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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
ѓ?ђ 4 stars
You know, for a split second, I thought I was only going to give this 3 stars. But that ending! Oh my god, that ending! I need to read Bronzed Beasts immediately!
Silvered Serpents was definitely much more entertaining than The Gilded Wolves (TGW). Chokshi weaves her exposition into the story better. There's no abundance of large paragraphs explaining confusing lore and she utilizes "Show not Tell" better than she did in TGW.
Our relationships are all tense right now. We broke away from the established bonds and we're exploring each relationship in a new light. There are some revelations and some betrayals, but what is a found family without any of those?
I, for one, loved the mythos featured in this book. I'm such a sucker for Muses, so I loved the way they were used here. There are still things that I'm confused about that I hope will be addressed in the next book, but I'm enjoying the ride.
You know, for a split second, I thought I was only going to give this 3 stars. But that ending! Oh my god, that ending! I need to read Bronzed Beasts immediately!
Silvered Serpents was definitely much more entertaining than The Gilded Wolves (TGW). Chokshi weaves her exposition into the story better. There's no abundance of large paragraphs explaining confusing lore and she utilizes "Show not Tell" better than she did in TGW.
Our relationships are all tense right now. We broke away from the established bonds and we're exploring each relationship in a new light. There are some revelations and some betrayals, but what is a found family without any of those?
I, for one, loved the mythos featured in this book. I'm such a sucker for Muses, so I loved the way they were used here. There are still things that I'm confused about that I hope will be addressed in the next book, but I'm enjoying the ride.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
**Spoilers ahead for The Gilded Wolves**
"Love did not always wear the face one wished it would. Sometimes it looked downright monstrous"
Roshani Chokshi has taken the beautiful, enthralling world from The Gilded Wolves and built upon in to create this masterpiece of a book! Fans of the first book will have their hearts broken, rebuilt, and broken again as they follow our beloved characters on their next adventure.
So what is this book about?
Following the rise of the Fallen House and the death of Tristian, Séverin and his team have drifted apart. After pursuing any leads on the Fallen House and The Divine Lyrics, the case has grown cold and their hope has dried up. But when a surprise lead pops up, the team will get back together for one last acquisition in order to avenge Tristian and stop the Fallen House. Journeying to the cold heart of Russia, Séverin, Laila, Enrique, and Zofia alongside Hypnos and his House, will learn exactly how far they'll go and how much of their souls they are willing sacrifice to save the ones they love... and maybe the rest of humanity.
In the first book, Chokshi introduced us to this beautiful, Forged world and to the wonderful characters that make up our team. I particularly loved how the POVs changed in order to introduce us to each character, their story, and to see their perspective of the story as it unfolds. In The Silvered Serpents it is no different, and Chokshi takes us even further into the depths of these beautifully complex and diverse characters. This way, we see the ice that has surrounded Séverin's heart after the loss of his brother, and his twisted and heartbreaking resolution to protect his friends further. This way, we see Laila as she approaches her birthday, and possibly the end of her life as well. This way, we see Zofia as she struggles to reconcile her natural family, with her sister sick, with the family she has created amongst her friends. And this way we see Enrique, still struggling to make his voice heard in the world and to gain respect for his work, all the while figuring out the state of his heart.
In this breathtaking sequel, Chokshi takes our team and their world and turns it on its head. The grief of their loss has changed each of them in their own way, affecting their work and relationships, while the world of the Order may be flipped upside down as well with the discoveries that they are about to make. What I enjoyed so much about this book was that Chokshi really leaned into the darker sides of each character and their personal struggle. She doesn't shy away from from the heavier emotions or the moral ambiguity that creeps into their lives. This lended an extremely human and realistic aspect to a world where everything seems Forged and made our characters all the more relatable.
Pushing further into this darkness, the lines between the "good team," i.e. Séverin & his crew, and the "bad team," i.e. the Fallen House, become blurred. The power that the Divine Lyrics offers is desired by all...what will they do to get it? What does it mean for the ends to justify the means? And who will they be at the end of it all?
