Callie Hart’s Quicksilver opens the Fae & Alchemy series with ambitious world-building and a premise that promises both high-stakes adventure and scorching romance. This enemies-to-lovers romantasy delivers on many fronts, though readers should prepare themselves for a deliberately paced journey that requires patience before the payoff arrives. The first installment sets the stage for what continues in Brimstone (Book 2), with Book 3 yet to be announced.
A Desert Thief Meets Death Himself
Saeris Fane survives in the unforgiving Silver City of Zilvaren by stealing water from the Undying Queen Madra’s reservoirs and picking pockets in the Third—the poorest district where survival trumps morality. Her world operates under brutal rules: water is currency, the Queen’s guardians are merciless, and magic is a forbidden relic of the past. Hart excels at painting this harsh desert landscape where every drop of water carries the weight of life or death, and the oppressive heat becomes almost tangible through her prose.
The catalyst arrives when Saeris inadvertently awakens an ancient gateway and comes face-to-face with Kingfisher—a Fae warrior whose reputation precedes him. He’s Death incarnate, a legend wrapped in black smoke and silver-threaded eyes, burdened by centuries of secrets and a mission that requires an Alchemist. The problem? Saeris has no idea she possesses this extinct magic, nor does she understand the quicksilver that responds to her commands like a living, sentient entity.
Hart’s decision to thrust Saeris into the frozen realm of Yvelia creates immediate contrast with her desert origins. The world-building expands dramatically as we discover the Fae kingdoms locked in an endless war against vampire hordes, silver-starved armies struggling without resources, and political machinations that span multiple realms.
The Alchemy of Enemies-to-Lovers
The romance between Saeris and Kingfisher unfolds with excruciating slowness, which will frustrate some readers while satisfying others who crave tension that simmers before it boils. Fisher embodies the brooding, emotionally damaged male lead archetype—complete with traumatic past, stoic demeanor, and the tendency to push away the one person who could save him. What elevates him beyond cliché is Hart’s willingness to make him genuinely difficult, often unlikeable, and guilty of manipulating Saeris through magical oaths that strip away her agency.
The God Binding that connects them—a fated mate bond manifesting through intricate tattoos—adds mythological weight to their connection, though it raises questions about choice versus destiny that the narrative doesn’t fully resolve. Their banter crackles with genuine wit, and when the emotional walls finally crumble, the intimacy feels earned rather than rushed. Hart writes their physical relationship with an intensity that will satisfy readers seeking steam, though these scenes don’t appear until well past the midpoint.
Saeris herself is a compelling protagonist who refuses to be rescued. She fought guardians in the desert streets, negotiates with sentient quicksilver, and confronts ancient evils with resourcefulness born from surviving the Third’s brutal realities. Her voice carries the rough edges of someone raised in poverty, and her loyalty to her brother Hayden drives many of her choices. However, her rapid adaptation to Fae politics and magical abilities occasionally strains believability.
Magic Systems and World-Building Ambitions
Callie Hart constructs an intricate magic system centered on alchemy and quicksilver—a mysterious substance that serves as both pathway between realms and sentient entity. The quicksilver negotiations provide some of the book’s most fascinating moments, as Saeris learns that commanding this ancient magic requires bargaining, sacrifice, and understanding rather than brute force. The cost of creating magical relics escalates throughout the story, with each transaction demanding something precious.
The Fae courts, vampire politics, and human kingdoms interweave through centuries of history that Hart reveals gradually—perhaps too gradually. The lore dumps arrive in library scenes with Everlayne and Rusarius, where exposition occasionally overwhelms narrative momentum. Readers seeking clear-cut world-building explanations will appreciate these detailed explorations, while those preferring discovery through action may find themselves skimming.
