Review: The Genesis of Change by Livia J. Elliot
Blurb:
Élan; the chaos-tamer, the record-breaker. Verve; the one behind the rise and fall of thousands of civilisations. Two alchemists, each sent on a mission by the leader of The Orders—The Rector.
Élan must shatter their mentee’s humanity to train her as an alchemist, while Verve must define the unexplainable existing within a respected healer. When their missions reveal clues that could reformulate alchemy, they’ll edge closer to fathom The Rector’s goal while facing an endless conundrum—to remain as is, or to learn and adapt.
The genesis of change is near.
Review:
This stunning novella by Livia J. Elliot will undoubtedly put the world of indie fantasy on notice. It’s a story of two alchemists, set upon a task that will change alchemy—but this simple explanation falls well short of what you should expect to read. This is a deep work, in theme, presentation, and setting. It is, at its heart, a philosophical showcase. Elliot’s intellect is titanic, and the attention to detail in her writing left me reeling.
Rarely do I pick up a book that challenges me to find new ways to imagine a scene—and I’ve read all manner of experimental and weird fiction. From early on, Elliot surprised me with her ability to weave the abstract into imagery that not only made sense but also broke my imagination. The world on display here is vivid, moody, and stinks of sorcery. In a word: Atmospheric. It is, in itself, a theme, expertly crafted to tune your mind to the task of absorbing the subject matter.
And it is a task. The Genesis of Change is not an easy read. This novella demands your attention and diligence. It requests of you what the plot requests of its characters. And with this, you feel their frustrations, their anguish, and their discoveries as your own. With one plot thread, you plunge into an exploration of the construction of identity, and what we are and can be when we loosen our grip on the rigid construct of Self. With the other, we explore the power of suffering, of stoicism, of struggle. It compels you to struggle, to push against the weight of the concepts of Elliot’s alchemy, to invest in it. This is a book about life, about struggle, and about struggle. A challenge and an investment—worth every word.
“Indeed. Life is struggle, because to live is to skirmish against the fluid concept of identity.”