Yet while this world is beguiling and beautiful, I wish that we could learn more about the art of Forging. This magical, god-like affinity that is so integral to the world Chokshi has built here is something that, even at the end of the second book, feels like it is under-explained. The art of it, how it comes to manifest in a person, and the extent to which Forging can be used are all things I want to know more in-depth....and this book doesn't necessarily give me the answers I wanted. However, this flaw, while important, doesn't impact the book as a whole, as the Forging concept is used as a mechanism for our characters' adventures, as they are the most important piece.
All in all, this is a character driven book that happens to be set in a beautiful, magical world. One of the things I love the most is the sheer diversity that Chokshi has brought to her characters. Biracial characters in the time where colonialism is still cool, a Jewish & ASD character when Anti-Semitism is on the rise and ASD isn't understood, and bisexual characters in 19th century. Readers will be hard-pressed to not find a character that they relate to in the slightest, and that is one of the many strengths of this wonderful series.
To put it lightly, I am in love, I am so sad this book was over, and I am dying for the next one. RIP my soul.
**Spoilers ahead for The Gilded Wolves**
"Love did not always wear the face one wished it would. Sometimes it looked downright monstrous"
Roshani Chokshi has taken the beautiful, enthralling world from The Gilded Wolves and built upon in to create this masterpiece of a book! Fans of the first book will have their hearts broken, rebuilt, and broken again as they follow our beloved characters on their next adventure.
So what is this book about?
Following the rise of the Fallen House and the death of Tristian, Séverin and his team have drifted apart. After pursuing any leads on the Fallen House and The Divine Lyrics, the case has grown cold and their hope has dried up. But when a surprise lead pops up, the team will get back together for one last acquisition in order to avenge Tristian and stop the Fallen House. Journeying to the cold heart of Russia, Séverin, Laila, Enrique, and Zofia alongside Hypnos and his House, will learn exactly how far they'll go and how much of their souls they are willing sacrifice to save the ones they love... and maybe the rest of humanity.
In the first book, Chokshi introduced us to this beautiful, Forged world and to the wonderful characters that make up our team. I particularly loved how the POVs changed in order to introduce us to each character, their story, and to see their perspective of the story as it unfolds. In The Silvered Serpents it is no different, and Chokshi takes us even further into the depths of these beautifully complex and diverse characters. This way, we see the ice that has surrounded Séverin's heart after the loss of his brother, and his twisted and heartbreaking resolution to protect his friends further. This way, we see Laila as she approaches her birthday, and possibly the end of her life as well. This way, we see Zofia as she struggles to reconcile her natural family, with her sister sick, with the family she has created amongst her friends. And this way we see Enrique, still struggling to make his voice heard in the world and to gain respect for his work, all the while figuring out the state of his heart.
In this breathtaking sequel, Chokshi takes our team and their world and turns it on its head. The grief of their loss has changed each of them in their own way, affecting their work and relationships, while the world of the Order may be flipped upside down as well with the discoveries that they are about to make. What I enjoyed so much about this book was that Chokshi really leaned into the darker sides of each character and their personal struggle. She doesn't shy away from from the heavier emotions or the moral ambiguity that creeps into their lives. This lended an extremely human and realistic aspect to a world where everything seems Forged and made our characters all the more relatable.
Pushing further into this darkness, the lines between the "good team," i.e. Séverin & his crew, and the "bad team," i.e. the Fallen House, become blurred. The power that the Divine Lyrics offers is desired by all...what will they do to get it? What does it mean for the ends to justify the means? And who will they be at the end of it all?
Yet while this world is beguiling and beautiful, I wish that we could learn more about the art of Forging. This magical, god-like affinity that is so integral to the world Chokshi has built here is something that, even at the end of the second book, feels like it is under-explained. The art of it, how it comes to manifest in a person, and the extent to which Forging can be used are all things I want to know more in-depth....and this book doesn't necessarily give me the answers I wanted. However, this flaw, while important, doesn't impact the book as a whole, as the Forging concept is used as a mechanism for our characters' adventures, as they are the most important piece.
