The Alchemyst

“He was a small, rather dapper-looking man, dressed in a neat charcoal-gray three-piece suit that looked vaguely old-fashioned but that she could tell had been tailor-made for him. His iron gray hair was pulled back from an angular face into a tight ponytail, while a neat triangular beard, mostly black but flecked with gray, concealed his mouth and chin.”

This quote is the first description of Dr. John Dee, the story’s antagonist. His polished appearance underlines his attention to detail and his use of appearances to deceitful purposes. Those characteristics suggest that he plans his schemes carefully, making him a powerful foil and a stark contrast to Flamel.

His boss, Nick Fleming, stood in the middle of the bookshop, facing the others. He was a rather ordinary-looking man. Average height and build, with no real distinguishing features, except for his eyes, which were so pale that they were almost completely colorless. His black hair was cropped close to his skull and he always seemed to have stubble on his chin, as if he hadn’t shaved for a couple of days. He was dressed as usual in simple black jeans, a loose black T-shirt advertising a concert that had taken place twenty-five years earlier and a pair of battered cowboy boots. There was a cheap digital watch on his left wrist and a heavy silver-link bracelet on his right, alongside two tatty multicolored friendship bracelets.”

The description of Flamel’s appearance emphasizes the differences in his and Dee’s characters. Flamel is “ordinary-looking,” which highlights his desire not to stand out, either to evade Dee or out of natural humility. His personality is more relaxed and casual, but this also belies his incredible power. The revelation of his true identity is made more dramatic because Flamel initially seems so innocuous.

“Josh had just witnessed magic.

But of course, everyone knew that magic simply did not and could not exist.”

Set after the first confrontation between Flamel and Dee at the bookshop, this quote reveals Josh’s perspective on the event. The first sentence states a seemingly objective fact, which is what Josh observed. The second sentence then introduces wonder and doubt, which is Josh’s emotional reaction. The idea that “everyone [knows]” magic is not real emphasizes the contrast between Josh’s world and this new, fantastical reality in a way that also involves the reader’s judgment. The reader is indirectly invited to agree with the statement that magic does not exist, before being confronted with the truth that Josh faces.

“The thick pages were about six inches across by nine inches long and were composed of what looked like pressed bark. Tendrils of fibers and leaves were clearly visible in the surface, and both were covered with jagged, angular writing. The first letter at the top left-hand corner of each page was beautifully illuminated in gold and red, while the rest of the words were written in reddish black ink.

And the words were moving.”

This quote describes the Book of Abraham, or the Codex, as it appears to the characters. It is characteristically ancient and mysterious, and its magic is made evident by the moving words on the page.

“Dee is an alchemist, a magician, a sorcerer and a necromancer, and they are not all the same thing.”

Flamel’s insistence that those different magical roles are “not the same thing” highlights Dee’s powerful ability as well as his breadth of knowledge. This characterizes Dee as a dangerous antagonist, while also adding depth and intrigue to Scott’s fantastical setting.

“If he breathed deeply, he could still smell the peculiar odors of…magic. That was what he had been smelling—not mint and rotten eggs, but the scent of magic.”

The use of Signature Smells is introduced early on in the story, when Josh notices the smell of rotten eggs and peppermint around Dee and Flamel, respectively. Flamel later explains that “Every magician has his or her own distinctive odor; rather like a magical fingerprint” (149), and those specific smells add to their characterization. Dee’s magic, for instance, smells like rotten eggs to emphasize his evilness, while Flamel’s magic smells like fresh, clean mint to show his pure intentions. These scents act similarly to pheromones, further connecting science to magic.

“‘We are legend,’ he said simply. ‘Once—a long time ago—we were simple people, but then I bought a book, the Book of Abraham the Mage, usually called the Codex. From that moment on, things changed. Perenelle changed. I changed. I became the Alchemyst.’”

Echoing the first sentence in the prologue, Flamel describes himself and Perenelle as “legend” (see Quote #1). Their journey from “simple people” to legendary figures foreshadows Sophie and Josh’s own transformation as they learn to wield the same magic their mentors have. In terms of characterization, this also adds to the Flamels’ allure and mystery.

“Everything looked more or less as it had half an hour earlier.

And yet…

And yet it was not the same. It could never be the same again. In the last thirty minutes, Josh’s carefully ordered world had shifted and altered irrevocably.”

In this passage, Josh realizes that his perception of reality has irrevocably changed, which sets up his character growth. At this point in the story, the fact that the young boy’s environment remains “more or less” the same while he finds himself thrown into chaos emphasizes his confused and overwhelmed emotional state.

