#479 of 1001 · November 22, 2021

There’s a human warmth pervading rhe extraordinarily intricate landscape of The Last Alchemist by Colin Thompson. The king of a faraway land desires the secret of fabricating gold, certain that it will win him limitless power and prestige. A series of alchemists has attempted to manufacture the precious metal, but all have failed. Now it is up to Spinifex, the nineteenth alchemist, to perfect the process by the turn of the millennium or face royal wrath. As his experiments continually fail, he grows more frenzied and his machines begin to sprawl throughout the castle. His final invention, an enormous series of refracting lenses, works all too well—it collects the sunlight and burns Spinifex and all traces of his alchemical efforts to cinders. Thompson’s endlessly detailed illustrations hide a wealth of humans, animals, and objects, inviting repeated scrutiny and joyful discovery. The text provides deep insight into the foibles of human nature, though it ends on a note of refreshing optimism. #alchemy #gold #sun #light #sunlight #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks