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Mothsblood
An ambitious alchemist must uncover her university's dark secrets while trying to escape from her mysterious past in this electrifying debut.
On a rain-soaked night in modern-day Paris, Larkspur Lee and her academic rivals find themselves at the center of an impossible crime-the murder of their university's headmistress, the immortal Petronelle Flamel.
In the aftermath of Flamel's death, the school devolves into chaos. The mysterious investigator assigned to the case, Violaine, believes a cult known as the Promethean Genesis is responsible for Flamel's murder. But Lark, who knows all too well what kind of horrors that the Prometheans commit, will do anything to stay out of the cult's reach. Matters are complicated when the mentor she crossed an ocean and a continent to escape re-enters her life, enticing her to his side once again while secretly wielding an agenda of his own.
As the Prometheans' plans come to fruition and the university's dark history comes to light, Lark has no choice but to decide whether the power she desires is truly worth the price.
On a rain-soaked night in modern-day Paris, Larkspur Lee and her academic rivals find themselves at the center of an impossible crime-the murder of their university's headmistress, the immortal Petronelle Flamel.
In the aftermath of Flamel's death, the school devolves into chaos. The mysterious investigator assigned to the case, Violaine, believes a cult known as the Promethean Genesis is responsible for Flamel's murder. But Lark, who knows all too well what kind of horrors that the Prometheans commit, will do anything to stay out of the cult's reach. Matters are complicated when the mentor she crossed an ocean and a continent to escape re-enters her life, enticing her to his side once again while secretly wielding an agenda of his own.
As the Prometheans' plans come to fruition and the university's dark history comes to light, Lark has no choice but to decide whether the power she desires is truly worth the price.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2026
About the author
Lynn D. Jung
6 books225 followersLynn D. Jung is a speculative fiction writer from southern California. She has since dwelled in France, Costa Rica, and Thailand, but she is currently based in the Midwest.
Lynn loves to write about complex women, haunted scenery, and strange magic. You can find her most often out amongst the trees or through the videos on her eponymous YouTube channel, where she discusses her writing and her publishing journey thus far.
Lynn loves to write about complex women, haunted scenery, and strange magic. You can find her most often out amongst the trees or through the videos on her eponymous YouTube channel, where she discusses her writing and her publishing journey thus far.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 398 reviews
November 10, 2026
This was a beautiful dark academia standalone debut with an intricate alchemical magic system and lush writing to match. This was definitely a case of right book, wrong time for me because this had so much going for it and I just wasn’t in the headspace to fully appreciate it. Things I enjoyed about this:
- the gothic dark academia setting
- sapphic romantic subplot
- murder mystery
I unfortunately didn’t connect to the story or characters as much as I would have liked but I think that probably does come down to picking this up when I was in a reading slump🥲
- the gothic dark academia setting
- sapphic romantic subplot
- murder mystery
I unfortunately didn’t connect to the story or characters as much as I would have liked but I think that probably does come down to picking this up when I was in a reading slump🥲
September 3, 2026
What if you got everything you could want off the dark academia moodboard and it still sucked?
Mothsblood follows Larkspur, a student attending the alchemical school Meurdrac in Paris, and the series of alchemical trials she undertakes in order to become an apprentice to the (in)famous Pernelle Flamel. But after Pernelle is abruptly murdered and her former mentor Victor Goodwin reappears, Lark's past begins chasing after her.
Mothsblood reads like a dark academia Pinterest board. CIGARETTE in the PARISIAN RAIN. BLACK COAT on the COBBLESTONES. RED WINE and CROISSANT while READING an OLD BOOK. At times we approach the territory of camp. At first I saw the story as good, but not particularly novel for the genre. Fans of RF Kuang's Katabasis, Mark Prins' The Latinist, and Kamilah Cole's An Arcane Inheritance would find *more* of what they're already interested in, but nothing *new*.
I think this changes by the halfway point. Mothsblood is only the dark academia book I've found that actually considers that academia isn't for everyone - which is a huge part of academia! By the end of my freshman year of college, half of the people in my circle had dropped out or transferred. For a genre so concerned with the shortcomings of higher learning, it's interesting that most don't see leaving as an option. Mothsblood acknowledges the archetype of a student who's willing to risk it all, who's given everything to be here, and also acknowledges that it's possible (and maybe even right) for that person to step out.
I also love that Larkspur is a total bitch and that she doesn't explain that away.
I'm not sure that Mothsblood is quite at the level of Dark Academia Canon; there's still a few too many inconsistencies with plotting and pacing to really define the genre. But I was pleasantly surprised by it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC
Mothsblood follows Larkspur, a student attending the alchemical school Meurdrac in Paris, and the series of alchemical trials she undertakes in order to become an apprentice to the (in)famous Pernelle Flamel. But after Pernelle is abruptly murdered and her former mentor Victor Goodwin reappears, Lark's past begins chasing after her.
Mothsblood reads like a dark academia Pinterest board. CIGARETTE in the PARISIAN RAIN. BLACK COAT on the COBBLESTONES. RED WINE and CROISSANT while READING an OLD BOOK. At times we approach the territory of camp. At first I saw the story as good, but not particularly novel for the genre. Fans of RF Kuang's Katabasis, Mark Prins' The Latinist, and Kamilah Cole's An Arcane Inheritance would find *more* of what they're already interested in, but nothing *new*.
I think this changes by the halfway point. Mothsblood is only the dark academia book I've found that actually considers that academia isn't for everyone - which is a huge part of academia! By the end of my freshman year of college, half of the people in my circle had dropped out or transferred. For a genre so concerned with the shortcomings of higher learning, it's interesting that most don't see leaving as an option. Mothsblood acknowledges the archetype of a student who's willing to risk it all, who's given everything to be here, and also acknowledges that it's possible (and maybe even right) for that person to step out.
I also love that Larkspur is a total bitch and that she doesn't explain that away.
I'm not sure that Mothsblood is quite at the level of Dark Academia Canon; there's still a few too many inconsistencies with plotting and pacing to really define the genre. But I was pleasantly surprised by it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC
April 10, 2026
Oh my god?????
Mothsblood is an utterly brilliant debut - truly, I am so blown away by Lynn’s ability to weave (or perhaps I shall say transform) syntax into something equal parts lyrical, heartrending, and transportive - Lynn took us to the heart of Paris with her lush descriptions of the cityscape.
When does the pursuit of knowledge become the pursuit of power?
This is the question that Mothsblood wrestles with, and it is the question that each character must separately contend with. It truly reads like a novels-length power struggle, casting a critical eye on elitism and power hierarchies within the institution of academia. It is almost disconcerting how the hunger for power transforms and alters individuals into something unrecognizable and even grotesque, and we are forced to watch as each character clamors over the others in a desperate bid to be the one to come out on top.
Mothsblood follows Larkspur Lee, who has traveled to Paris to attend Meurdrac, the world renowned institution for alchemical studies. Lark is an alchemist, and she plans on making her name in the world of alchemy known - what better way to do this than to win the contest for apprenticeship under Petronelle Flamel, one of the Deathless alchemists who have cheated death through the use of the Philosopher’s Stone?
However, immortality remains a fickle and imperfect science, and Lark soon finds herself in the middle of Petronelle’s murder investigation. Who killed Petronelle, and how? And why does Lark’s former mentor from California appear at the academy shortly after her death?
And most importantly, what is the price of ambition, and at what point does it become too steep?
Mothsblood is an utterly brilliant debut - truly, I am so blown away by Lynn’s ability to weave (or perhaps I shall say transform) syntax into something equal parts lyrical, heartrending, and transportive - Lynn took us to the heart of Paris with her lush descriptions of the cityscape.
When does the pursuit of knowledge become the pursuit of power?
This is the question that Mothsblood wrestles with, and it is the question that each character must separately contend with. It truly reads like a novels-length power struggle, casting a critical eye on elitism and power hierarchies within the institution of academia. It is almost disconcerting how the hunger for power transforms and alters individuals into something unrecognizable and even grotesque, and we are forced to watch as each character clamors over the others in a desperate bid to be the one to come out on top.
