The Silvered Serpents

Hmmm… Review? Not so much. Rants and illogical thoughts? Most definitely.

This book doesn’t release until September 2020, but I just finished reading The Gilded Wolves and I had to know what was next for Séverin and his team! I’m new to Chokshi’s work, but this series has me HOOKED!! This author’s words are inspired, reverent and relevant. I love history, especially mythological or religious history, and the way she filled this story with so much color, I was enthralled.

A huge part of me sympathized and understood Séverin’s actions and behavior. He had suffered such an unbelievable loss. A loss that even I was still coming to grips with. So him bowing out on things that humanize him or exploit his vulnerabilities made sense in a sad sort of way. However, another part of me wanted to shake him and yell in his face. I wanted him to lean on his friends because they were hurting too. Well, maybe don’t lean on Laila. She was still all too selfish IMO. I just think he needed their support and comfort more than anything else.

My bae was so busy trying to protect his heart from more pain and to protect those he cared about, he did just about everything he could to hurt them and push them away. It may not have been his intention, and I may have wanted to punch him in his back for some of his negligent words and deeds, but the end result was the same.

I was determined to understand Séverin’s urgent need to find the book of the Divine Lyrics aside from the obvious. His lofty goals didn’t seem to align with everything I had already learned about him. Was his grief warping his values? While his ambitions shared a marked similarity to what The Fallen House was seeking, maybe he felt that he was on the side of righteousness because his intentions were pure?

I’ve been shipping Enrique and Zofia for a minute now. At first I wondered if there would be a polyamorous relationship between the two of them with Hypnos as a content top, but now I’m not so sure.

I kind of guessed the huge plot twist almost from the beginning. It was weird that my mind already went there when there wasn’t any real evidence to steer me that way, but when weird ish happens, I start figuring out the why and I was so freaking right!!

Why didn’t these so-called friends ever simply trust in Séverin. I get it. Truly I do. He wasn’t acting as the man they had all come to know and love. I get it. However… wasn’t he the one who plucked each of them from obscurity? Didn’t he encourage, support and believe in them? He deserved better and I kept waiting for someone to speak up, confront him, and treat him the way he had always treated them. Imagine it was Hypnos, the newcomer, who was the one to have his back!

Dear author… that scene at the end… Bittersweet. All of the answers, everything my bae did was right there at their fingertips. Please tell me that they actually see it!! Until I get some reassurance (the next book can’t come soon enough!) I’m going to be over here crossing my fingers, my toes, and even my nose hairs hoping you gently coax me from this edge. Honestly, I need to find out the next book’s release date STAT!!

(I received this book as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)

There are about a million things I love about ‘The Silvered Serpents,’ the latest in the Gilded Wolves series by Roshani Chokshi, and one thing, I absolutely detest. We’ll save that for last though, because in no way do I want to allow it to overshadow the rest.

Though the series seems to be billed as Young Adult, the themes are actually very mature and fully developed, as are many of the scenarios the group of characters find themselves in. The relationships don’t lack depth or physical contact, the author simply.. easily manages to convey it without getting down into the ‘smutty details.’

Her prose is elegant and she deftly swings between intimate emotional sequences and moments of fast-paced action, without interrupting the flow of the story. The pace is constantly in flux, yet not disjointing. This is a genuinely talented writer and I loved the references to the legend of Laila and Majnun.

Severin, the focal point in much of the story, is absolutely sexy. He’s the perfect mixture of beautiful, brooding, self-loathing behavior. The darkness and conflict in him, only serving to draw those around him (as well as the reader, in my case), closer and closer with every glimpse. Truly, he breaks my heart, and not just when he’s good.

Laila.. is a lovely combination of strength and vulnerability. She has weaknesses, as we all do, but she’s a tough girl. Not physically imposing or annoyingly overbearing. She doesn’t overcompensate by trying to intimidate or insult (as a rule).. no. She’s just tough enough to build those walls out of pride and the self-awareness that sometimes letting things through, might break her.