The secondary cast brings depth and humor to balance the central relationship’s intensity. Carrion Swift, the street thief who accompanies Saeris, provides comic relief without becoming a caricature. His pragmatic acceptance of magical realities and his unexpected role in crucial moments make him more than comic sidekick. Renfis, Lorreth, and other Fae warriors carry their own traumas and loyalties, creating a ensemble that feels lived-in rather than assembled purely to support the protagonists.
Pacing Issues and Structural Challenges
The novel’s greatest weakness lies in its pacing. The first third moves with relative efficiency, but the middle section bogs down in forge scenes where Saeris attempts to master relic-making. These sequences drag despite their thematic importance, and the repetitive nature of her failed attempts tests reader patience. Hart seems uncertain whether to write a romance, a quest narrative, or a political thriller, and the shifting priorities create uneven momentum.
The climax delivers the action and revelation readers have been anticipating, with betrayals that recontextualize earlier events and battles that finally unleash the magic system’s full potential. However, rushing through major plot developments after such deliberate pacing creates whiplash. The revelation that Belikon, Malcolm, and Madra form a Triumvirate of ancient evil comes almost too late to properly explore the implications, and their defeat—or partial defeat—feels both inevitable and rushed.
Hart’s prose oscillates between gorgeous imagery and overwrought metaphors. Callie Hart captures sensory details beautifully, particularly in describing the quicksilver’s behavior or the landscape’s harsh beauty. Yet certain phrases feel repetitive, and the constant emphasis on Fisher’s appearance (“savagely beautiful,” “smoking hot,” etc.) undermines moments that should feel weighty with emotional significance.
What Works Despite the Flaws
Quicksilver by Callie Hart succeeds when it embraces its core strengths:
- The quicksilver as character rather than tool—its whispered demands and bargaining create genuine tension
- Saeris’s refusal to be a passive participant in her own story, even when magically bound
- The mythology connecting God Bindings, ancient weapons, and fated connections
- Secondary romances and friendships that add texture beyond the central relationship
- The moral complexity of Fisher’s past actions and his struggle with redemption
- Hart’s willingness to make her romantic lead genuinely difficult rather than just brooding
The book also deserves credit for its disability representation through Te Léna’s chronic illness and the exploration of bodily autonomy through Saeris’s forced sterilization—though the latter receives insufficient narrative focus given its profound impact.
Similar Reads for Quicksilver Fans
Readers who appreciate Quicksilver‘s blend of fated mates, dark fantasy, and slow-burn romance should explore:
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas for Fae politics and morally complex love interests
- From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout for destined mates and fantasy world-building
- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black for faerie courts and enemies-to-lovers tension
- Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco for demon romance and Italian-inspired settings
- Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin for witch-hunter romance with magical persecution themes
The Verdict
Quicksilver demonstrates both Callie Hart’s storytelling ambition and the growing pains of launching a complex fantasy series. The novel rewards patient readers willing to invest in intricate world-building and relationship development that unfolds across hundreds of pages. Those seeking instant gratification or tightly plotted action will find themselves frustrated by the deliberate pacing and extensive exposition.
The book’s 4-star average rating reflects this division—fans of slow-burn romantasy with fated mate bonds will find much to love, while readers preferring faster pacing or less angsty dynamics may struggle. Hart has created a foundation with genuine potential, evident in the mythology she’s constructed and the emotional stakes she’s established. Whether Brimstone and subsequent installments fulfill that potential remains to be seen, but Quicksilver by Callie Hart offers enough compelling elements to justify continuing the journey.
For readers who survived the middle section’s pacing issues and emerged invested in Saeris and Fisher’s fate, the book ultimately delivers. The question isn’t whether to read it, but whether you possess the patience to let Hart’s slow-burn approach work its alchemy on you. If you do, the payoff—emotional, romantic, and narrative—justifies the investment.
- Recommended for: Readers who love fated mate bonds, detailed world-building, morally gray heroes, and are willing to commit to a deliberately paced series opener.
- Approach with caution if: You prefer fast-paced action, dislike extensive exposition, or struggle with controlling love interests and forced proximity tropes.