Mothsblood follows Larkspur Lee, who has traveled to Paris to attend Meurdrac, the world renowned institution for alchemical studies. Lark is an alchemist, and she plans on making her name in the world of alchemy known - what better way to do this than to win the contest for apprenticeship under Petronelle Flamel, one of the Deathless alchemists who have cheated death through the use of the Philosopher’s Stone?
However, immortality remains a fickle and imperfect science, and Lark soon finds herself in the middle of Petronelle’s murder investigation. Who killed Petronelle, and how? And why does Lark’s former mentor from California appear at the academy shortly after her death?
And most importantly, what is the price of ambition, and at what point does it become too steep?
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'm so happy I got to read this early 😭 FLEW through the book. It was gothic; it was twisty; I had so much fun! What a bold and beautiful world of alchemy Lynn has created here! Can’t wait for it to be out
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
oh my buttery bagels
you are not ready
Stunning. full review when I have calmed down
you are not ready
Stunning. full review when I have calmed down
May 15, 2026
3.5 stars if I could (thanks goodreads 🙄)
I have very mixed feelings about Mothsblood, there’s a lot here that I really admired even though I’m not entirely sure it was 100% the book for me personally.
First of all, this book is DEEPLY character-driven. If you love messy protagonists and stories that really dig into the uglier sides of trauma, grief, obsession, and survival, I can absolutely see this hitting incredibly hard!! Lynn D. Jung clearly had a very specific vision for these characters and committed to it fully.
Lark especially is SUCH an interesting protagonist because she is not written to be easily lovable. She’s sharp-edged, guarded, selfish at times, angry, deeply affected by everything she’s been through, and the book never tries to smooth those traits over to make her more palatable. I actually really respected that. Her trauma feels woven into the way she thinks and reacts rather than existing as backstory decoration, which made her feel very real.
That said, I also think this was part of why I struggled to fully connect emotionally at times. Because the story is so tightly rooted in Lark’s perspective and inner world, some of the side characters ended up feeling less developed than I wanted them to be. Characters like Kareem and Violaine especially fascinated me, and I kept wishing we had a little more time with them outside of how Lark perceived them.
The writing itself is beautiful in a very dark, atmospheric way. The whole book has this heavy, almost suffocating tone that completely immerses you in the world and the emotional state of the characters. There’s a constant sense of tension and unease simmering underneath everything that I thought was really well done.
I think where the book slightly lost me was that sometimes the interpersonal dynamics and emotional subtext seemed to take precedence over plot momentum. Which is obviously intentional!!! But it did mean there were points where I felt more intellectually engaged than emotionally invested.
Still, even though this wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I can absolutely appreciate what the author was doing here. It’s ambitious, emotionally raw, and refreshingly uninterested in making its characters “easy.” I have a feeling this is going to be one of those books people either completely adore or bounce off hard.
Thank you to Lynn D. Jung, Cornerstone, and NetGalley for the eARC!
I have very mixed feelings about Mothsblood, there’s a lot here that I really admired even though I’m not entirely sure it was 100% the book for me personally.
First of all, this book is DEEPLY character-driven. If you love messy protagonists and stories that really dig into the uglier sides of trauma, grief, obsession, and survival, I can absolutely see this hitting incredibly hard!! Lynn D. Jung clearly had a very specific vision for these characters and committed to it fully.
Lark especially is SUCH an interesting protagonist because she is not written to be easily lovable. She’s sharp-edged, guarded, selfish at times, angry, deeply affected by everything she’s been through, and the book never tries to smooth those traits over to make her more palatable. I actually really respected that. Her trauma feels woven into the way she thinks and reacts rather than existing as backstory decoration, which made her feel very real.
That said, I also think this was part of why I struggled to fully connect emotionally at times. Because the story is so tightly rooted in Lark’s perspective and inner world, some of the side characters ended up feeling less developed than I wanted them to be. Characters like Kareem and Violaine especially fascinated me, and I kept wishing we had a little more time with them outside of how Lark perceived them.
The writing itself is beautiful in a very dark, atmospheric way. The whole book has this heavy, almost suffocating tone that completely immerses you in the world and the emotional state of the characters. There’s a constant sense of tension and unease simmering underneath everything that I thought was really well done.
I think where the book slightly lost me was that sometimes the interpersonal dynamics and emotional subtext seemed to take precedence over plot momentum. Which is obviously intentional!!! But it did mean there were points where I felt more intellectually engaged than emotionally invested.
Still, even though this wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I can absolutely appreciate what the author was doing here. It’s ambitious, emotionally raw, and refreshingly uninterested in making its characters “easy.” I have a feeling this is going to be one of those books people either completely adore or bounce off hard.
Thank you to Lynn D. Jung, Cornerstone, and NetGalley for the eARC!
September 8, 2026
4.25 stars. Wow I am shocked that this is a debut novel. Incredibly lush and poignant writing. This is a dark academia fantasy that felt unique within the genre. We are thrown into the crowded, rainy streets of Paris and into a world renowned Parisian alchemical school of magic called Meurdrac. The headmistress is Petronelle Flamel, an undying magician with dark secrets, and we follow our main character Larkspur, who is incredibly complex and comes from a very dark past.
This book has everything you could want in a dark academia fantasy - the shadowy, eerie vibes, a murder mystery, a class competition, buried secrets, institutional corruption, abuse of power, and tons of moral ambiguity. Jung’s writing style was so immersive, I felt I was present within this story rather than watching it unfold from the outside. And I truly believe she nailed the moody atmospheric setting and developing a reader-character connection.
That being said, the plot itself at times had a choppy pace. It made it difficult to transition from scene to scene or connect different parts of the book together, which is the main reason this wasn’t a higher rating for me.
Overall, this was a really well-done debut. Please be aware that this book is quite dark and contains heavy subject matter, so check content triggers before reading: grooming of a minor, SA, coercive power, and significant drug and alcohol use.
This book has everything you could want in a dark academia fantasy - the shadowy, eerie vibes, a murder mystery, a class competition, buried secrets, institutional corruption, abuse of power, and tons of moral ambiguity. Jung’s writing style was so immersive, I felt I was present within this story rather than watching it unfold from the outside. And I truly believe she nailed the moody atmospheric setting and developing a reader-character connection.
That being said, the plot itself at times had a choppy pace. It made it difficult to transition from scene to scene or connect different parts of the book together, which is the main reason this wasn’t a higher rating for me.
Overall, this was a really well-done debut. Please be aware that this book is quite dark and contains heavy subject matter, so check content triggers before reading: grooming of a minor, SA, coercive power, and significant drug and alcohol use.
September 8, 2026
4,5⭐️
Ohhhh wow masterpiece de las academias con alquimia, transmutaciones etc etc
Me ha gustado mucho muchísimo. Lo oscura que es la prota?? Bffff perfecta, toma decisiones egoístas constantemente pero que es TAN REAL
La ambientación me parece otro de los puntos fuertes, esta súper lograda. Creo que lo peor puede ser que es algo complicado de entender al principio sobre todo, y hay cosas del sistema de alquimia que me hubiera gustado entender mejorrrr
Que sea lento es necesario porque los personajes tienen una construcción brutal. Ojo los trigger warnings, y les añadiría que tiene escenas un poco repugnantes. No llega a gore pero si que da repelus
Nosequemadecir, la trama ha trameado, todo bien hilado y con sentido sisisisisi
Lo único por lo que no pongo las 5 es por eso de que se hace a veces algo complicado y denso peeeero que es la vida sin complicaciones?
Epílogo OBLIGATORIO de leer 🖤
Ohhhh wow masterpiece de las academias con alquimia, transmutaciones etc etc
Me ha gustado mucho muchísimo. Lo oscura que es la prota?? Bffff perfecta, toma decisiones egoístas constantemente pero que es TAN REAL
La ambientación me parece otro de los puntos fuertes, esta súper lograda. Creo que lo peor puede ser que es algo complicado de entender al principio sobre todo, y hay cosas del sistema de alquimia que me hubiera gustado entender mejorrrr
Que sea lento es necesario porque los personajes tienen una construcción brutal. Ojo los trigger warnings, y les añadiría que tiene escenas un poco repugnantes. No llega a gore pero si que da repelus
Nosequemadecir, la trama ha trameado, todo bien hilado y con sentido sisisisisi
Lo único por lo que no pongo las 5 es por eso de que se hace a veces algo complicado y denso peeeero que es la vida sin complicaciones?
