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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
I have really missed the company of Severin and his team members, his friends if I may say, after "The Gilded Wolves" was over. Then I requested and got an ARC of "The Silvered Serpents" but I didn't have the time to read it. I even got the hardback once it was out, this is how much I wanted to read this book. I'm so glad I finally found the time to go through it. I love them all and now I cannot wait to see what will happen in the last book!
The balance in that little group of them has changed after the events of "The Gilded Wolves". It has given them time to think and try to understand the world and their current situation. Severin is very aware of their current situation and his own emotional state. So he gives everyone the time they need. That is until he finds a lead to his next adventure, his next acquisition. For this one he needs all his team members, all the people he trusts with his life and he cannot spare any one of them. He does his best and he gathers everyone around him again. They need to go through this last job all together.
“When the devil waged war in the heavens, even angels had to fall.”
― Roshani Chokshi, The Silvered Serpents
This time they leave Paris and they find themselves far away, in the icy heart of Russia. There the find a heartbroken merchant, a hidden palace that is rumoured to be full of treasures and crystalline ice animals. And if that was all they found. The came across deadly secrets and a series of unsolved murders, all of which make Severin's team wonder whether an ancient myth is just that, a myth, or something far bigger and worse.
“Most myths are just truths covered in cobwebs.”
― Roshani Chokshi, The Silvered Serpents
First of all I have to say that this is one of the few sequels that captivated my attention even more than the first book. Given that I knew all the main characters from the first book, I have invested in them, emotionally, through each and every page I read about them, their past, their feelings and their lives initially in "The Gilded Wolves" and now in "The Silvered Serpents". After the ending of the first book, it was difficult for Roshani Chokshi not to give more details about her characters. It would only serve the plot and would make the reader understand why she has followed that specific path in the second book. The guilt one felt, the need of another to make something of himself, the feeling of belonging a third one was craving, the longing of a fourth one to restore everything back to normality, whatever that may be and the necessity of a fifth one to live. They all became clear in the first pages of this book, but only because of what was shared of them in the first book. The character development was amazing, allowing the reader to get not only a glimpse of their personal struggle, but to read their souls like open books. See through all their flaws and weaknesses.
“What he had done had not looked like love.
But then again, love did not always wear a face of beauty”
― Roshani Chokshi, The Silvered Serpents
The plot was even more brilliant than the first book. The main characters all have a plan of their own, but they find themselves teaming up for one last job. One that they all expect to gain something from. Different angles give different perspective but they don't fail to be a team and work as such. They will question their judgment till the very end, but sometimes the sacrifices needed for a higher cause, are not always being understood by everyone.
“Love did not always wear the face one wished it would.
Sometimes it looked downright monstrous.”
― Roshani Chokshi, The Silvered Serpents
This book was very bland. I was bored reading 80% of it and had considered DNFing no less than 5 times. It only hot three stars because of the ending.
When the last 20% of a book is the only part worth reading, you have a problem. When I say that literally nothing happened until then, I really mean it. I was expecting sooo much following the events in ‘The Gilded Wolves’ but essentially got an explanation of the Nine Muses a million times. That explanation, by the way, gave away the entire book, so there wasn’t even a huge “oh my god, what a reveal” moment. It got to the point that any time the Muses were mentioned, I skipped reading it.
I still love the characters and I will definitely be reading the third book, but honestly this was a waste of my time.
e-ARC provided by Netgalley
4 Stars
So I read The Gilded Wolves right at the beginning of this year and loved it, despite finding certain aspects of the plot and magic system rather confusing. It was very Indiana Jones, with a hint of Six of Crows, but set in nineteenth century Paris. It was so much fun.
The Silvered Serpents is a darker novel, not quite so fun, but I absolutely adored the characters, especially Zofia, who is a gem. I loved the more introspective sections, of which there are a lot. There wasn't a single perspective I disliked, which given how many characters there are is quite some feat. However I still had the same problem as before in that I found myself disorientated a lot by the plot - more specifically where the characters were and what they were doing. I also think a glossary for some of the terms used in the story would be quite helpful (there might be one in the finished copy but I couldn't find one on my Kindle ARC). This didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story that much though - at the end of the day I prefer character-driven stories, and while I do appreciate a smooth plot too, lovable characters will always keep me hooked, and this series has plenty. I can't wait for the final instalment.
Once again Roshani Chokshi has brought us a stunningly brilliant and emotional tale with The Silvered Serpents. There's of course history and mystery but at it's heart is the bonds between the characters and how far they will go for each other. With writing that seeps into the bones and sets the soul alight, readers will surely love this one.
One of my favorite parts of this series is always going to be the exploration of artifacts, folklore, and legends and this sequel delves deeper into all those aspects. More importantly though, this book shines a light on the hidden and often unseen emotions and thoughts that humans deal with. Dealing with grief, loss, and trauma; the feeling of being other; and above all love, in its many, many facets.
This whole crew of characters is so nuanced and their connections to one another carry the story. Whether it's Séverin's quest for power, Laila's search for more, Enrique's desire to belong, Zofia's fear, or Hypnos' need of acceptance; all of them bring something special to the table. I find myself wanting to coddle and yell at them all at the same time.
And oh that ending. It was at once heartbreaking yet hopeful, and I'm eagerly anticipating the final installment in the trilogy. Chokshi's writing continues to excel bringing a sweeping, lyrical narrative to the page. If you haven't started this trilogy yet, I highly recommend picking up The Gilded Wolves as soon as possible so you can then delve into The Silvered Serpents.
