The Alchemyst

In The Alchemyst, each magic user has a signature smell, which plays into the theme of Magic as Science by depicting the magicians’ heightened senses. At the beginning of the book, for example, Sophie and Josh are alerted to the presence of magic by the smell of rotten eggs and peppermint. They soon learn that “Every magician has his or her own distinctive odor; rather like a magical fingerprint” (149). Dee’s magic smells like rotten eggs, or sulfur, which emphasizes his role as the villain since it is an unpleasant smell often associated with the devil. On the other hand, Flamel’s magic smells like fresh, clean mint to suggest that his intentions are pure. Josh and Sophie later learn that their magical odors are oranges and vanilla ice cream, respectively. This symbolically hints at their Duality since Josh is the one who loves vanilla ice cream, while Sophie is assumed to prefer oranges. Signature smells therefore serve characterization, but they are also used to further the plot by signaling the presence of specific magic-wielders to other characters, such as warning the protagonists that Dee is nearby.

Auras are a symbol which, similarly to Signature Smells, support characterization and further the plot in The Alchemyst series. Flamel describes auras as “an electrical field [that] surrounds every living organism” (40) and adds that “everyone’s aura is unique—different colors, different strengths. [...] You can tell a lot from a person’s aura: whether they are ill or unhappy, angry or frightened, for example” (41).

Magicians’ auras become visible when they are using magic, like Flamel’s green glow and Perenelle’s bright white. Sophie and Josh’s pure silver and gold auras are the subject of prophecy, as they are extremely rare and powerful. Scathach even points out that “all of the great magicians and sorcerers of the past, the heroic leaders, the inspired artists, have had pure-color or single-color auras” (120). This highlights the twins’ Duality and foreshadows their roles as heroes in the narrative.