Epílogo OBLIGATORIO de leer 🖤
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I need this book injected into my veins!
The prose in this is so beautiful I was instantly drawn into this book. The story is set against the backdrop of a secret alchemy university in the heart of rainy Paris and the world that the author created was so atmospheric and interesting. I loved the morally grey protagonist with her unabashed ambition and drive and I thought that her characterisation and character arc were handled really well. Most of the characters are very morally grey but I loved their relationships and how they slowly grew on each other.
This is true dark academia - it digs into the science of alchemy but also explores the darkness of these types of institutions. It does have some dark themes (abuse and body horror) but I really liked how these were used to further the story. There is also a sapphic romance subplot which I really enjoyed and I loved how the moths were incorporated in the book.
If you like Babel and A Study in Drowning then you will love this!
This is a standalone dark academia fantasy book set at Meurdrac University for alchemy in Paris. We follow Larkspur Lee, a Korean-American student at Meurdrac, when the immortal alchemist Petronelle Flamel announces a competition for a role as her apprentice. Lark is determined to win because the apprenticeship doesn't just prove that she is the best but it also comes with the chance to become immortal. But when Petronelle is murdered Lark is thrust into a conspiracy that exposes secrets lurking behind the university and darks ties to Lark's past. When the abusive mentor she has spent years running from arrives in Paris, Lark decides to work with Violaine, her fellow competitor for the apprenticeship, to solve Petronelle's murder.
Thank you so much to Del Rey for this proof copy! 🦋
The prose in this is so beautiful I was instantly drawn into this book. The story is set against the backdrop of a secret alchemy university in the heart of rainy Paris and the world that the author created was so atmospheric and interesting. I loved the morally grey protagonist with her unabashed ambition and drive and I thought that her characterisation and character arc were handled really well. Most of the characters are very morally grey but I loved their relationships and how they slowly grew on each other.
This is true dark academia - it digs into the science of alchemy but also explores the darkness of these types of institutions. It does have some dark themes (abuse and body horror) but I really liked how these were used to further the story. There is also a sapphic romance subplot which I really enjoyed and I loved how the moths were incorporated in the book.
If you like Babel and A Study in Drowning then you will love this!
This is a standalone dark academia fantasy book set at Meurdrac University for alchemy in Paris. We follow Larkspur Lee, a Korean-American student at Meurdrac, when the immortal alchemist Petronelle Flamel announces a competition for a role as her apprentice. Lark is determined to win because the apprenticeship doesn't just prove that she is the best but it also comes with the chance to become immortal. But when Petronelle is murdered Lark is thrust into a conspiracy that exposes secrets lurking behind the university and darks ties to Lark's past. When the abusive mentor she has spent years running from arrives in Paris, Lark decides to work with Violaine, her fellow competitor for the apprenticeship, to solve Petronelle's murder.
Thank you so much to Del Rey for this proof copy! 🦋
Did Not Finish
September 10, 2026DNF at 35%
I tried my best... Sadly after reading so much I still had no real connection or emotional attachment to story and characters. Mothsblood is character driven story in climatic Paris that is the cradle of alchemy.
My biggest issue was writing - use of (too many) metaphors, very flowery descriptions with narration written in past tense gave such weird mix! I understand that this was attempt to made atmosphere more "french", gothic, mysterious and magical, but for me it clearly missed the mark.
What stole my heart? Each scene where alchemy was put into use it felt more than just magical and I really loved read these paragraphs - one of the most interesting parts of the story!
I am not saying this book is bad, just doesn't fit my tastes and looking at other reviews I can tell other people will give it love it deserves!
Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review
I tried my best... Sadly after reading so much I still had no real connection or emotional attachment to story and characters. Mothsblood is character driven story in climatic Paris that is the cradle of alchemy.
My biggest issue was writing - use of (too many) metaphors, very flowery descriptions with narration written in past tense gave such weird mix! I understand that this was attempt to made atmosphere more "french", gothic, mysterious and magical, but for me it clearly missed the mark.
What stole my heart? Each scene where alchemy was put into use it felt more than just magical and I really loved read these paragraphs - one of the most interesting parts of the story!
I am not saying this book is bad, just doesn't fit my tastes and looking at other reviews I can tell other people will give it love it deserves!
Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review
tbr-physical
January 20, 2026Update: We have a cover reveal! The target audience being for those who loved Ninth House and Blood Over Bright Haven, oh my dark academia fantasy heart cannot be contained☕️🕯️🍂 If someone wants to slip an arc my way, I would not be mad about it🙏🏼
I've had my eyes on this since stumbling on Lynn D. Jung's WIP on Twitter/X. Have been following Jung's writing journey on YouTube ever since, and so excited we've reached this point!
I've had my eyes on this since stumbling on Lynn D. Jung's WIP on Twitter/X. Have been following Jung's writing journey on YouTube ever since, and so excited we've reached this point!
October 23, 2026
I’ve a bit of a hard time pinning down my experience with Mothsblood. The writing is impressive for a debut, and the story felt both unique and stereotypical for dark academia. So I think that people that enjoy this genre will love this book, because it will feel both familiar and fresh.
I also enjoyed Lark as the main character, she’s not written to be lovable and relatable, and that was a refreshing take.
But while the writing is beautiful, it also takes on a feeling of being dark and suffocating. This made me struggle a bit, because it affected the pacing and overall descriptions. For example, I felt like my understanding of the alchemy used were lost in flowery language and subtext.
Given also that the pacing weren’t consistent, it took a bit of effort to get through the book and that’s why I landed on this rating.
I also enjoyed Lark as the main character, she’s not written to be lovable and relatable, and that was a refreshing take.
But while the writing is beautiful, it also takes on a feeling of being dark and suffocating. This made me struggle a bit, because it affected the pacing and overall descriptions. For example, I felt like my understanding of the alchemy used were lost in flowery language and subtext.
Given also that the pacing weren’t consistent, it took a bit of effort to get through the book and that’s why I landed on this rating.
October 1, 2026
If you're here for an unlikeable FMC and extremely moody Parisian dark academia vibes, without too many boring bits sitting around in classrooms and libraries -- have at it (and skip the rest of this review.)
Personally, I wasn't expecting the unlikeability, and though I am entirely here for the woes of a disaster human from time to time, Lark was unappealing to me because she was So Passive. She's taken one really big action before the book starts, and even that takes way too long to be explained in the story, given how much it is teased. But now she's now at the premier school for alchemy where she, and I quote, "breezes through her classes" and is top of her class, and is working on her own project -- but all the intensity is told, not shown. A heap of plot happens near her, she makes as few decisions as possible, mostly letting the story shove her along, and then we get to some actively bad and painful actions. Yeah, zero redeeming "watching the carcrash" moments here.
Add to that the whiplash of some genuinely lovely turns of phrase, mixed up with excessively fancy words used wrongly or awkwardly, and I really did struggle. Some examples (that I'll delete if they turn out to be gone from the release copy, I can but hope!): a prettily-described pâtisserie paragraph, followed by "Against this rather puerile backdrop" ... what was 'childish', exactly? "The café sits on an innocuous corner", surely most corners are innocuous, in fact, I'm not sure I can picture a menacing corner. A "near-omniscient cloud of cigarette smoke" -- I hope that's 'omnipresent' or else this is a completely different level of horror to the one marketed. By the time I got to the "black mold gestating on the ceiling" and shouting at my tablet, 'that is biologically wrong and metaphorically weird', this book and I were thoroughly done. Shoutout for a reasonable level of closure at the end, at least.
Rating: 13/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance review copy provided by the publisher at NetGalley.
Personally, I wasn't expecting the unlikeability, and though I am entirely here for the woes of a disaster human from time to time, Lark was unappealing to me because she was So Passive. She's taken one really big action before the book starts, and even that takes way too long to be explained in the story, given how much it is teased. But now she's now at the premier school for alchemy where she, and I quote, "breezes through her classes" and is top of her class, and is working on her own project -- but all the intensity is told, not shown. A heap of plot happens near her, she makes as few decisions as possible, mostly letting the story shove her along, and then we get to some actively bad and painful actions. Yeah, zero redeeming "watching the carcrash" moments here.
