In a world where magic is not only a powerful force but also a dangerous one, there exists a unique form of magic steeped in poison. This Synopsis will delve into the depths of this deadly magic, exploring its origins, abilities, and potential consequences. The origins of poison magic can be traced back to ancient times. It is said that a group of skilled alchemists discovered a way to infuse their magic with toxic substances, creating a potent and lethal form of sorcery. Over the years, knowledge of this dark art was passed down secretly through generations, and a select few practitioners became masters of this deadly craft. Poison magic, unlike other forms of sorcery, is not wielded through incantations or supernatural artifacts.

A Magic Steeped in Poison

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it's her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Genres FantasyYoung AdultFictionMythologyYoung Adult FantasyMagicRomance

374 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2022

About the author

Judy Lin was born in Taiwan and moved to Canada when she was eight years old. She grew up with her nose in a book and loved to escape to imaginary worlds. She now divides her time between working as an occupational therapist and creating imaginary worlds of her own. She lives on the Canadian prairies with her husband and daughter.

Poison magic, unlike other forms of sorcery, is not wielded through incantations or supernatural artifacts. Instead, it requires a deep understanding of the natural toxins found in plants, animals, and minerals. Poison mages use their knowledge to harness and manipulate these toxins, channeling them through their magic to produce deadly effects.

Ratings & Reviews

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3 books 12.3k followers

The magic in this was SO COOL it's based on different types of tea?? Like different tea does different magic depending on the leaves and how you prepare it? JUDY, YOUR MIND-

the element that really sells this story is the magic in the ancient chinese art of tea brewing. i loved how everything in this book revolves around tea - it connects the characters through magic bonds, it provides the MC with a way to help her family through a competition, and it serves as the opposition as tea is being poisoned. tea is the life and heart of this novel. it was very cool to not only read about ancient chinese customs around tea making, but also traditional chinese medicine.

the thing that prevented me from going “oh, i quite liked this” to “i loved this” is how formulaic the story is. i guess for a debut, i really shouldnt be so critical of the narrative structure because its not terrible, but because this follows the set-up of any basic YA fantasy, i never really felt like the stakes were high or got super emotionally invested in the story/characters.

but overall, a more than decent beginning to a magically rich story/series!

↠ 3.5 stars

I just couldn't get into this one. Felt a lot like other things I've read, but it wasn't bad! Just wasn't doing it for me. I might revisit this though when I'm in a less slumpy mood.

Blending threads of mythology with courageous heroines and hints of romance against a mysterious fantastical backdrop inspired by folklore has recently found a huge space on bookshelves, and deservedly so. Whether it’s the recent YA fantasy, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh that retells a Korean folktale or the recent adult debut, Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan that is inspired by the Chinese legend of the moon goddess Chang’e. It’s time to make space on the shelf for A Magic Steeped in Poison — front-facing, of course, for the stunning cover illustrated by Sija Hong deserves all the attention.

Ning, a commoner in a village of the homely Su province, will do anything to save her sister’s life, including competing in a brutal magical tea-brewing competition. But the art of tea-making — an ancient magic of Shennong — no longer brings pride to her, only grief. The pain of losing her mother to a tea that Ning herself unknowingly brewed with poisoned leaves is insurmountable, and the guilt of having threatened the life of her younger sister with the same tea leaves her desperate to fetch a chance of turning things around. So when she receives an invitation to compete in the kingdom’s tea steeping competition and potentially win a royal favour, the acceptance isn’t surprising. It is this fairly immediate and passionate response to saving her loved one that establishes Ning as a protagonist of this debut that the Taiwanese-Canadian author rightly once said has “girls ready to burn down the world for their families”.

Consider reading this review over on my blog.

Holding tightly onto hope and the magic in her hands, this determined heroine who is easy to instantly root for, travels to the rich imperial city of Jia. But with a rising rebellion led by an old banished prince wanting to claim the throne for himself and a heavy yet palatable dose of court intrigue and royal politics, the kingdom isn’t the easiest to navigate. Not to mention the betrayals, unethical tactics, and ruthless contenders that make the competition a high-stakes one. The backstabbing dynamics are evidently inspiration from Chinese dramas; the struggle against oppressive regimes reminded me of Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan —in a good way because I love the trope and any number of books exploring it is less. And while the sabotages are thorns in Ning’s way to victory, an encounter with a handsome stranger further complicates her life.

These components impress even more when the prose paints each scene with a particular softness that almost reads like a marvellous dream. Intended or not, this praise even reflects in the lulling, romantic cover. The lyrical writing draws a sensory world with descriptions of cultural clues and infuses (pun very much intended) Chinese legends to build a detailed backdrop. Though, the aspect worth appreciating the most is the creation of a magic system based on ‘tea’ instead of the usual ‘chi’ that many fantasy tales based on East-Asian mythology are driven by.