“‘Every human has a similar glow around their body. In the distant past, people could see it clearly and they named it the aura. It comes from the Greek word for breath. As humans evolved, most lost the ability to see the aura. Some still can, of course.’

Josh snorted derisively.

Flamel glanced over his shoulder. ‘It’s true. The aura has even been photographed by a Russian couple called the Kirlians. The electrical field surrounds every living organism.’”

In this quote, Flamel explains what auras are to Josh and Sophie. Auras are a crucial part of this magical world, and they are used throughout the novel to further the plot and help characterization. Additionally, Flamel refers to the real-life photographic experiments of Semyon Kirlian in the early 20th century to add historical credibility to this fictional idea. This contributes to the theme of Truth Versus Fiction.

“Be careful what you wish for. Every use of power has a cost.”

In this quote, Flamel warns Sophie and Josh about the limitations of their magic. This highlights the necessary balance between magical abilities and energy expense, a common notion in works of fantasy. Flamel’s statement also creates suspense by foreshadowing unexpected consequences to Sophie and Josh’s actions.

“Wait. Look. Notice. If you keep those three words in mind, you just might survive the next few days.”

Flamel’s advice to Sophie and Josh is repeated throughout the book, in different ways and by different characters, like Scathach, Hekate, or Dee. The motif of deceitful appearances and the theme of Critical Thinking run throughout the story. This emphasizes the twins’ confusion and self-reliance while creating mystery and suspense.

“‘You’ve left the safe and mundane world you once knew,’ Nicholas Flamel said seriously, looking at each twin in turn. ‘Nothing is as it seems. You must learn to question everything. To wait before moving, to look before stepping and to observe everything. I learned these lessons in alchemy, but you will find them invaluable in this new world you’ve unwittingly wandered into.’”

This quote echoes Quote #12. Additionally, Flamel draws a parallel between Josh and Sophie’s attitudes in the magical world they find themselves in and the field of alchemy itself. This highlights the connection between alchemy, i.e., a mix between science and magic, and the characters’ reality, i.e., a mix of facts and legends.

“‘My dad says things like that can be easily dismissed as either fakes or misinterpretation of the facts,’ Josh said quickly. He wondered what his father would say about the things they had seen today.

Flamel shrugged. ‘Yes, that is true. But what science cannot understand, it dismisses. Not everything can be so easily brushed aside. Can you dismiss what you’ve seen and experienced today as some sort of misinterpretation of the facts?’”

Flamel uses scientific reasoning to offer a seemingly logical explanation for the presence of magic in their world. This imbues the novel’s setting with credibility, as this reasoning allows for fantastical elements to be framed as reasonable and objective.

“Everything you have been taught, all the myths and legends of your world, have a kernel of truth in them.”

Adding to Quote #14, this passage contributes to the theme of Truth Versus Fiction. Flamel further cements magic as an integral part of their rational, objective reality, while simultaneously reframing the twins’—and the reader’s—perspective through a fantastical lens to create intrigue. This also engages the reader’s personal knowledge, as the narrative references real-life cultural and historical events and figures that they may recognize.

“I want you to remember that everything you know—or think you know—about myth and legend is not necessarily false, nor is it entirely true. At the heart of every legend there is a grain of truth. I suspect that much of your knowledge comes from movies and TV. Xena and Dracula have a lot to answer for. All minotaurs are not evil, the Gorgon Medusa did not turn every man to stone, not all vampires are blood drinkers, the Were clans are a proud and ancient race.”

In this passage, Scathach adds to the idea that magical creatures and legends are real. However, she introduces an element of doubt to maintain a sense of mystery. The blurry line between fiction and reality creates suspense, but also highlights Josh and Sophie’s confusion and contributes to the development of their critical skills.

“I want you both to trust your instincts from now on: forget what you know—or think you know—about the creatures and races you will encounter. Follow your hearts. Trust no one. Except each other.”

In addition to blurring the line between fiction and reality, or myth and history, Scathach warns Sophie and Josh against falling for lies or illusions. The twins’ trust in each other contributes to the motif of Duality and foreshadows potential deceit or betrayal to come, such as Dee’s attempt to manipulate Josh.

“‘I keep coming back to the birds. Everything else could be special effects: the Torc Allta could be trained animals and men in prosthetic makeup, what happened in Scathach’s dojo could be some sort of effect and the rats could have been trained. But not the birds: there were too many of them, and they ripped the car to shreds.’ The birds were what had finally convinced her that she and Josh were in very real danger…because if the birds were real, then everything else was real too.”

In this passage, Sophie demonstrates logical reasoning that is both characteristic and in line with Flamel’s advice (see Quotes #12 and #13). She proves that she does have the ability to observe her surroundings and make deductions, a skill which she will also rely on in the later part of the book. Sophie does not even take Flamel’s own words at face value and instead questions his claims, which characterizes her as cautious and intelligent.