Add to that the whiplash of some genuinely lovely turns of phrase, mixed up with excessively fancy words used wrongly or awkwardly, and I really did struggle. Some examples (that I'll delete if they turn out to be gone from the release copy, I can but hope!): a prettily-described pâtisserie paragraph, followed by "Against this rather puerile backdrop" ... what was 'childish', exactly? "The café sits on an innocuous corner", surely most corners are innocuous, in fact, I'm not sure I can picture a menacing corner. A "near-omniscient cloud of cigarette smoke" -- I hope that's 'omnipresent' or else this is a completely different level of horror to the one marketed. By the time I got to the "black mold gestating on the ceiling" and shouting at my tablet, 'that is biologically wrong and metaphorically weird', this book and I were thoroughly done. Shoutout for a reasonable level of closure at the end, at least.
Rating: 13/20
This review is based upon a complimentary advance review copy provided by the publisher at NetGalley.
February 24, 2026
Unfortunately I think I wasn’t the right reader for this book! The world building, set up, and magic based on Alchemy was true exciting and innovative. Even the dynamics that the school creates is fascinating and it was a very good take on the elitism and “social capital” necessary to make it through elitist institutions.
For some reason, I couldn’t get hooked on the story, and some aspects of the storyline were confusing for me. Thank you NetGalley and Cornerstone for the ARC.
For some reason, I couldn’t get hooked on the story, and some aspects of the storyline were confusing for me. Thank you NetGalley and Cornerstone for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
E-ARC generously provided by Bloomsbury in exchange for a review! Thank you so much.
4 stars. Feverishly beautiful and dark academia in the truest sense, Mothsblood is a hypnotic debut from an author to watch.
4 stars. Feverishly beautiful and dark academia in the truest sense, Mothsblood is a hypnotic debut from an author to watch.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
UPDATE: decided to be nice and give mothsblood an extra half star. still think part of this was written by AI but at least the author isn't being an asshole about it and shading me on threads and plotting with her friends to report my account ahh the bar is underground these days.
Original review: I want to say I'm not the audience and someone else might enjoy mothsblood, but I truly question anyone who reads this book and is able to root for the main character. tw: bullying. the main character remind me so much of one of my high school bullies, who is unnecessarily mean, even when other people try so hard to be nice to her. I findthe main character to be very narcissistic and only cares about herself, and is deeply selfish, and rude, and just MEAN! unless you have a kink for a narcissism and enjoy watching mean girls bully her fellow students, I would not recommend this book. I made it 32% before dnfing. maybe the book gets better later on, but at 32% nothing has happened. the book is very meandering, and nothing makes sense. the writing is also TERRIBLE. so bad I questioned multiple times whether some lines were written by AI because it did not make sense!!!!!! i wonder if the author put lines into an ai software and asked it to rewrite it, and it spew out the most thersaurus nonsense anyone has ever read. has anyone read that meme where the original line is the tree is green and looks up on thersaurus and comes out with the tree is photosenthesis? this is what reading this book felt like.
free copy from edewleiss all opinions are my own. I am not a professional reviewer and do this in my spare time so please be nice
Original review: I want to say I'm not the audience and someone else might enjoy mothsblood, but I truly question anyone who reads this book and is able to root for the main character. tw: bullying. the main character remind me so much of one of my high school bullies, who is unnecessarily mean, even when other people try so hard to be nice to her. I findthe main character to be very narcissistic and only cares about herself, and is deeply selfish, and rude, and just MEAN! unless you have a kink for a narcissism and enjoy watching mean girls bully her fellow students, I would not recommend this book. I made it 32% before dnfing. maybe the book gets better later on, but at 32% nothing has happened. the book is very meandering, and nothing makes sense. the writing is also TERRIBLE. so bad I questioned multiple times whether some lines were written by AI because it did not make sense!!!!!! i wonder if the author put lines into an ai software and asked it to rewrite it, and it spew out the most thersaurus nonsense anyone has ever read. has anyone read that meme where the original line is the tree is green and looks up on thersaurus and comes out with the tree is photosenthesis? this is what reading this book felt like.
free copy from edewleiss all opinions are my own. I am not a professional reviewer and do this in my spare time so please be nice
October 28, 2026
i don't care that something good (reading this book) happened to me. it should have happened to you instead
April 30, 2026
There’s no denying that this is beautifully written. Lynn D. Jung is an absolute wordsmith, crafting a rich, deeply immersive academic world layered with a dark, gothic atmosphere. Set in a modern-day Paris that somehow feels suspended in a bygone era, Mothsblood leans fully into its dark academia roots, complete with lectures, thesis work, and a tangible sense of intellectual obsession. If you want your dark academia to actually feel academic, this delivers. Entomology lovers especially will enjoy this.
I loved the alchemical university setting at Meurdrac and the intricate, well-researched worldbuilding. The integration of alchemical sciences into a contemporary setting was fascinating, and the inclusion of historical figures will be a treat for anyone familiar with the history of alchemy and the Philosopher’s Stone. The atmosphere is easily one of the book’s strongest elements: moody, gothic, and almost suffocating at times.
Thematically, this explores identity, elitism in academia, the pursuit of knowledge, the abuse of power, blind ambition, and who ultimately pays the price for it. There’s also a sapphic romance subplot woven through the story, which I really enjoyed, but wish had been a little more developed.
That said, this is where my experience became more conflicted. The pacing felt inconsistent, and at times the heavy focus on atmosphere and verbose prose came at the expense of narrative momentum. I found it difficult to stay connected to both the plot and the characters, and certain threads were introduced with weight but never felt fully resolved (Petronelle’s journal, the automatons, and the contention between magic and alchemy).
The murder mystery initially hooked me with a compelling setup, but it seemed to resolve surprisingly early, which left the latter half of the book feeling somewhat directionless. I’m usually able to build theories about where a story is going, but here I felt a bit lost until the end. The final 15% was the most gripping part, finally delivering the tension and momentum I had been waiting for, though getting there was a struggle at times.
There is also this surreal, fever-dream quality to parts of the narrative. While likely intentional, it made it difficult to fully trust what was real or stay grounded in the story. Between alchemised substances, alcohol, hallucinations, mentions of black mould, and body horror, I often found myself questioning how reliable Lark was as a narrator.
Lark herself is a complex and flawed FMC, clearly shaped by her trauma and abuse. Her self-destructive coping mechanisms make her feel real and layered, but also, at times, difficult to like and root for. Outside of her dynamic with her mentor/abuser, which is one of the more developed and disturbing relationships, many of the side relationships felt underexplored, making it hard to form a deeper emotional connection with her peers, romantic interest, and teachers.
I do want to highlight that the eARC I received did not include content warnings, which significantly impacted my reading experience. I also could not find any listed on the author’s website at the time of reading. Had I been aware beforehand, I likely would have made a different choice about picking it up. While I think the abusive relationship and its impact on Lark was handled well and realistically, the fawning and subsequent abuse were difficult to read.
There were aspects I genuinely loved, but ultimately this just wasn’t the right fit for me 💔 Despite my mixed feelings, I still think this is an incredibly strong debut. It is ambitious, atmospheric, and clearly written with a lot of care and intention. I can absolutely see this resonating with readers who love richly detailed dark academia, gothic fantasy, and morally complex characters, especially if you do not mind slower pacing and heavier subject matter.
Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers at Random House UK, Del Rey for the advanced copy!
Content Warnings: (mild spoilers)
I loved the alchemical university setting at Meurdrac and the intricate, well-researched worldbuilding. The integration of alchemical sciences into a contemporary setting was fascinating, and the inclusion of historical figures will be a treat for anyone familiar with the history of alchemy and the Philosopher’s Stone. The atmosphere is easily one of the book’s strongest elements: moody, gothic, and almost suffocating at times.
Thematically, this explores identity, elitism in academia, the pursuit of knowledge, the abuse of power, blind ambition, and who ultimately pays the price for it. There’s also a sapphic romance subplot woven through the story, which I really enjoyed, but wish had been a little more developed.
