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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Review copy: Purchased
[Content notes: This book includes multiple murders (partially on-screen) and dismemberment.]
I loved Roshani Chokshi’s THE GILDED WOLVES, so I was thrilled to grab a copy of the sequel, THE SILVERED SERPENTS. Everything that I loved about WOLVES came back in SERPENTS, from complicated puzzles to tense showdowns to complex relationships.
One of the things Chokshi does magnificently in this book is diving deep into how everyone has been changed by the events of WOLVES. I won’t lie—Séverin’s point-of-view is often difficult to get through for spoiler-ish reasons. Yet I understood his motivations (even if I was yelling at him), just as I understood everyone else’s (and did some yelling there, too). The narrators’ voices are distinct and compelling in unique ways, and I really did enjoy hopping between them all as the job got more complicated and more dangerous throughout the book. The quick changes between narrators made for some great cliffhangers and helped propel the story forward, especially in the final act.
There were some great settings in WOLVES, and the ones in SERPENTS are no less wonderful. I love how Chokshi is able to give sweeping, almost cinematic descriptions of the larger-than-life places, puzzles, and threats facing the team. (I imagined a lot of crane shots while I was reading.) The entirety of the Sleeping Palace was a delight, and it’s no small thing to bring fantasy settings to life the way Chokshi does and still keep them mysterious and dangerous.
One thing I really appreciate in heist stories is the careful balance of foreshadowing without being too obvious. There are a number of Chekhov’s guns set up in SERPENTS, and each time one was fired, it was a worthwhile payoff. SERPENTS captured my attention the entire time, and I plowed my way through the book, always looking forward to what would happen next.
Recommendation: Buy it now. THE SILVERED SERPENTS is a worthy sequel to THE GILDED WOLVES. Chokshi has pushed the story and the characters forward in this magical, dangerous world, making this second novel in a trilogy feel like far more than just a stepping stone to a finale. At its core, SERPENTS is about a family struggling in the aftermath of tragedy and the decision they make that may bring them back together or finish tearing them apart.
[Content notes: This book includes multiple murders (partially on-screen) and dismemberment.]
I loved Roshani Chokshi’s THE GILDED WOLVES, so I was thrilled to grab a copy of the sequel, THE SILVERED SERPENTS. Everything that I loved about WOLVES came back in SERPENTS, from complicated puzzles to tense showdowns to complex relationships.
One of the things Chokshi does magnificently in this book is diving deep into how everyone has been changed by the events of WOLVES. I won’t lie—Séverin’s point-of-view is often difficult to get through for spoiler-ish reasons. Yet I understood his motivations (even if I was yelling at him), just as I understood everyone else’s (and did some yelling there, too). The narrators’ voices are distinct and compelling in unique ways, and I really did enjoy hopping between them all as the job got more complicated and more dangerous throughout the book. The quick changes between narrators made for some great cliffhangers and helped propel the story forward, especially in the final act.
There were some great settings in WOLVES, and the ones in SERPENTS are no less wonderful. I love how Chokshi is able to give sweeping, almost cinematic descriptions of the larger-than-life places, puzzles, and threats facing the team. (I imagined a lot of crane shots while I was reading.) The entirety of the Sleeping Palace was a delight, and it’s no small thing to bring fantasy settings to life the way Chokshi does and still keep them mysterious and dangerous.
One thing I really appreciate in heist stories is the careful balance of foreshadowing without being too obvious. There are a number of Chekhov’s guns set up in SERPENTS, and each time one was fired, it was a worthwhile payoff. SERPENTS captured my attention the entire time, and I plowed my way through the book, always looking forward to what would happen next.
Recommendation: Buy it now. THE SILVERED SERPENTS is a worthy sequel to THE GILDED WOLVES. Chokshi has pushed the story and the characters forward in this magical, dangerous world, making this second novel in a trilogy feel like far more than just a stepping stone to a finale. At its core, SERPENTS is about a family struggling in the aftermath of tragedy and the decision they make that may bring them back together or finish tearing them apart.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
the beginning, aka assembling the crew for the next job, was great fun, but once we got trapped in the ice palace, it was... decidedly less fun. also, reading this soon after the six of crows duology with its excellent character work made séverin's angst seem shallow and unearned.
I loved the first book and really adored the characters, each with his/her own specialty and unique personality. I really liked the inter-dynamic and I was excited for this follow up, to see the next adventure and to gauge how they would team up to pull each other through the post-loss phase of how book #1 ended. While the storyline was captivating and there were plenty of excitable moments throughout, I was sorely disappointed with the characters in this book. I felt that the main character was completely unlikeable, and all the other characters should have dropped his selfish, pouting and miserable self and gone on the adventure alone. Their complete neediness of him and their willingness to stay with his narcissistic and demanding ways left much to be desired in the way of character role models. I sure hope the next installment in this series shows an improvement in character development and a stronger moral and intrinsic sense of self for the other characters, so that they aren’t just obedient non-useful minions of a dictator-type main character.