It’s a relief to see the tea as a central force that consistently contributes to the story — whether when showcasing the diversity of regions within this world based on the different ways of brewing tea or when the magic system revolves around it: how you can relive memories or even break into someone’s mind through a magically brewed tea. Tea is truly synonymous to Asian culture so the refreshing and fascinating system of sorcery based on it definitely excites. In the midst of the competition, assassination attempts against the princess continue to intrigue; also greasing the plot enough for it to be a fast-paced thread that sits well with what is usually expected from a YA fantasy.

Judy I. Lin masters the act of not lifting the curtain all the way up. While various facets of the magic system and the major plotline are unravelled throughout this start to a duology that she says is “about leaving home to discover yourself, and finding the strength to continue even when the path is hard”, a lot will still make you crave resolution. This obviously translates into a cliffhanger that makes it almost impossible to not pick up the sequel, A Venom Dark and Sweet. Overall, this epic fantasy is lush in the word’s true sense —instead of as an overused adjective used to describe fantasy tales by authors of colour, but I digress— and unfolds in a beautiful world where treachery and betrayal brews in cups of aromatic magic.

Thank you, Feiwel & Friends, for the review copy!

➵ the author says it has 'girls ready to burn down the world for their families' and if that isn't the thing I look for in asian books, i'd be lying. also, this cover has won the best cover award so everyone can just leave now ok bye-

Book Review: A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

Judy I. Lin’s YA fantasy debut is set in a world where magic is practiced by shénnóng-shī, masters of the ancient and magical art of tea making. Ning’s mother was a powerful shénnóng-shī, and the tea leaves speak to Ning as well, though it is her sister who is to study the magical art. After Ning brews a cup of poisoned tea that takes her mother’s life and leaves her sister’s body failing, Ning must enter a competition in the imperial city for the chance to win a favour from the princess if she has any hope of saving her sister’s life. But things in the capital are not all that they seem; Ning must face bloodthirsty competitors, nefarious court politics, a mysterious boy and scheming princess, and a country on the brink of disaster.

A Magic Steeped in Poison is an absolute masterpiece. Beautifully written, with a vibrant magic system, a complex plot full of twisting politics, and at the centre of it all, an imperfect girl desperate to save the life of her sister. What more could you ask for? Lin’s writing style is lyrical and emotional, and her descriptions of tea preparation are absolutely mesmerizing. The story surrounding this incredible magic system is complicated and captivating in the best way.

I don’t have a single negative thing to say about this book. From the excellently developed characters to the winding politics and the magic competition, everything about this book pulls you in and refuses to let you go. The story takes its time, weaving its way through the numerous plot threads and fleshing out Ning as a character. Though the plot moves slowly, the magic of Lin’s writing and the beauty of the world and magic system kept me engaged the entire time. I was so immersed in the story, so moved and drawn in, that I made a point to brew a cup of tea whenever I sat down to read, just to feel more connected with what I was reading. Even the one relationship that I felt developed quicker than I would normally like had a beauty and simplicity to it, complicated and corrupted by the world in which these characters find themselves, so it was impossible to hold that against the story.

The characters in this book are beautifully fleshed out, and Ning is one of my favourite YA protagonists in some time. She is imperfect and flawed, but also vibrant and strong and easy to relate to. She is driven by the love of her family and is thrust into a world she does not understand; I think we can all relate to that in some way or another. The side characters in this story are not all fleshed out to the same degree, but their roles in the story help propel the plot and we learn enough about them to get invested in how they will figure into the plot of book two. The most interesting side characters are definitely Bo and the princess, who will each play a major role in the story going forward.

I am intrigued by how this story will progress in the sequel, which is coming in August! It looks like things will be expanding within both the political and magical conflicts, and I can’t wait to see where things go.

Book Review | A Magic Steeped In Poison by Judy I. Lin

I’ve been looking forward to A Magic Steeped In Poison by Judy I. Lin since I first saw the absolutely stunning cover, and I was even more interested after finding out it involved a competition! It was one of the books I listed within my top ten for most anticipated books for the first half of this year.

I really enjoyed this book, and the ENDING DEAR GOD. Honestly, I am extremely relieved that we don’t have too long to wait until book two (A Venom Dark and Sweet, due out August 23rd), because the ending had me in dire need of finding out what happens next.

Full review below.