All in all, this is a character driven book that happens to be set in a beautiful, magical world. One of the things I love the most is the sheer diversity that Chokshi has brought to her characters. Biracial characters in the time where colonialism is still cool, a Jewish & ASD character when Anti-Semitism is on the rise and ASD isn't understood, and bisexual characters in 19th century. Readers will be hard-pressed to not find a character that they relate to in the slightest, and that is one of the many strengths of this wonderful series.
To put it lightly, I am in love, I am so sad this book was over, and I am dying for the next one. RIP my soul.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
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:
Complicated
Likes:
- Her writing is still so beautiful
- I love how petty (?) Laila is being
- I like seeing how the grief has impacted all of them (even tho it’s obviously making me sad also)
- LAILA AND SÉVERIN!! She still knows how to write great tension!!
- I love when they talk about their past excursions cuz it just adds another layer to their friendship
- I’m loving the new relationship/tension between Séverin and Enrique now that he doesn’t trust him anymore
- Ok I love the detail of how Zofia lights matches with her teeth, that’s just such a badass move
- So many great lines in here!!!!
Dislikes:
- This one is a little slower paced than the first one (idk if that counts as middle book syndrome)
- Not a big fan of how it ended but I guess that’s just how it had to be
Random Thoughts:
- I feel that going into this I’m not going into it for the plot. I’m going in for the characters
- I’m sorry what?? He wants to collar her?????
- Dude why is Hypnos suddenly a bitch?? In the last book he was pretentious but now? He’s just mean
- Again gotta give her props for coming up with such intriguing and smart mysteries
- Grief should really be more talked about in books
- Maybe this is just cuz I’m rewatching arrow but the way that Séverin is acting reminds me a lot of Oliver Queen
- Again I just have to appreciate how SMART this woman is
- It is so weird seeing my name in books especially when it’s spelled the way I spell it
- Chapter 32 is probably my favorite chapter just cuz of how badass Zofia really is and it’s like we’re watching her become even more of a badass
- Also chapter 32 alone is another reason why this series needs to be adapted cuz I desperately need to see that scene on screen
- Her ending always leave me FUCKED UP!!
- 3.75 stars
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
*Lady Gaga's voice*: talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before
If you listen closely enough you can hear me screaming.
ahh AhHhhHh
Okay, so I lied on the time thingy-ma-bob on the top. I actually started this book the beginning of June, but could not get into it for the life of me. After a couple more failed attempts, I succeeded and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!
The reason it was so hard for me to get into was this one character (who I still want to hit in the face with a frying pan) was just being stupid. Anyway…
You get all of the elements I loved about the first book— but like— times 100.
The character development>>>
I love how we learn more about the magic system and the mythology that is the basis for said magic system as the characters themselves learn more.
The only thing that was semi bad other than the beginning being hard to get into (for me— it may be different for you) was the fact that, just like the 1st book, I could slightlyyy predict it. But it’s like the “omg I knew there was something sus about them” type of prediction not the “this is insanely predictable” prediction. So you may be able to figure out the “villian”, but it did not change my views of the book, only making it better with the INTENSE foreshadowing (on that note— pay attention to the prologue)
Note: it ends in a cliffhanger thats like These Violent Delights with feeling like you could kill for the next book so have the sequel on hand. Like right beside you. On top of the tissue box. Maybe even get someone to talk to about it when you finish.
Overall: great book that was just as good as the first one. Took me a while to get into because of one character needing a good whack on the head, but you may not feel the same way. Slightly predictable through good foreshadowing, but didn’t change my opinion. Will most certainly reread and would most definitely recommend, but I would ask them to tell me which part they are at so we can freak out together.
ahh AhHhhHh
Okay, so I lied on the time thingy-ma-bob on the top. I actually started this book the beginning of June, but could not get into it for the life of me. After a couple more failed attempts, I succeeded and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!
