are not so easily scrutinized as other forms of life. She learns, quite harshly, about the nature of deception.Warnings: It is a story of sexual awakening, so there are some light sexual scenes, nothing, I think gratuitous. However, it is romantic.
    • 2/5
      It's strange the way some stories don't get to you. This one had everything I should love in a novel: an evocative setting, a smart heroine, an exploration of a father-daughter relationship, a touch of mystery, and of course, some romance. But there's something that didn't click. Maybe the lack of elegance in the prose, maybe the intented-to-be well researched long descriptions of scientific experiments; but I found I didn't care a bit about Emily's fate or about the outcome of the story. The characters were unidimensional and not well crafted, the father, an obsessed man, the daughter, too naïve to be believable, the husband a cheater, the reverend a too much well hearted man, who, by the way, appears and disappears from the story when the author thinks suitable and the maid, a poor sinner. Besides, I found the story regarding Emily's mother too far fetched and with too many coincidences. And unlike some reviews below, I think there are no loose ends. The book has a forced happy ending, maybe a predictable and not well worked one tough, but it has a conclusion that leaves no doubt. All in all I wouldn't be recommending this book, don't lose your time when there are great books to be read as Du Maurier's or the Brontë's.
    • 2/5
      The girl followed the Alchemist from the time she was a child, her only wish was to please him and make him proud. She studied, she learned, she could speak and read several languages. She knew the Latin names of all the plants, trees and animals on the estate. She knew the properties of water and fire. She was Emilie Selden, the Alchemist’s daughter. He wrote of her each night in the Emilie Notebooks. She was his most interesting experiment, his crowning achievement and he loved her dearly. Her mother was a mystery to her. Her only inheritance from her mother, a bit of ribbon and the stark, isolated room in one of the unused portions of the manor. The region of England they lived in was very isolated and she was so naïve. Falling in love too easily, giving herself too freely, she found herself with child by a man she loved. His power over her was sensual and easily bought. Her father turned her away, banishing Emilie, her husband and her future child from Selden. She traveled to London where she strived to be the great lady her husband wished her to be. She loved him, trusted him, and was betrayed. The story is of her journey from childhood to woman she was to become. This is not the sort of book I usually read. To be honest, I saw it more as a high level romance novel. Though I enjoyed it, it didn’t grab me and hold my attention like I thought it would. The blurb on the back cover talked of how she and her father were attempting to breathe live into dead matter. That was the story line that caught my attention. It was a great disappointment to me that so little of the book was actually about the experiment unless you see it in the symbolic sense.
    • 4/5
      After her mother’s death in childbirth, Emilie Selden has been raised by her father in a state of sheltered isolation at Selden Manor. Her father has taught her much about science and alchemy but little of human nature; leaving her ill-prepared when a handsome, young admirer comes to call while her father is away on his annual visit to London. Imagine his surprise when he returns to find his daughter in disgrace. Fortunately for Emilie, her seducer Aislabie has agreed to marry her. Her father suspecting Aislabie’s motives refuses to accept the marriage and disowns Emilie when she persists. The newly married couple move to London, where Emilie discovers that married life isn’t what she expected, and neither is her husband. She returns to Selden Manor only to suffer yet another disappointment.This is not a happy book, the themes of dashed romance and disillusionment dance throughout the pages. Emilie has to learn to be strong in the face of setback after setback. It takes all the strength of character and discipline that her father has taught her to come to grips with her present and future. This is a classic story of innocence and betrayal in the tradition of Tracy Chevalier.