I love stories that are bound in mysteries and a race against time to save the life of a dear friend. The Antidote by Shelley Sackier was a true delight to read from start to finish, and a true testament to the bonds of friendship and the power that healing can have on burdened hearts. It’s a story that offers vivid descriptions and teases the reader with just the right amount of information to turn the page and find out how the story will end. Though this seems to be a standalone, I would love to be able to revisit this world at some point.
This story takes place in a world where magic is outlawed, even if the intention is to use the magic as a life saving device. Instead, the world relies on healers, relying on traditional medicine to help cure people, the information passed down for generations, becoming its own revered art. Fee (Ophelia) must keep the magic within her a secret, except a deadly illness has overtaken the kingdom, and her best friend and crown prince Xavi along with it. Entrusted with saving him, it falls upon her to do her best not to use her magic, though growing more desperate after each failed attempt to save him causes her to stumble, opening up a world of secrets and magic she needs to untangle. However, not everyone wants her to unravel what has been so painstakingly hidden; Fee must work fast or become a victim herself.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect out of this book, partially because so much about it is wrapped around in mystery. The story feels like a puzzle from the start, with a mysterious prologue and characters we get little backstory on to frame the story with. However, it develops into a strong story with a Swan Princess-like atmosphere sans a princess actually turning into a swan. I really loved reading about Fee, she was definitely a character I liked. She’s funny, brash, and fairly quick-witted despite the mystery surrounding her magic. Along with that is that her friendship with Xavi doesn’t extend beyond friendship. The esteem that they have for one another jumped off of the page, it was an aspect that was very well-developed to me. There’s no love triangle to worry about, and I enjoyed that too.
While much of this story is focused on curing Xavi, and figuring out the mystery surrounding Fee’s magic, it does spare some time for some romance. I wasn’t the biggest fan of her love interest at first, though by the end, I begrudgingly accepted him, and I think readers will either love him or hate him just a little bit. The character does grow as the story progresses, which is part of the reason I accepted him as Fee’s love interest. Though the story isn’t so much centered on the characters as it is on the plot itself, I felt that several of the character had good developments within the story. There were a couple of characters that I would like to have seen more of, as I felt they were key characters that weren’t highlighted as well as others.
Some of the problems that I had while reading were in terms of pacing and world building. The pacing drags a little at the beginning, tending to lean more toward information heavy than other stories. Not enough to detract readers from the story, just enough to slow you down. I also felt that I needed more world building within the story. There were moments that I couldn’t picture the story as well as in others, which bummed me out because it’s got amazing potential. There are fairytale-esque moments that are spellbinding and captivating so I was a little disappointed not to see more of them throughout the book. I’d love to read another book set within this world to give it another try. Again, it does seem to be a standalone, but regardless, I’d love the opportunity to know more about the world.
The rating that I’d give The Antidote is a 8/10. It’s a fun read that has moments of whimsy, is focused more on friendship than it is on romance, and though it does not overwhelm readers with tons of information. I was able to finish the book in an afternoon, and has such a stunning cover. Though there were things that needed work, it was overall a very enjoyable and sweet story.
The Antidote is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Magic is not allowed, under any circumstances — even if it could save someone’s life. Instead, there are herbal remedies and traditional techniques that have been painstakingly recorded in lieu of using the mystical arts. Fee knows this, so she keeps her magic a secret.
Except her best friend, Xavi, is deathly ill. He’s also the crown prince. Saving him is important, not only for her, but for the entire kingdom.
Fee’s desperation to save her friend means she can barely contain the magic inside her. And after the tiniest of slips, Fee is thrust into a dark and secretive world that is as alluring as it is dangerous.
If she gives in, it could mean she can save Xavi. But it also means that those who wish to snuff out magic might just snuff her out in the process.