The reason it was so hard for me to get into was this one character (who I still want to hit in the face with a frying pan) was just being stupid. Anyway…
You get all of the elements I loved about the first book— but like— times 100.
The character development>>>
I love how we learn more about the magic system and the mythology that is the basis for said magic system as the characters themselves learn more.
The only thing that was semi bad other than the beginning being hard to get into (for me— it may be different for you) was the fact that, just like the 1st book, I could slightlyyy predict it. But it’s like the “omg I knew there was something sus about them” type of prediction not the “this is insanely predictable” prediction. So you may be able to figure out the “villian”, but it did not change my views of the book, only making it better with the INTENSE foreshadowing (on that note— pay attention to the prologue)
Note: it ends in a cliffhanger thats like These Violent Delights with feeling like you could kill for the next book so have the sequel on hand. Like right beside you. On top of the tissue box. Maybe even get someone to talk to about it when you finish.
Overall: great book that was just as good as the first one. Took me a while to get into because of one character needing a good whack on the head, but you may not feel the same way. Slightly predictable through good foreshadowing, but didn’t change my opinion. Will most certainly reread and would most definitely recommend, but I would ask them to tell me which part they are at so we can freak out together.
I cannot believe that I waited so long to read The Gilded Wolves series by Roshani Chokshi! The first book, The Gilded Wolves, had been on my TBR for a while before I finally started it, and once I did so, I was kicking myself for not having started it sooner! Once I finished the first book, I immediately made plans to start The Silvered Serpents right away, and I’m so glad I did!
I always enjoy Roshani’s books whenever I read them. The first series I read by her was The Star-Touched Queen series, and then after that, The Pandava Quartet, which happens to be one of my most favorite middle-grade series. I will definitely be adding The Gilded Wolves to my list of favorites as well!
Since I didn’t write a review for the first book, let me assure you that I did enjoy it. The characters and the storyline were really great, and while the ending was a bit of a shock, it was still an all-around great read. I very much enjoyed it.
The Silvered Serpents picks up not long after where The Gilded Wolves leaves off and takes you on another great adventure full of twists that you probably won’t see coming, and so much going on that you won’t know what to expect next ... at least I didn’t! The book ends in a way that will leave you dying to get your hands on the third book, The Bronzed Beast, and I will be patiently waiting for it to release in September!
Oh, can I also say that I love so many of the characters in this series? They are all so great, and all for different reasons, and I adore them all. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them in the next book!
Overall; The Silvered Serpents was a fantastic sequel to The Gilded Wolves! I really wish that I had started this series sooner, but I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on the next book coming soon … it’s going to be a most anticipated read for me for sure!
Happy Reading!
I always enjoy Roshani’s books whenever I read them. The first series I read by her was The Star-Touched Queen series, and then after that, The Pandava Quartet, which happens to be one of my most favorite middle-grade series. I will definitely be adding The Gilded Wolves to my list of favorites as well!
Since I didn’t write a review for the first book, let me assure you that I did enjoy it. The characters and the storyline were really great, and while the ending was a bit of a shock, it was still an all-around great read. I very much enjoyed it.
The Silvered Serpents picks up not long after where The Gilded Wolves leaves off and takes you on another great adventure full of twists that you probably won’t see coming, and so much going on that you won’t know what to expect next ... at least I didn’t! The book ends in a way that will leave you dying to get your hands on the third book, The Bronzed Beast, and I will be patiently waiting for it to release in September!
Oh, can I also say that I love so many of the characters in this series? They are all so great, and all for different reasons, and I adore them all. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them in the next book!
Overall; The Silvered Serpents was a fantastic sequel to The Gilded Wolves! I really wish that I had started this series sooner, but I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on the next book coming soon … it’s going to be a most anticipated read for me for sure!
Happy Reading!