may ➹'s Reviews > The Silvered Serpents

I very much wish I did not know the context of “I wish my love were more beautiful”

—★—

3.5 stars

The Silvered Serpents is the thrilling sequel to The Gilded Wolves, where Séverin and his crew come together again to chase after another artifact at the risk of their own lives. With other troubles weighing them down, like grief and impending death, and the bond between Séverin and everyone else growing more and more tenuous, The Silvered Serpents offers another adventure that could be as exciting as it is traumatizing.

I unfortunately ended up liking The Gilded Wolves more than this one, due to feeling apathetic for most of the book, but the last 20% is something I truly will never forget. While not the best sequel I’ve read, The Silvered Serpents is still a solid addition to this series with excellent character work and an exhilarating end that promises to deliver more in the final installment.

“History is full of ghosts because it’s full of myth, all of it woven together depending on who survived to do the telling.”

First of all, Roshani Chokshi’s writing is absolutely gorgeous, and she writes with this kind of sharpness that just hits so hard. I have approximately 100 quotes highlighted, and reading back on them now makes me gasp. It really does fit the tone and time period of the book so well, with all the decadence of an era that hides more sinister, corrupt forces at play.

I didn’t have a favorite character when reading The Gilded Wolves, because they were all such strong characters that I found myself loving each of them when I was reading their POVs, but I did find myself more drawn towards Laila and Séverin. And this sequel confirmed that, unfortunately, my favorite is Séverin. His love for everyone is so deeply twisted and manifests itself in all the wrong ways and I was sickeningly fascinated with him, and the idea of gods vs humans and the temptation of attaining godhood as a result of grief explored through his character were some of my favorite parts of the book.

The other characters are no less interesting than Séverin, though (but probably a lot less messed up). I love their found family, broken apart but trying to mend itself together, holding love for each other even if it was a little rough at the edges. Chokshi’s banter is perfect as always, and each of their voices continue to feel distinct and well fleshed out.

Séverin Montagnet-Alarie knew there was only one difference between monsters and gods. Both inspired fear. Only one inspired worship.

This book, like The Gilded Wolves, was more character-focused than the typical YA fantasy. I think my being in a slight reading slump definitely affected how I felt reading this book, because I felt detached from the story most of the time. I usually appreciate character growth and a focus on characters more than action, but I think most of the deeply intriguing character scenes happened near the end, and I wish it had been interspersed throughout the story.

For a majority of the book, I felt like I was just reading for the sake of reading, and not because I felt particularly inclined to know what would happen next. When looking back on this book, I mostly remember the parts that I loved and was thrilled by, but those parts were sadly contained to only a small portion. The beginning and middle read like buildup for the ending of the book, but it was buildup that wasn’t very engaging for me.

The last 20% of the book, though, was truly unforgettable. I absolutely adored it, and if the whole book had given me as much of an adrenaline rush as the end did, my opinions of the book would be all the more positive. The end is packed with anticipation and tension as the binds of their time remaining become tighter and tighter, and I was equally stressed out and captivated by it.

Sometimes to love meant to hurt. And he would be a loving god.

While it sadly did not fully live up to my expectations, The Silvered Serpents is certainly a book I will not be forgetting any time soon, and I love these characters and the exciting—though extremely panic-inducing—adventures they go on. Chokshi’s skill with character work and stunning prose is undeniable, and I’m excited to pick up the next book and see how it all ends!

—★—

:: representation :: Algerian-French MC, South Indian MC, autistic-coded Jewish MC, Filipino-Spanish mlm MC, Haitian-French mlm MC

:: content warnings :: death, violence, colonialism, antisemitism, depictions of grief, depictions of blood

Thank you to Macmillan for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.

All quotes are from an advanced copy and may differ in final publication.