That said, this is where my experience became more conflicted. The pacing felt inconsistent, and at times the heavy focus on atmosphere and verbose prose came at the expense of narrative momentum. I found it difficult to stay connected to both the plot and the characters, and certain threads were introduced with weight but never felt fully resolved (Petronelle’s journal, the automatons, and the contention between magic and alchemy).
The murder mystery initially hooked me with a compelling setup, but it seemed to resolve surprisingly early, which left the latter half of the book feeling somewhat directionless. I’m usually able to build theories about where a story is going, but here I felt a bit lost until the end. The final 15% was the most gripping part, finally delivering the tension and momentum I had been waiting for, though getting there was a struggle at times.
There is also this surreal, fever-dream quality to parts of the narrative. While likely intentional, it made it difficult to fully trust what was real or stay grounded in the story. Between alchemised substances, alcohol, hallucinations, mentions of black mould, and body horror, I often found myself questioning how reliable Lark was as a narrator.
Lark herself is a complex and flawed FMC, clearly shaped by her trauma and abuse. Her self-destructive coping mechanisms make her feel real and layered, but also, at times, difficult to like and root for. Outside of her dynamic with her mentor/abuser, which is one of the more developed and disturbing relationships, many of the side relationships felt underexplored, making it hard to form a deeper emotional connection with her peers, romantic interest, and teachers.
I do want to highlight that the eARC I received did not include content warnings, which significantly impacted my reading experience. I also could not find any listed on the author’s website at the time of reading. Had I been aware beforehand, I likely would have made a different choice about picking it up. While I think the abusive relationship and its impact on Lark was handled well and realistically, the fawning and subsequent abuse were difficult to read.
There were aspects I genuinely loved, but ultimately this just wasn’t the right fit for me 💔 Despite my mixed feelings, I still think this is an incredibly strong debut. It is ambitious, atmospheric, and clearly written with a lot of care and intention. I can absolutely see this resonating with readers who love richly detailed dark academia, gothic fantasy, and morally complex characters, especially if you do not mind slower pacing and heavier subject matter.
Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers at Random House UK, Del Rey for the advanced copy!
Content Warnings: (mild spoilers)
August 8, 2026
I honestly don’t even know how to coherently formulate my thoughts, what a whirlwind of a book, of a story.
In this debut, we follow an alchemist that find herself in the middle of a murder at her university. Where a dark with dark secrets past resurfaces & entangle itself in the present.
I have mixed feelings about this book. There are some things that I enjoyed, and while also thinking it might not 100% be the book for me. Our FMC is an unlikeable character, it was hard for me to form an opinion on her.
One of the biggest things that was hard for me, is that it was difficult to connect to the story and characters, and found myself confused and lost a lot. For a standalone, there were also quite a lot of plot holes and things left unanswered (the moths being a major one!), which frustrated me in the end.
This story is definitely intriguing and will leave you guessing for the entirety of the journey. It is dark & twisted, and oh so gothic and dark-academia coded! Which I did enjoy.
With all of that being said, it may not have been the perfect fit for me, but I do appreciate the author’s depth that she put into this story and the details for the alchemy-based magic set up.
Thank you to NetGalley & Bloomsbury for the earc and the chance to read this book early 🫶
In this debut, we follow an alchemist that find herself in the middle of a murder at her university. Where a dark with dark secrets past resurfaces & entangle itself in the present.
I have mixed feelings about this book. There are some things that I enjoyed, and while also thinking it might not 100% be the book for me. Our FMC is an unlikeable character, it was hard for me to form an opinion on her.
One of the biggest things that was hard for me, is that it was difficult to connect to the story and characters, and found myself confused and lost a lot. For a standalone, there were also quite a lot of plot holes and things left unanswered (the moths being a major one!), which frustrated me in the end.
This story is definitely intriguing and will leave you guessing for the entirety of the journey. It is dark & twisted, and oh so gothic and dark-academia coded! Which I did enjoy.
With all of that being said, it may not have been the perfect fit for me, but I do appreciate the author’s depth that she put into this story and the details for the alchemy-based magic set up.
Thank you to NetGalley & Bloomsbury for the earc and the chance to read this book early 🫶
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF
I really need to stop trusting publishers/apps when they label books as "lesbian" and thats totally on me. This was very bisexual and I love that for the baddie bi's.
But please stop saying a books is prominently lesbian when most of the book has M/F sex.
This is in no way me being negative towards the author as I know they have very little to no control over how things are labeled/marketed.
I think other people will love this one! However it is, unfortunately, not for me.
I really need to stop trusting publishers/apps when they label books as "lesbian" and thats totally on me. This was very bisexual and I love that for the baddie bi's.
But please stop saying a books is prominently lesbian when most of the book has M/F sex.
This is in no way me being negative towards the author as I know they have very little to no control over how things are labeled/marketed.
I think other people will love this one! However it is, unfortunately, not for me.
October 27, 2026
I can't deny that Lynn D. Jung writes beautifully, albeit a little bit too unnecessarily flowery at times. It captures the magical feeling it was conveying, especially with the alchemy because there was an edge to it, and the author did that well. I was quite taken with the book during part 1 and was looking forward to it, only for it to go downhill.
My main problem is that I was promised a masterclass in dark academia but not getting what I was expecting from something that's supposed to be dark academia. What is it with dark academia recently that has a female main character and instead of having her spend the majority of the book uncovering the rot in academic institutions and how classist and misogynist it can be, we instead focuses more on personal bullshit. Yes, because Lark's stupid obsession with her ex-mentor is more important than the mystery that's going on and her convincing herself that he's the key to uncovering it all. The fact that she ended up admitting to not wanting to get away from him truly pisses me off even more. Trust that I adore main characters who are morally fucked, mean, a total bitch, self-serving, and isn't scared to use other people for her own gain, but Lark is just a bitch who is also a sexist piece of shit especially for that one scene she has with Celine. This book felt more like the aesthetic of dark academia and the foundations of it, but the actually gritty details of it are lost because it cares more about making Lark an unconventional and selfish main character instead of addressing the core of what the genre has to explore.
The last part makes the book a tiny bit better, but only because they're finally doing something to stop Victor, and even then it feels like a cop out since Lark genuinely flipped so hard it was like she had to be that way so the plot can finally conclude, which shows how inconsistent she is as a main character. Her wills and motives keep flipping around depending on what the author wants her to be, and I'm left with an ugly mixture of spineless, annoying, stupid and blind, but also mean spirited and ambitious. Not to mention how the plot was all over the place with holes, and it was filled by shoddy patches that don't end neatly. What makes me sad is Part 1 has so much potential, but the book ended up being a shallow exploration of dark academia.
My main problem is that I was promised a masterclass in dark academia but not getting what I was expecting from something that's supposed to be dark academia. What is it with dark academia recently that has a female main character and instead of having her spend the majority of the book uncovering the rot in academic institutions and how classist and misogynist it can be, we instead focuses more on personal bullshit. Yes, because Lark's stupid obsession with her ex-mentor is more important than the mystery that's going on and her convincing herself that he's the key to uncovering it all. The fact that she ended up admitting to not wanting to get away from him truly pisses me off even more. Trust that I adore main characters who are morally fucked, mean, a total bitch, self-serving, and isn't scared to use other people for her own gain, but Lark is just a bitch who is also a sexist piece of shit especially for that one scene she has with Celine. This book felt more like the aesthetic of dark academia and the foundations of it, but the actually gritty details of it are lost because it cares more about making Lark an unconventional and selfish main character instead of addressing the core of what the genre has to explore.
The last part makes the book a tiny bit better, but only because they're finally doing something to stop Victor, and even then it feels like a cop out since Lark genuinely flipped so hard it was like she had to be that way so the plot can finally conclude, which shows how inconsistent she is as a main character. Her wills and motives keep flipping around depending on what the author wants her to be, and I'm left with an ugly mixture of spineless, annoying, stupid and blind, but also mean spirited and ambitious. Not to mention how the plot was all over the place with holes, and it was filled by shoddy patches that don't end neatly. What makes me sad is Part 1 has so much potential, but the book ended up being a shallow exploration of dark academia.
August 5, 2026
Soul shattering, haunting and beautifully flawed, Moothsblood is the kind of book that leaves a lasting impression.
