A Forbidden Alchemy

A Forbidden Alchemy, the first book in Stacey McEwan’s The Artisan Trilogy, is a romantasy novel published in 2025. It follows Nina Harow and Patrick Colson on their dangerous quest to become Artisans, or wielders of magic. Soon, they find themselves on opposites sides of a civil war and must choose between their love for one another and their cause. This is McEwan’s fourth published work. She has previously written The Glacian Trilogy, the first of which was published in 2021, and she worked for 11 years as an elementary school teacher. She gained fame in part due to her presence on social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. While the story takes place outside of real, historical timeline, she has cited the British historical drama television series Peaky Blinders as an inspiration for aspects of this novel. The story explores themes related to The Tension Between Love and Ideology, The Conflict Between Mind and Body, and The Subjective Nature of Morality.

This guide uses the Kindle version published in 2025 by Simon & Schuster.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of substance use, addiction, death, graphic violence, sexual content, cursing, suicidal ideation, and mental illness.

Plot Summary

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson’s paths first cross when they are 12 years old. Along with all other 12-year-old children in Belavere Trench, they board a train from their various towns to the city of Belavere for the 535th Siphoning Ceremony. At the siphoning, each child will drink an inky substance called idium that is extracted from an ore called Terranium. If the substance gives them powers, they are deemed an Artisan. Artisans are architects and thinkers who wield elemental magic. There are various types of Artisans who work with different materials: ink, stone, metal, wood, terranium, earth, fire, and water. When a child is deemed an Artisan, they are sent to the National Artisan School where they will spend six years honing their craft. Alternatively, if the idium does not affect the child, they are deemed a Crafter, or laborer, and sent home. Crafters work with their bodies, often mining or farming.

Patrick and Nina grew up in the brink, where faraway towns filled with Crafters struggle to feed themselves. In Nina’s hometown of Scurry, her father is a miner who survived an explosion that killed over 100 other men. Unable to forget, he drinks whiskey for comfort. Her mother left when she was young, and Nina has not heard from her in years. In Patrick’s hometown of Kenton Hill, his father is also a miner and his mother runs an inn.

When Nina and Patrick meet, Nina is enthralled with Belavere City. She wants to become an Artisan and never return to Scurry. Patrick resents the Artisans’ wealth and pretension. He wants to return home to his family as soon as possible. They listen as Lord Tanner, the head of the House of Lords, explains idium’s origin story: It is the crystalized blood of the goddess Idia, who fought alongside humans. Idium is mined from terranium, an ore.

Patrick and Nina overhear a conversation proving that the House of Lords, the ruling governmental body, chooses who becomes an Artisan. They select mostly the children of powerful Artisans and politicians and give fake idium to the rest of the children so they don’t manifest magical potential. Nina is crushed and Patrick is furious. Before fleeing, Patrick steals vials of idium for him and Nina.

Nina drinks the real idium during the ceremony and is pronounced an earth Charmer; the first earth Charmer in over a century. Because the government did not account for her becoming an Artisan, they create a fake story for her: she is now Nina Clarke, whose parents are deceased, and she lives with her guardian, Aunt Francis, who one of the ceremony officials.

Soon Nina receives a threatening letter from Lord Tanner, the head of the House of Lords: He knows that she is lying about her origins. Soon, the headmaster of the Artisan School, Professor Dumley, begins teaching Nina privately along with a water Charmer named Theodore (Theo) Shop. Theo’s father is in the House of Lords, and he is a model student.

A conflict breaks out between the Miners Union and the House of Lords over the mining of idium, and Nina is forced to go on the run. Seven years later, she is captured and taken to Kenton Hill, the miners’ town. There, she discovers that Patrick is the leader of the town and the union. Though a prisoner, she and Patrick reconnect. He introduces her to his family: Tess, his mother; Gunner, his older brother; and Donny, his younger brother. They are wary of her, knowing she is dangerous and untrustworthy as an Artisan.

Within a few days, Nina learns that both Theo and her friend from school, Polly, are also in Kenton Hill helping Patrick. Theo was ousted from the House of Lords for sending a warning, and Patrick allowed him to stay because he helps clean their canals. Polly is a Scribbler, who can ink a page from far away with her mind.

Theo is still interested in Nina. After a long day of work, they all attend First Frost, a celebration created by Patrick’s father to celebrate the first year of the Miners Union strike. That night, Nina and Patrick kiss, and when she returns to her room at the inn, she finds a drunk, ranting Theo. He asks whether Patrick knows the real reason she was sent to Kenton Hill.

The story flashes back to one month prior when Nina was captured by Lord Tanner. He found her mother, who went to work in the National Artisan House in hopes that it would help Nina become an Artisan. He threatens to kill Nina and her mother unless Nina fights against the Miners Union. Nina’s job is to infiltrate Kenton Hill and bring back Domelius Becker, the last alchemist who can retrieve the idium, and destroy the town.

Back at the inn, Nina tells Theo that her relationship with Patrick is part of her plan. When a mine collapses in Kenton Hill, Nina stops a landslide with her magic and rescues the miners before collapsing in exhaustion. She and Patrick grow closer. She confides that Tanner is holding her mother hostage, but still Patrick will not agree to trade the Alchemist for her mother.

When Patrick catches Nina trying to follow him to find out Domelius Becker’s whereabouts, he admits that he killed Becker two years ago on his father’s orders. When Nina asks how they still have bluff, a healing substance found in terranium, Patrick tells her a secret: He is an Alchemist.

Meanwhile, Kenton Hill is raided by the House of Lords’ army. Fire Charmers have set the town ablaze and civilians are dying. During the raid, Theo returns, fearing that Patrick may have hurt Nina, and offers to help. Using a large wave, he kills many Artisan soldiers and puts out the fires. Patrick hears an exchange that confirms Nina betrayed him: The House of Lords knows that Domelius Becker is dead and Patrick is an Alchemist. When he reaches the town square, Patrick ends the raid. Holding a gun to his head, he says that he will go willingly if they stop fighting but will kill himself if they continue.

His family and friends reluctantly lower their weapons and Nina surrenders as the earth Charmer. As they leave, Gunner lunges once more and gets stabbed. As Nina and Patrick are herded down into the tunnel to return to Belavere City, they hear Gunner’s sounds of agony cease and see that Theo has also been captured. As they descend, Patrick pins Nina against a wall and tells her to bury them all.