I often struggle to like more than a character or two in a story.. finding the others to be grating or insubstantial, but that’s really not the case with any of Chokshi’s characters. I am just as drawn to Hypnos’ understated neediness, as Enrique’s desperation for recognition, and Zofia’s struggle to see things in the same ways as those around her. Even the antagonists and supporting characters are likable in their ways. Good, bad, or neutral, they’re all vivid characters that I won’t soon forget.. and.. don’t wish to.

Now, remember that thing I said I hated? It’s a cliffhanger. An utterly unnecessary.. mistake.. in my opinion. If this were some short, weekly serial a la the original release of Stephen King’s ‘The Green Mile?’ Acceptable. If the writer/story were weak.. and the author needed something to capture the reader and bring them back for the next book.. at least understandable. But it’s a tactic and nothing more.. and in this case.. it cheapens the work.

The cliffhanger takes a stunning story, filled with rich characters, creative mechanical and magical/alchemical elements, and gorgeous scenic imagery.. and rather than trusting in what it has to offer to draw the reader back.. it forces the issue. I understand that there’s a continuing arc here that will carry throughout the books, but there’s no reason to double down on that and give us an incomplete Act either. And that’s how this feels.

All that being said, I highly recommend this novel. I’m going to go out and buy the first in the series, and I’ll buy this one too when it releases in physical formats. I’ll eagerly wait for news of a third. I didn’t want to put ‘The Silvered Serpents’ down.. and I’m willing to bet.. you won’t either..

I loved this one. I need the next book right now! There was plenty of action in this one. Also some romance! I love this author. I would definitely recommend this series.

‘The Silvered Serpents’ was one of my highly anticipated reads of 2020. I couldn’t wait to get my grubby little hands on it, and I am ecstatic to say that the author knows how to deliver! This was absolutely phenomenal, breathtaking and everything in between! I am seriously blown away. Usually I don’t have much success with sequels of any series, so I was a little apprehensive going into this read but the Book Gods above were on my side!

We basically started off where we left off ‘The Gilded Wolves’. The aftermath of Tristen’s death, which still makes me tear up, and the crew attempts to find the whereabouts of The Divine Lyrics—the ancient book that holds the secret of Forging, the knowledge of how to rejoin the Babel Fragments and—in the eyes of the Fallen House—how to access the power of God. It was darker, grittier, angstier, and more emotional than the prequel. The depressing undertones were refreshing because typically once a centralized character dies in any book, they usually mourn for a few chapters before heading out of the next adventure. Our precious baby Tristan was still very much on their minds throughout the whole read and I loved how the author touched on the aftermath of his death— it was real and it was raw.

I love every second of this book and I must now suffer in silence until the next book comes out. The anticipation is killing me!

“She could not see her hope for what it was, nothing more than a silvered serpent.”

With devastation and grief walking alongside Séverin after the tragedy of Gilded Wolves it’s no wonder we follow him in his darkest moments.

Silvered Serpents continues on with our friends all experiencing agony and doubt. They are all lost, looking for the sunlight, for the love they once found amongst themselves.

Now, they are broken things. Pieces of a puzzle that no longer seemingly fit together snugly. Yet, somehow without realizing the trap before them, they fall inexplicably into one another as they fight, as they pull apart at their woven seam of friendship.

The character development is utterly captivating for each of our heroes even during the in-between seconds when one can feel their palpitating heart stutter in pain, awaiting fate and judgment. I wanted so very badly to hold these beauties and weep for them as they muddled through so much bitterness and confusion even though they NEVER lost some small hope inside. The truth of these characters is that their familial ties light the deepest recesses of fear and hate even as they struggle against feeling and love.

This is the perfect addition to a trilogy that will most certainly be a favorite of mine. I love that my heart skittered in fear for these precious five. That my soul ached for innocence lost even though they never truly knew it. I rejoiced for their bond to hold, despite the insidious poison that had taken root in the wake of such loss. Everything I expected and more would indeed be an understatement regarding the success of this novel. I loved Silvered Serpents and the denial, the grief, as well as the lies that easily roll along the tongue even against ones will.