Our FMC is complex and hard to grasp at times, but she has so many layers to her that explain the precise nature of her character. I felt her unease and confusion so clearly through her contradicting actions, and it kept me invested in her character because I was desperate to understand why she was the way she was.
Moothsblood is about dismantling a system that is wrong on so many levels. It’s a journey of discovery, where we, alongside the main character, find out just how wrong our perception was towards the magical system and the hierarchy within it.
The ending was phenomenal. Full of tension, secrets that are revealed and rage that makes us boil, and, amidst it all, a quiet yet very persistent love that was there all along. In absolute awe with the way this story unfolded and with where it brought us readers at the end.
Tears were shed. Hearts were broken and chests were left hollowed out, a feeling that can only be experienced when an incredible story comes to an end.
Our FMC is complex and hard to grasp at times, but she has so many layers to her that explain the precise nature of her character. I felt her unease and confusion so clearly through her contradicting actions, and it kept me invested in her character because I was desperate to understand why she was the way she was.
Moothsblood is about dismantling a system that is wrong on so many levels. It’s a journey of discovery, where we, alongside the main character, find out just how wrong our perception was towards the magical system and the hierarchy within it.
The ending was phenomenal. Full of tension, secrets that are revealed and rage that makes us boil, and, amidst it all, a quiet yet very persistent love that was there all along. In absolute awe with the way this story unfolded and with where it brought us readers at the end.
Tears were shed. Hearts were broken and chests were left hollowed out, a feeling that can only be experienced when an incredible story comes to an end.
October 28, 2026
𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒔𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘
Thank you to Del Rey and the author for the digital galley of this book through Netgalley.
Sentí mucha intriga al leer Mothsblood por las siguientes cosas: Alquimia, academia, misterio y romance sáfico.
Me he paseado por un par de reseñas antes y cuando me he encontrado con esto, es que me entusiasmé y me ganó la curiosidad. Me pareció un buen mix.
Así que la reseña se va a estructurar de esa manera, porque también siento que son como los puntos más claves del libro. Que, en general, me ha gustado, ha estado bien, pero pues hasta ahí.
Como si, al borde de la línea de meta, se le desinfló una llanta. Y quedó ahí.
Ya me explico. Primero, contexto.
París, una ciudad por siempre emblemática con su arquitectura clásica y atmósfera de misticismo, ha sido el nuevo hogar de Larkspur Lee (Lark) desde hace un año, aunque no precisamente por algo de todo esto.
París esconde uno de los secretos más singulares: una sociedad secreta que influye en el mundo entre las sombras gracias a la alquimia. Y por primera vez en un largo tiempo, uno de sus líderes inmortales le abrirá las puertas como pupilo a aquél estudiante de Meurdrac -la más renombrada academia de alquimistas- que pruebe ser no sólo excepcional, sino el mejor.
Una oportunidad que Lark no piensa dejar pasar, y que podría conseguirle todo lo que necesita en la vida. Fortuna, prestigio, vida eterna...y un escape para siempre de su pasado.
Y cuando las cosas al fin parecían encaminarse en su favor, la tragedia deja a la academia sumida en el desconcierto y el peligro, pareciendo arrebartarle a Lark su único gran deseo y trayendo de vuelta fantasmas que creía olvidados cruzando el mar.
Conspiraciones, amenazas y extrañas alianzas determinarán su destino y el de la alquimia, y cualquier error podría exponer sus secretos a las personas equivocadas.
🪲🕯️𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
Opinion
⚗️𝐀𝐥𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐚 (𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠)
El desarrollo de la alquimia en Mothsblood me pareció absolutamente fascinante. En gran medida bastante preciso y metódico. (No que yo tenga conocimiento real del tema, me refiero a cómo se explicaba y la estructura que siguió), lo que me hace pensar que la autora realizó una investigación muuuuuy buena al respecto. Es que lo describe con tanto tecnicismo, hay mucha filosofía, teoría, cosas que te envuelven perfectamente en esa atmósfera académica espectacular.
Hace que sientas, como lector, que eres un estudiante más, que llevas vida y media metiendo la cabeza en libros de química y física pura, botánica, biología y ve a saber qué más. En este aspecto específico resultó increíble porque te da una base del cómo funciona el resto de esta sociedad con respecto al mundo moderno, incluso te ayuda a entender cómo piensa nuestra protagonista y lo que está dispuesta a hacer para pertenecer.
Sólo hay un par de escenas que no me han bajado por la garganta con la implicación directa de ella experimentando con animales VIVOS, así que es cierto que Lark y yo, amigas no seríamos, pero veo el contexto del por qué lo hace. No me gusta, pero lo veo.
Meurdrac, que también considero parte vital del world building, me parece que podría tener un potencial enorme. Dentro de este instituto no sólo se practica la alquimia, hay un montón de cosas dentro de este concepto de "ciencia o estudios herméticos" que me parecieron súper interesantes y que le habrían aportado más al libro si se hubiesen desarrollado un poco más.
No porque a mí me de la gana, sino porque tenían relación directa con hechos de la trama, pero se sintió como si sólo los hubiesen arrojado ahí por cualquier motivo y lector que vea qué hace con eso. Y ya.
Así que todavía tengo varias preguntas sobre qué pasaba con todo eso que ya no sé si se van a responder, la verdad.
Pienso que un segundo POV hubiese hecho bien para expandir el conocimiento del lector con respecto al mundo y con respecto a cómo se mueven estos círculos internos de alquimia desde la perspectiva de alguien que pudiera estar más involucrado, porque Lark no pertenecía directamente a esos círculos y tampoco le importaba mucho aquello que no fuera información vital para ella (lo cual es lógico, por eso lo del segundo pov habría sido un buen apoyo).
🫀𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨 (𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚)
La trama que nos presenta la historia es bastante interesante.
Hablamos de un asesinato que ocurre entre los líderes más importantes del mundo de la alquimia y que pone en desequilibrio su futuro.
Sin pretenderlo, Lark se encuentra atrapada entre el caos que este crimen sin respuesta aparente deja, y y la aparición en Meurdrac de aquella persona por la que sacrificó todo para escapar.
En este punto un nuevo personaje también aparece. Violaine, una enigmática miembro de la orden de caballeros que protege a los más altos rangos entre los alquimistas.
Las cosas son tensas entre ellas al inicio. No confían la una en la otra, pero se vuelven la clave para descubrir quién está detrás de todo...
Había momentos donde la trama se atascaba un poco, y luego momentos donde pasaban mil cosas a la vez. Momentos que la narrativa era tan atmosférica que era fácil imaginar todo lo que pasaba, y otros donde mejores detalles habrían solidificado las resoluciones finales.
Creo que es standalone, por lo que el final se me hizo un poco demasiado abierto, así que no me sorprendería si de la nada saliera otro libro.
🥀𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬
Lark es un muy buen personaje. Es ambiciosa, inteligente, y su compás moral se resume a: sobrevivir para ganar, ganar para sobrevivir.
No necesitas estar de acuerdo con ella para entenderla, pero resulta fascinante ver cómo se desenvuelve en el mundo donde siente que no sólo tiene que hacerse un lugar siendo mitad koreana, mitad americana, si no que dentro de un círculo social donde el poder y el conocimiento lo son todo, y su habilidad con la alquimia podría ser lo único que pueda ayudarla a triunfar en ambos.
No diría que es un libro especialmente romántico. Sí hay cierto romance, pero no es lo que dirige la trama, pero tuvo una buena evolución.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🪲🕯️⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
En general, disfruté Mothsblood. Le dió a mi yo de academia mucho por lo cuál sentir curiosidad y emoción, pero no lo amé tanto como había esperado.
3.75 ★
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Some quotes I loved
★"𝐆𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐚𝐢 𝐏𝐫𝐨́𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐬. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫."
★"𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬. 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞."
★“𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞.”
Thank you to Del Rey and the author for the digital galley of this book through Netgalley.
Sentí mucha intriga al leer Mothsblood por las siguientes cosas: Alquimia, academia, misterio y romance sáfico.
Me he paseado por un par de reseñas antes y cuando me he encontrado con esto, es que me entusiasmé y me ganó la curiosidad. Me pareció un buen mix.
