Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
They are each other’s fiercest love, greatest danger, and only hope. Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost ― one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant its possessor the power of God. Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is a myth after all. As hidden secrets come to the light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined. A tale of love and betrayal as the crew risks their lives for one last job. A little note to say that this is a spoiler free review, for those who have not yet read The Gilded Wolves. I urge you to do so, it will only enrich your literary life. Another note: I am so incredibly thrilled to have read an early copy of The Silvered Serpents. Roshani Chokshi is one of my favorite authors, and I am constantly amazed by her stories. It is an absolute honor to review this novel. You all need to read this trilogy. Again, Roshani Chokshi blows me away. I am eternally stunned by her world and character-building, which came out in equal force to create the dynamics of Séverin’s team in icy, beautiful Siberia. The Silvered Serpents expands upon the tale wound up in The Gilded Wolves, a masterful sequel that does not suffer from second-book syndrome. I was already in love with these characters, but Chokshi used that to wrench my heart around, as I suspected would be the case. I am so incredibly torn that The Gilded Wolves is a trilogy and not a duology—I love these books so much, but my heart cannot take much more! Where, even, to start? Probably with the world and the prose. The depiction of the world in 1789 links history (colonization, European powers) with the magic of Forging and connections to ancient references (the tower of Babel, the Nine Muses), to a magical effect. Readers can understand and connect with each clue towards The Divine Lyrics (the object of desire for Séverin’s team) because of their cleverly crafted historical and magical significance within the real world. I especially loved seeing representations of the Nine Muses from Greek mythology, each with a special connection to an art or science. They each also had a symbolic item that signified their presence in a work, because they were otherwise indistinguishable from one another. My favorite muse has always been Urania, depicted with stars and compass. Chokshi’s prose is lyrical and devastating, as always. A couple of my favorite quotes are "What is magic but a science we cannot fathom?” and "Love does not always wear the face we wish." For me, the heart of this story (or, I should say, the characters in this story to which my heart belong) is Laila and Séverin’s plot thread. The two of them are so magnificent together, but are blocked by their own desires: Laila’s to live, and Séverin’s obsession with protecting his friends. I cannot evaluate the strength of their stories objectively, because every time they were on the page, my heart just screamed for these angel children (though, of course, they are neither angelic nor children. This is merely my intense affection taking over my rationality). The tension between them as they continue to hide their desires and intentions from each other builds in a tantalizing way, much as it does through the first book in the series. I especially liked the contrast between Séverin grappling with the concept of godhood and Laila simply wishing to live her mortal life to a longer end. Of course, the whole team is depicted in such a beautiful manner. Haunted by loss, and fractured after the events of The Gilded Wolves, they must find a way to focus on their mission while balancing high tension. Each of them is so well defined by the portrayal of their grief. Their individual arcs are given full attention within the scope of the story, which rounds out the novel. The plot never disappoints. In the novel, we continue the journey of Séverin’s team as they seek the key to divine power. Fast paced and exciting, there’s an exceptional balance between emotion and action in The Silvered Serpents. The tension between the characters changes state throughout the novel, and I found myself screaming, holding my breath, and crying at various moments while reading. The pacing was snappy and each beat precisely placed, exactly as I’d predicted. I didn’t expect The Silvered Serpents to be such a quick read for me, although perhaps this is due to the fact that once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I never imagined finishing a day after I started. Overall, an amazing novel. I have exactly zero bad things to say about The Silvered Serpents, and am so excited for you all to fall in love with this series just like I have. 5/5 stars.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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