The main character of this book, formerly Dr. Juliana Fortis, has been on the run for several years. She was an expert in her field, the only one with the ability to extract people’s deepest secrets. She is an expert, but isn’t in the field anymore. She was the top predator in a clandestine agency of the US government. She is the prey, hunted by her very own because of the secrets she possesses. She was the scientist with access to top lab facilities and grants. She is the person that makes deadly concoctions needed to protect herself wherever she is, no matter who she is fleeing from. She was Dr. Fortis, and now she is just Alex. Essentially, Alex used to use chemical compounds to torture the government’s enemies into submission and save thousands of innocent lives. When her former handler contacts her for one last mission, it unsurprisingly turns out to be a trap, yet she follows anyways, not willing to put even a single life at rish. What she doesn’t expect, however, is to fall for the very person she was supposed to dismantle. This thrilling tale meets all the categories of a good book - from a nerve-wracking chase from law-enforcement, to all-out battles, forbidden romance, nefarious plots, heartbreaking grief, and everything in between - it definitely kept me on my toes. This book is called a “gripping page-turner by critics, and I agree with every glowing review. In the midst of a busy high school schedule, the highlight of my day became spending time reading this book, and I just couldn’t put it down. The Chemist is not only a good books because of its intriguing plots, but also because of the intense emotions it provokes out of readers like myself. While I am not the most emotional reader, this book spoke to me in a way that could compete with that of great writers Orwell and Lee. If asked what exactly motivated me to feel so passionately about this book, it’d be impossible for me to give you a straight answer. Perhaps it was the simple syntax with which the words on the page flowed, or maybe it was the author’s ability to evoke empathy from readers as the characters go through gut-wrenching ordeals. I also appreciated the way that Meyers portrayed love in this novel. Although it wasn’t the primary plot of the book, the love between two extremely different characters, between predator and prey, short and tall, cold and kind, plain and gorgeous, also made for an interesting read. The main theme in this book was that no one and nothing can be taken for granted. This especially related to our lives today as we have constantly-evolving technology that could both be used as a tool and a threat. The characters live in a constant fear of losing their lives, and this helps remind us that we must have gratitude for the ability to live life confidently. I would definitely recommend this book, but be sure you are willing to give up at least an hour of each day to read! You will not want to stop reading at all costs, so be prepared to give up some of your time for your new favorite “Chemist”.
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