Así que la reseña se va a estructurar de esa manera, porque también siento que son como los puntos más claves del libro. Que, en general, me ha gustado, ha estado bien, pero pues hasta ahí.
Como si, al borde de la línea de meta, se le desinfló una llanta. Y quedó ahí.
Ya me explico. Primero, contexto.
París, una ciudad por siempre emblemática con su arquitectura clásica y atmósfera de misticismo, ha sido el nuevo hogar de Larkspur Lee (Lark) desde hace un año, aunque no precisamente por algo de todo esto.
París esconde uno de los secretos más singulares: una sociedad secreta que influye en el mundo entre las sombras gracias a la alquimia. Y por primera vez en un largo tiempo, uno de sus líderes inmortales le abrirá las puertas como pupilo a aquél estudiante de Meurdrac -la más renombrada academia de alquimistas- que pruebe ser no sólo excepcional, sino el mejor.
Una oportunidad que Lark no piensa dejar pasar, y que podría conseguirle todo lo que necesita en la vida. Fortuna, prestigio, vida eterna...y un escape para siempre de su pasado.
Y cuando las cosas al fin parecían encaminarse en su favor, la tragedia deja a la academia sumida en el desconcierto y el peligro, pareciendo arrebartarle a Lark su único gran deseo y trayendo de vuelta fantasmas que creía olvidados cruzando el mar.
Conspiraciones, amenazas y extrañas alianzas determinarán su destino y el de la alquimia, y cualquier error podría exponer sus secretos a las personas equivocadas.
🪲🕯️𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
Opinion
⚗️𝐀𝐥𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐚 (𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠)
El desarrollo de la alquimia en Mothsblood me pareció absolutamente fascinante. En gran medida bastante preciso y metódico. (No que yo tenga conocimiento real del tema, me refiero a cómo se explicaba y la estructura que siguió), lo que me hace pensar que la autora realizó una investigación muuuuuy buena al respecto. Es que lo describe con tanto tecnicismo, hay mucha filosofía, teoría, cosas que te envuelven perfectamente en esa atmósfera académica espectacular.
Hace que sientas, como lector, que eres un estudiante más, que llevas vida y media metiendo la cabeza en libros de química y física pura, botánica, biología y ve a saber qué más. En este aspecto específico resultó increíble porque te da una base del cómo funciona el resto de esta sociedad con respecto al mundo moderno, incluso te ayuda a entender cómo piensa nuestra protagonista y lo que está dispuesta a hacer para pertenecer.
Sólo hay un par de escenas que no me han bajado por la garganta con la implicación directa de ella experimentando con animales VIVOS, así que es cierto que Lark y yo, amigas no seríamos, pero veo el contexto del por qué lo hace. No me gusta, pero lo veo.
Meurdrac, que también considero parte vital del world building, me parece que podría tener un potencial enorme. Dentro de este instituto no sólo se practica la alquimia, hay un montón de cosas dentro de este concepto de "ciencia o estudios herméticos" que me parecieron súper interesantes y que le habrían aportado más al libro si se hubiesen desarrollado un poco más.
No porque a mí me de la gana, sino porque tenían relación directa con hechos de la trama, pero se sintió como si sólo los hubiesen arrojado ahí por cualquier motivo y lector que vea qué hace con eso. Y ya.
Así que todavía tengo varias preguntas sobre qué pasaba con todo eso que ya no sé si se van a responder, la verdad.
Pienso que un segundo POV hubiese hecho bien para expandir el conocimiento del lector con respecto al mundo y con respecto a cómo se mueven estos círculos internos de alquimia desde la perspectiva de alguien que pudiera estar más involucrado, porque Lark no pertenecía directamente a esos círculos y tampoco le importaba mucho aquello que no fuera información vital para ella (lo cual es lógico, por eso lo del segundo pov habría sido un buen apoyo).
🫀𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨 (𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚)
La trama que nos presenta la historia es bastante interesante.
Hablamos de un asesinato que ocurre entre los líderes más importantes del mundo de la alquimia y que pone en desequilibrio su futuro.
Sin pretenderlo, Lark se encuentra atrapada entre el caos que este crimen sin respuesta aparente deja, y y la aparición en Meurdrac de aquella persona por la que sacrificó todo para escapar.
En este punto un nuevo personaje también aparece. Violaine, una enigmática miembro de la orden de caballeros que protege a los más altos rangos entre los alquimistas.
Las cosas son tensas entre ellas al inicio. No confían la una en la otra, pero se vuelven la clave para descubrir quién está detrás de todo...
Había momentos donde la trama se atascaba un poco, y luego momentos donde pasaban mil cosas a la vez. Momentos que la narrativa era tan atmosférica que era fácil imaginar todo lo que pasaba, y otros donde mejores detalles habrían solidificado las resoluciones finales.
Creo que es standalone, por lo que el final se me hizo un poco demasiado abierto, así que no me sorprendería si de la nada saliera otro libro.
🥀𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬
Lark es un muy buen personaje. Es ambiciosa, inteligente, y su compás moral se resume a: sobrevivir para ganar, ganar para sobrevivir.
No necesitas estar de acuerdo con ella para entenderla, pero resulta fascinante ver cómo se desenvuelve en el mundo donde siente que no sólo tiene que hacerse un lugar siendo mitad koreana, mitad americana, si no que dentro de un círculo social donde el poder y el conocimiento lo son todo, y su habilidad con la alquimia podría ser lo único que pueda ayudarla a triunfar en ambos.
No diría que es un libro especialmente romántico. Sí hay cierto romance, pero no es lo que dirige la trama, pero tuvo una buena evolución.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🪲🕯️⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
En general, disfruté Mothsblood. Le dió a mi yo de academia mucho por lo cuál sentir curiosidad y emoción, pero no lo amé tanto como había esperado.
3.75 ★
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Some quotes I loved
★"𝐆𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐚𝐢 𝐏𝐫𝐨́𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐬. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫."
★"𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬. 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞."
★“𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞.”
Read
June 2, 2026I really wanted to love this and I mostly did - it grappled with a lot of themes similar to RF Kuang's Katabasis and Babel, and was extremely atmospheric and eerie. Unpacked the unbalanced power structures of academia hidden within of universities and mentorships, picked at threads of misogyny, emotional manipulation and abuse, substance abuse, sexual violence, and how being 'the other' particularly the racial discrimination faced as a Korean in Paris, worked to unsettle and unseat our deeply problematic protagonist. I loved her at times (yay for messy bisexuals) but god she needed a break.
It was fascinating and I enjoyed the body horror inherent in the alchemy of it all - transformation big important vibe here - but I was disappointed by the momentum in the middle, where all our energy was sapped. Important context sadly did bog us down, and this felt long.
It was fascinating and I enjoyed the body horror inherent in the alchemy of it all - transformation big important vibe here - but I was disappointed by the momentum in the middle, where all our energy was sapped. Important context sadly did bog us down, and this felt long.
Review of advance copy
This was an interesting one to me, for sure. I think there is so much here that I appreciated and enjoyed, starting with how interesting and complex the characters were, the prose was wonderful and so immersive, the world this is set in also is incredibly wonderful, so well developed, and so easy to get lost in. I most definitely enjoyed the narration, which played a huge part in my overall experience with this one.
I think my main issue is that I had troubles connecting with the story itself and the characters, maybe exactly because of everything I have mentioned. I feel like at times it all somehow went to damage the rest of it on a more basic level, if that makes sense? I also felt like the pacing was a little all over the place, which led to it dragging on for way longer than needed at times.
This is an incredibly well-written, interesting, clearly carefully thought-out novel, and I can genuinely appreciate that. And I do, I really do. Which is why I feel very reluctant to say I think it simply wasn't for me. Which is not to say I didn't enjoy; I did venture out of my comfort zone with this one, so I knew what I was stepping into. But honestly, I would do it over again, because it was fun, I had fun. I just don't think it will stick with me.
Biggest thanks to Libro.fm & Bloomsbury for the ALC; all opinions are my own.
I think my main issue is that I had troubles connecting with the story itself and the characters, maybe exactly because of everything I have mentioned. I feel like at times it all somehow went to damage the rest of it on a more basic level, if that makes sense? I also felt like the pacing was a little all over the place, which led to it dragging on for way longer than needed at times.
