"I used to look at my hands with pride.
Now, all I can think is, These are the hands that buried my mother".
"I understand now. The magic is not in the ceremony of pouring the tea or the sharing of the cup. It is in the connection, the brief joining of souls. The tea leaves are a channel, the ingredients the signposts".
A Magic Steeped in Poison is a YA fantasy debut by #1 New York Times bestselling author Judy I. Lin (released 6 September 2022). The thrilling combination of fantasy and romance is based on the Chinese mythology as well as the cultural traditions of tea.
Ning lives with her family in a small village in the Sù province. Her beloved mother has died recently, having injested a poisoned tea, brewed by Ning. Her sister Shu is slowly dying from the same poison.
Ning is racked with guilt, since it was she who served the deadly brew to her mother and sister, not realising it's being poisoned. Her late mother was one of the shénnóng-shī , and Ning has learnt many skills of the tea art from her.
"People who don't know any better often reduce the shénnóng-shī to the role of the skilled entertainer, able to artfully pour and present the common drink. Trained shénnóng-shī are proficient at the basic, of course - the flavours appropriate for different occasions, the correct shape and make of the cup to match the tea being served. But the true wielders of shénnóng magic have their unique specialties. Some brew teas for emotions - compassion, hope, love. Others are able to imbue the body with energy or encourage the drinker to remember something long thought lost. They move past the walls of the body and into the sould itself".
Ning has always felt different, like she doesn't belong in the village. "Even when Mother was alive, even when I was happy in the garden with my family, I always felt like I was orbiting them, occupying a similar space but charting my own invisible course, with no idea where it would take me."
When an invitation arrives from the Imperial court for all the shénnóng-shī to attend a tea competition, Ning leaves her home, hoping to win the competition and the royal favour which might or might not save the life of her sister.
The imperial city of Jia is a nest of vipers. There is a threat of a rising rebellion led by the banished prince. The current emperor is sick, and nobody has seen him for ages. His young daughter, Princess Li Ying-Zhen, tries to navigate the political intrigues with a ruthless abandon.
Against this venomous background, the tea brewing competition reveals its dark side. The competitors would go to any lengths to discredit their opponents and win the main prize - the favour from the princess and the position at court.
While visiting the town to get ingredients for the first round of the tournament, Ning meets a mysterious young man who sets her heart aflutter. He appears to be charming and courteous, but there is a barely concealed sadness about him too. Just what is he hiding?
As the competition progresses, there is a lot at stake. Ning finds herself in danger, getting inadvertently involved in the bloody court politics, and torn between her loyalties and sense of justice.
Who will win the much coveted prize?
A Magic Steeped in Poison is a spectacular tale of magic, ancient Chinese mythology and tea culture. It will make an epic series for Netflix or Disney +, someone give them a nudge! I can easily imagine the tea ceremony rituals in slow motion. The scenes of the contest are written so expressively, they are a visual feast of colours, scents and tastes.
Some of the fighting scenes made me think of one of my favourite films, The House of Flying Daggers with its visually distinct aesthetics. There are similar themes of the corrupt government, evil officials and ruthless rebels.
The contest tasks are a combination of craftsmanship, elegance, beauty and extreme cruelty.
As a self-confessed tea addict with over a hundred of different kinds of tea in my kitchen, I found the theme of a tea brewing competition a great selling point. All the magic revolves around tea: it gives strength, helps look inside someone's inner thoughts and desires, it also has dangerous qualities which could leave one incapacitated or dead. The tea is the absolute element, which could cure or kill. The juxtaposition of life and death through the power of tea is at the heart of the concept of this story.
I loved the descriptions of the tea properties, food from different regions and the kitchen insights. The first test of the competition is to brew a tea that is a perfect accompaniment to the dish from the competitiors' home provinces.
The descriptions of different teas are a joy to read. "Silver Needle is a tribute tea, each leaf plucked individually from the tree by hand. The weight is so featherlight, even the slightest movement of the water sends each strand swirling in a vortex, down to a point. That is where it is said to be able to pierce the veil, to draw out the fine thread of truth from the mind".
This book is part 1 of a duology, and ends on a cliffhanger. The second book will be published in January 2023.
A Magic Steeped in Poison will sweep you away. Bold, romantic, fast-paced, and infused with magic.
I should also mention the most exquisite book cover illustration by Sija Hong (book cover design by Rich Deas and Kathleen Breitenfeld).
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