About the Book

Title: A Magic Steeped In Poison
Series: The Book of Tea #1
Author: Judy I. Lin
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (US) Titan Books (UK)
Release Date: March 29th 2022 (US) September 6th 2022 (UK)
Pages: 384
Source: US hardcover purchased because I couldn’t wait for the UK paperback edition
Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Review

A Magic Steeped In Poison begins with Zhang Ning being at home, planning to take a trip to the shennong-shi competition in the imperial city. Technically, the invite should be taken by her sister, Shu, but she’s dreadfully ill after being poisoned with tea. This poison tea is a key part of A Magic Steeped In Poison, as Ning’s main mission is to find a way to save her sister. She also wants to find out how it could have happened in the first place. If you like political games in books… you’ll really like this part.

The magic itself is tea magic, and there are moments where the shennong-tu (apprentices taking part in the competition) create some beautiful displays of their power, including Ning herself. When Ning enters the competition, she quickly befriends Luo Lian, who is one of the most adorable characters. She’s so sweet and trusting towards Ning from the very beginning and, though it takes Ning a while to know she can trust her, they end up having one of the sweetest friendships.

With Ning and Lian both being the sweetest, they quickly make friends with kitchen staff whilst helping in there. It becomes a lovely little found family for Ning and it was really enjoyable whenever the other characters were in scenes with her. It also helps Ning to uncover some things she didn’t know about her family before her stay in the palace.

Although found family is a strong element whilst Ning is away from her family, it’s clear throughout that her main motivation remains to be Shu, her sister. If you enjoy reading books with strong sister bonds involved then you’ll easily appreciate the love between the two in A Magic Steeped In Poison.

‘Let the world burn, if Shu can live.’

Relationship-wise, I’m not going to name Ning’s love interest… but I will say that I loved his character. There’s so much to him and I just hope we see a lot more of him in the next book!

The mysteries within the story had me hooked from the very beginning, and I’m most definitely planning on reading the second book as soon as it arrives. If you enjoy stories with found family, East Asian fantasies and unique magic then this is a book you most definitely should check out!

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The abilities of a poison mage are both awe-inspiring and terrifying. They can create poisonous vapors that suffocate their enemies, conjure venomous creatures to do their bidding, or infuse their weapons with deadly toxins to incapacitate or kill their foes. Poison mages are also masters of disguise, able to blend seamlessly into their surroundings by exuding poisonous pheromones or altering their appearance to take on the guise of a harmless creature. However, this power comes at a great cost. Poison magic is highly volatile and unpredictable. One wrong move or miscalculation can result in disastrous consequences. The poisonous energies that flow through a poison mage's body can corrupt their mind and slowly eat away at their physical form, leading to a slow and painful death. This makes the training and discipline required to master poison magic a perilous and demanding journey that only a few are willing to undertake. Furthermore, the use of poison magic is often met with fear and revulsion by others. The destructive nature of this magic has led to its condemnation by many societies. Poison mages are seen as outcasts and are often hunted by those who seek to rid the world of their dangerous powers. They operate in the shadows, keeping their identities hidden and their motives veiled. In conclusion, the world of poison magic is a treacherous and deadly one. Its practitioners walk a delicate line between power and destruction, constantly teetering on the edge of their own demise. While its abilities may be formidable, the toll it takes on both the wielder and the world around them cannot be ignored. Only those brave enough to embrace the poison can hope to control its magic and survive its toxic grasp..

Reviews for "Unveiling the Mysteries of Poison Magic: A Synopsis"

1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to read "Synopsis of a magic steeped in poison" because I'm a huge fan of fantasy novels. Unfortunately, I found this book to be incredibly confusing and hard to follow. The plot was convoluted and the characters were underdeveloped. I struggled to connect with the story and at times felt like giving up. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others.

2. John - 1/5 stars - As someone who loves magic and adventure, I was highly disappointed with "Synopsis of a magic steeped in poison." The book lacked a coherent storyline and the writing style was fragmented and difficult to engage with. I found myself constantly questioning what was happening and who the characters were. The author seemed to prioritize creating an air of mystery over crafting a compelling narrative. I would not recommend this book to fans of the genre.

3. Emma - 2/5 stars - "Synopsis of a magic steeped in poison" had potential, but ultimately fell flat for me. The world-building was minimal and I never felt fully immersed in the story. The magic system wasn't well explained and left me confused about how it worked. Additionally, the pacing was uneven with long stretches of slow development followed by rushed and unsatisfying conclusions. While the concept was interesting, the execution left much to be desired. I would suggest looking elsewhere for a more immersive and well-written fantasy novel.

Poisonous Potions and Wicked Incantations: A Synopsis of a Dark Magic Tradition