Wow. Objectively, I have to say that this story is horribly well written. The characters are complex but their motives make sense for them. The world building is fantastic and so detailed it sucks you in. The storyline is wonderful and, at times, deliciously dark. Emotionally, I have to say that I wanted to curl up and cry when I was done. Ms. Chokshi Is excellent at evoking strong emotions with her writing. The anxiety felt for the characters was rich and real as I read. The biggest let down was that I now have to wait for book 3.

Well this the second book in this trilogy really lets the reader get to know the characters much better. It’s less a heist type story and more a treasure hunt.
Following the loss of his brother Severin has shut down his emotions and pushed away everyone who cares for him. Laila knows her life is quite literally winding down and my heart went out to her particularly towards the end of this book. Zofia who has a brilliant mind is confused by unusual feelings and sadly easily taken in. My favourite character is quite possibly Enrique who is unafraid to feel and this instalment really sees him standing up and being counted. Hypnos is his usual effervescent self although at times this take does not show him at quite his sparkling best but my lips are sealed.
This is historical fantasy but there’s almost a sense of steampunk to offset the magic that’s referred to as “forging” . A lot of this revolves around mythology referring to the Temple of Babel and the legendary Muses. There’s the possibility of becoming Godlike driving certain characters played out amidst good old fashioned greed. Add in the fact that the Houses are pretty unlikeable, not to mention somewhat debauched and it’s easy to understand just how so many characters act the way they do. I loved that there’s a huge clue ( no I won’t say where ) and the author almost broke my heart with the way she decided to leave this book because it’s pretty clear that communication has been and still will be a huge problem. I will be blunt and say the pacing of the first half dragged for me but those final few chapters definitely made up for it.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I tell you I have been WAITING SO LONG for this book. I am SERIOUS. The second I saw it announced I went to reserve a copy. But the wait, ohhh the wait. And then I saw the opportunity to review it via netgalley. I didn’t think my request would be granted but I almost cried when I saw that it had been!

Severin, oh dear boy, you are depressed, you’ve been mistreated, you’ve lost everyone so you look for a solution. Maybe not the BEST solution, probably the most dangerous one- but you found one. And you went for it.

I love all the characters in this book. I love the uniqueness of the story and how I loved each character for different things.

This story has love, betrayal, adventure, monsters and other worlds wrapped into this handheld book. I’ll admit that at first I was a little worried it wouldn’t hold up to the first book, and there were some slow parts but wow did the ending get me. And the CLIFFHANGER. I was flabbergasted at being left at such a detrimental point that I stared at the last page for a solid minute with my mouth open.

If you want a book with all of these things plus thievery, LGBTQ+ inclusion with a mix of old world vibes- pick this book up. *but read the first one beforehand of course* this series has been added as one of my favorites. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read your work Roshani, I am truly honored!

It’s rare for me to find an author whose characters are so real that reading the second book in a series is like catching up with old friends. Roshani Chokshi has accomplished this and gone beyond my expectations. All the chapters are told from a different characters perspective and the first few give the reader an update on what each of them has been up to. The change in voice of each chapter helps break up the story and keeps things flowing.
This book gives the reader more insight into each character’s past and what they have gone through. We learned more about the relationship between Severin and the matriarch of House Kore, Delphine. This knowledge actually made me feel a bit more sympathy for Delphine. It also helped me understand why Severin changed so much after Tristan’s death.
The character that stands out this most in this book is Zofia. She finally sees how important she is to the team and finally has the confidence to act on her own. She’s probably my favorite of them all. The story has some very interesting myths and Enrique’s history lessons are mesmerizing. There is a heartbreaking scene toward the end, but there is also a twist at the end that is amazing. I eagerly await the next book in this series to see where their search takes them.
(ARC courtesy of St. Martin’s Press and Goodreads)