“‘How do you know where we’re going?’ she whispered, bringing her mouth close to his ear. All the rooms looked identical to her.

‘When we first came into the house, I noticed that the walls and floor were dark, but as we moved down the corridors, they became lighter and paler in color. Then I realized that we were walking through different shades of wood, like the rings of a tree trunk. All we have to do is to follow the corridor that leads to the dark wood.’”

In parallel to Quote #18, Josh also exemplifies solid observation skills. Like his sister, he already possesses the qualities that Flamel claims will be his best assets in their quest. During Dee’s attack in Ojai, for instance, Josh is able to counterattack despite his lack of magical abilities because he notices Dee’s weak position. In short, this quote and the previous one work together to highlight the twins’ ability to balance each other out as well as the skills they need to survive their journey.

“‘Of course, there is a school of thought that suggests that you were fated to take the jobs, to meet Perenelle and me and to come on this adventure.’

Scathach nodded. ‘Destiny,’ she said.

‘You’re saying that we have no free will,’ Sophie asked, ‘that all this was meant to happen?’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t, for one minute, believe that.’ The very idea went against everything she believed; the idea that the future could be foretold was simply ludicrous.”

Flamel and Sophie’s conversation highlights a recurring theme in works of fantasy that deal with prophecy. Indeed, prophecies imply the notion of ineluctable fate, thus creating a potential narrative loophole: if the protagonists’ destiny is a given, it does not allow for mystery, suspense, or character growth. Fantasy authors often maintain their characters’ free will by relying on unintended interpretations of the original prophecy or allowing their protagonists to bypass fate altogether, for instance. In The Alchemyst, Scott proposes a world where, as the Witch of Endor explains, “there are only a few possible futures” (323). This logical explanation adds credibility to the world-building and enables the narrative to ensure the characters’ agency and maintain suspense.

“Great change always comes down to the actions of a single person.”

Hekate’s statement refers to the man who brought about the fall of the Elder Race and highlights the power that an individual can have over history. This implicitly applies to Flamel, but it also foreshadows Sophie and Josh’s roles. Although they are confused and overwhelmed at that point in the narrative, they eventually overcome their sense of powerlessness when they join the fight against Dee and the Dark Elders.

“‘I don’t want to be a different person,’ Sophie whispered. She wanted everything to be just as it had been a couple of hours earlier, when everything was ordinary and boring. Right now, she would give anything to go back to a boring world.

Flamel stepped back from the doorway and ushered the twins inside. ‘From the moment you laid eyes on Dee, you started to change. And once begun, change cannot be reversed.’”

This quote, which occurs after Flamel announces his plans to train Sophie and Josh as magicians, reveals Sophie’s vulnerable emotional state. Flamel ambiguously alludes to “change” that can be interpreted as physical, since the twins’ magical abilities are awakening, or metaphorical, as their entire worldview has shifted. Sophie’s desire to return to her “ordinary and boring” life highlights the contrast with her new, eventful, and dangerous reality. This creates a sense of anticipation around what is still in store for Sophie while contributing to her character development.

“‘What you call magic is nothing more than an act of the imagination fired by the senses, then given shape by the power of your aura. The more powerful the aura, the greater the magic. You two have extraordinary potential within you. The Alchemyst is correct: you could be the greatest magicians the world has ever known. But here’s the problem,’ Hekate continued, and now the room grew a little lighter, and they could see the shape of the woman standing in the center of the room, directly beneath a tangle of roots that looked exactly like a clutching hand reaching down from the roof. ‘The humani have learned to live without their senses. The brain filters so much data from your consciousness that you live in a type of fog. What I can do is Awaken your dormant powers, but the danger—the very real danger—is that it will overload your senses.’”

Adding to Scott’s version of magic as an extension of science, Hekate’s words also emphasize the natural and universal aspect of magic. In The Alchemyst, magic is sensory, as evidenced by the use of Signature Smells. On top of this almost scientific explanation, the goddess’s warning about being overloaded by sensory input during the Awakening creates suspense and tension.

“He stood outside, reading the menu of exotic flavors, and wondered why his sister’s aura smelled of vanilla ice cream and his of oranges. She didn’t even really like ice cream; he was the one who loved it.”

Although he does not realize it, Josh’s reflection about his and Sophie’s signature smells implicitly reinforces their Duality. The smell of vanilla ice cream, which is associated with Sophie, is actually Josh’s favorite, and it can be inferred that the reverse is true. This signals that the twins’ magics complement each other, as mentioned by Abraham’s prophecy.