MAY 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Carolyn Kang sounds appropriately young and earnest as Ning, a teenager determined to save her sister’s life in this historical fantasy inspired by Chinese culture and mythology. She’s sick from the same poison that killed their mother, and Ning believes that her only hope for an antidote is to follow in her mother’s footsteps and compete to become Princess Zhen's official shennong-shi, a wielder of tea magic. While Kang gives only subtle vocal distinctions to the characters Ning encounters, her pronunciation of Chinese names and words adds to the atmosphere and intricate world-building. As she and her competitors perform the tea rituals, Ning is swept up in palace intrigue, violent political upheaval, and questions about whom she can trust. A cliff-hanger ending will leave listeners anticipating the sequel. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
★ 04/04/2022
Lin’s fast-paced, immersive debut, a duology opener, follows 17-year-old Zhang Ning, who is a shénnóng-tú, an apprentice of the magical art of tea-making. Something she once took pride in, the ancient magic of Shénnóng now only recalls bad memories of the tea that killed her mother and now threatens the life of her younger sister, Shu—a tea that Ning herself unknowingly brewed with poisoned leaves. When she receives an invitation to compete in the kingdom’s tea steeping competition, whose grand prize is a royal favor that could save her sister, Ning travels to Jia, the rich and elegant imperial city that is a far cry from her village in the homely Sù province. But sabotage and bloody court politics threaten her chance at winning, and Ning’s life is further complicated when encounters with a handsome stranger distract her from her goal. The Chinese mythology–inspired world captivates and enthralls, and Lin’s lush descriptions—combined with Ning’s calm yet determined voice—are a feast for the senses (“Memories slip from beneath the opened lid with a sigh, as if they’ve been waiting for me there in the tea-scented dark”). Back matter includes a pronunciation guide and an author’s note. Ages 13–up. Agent: Rachel Brooks, BookEnds Literary. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for A Magic Steeped in Poison:
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A 2022 PEOPLE Magazine Best Book of Summer
A Cosmopolitan Best YA Book of 2022
A USA Today Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
An ABA Indie Bestseller
An ABA Indies Introduce Selection
An ABA Indies Next Pick
An Indigo Best YA Book of 2022
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2022
A BookRiot Best YA Book of 2022
A YALSA Best YA of 2022 Selection
A 2023 ALA Rise List Selection
"Ning’s unforgettable voice and the lush, atmospheric settings will enchant readers in this high-stakes story of deadly magic. ... Lin blends Chinese folklore with a thrilling mystery. It's the perfect recipe for a page-turner." —Booklist, starred review
"[A] fast-paced, immersive debut ... The Chinese mythology–inspired world captivates and enthralls, and Lin’s lush descriptions—combined with Ning’s calm yet determined voice—are a feast for the senses." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Beautifully written, from the setting to the magic system, A Magic Steeped in Poison is sure to enchant both fantasy lovers and cdrama aficionados. I’ll be inhaling whatever Judy I. Lin brews up next." —Joan He, New York Times-bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find
"Blend threads of Chinese and Taiwanese mythology with a generous pinch of courage, a hint of romance, and a underlying note of mystery, then steep in a pot of court intrigue and serve in a bowl of evocative storytelling … Who could resist a fantasy about the magic of tea? In her remarkable debut novel, Judy I. Lin creates a world rich in folkloric magic, in which a young woman must stand up against the machinations of the powerful, centuries of protocol, and her own feelings of guilt in order to save a loved one." —Juliet Marillier, award-winning author of the Sevenwaters series
"A breathtaking tale with a stunning magic system rooted deep in Chinese mythology and tea-making traditions. Lin's originality truly blew my mind. Love and magic overflows past the brim in this work of beauty." —Xiran Jay Zhao, New York Times-bestselling author of Iron Widow
"Lush, descriptive prose sells the well-built magic system of this world, and every plot twist surprises and delights, making this a rich fantasy page-turner. As much a political thriller as a fantasy, this is a quieter, excellent companion to Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow and Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights. The ending will have readers begging for the sequel." —School Library Journal
"Vivid descriptions of foods and scents of tea delight the senses, while cinematic prose captures the beauty of the landscapes ... The magic system is unique, and the tea competition, with its well-established importance to the protagonist, adds tension. ... This sophisticated fantasy is as refreshing as a freshly brewed pot of tea, and readers will eagerly await the sequel." —The Bulletin
"Creative and compelling ... Food as magic is a favorite trope of mine, and tea, with all its variations and real-life medical applications, is a very clever medium to focus on." —NPR
"Blends traditional tea-making with familiar tropes about magic and medicine to create something that feels wonderfully new." —Paste Magazine
"With intrigue, inventive magic, and the sequel scheduled for August, make reading this one a priori-tea!" —Buzzfeed
School Library Journal
02/01/2022
Gr 9 Up—In a kingdom in turmoil, Ning sees a chance to save her sister by competing in the royal shennong shi trials, a magic that uses tea to heal and protect that she was taught by her mother. Wracked with guilt over brewing the tea that unknowingly poisoned her mother and sister, Ning believes this is the only way to save her sister Shu, and that she must win the trial in order to ask the princess for a cure. A chance encounter with a boy in a tea shop almost proves to be her undoing when it is revealed that he is the adopted son of the princess's exiled uncle, but Ning proves herself worthy in the competition with her magic and her kindness. With so much to fight for, Ning has to balance court politics, the difficult tests, and romance as a dangerous plot surrounds the princess and threatens to tear the kingdom in two. Lush, descriptive prose sells the well-built magic system of this world, and every plot twist surprises and delights, making this a rich fantasy page-turner. As much a political thriller as a fantasy, this is a quieter, excellent companion to Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow and Chloe Gong's Our Violent Delights. The ending will have readers begging for the sequel. VERDICT A recommended purchase for any collection with a large fantasy readership.—Stacey Shapiro
MAY 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Carolyn Kang sounds appropriately young and earnest as Ning, a teenager determined to save her sister’s life in this historical fantasy inspired by Chinese culture and mythology. She’s sick from the same poison that killed their mother, and Ning believes that her only hope for an antidote is to follow in her mother’s footsteps and compete to become Princess Zhen's official shennong-shi, a wielder of tea magic. While Kang gives only subtle vocal distinctions to the characters Ning encounters, her pronunciation of Chinese names and words adds to the atmosphere and intricate world-building. As she and her competitors perform the tea rituals, Ning is swept up in palace intrigue, violent political upheaval, and questions about whom she can trust. A cliff-hanger ending will leave listeners anticipating the sequel. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