This was so good. I enjoyed it just as much as the first one. I loved all the angst and drama between Severin and Laila. And Severin wanting to become a god to save all of his friends. However, he was stressing me out the whole time because I bet if you talked to these fuckers they'd you help out. But that's his prerogative.
That last scene in the grotto really me. I thought he really killed them. I was shouting at him like Tyra Banks.
I'm really excited about the last book (sad face) cause I want to know if Laila is going to read the ring and if she's going to live. Like the bitch is running out of time and she quite literally doesn't have the time to be sad.
Overall, 5 stars.
That last scene in the grotto really me. I thought he really killed them. I was shouting at him like Tyra Banks.
I'm really excited about the last book (sad face) cause I want to know if Laila is going to read the ring and if she's going to live. Like the bitch is running out of time and she quite literally doesn't have the time to be sad.
Overall, 5 stars.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read the Gilded Wolves recently and loved it. The twists and turns, the characters, everything. When I got my hands on this I tore into it and it was amazing. The characters are so marvellously flawed, so wonderful and human. The plot was fast paced, the world building excellent, and there were plenty of plot twists. I truly loved everything about this book and I hate that I have to wait so long for the next one now. I definitely am enjoying that a lot more authors are sharing their stories through different character’s viewpoints, I find it really enriches the story when you can read through the eyes of the different characters. I absolutely cannot wait until the third book! Now I need to go back and read her other series that I haven’t read.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm going to say first that I think this book suffers being the middle book. Its definitely weaker than book 1. From the premise, I was expecting a lot more to happen than actually did for its page count. The action parts felt a little disjointed as well. The plot is slow with nothing moving it along, so I didn't always want to keep picking it up and it was boring. Despite that, it was a good book picking up where we left of with the Gilded Wolves. It still focuses on our characters who are grieving. Severin is very much in his villain era. Some of his choices are pretty questionable. I really like seeing Enrique's relationships with the other characters. He was one of best points. The ending was pretty good with the reveal's and cliffhanger.
In The Silvered Serpents, Roshani Chokshi picks up the story where The Gilded Wolves left off, showing the repercussions of Séverin’s choices in the first novel. The group faces their loss full frontal as they conquer a new heist with even higher stakes than before. Throughout their quest to find the one item that could save not only Laila’s life, but also Séverin’s sanity, questions arise regarding mortality, self-worth, and status.
Chokshi brings back her intricate world-building into a masterpiece of a sequel that can actually be considered better than the first. Her inspiring intellect flows through the pages, and while math tends to hurt my brain, I truly enjoyed revisiting this group of geniuses. While when reading the first novel, I could not decide whom I would consider my favorite of the group, but while reading the sequel, I realized that all I wanted was for someone to tell Zofia that they needed her and give her sugar cookies. I only discovered The Gilded Wolves at the very end of last year, but this series has easily become one of my top three favorite book series. Chokshi’s ability to present characters with extremely realistic PTSD and autism will never cease to amaze me. Her diverse cast kept me at the edge of my seat for the entirety of the novel. While I usually only highlight one or two phrases on my Kindle e-books, I ended up with thirteen highlighted passages in The Silvered Serpents. This highly quotable sequel will appeal greatly to fans of the first novel, of heist stories, and of diverse characters. During a time of great social unrest, this book will truly make readers sit back and question their own preconceptions.
Chokshi brings back her intricate world-building into a masterpiece of a sequel that can actually be considered better than the first. Her inspiring intellect flows through the pages, and while math tends to hurt my brain, I truly enjoyed revisiting this group of geniuses. While when reading the first novel, I could not decide whom I would consider my favorite of the group, but while reading the sequel, I realized that all I wanted was for someone to tell Zofia that they needed her and give her sugar cookies. I only discovered The Gilded Wolves at the very end of last year, but this series has easily become one of my top three favorite book series. Chokshi’s ability to present characters with extremely realistic PTSD and autism will never cease to amaze me. Her diverse cast kept me at the edge of my seat for the entirety of the novel. While I usually only highlight one or two phrases on my Kindle e-books, I ended up with thirteen highlighted passages in The Silvered Serpents. This highly quotable sequel will appeal greatly to fans of the first novel, of heist stories, and of diverse characters. During a time of great social unrest, this book will truly make readers sit back and question their own preconceptions.