This is an incredibly well-written, interesting, clearly carefully thought-out novel, and I can genuinely appreciate that. And I do, I really do. Which is why I feel very reluctant to say I think it simply wasn't for me. Which is not to say I didn't enjoy; I did venture out of my comfort zone with this one, so I knew what I was stepping into. But honestly, I would do it over again, because it was fun, I had fun. I just don't think it will stick with me.
Biggest thanks to Libro.fm & Bloomsbury for the ALC; all opinions are my own.
October 25, 2026
mothsblood reads like a 2014 dark academia tumblr feed, set in the grungey streets of paris and cloaked in cigarette smoke
i have mixed feelings as on paper this had all the elements I love and I admire yet I found myself having to really push myself to pick the book back up once I’d set it down
I appreciate messy FMCs, and Lark was certainly flawed. there were so many layers of trauma and grief that shaped her as a character and resulted in her making many questionable decisions. I found the dynamic between her and Victor deeply uncomfortable (which was intentional) especially as we were drip fed bits of their history throughout, revealing a much larger history of grooming and predatory abuse.
the story itself wrapped up beautifully and the writing phenomenal, i just think this one wasn’t quite for me
i have mixed feelings as on paper this had all the elements I love and I admire yet I found myself having to really push myself to pick the book back up once I’d set it down
I appreciate messy FMCs, and Lark was certainly flawed. there were so many layers of trauma and grief that shaped her as a character and resulted in her making many questionable decisions. I found the dynamic between her and Victor deeply uncomfortable (which was intentional) especially as we were drip fed bits of their history throughout, revealing a much larger history of grooming and predatory abuse.
the story itself wrapped up beautifully and the writing phenomenal, i just think this one wasn’t quite for me
November 4, 2026
TW: grooming, drug use and abuse, institutional abuse and more
It took me a while to get through this bc I didn’t have a lot of time to pick it up but I need you to know that every moment it wasn’t in my hands I was thinking about picking it up again
complicated and awful female main characters who became mean and violent after a life time of torture and bad things happening to them, I will NEVER hate you <3 I found myself relating to the mc in uncomfortable ways but I think her layers were so complex and real
I enjoyed the alchemy / dark academia elements, the idea of realising the fantasy you had in your head isn’t real because the work is ran by those in power who only care about furthering themselves and having to deal with the death of your childhood naivety
I do wish there was more time to see the friendships / relationships heal together, as sometimes they felt quite strained in comparison to the mc- but not enough to hinder the book massively
It took me a while to get through this bc I didn’t have a lot of time to pick it up but I need you to know that every moment it wasn’t in my hands I was thinking about picking it up again
complicated and awful female main characters who became mean and violent after a life time of torture and bad things happening to them, I will NEVER hate you <3 I found myself relating to the mc in uncomfortable ways but I think her layers were so complex and real
I enjoyed the alchemy / dark academia elements, the idea of realising the fantasy you had in your head isn’t real because the work is ran by those in power who only care about furthering themselves and having to deal with the death of your childhood naivety
I do wish there was more time to see the friendships / relationships heal together, as sometimes they felt quite strained in comparison to the mc- but not enough to hinder the book massively
November 8, 2026
knowledge is power and all, but when does the quest for knowledge become nothing more than a desire for power, at whatever cost?
mothsblood is an incredibly captivating dark academia fantasy novel. i loved the alchemical focus and the fact that it allowed the story to take such a dark turn. lark was an excellent protagonist, and i was hooked the entire way through! truly an excellent debut, and i’m excited to see whatever lynn d. jung crafts next.
mothsblood is an incredibly captivating dark academia fantasy novel. i loved the alchemical focus and the fact that it allowed the story to take such a dark turn. lark was an excellent protagonist, and i was hooked the entire way through! truly an excellent debut, and i’m excited to see whatever lynn d. jung crafts next.
October 25, 2026
A delicious dark academia story, I devoured this in a day!
I loved the writing in this book, and the slightly unsettling ambience that came alongside the luscious prose. I love a dark academia book that makes you a bit uncomfortable. This one also had me confused at times but I think that was purposeful! The sometimes trippy atmosphere worked really well too.
I especially loved the imagery created alongside the entomology and all it's beauty and fragility. I would have loved a little more science with it, but that is a personal preference!
The characters were complicated and had dimension to them. We saw a lot of raw life experiences within them.
Thank you Delrey for a gifted copy of this book.
I loved the writing in this book, and the slightly unsettling ambience that came alongside the luscious prose. I love a dark academia book that makes you a bit uncomfortable. This one also had me confused at times but I think that was purposeful! The sometimes trippy atmosphere worked really well too.
I especially loved the imagery created alongside the entomology and all it's beauty and fragility. I would have loved a little more science with it, but that is a personal preference!
The characters were complicated and had dimension to them. We saw a lot of raw life experiences within them.
Thank you Delrey for a gifted copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Otros
Este librito era una de mis novedades más esperadas de A Octubre y os puedo adelantar que si buscas en el diccionario dark academia, debería salir este libro 🤭
🦋 Tiene los ingredientes perfectos: Una academia en París donde sólo tienen cabida los mejores o los que pertenecen a la élite, una protagonista con muchísima ambición y un misterio por resolver.
La ambientación te mete dentro de la historia enseguida, con ese toque de oscuridad.
Hacía mucho tiempo que no leía un libro de este género que representase tanto al género.
🪄 El sistema de magia me ha sorprendido muchísimo: Yo no soy ninguna enamorada de la alquimia. Pero aquí, la alquimia cobra tantas formas y caben en ella tantas posibilidades, que me atrapó desde la primera página.
Los personajes... Son realmente muy buenos. Creo que la moralidad gris está muy bien introducida y todos tienen su complejidad en la historia.
🍁 Sé que a priori puede destacar mucho la protagonista. Pero la relación de ella con el villano... Realmente es un tipo de relación que por desgracia está muy presente en la vida real y había bastantes escenas que me han parecido increíbles de lo bien retratadas que están.
Sin embargo el sapphic yearning me ha parecido muy bien introducido. No esperéis mucho romance en esta historia pero uf, podía sentir todo el tiempo ese anhelo y deseo por estar juntas.
💥 La idea de la trama es buenísima. Es verdad que no le doy cinco estrellas porque venía con mucho hype, la ambientación me estaba recordando a La maldición de la sangre y sin darme cuenta estaba esperando alguna escena que me hiciera volar la cabeza y no ha llegado. Pero esto es únicamente al final fruto del hype que yo me he creado jaja.
En definitiva, una lectura indispensable este otoño.
🦋 Tiene los ingredientes perfectos: Una academia en París donde sólo tienen cabida los mejores o los que pertenecen a la élite, una protagonista con muchísima ambición y un misterio por resolver.
La ambientación te mete dentro de la historia enseguida, con ese toque de oscuridad.
Hacía mucho tiempo que no leía un libro de este género que representase tanto al género.
🪄 El sistema de magia me ha sorprendido muchísimo: Yo no soy ninguna enamorada de la alquimia. Pero aquí, la alquimia cobra tantas formas y caben en ella tantas posibilidades, que me atrapó desde la primera página.
Los personajes... Son realmente muy buenos. Creo que la moralidad gris está muy bien introducida y todos tienen su complejidad en la historia.
🍁 Sé que a priori puede destacar mucho la protagonista. Pero la relación de ella con el villano... Realmente es un tipo de relación que por desgracia está muy presente en la vida real y había bastantes escenas que me han parecido increíbles de lo bien retratadas que están.
Sin embargo el sapphic yearning me ha parecido muy bien introducido. No esperéis mucho romance en esta historia pero uf, podía sentir todo el tiempo ese anhelo y deseo por estar juntas.
💥 La idea de la trama es buenísima. Es verdad que no le doy cinco estrellas porque venía con mucho hype, la ambientación me estaba recordando a La maldición de la sangre y sin darme cuenta estaba esperando alguna escena que me hiciera volar la cabeza y no ha llegado. Pero esto es únicamente al final fruto del hype que yo me he creado jaja.
En definitiva, una lectura indispensable este otoño.
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