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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
I liked this book, but didn't love it. It felt so dense and yet I had so many questions about the world and magic. I felt like the main story could have been two books instead of one. I did love that this is a fantasy story without a real romance aspect. There is some flirtation, but always between the main characters and a side character. Lythlet and Desil are best friends, and I love the familial relationship between them. I liked how they really complemented each other and there wasn't any heaving bosoms and stolen glances.
The book takes place over the course of just over a year. There is so much plot that takes place that I was just rushing through the end. So many of their conquessor battles are just glazed over, but I would have liked more description. I also was interested in the real difference between Sun Cursed and Sun Blessed. Also, it seemed like other nations still had magic, so why didn't they? I know it's explained but it just felt so vague.
I would also wager a guess that Lythlet is neurodivergent. I loved the way she was described and her interactions with people. She wasn't a caricature, but a loving representation. The other thing this book does well is describe the harsh ways people get trapped in poverty. The predatory loans and jobs that overpromise and underdeliver. This really was a scrappy underdog story, but the ending isn't pitch perfect. The ending depicts an imperfect world that has years to go, I like a messy ending.
I don't know if I would read another book in this series, but if you like monster fighting rebellious fantasy, this book is for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
The book takes place over the course of just over a year. There is so much plot that takes place that I was just rushing through the end. So many of their conquessor battles are just glazed over, but I would have liked more description. I also was interested in the real difference between Sun Cursed and Sun Blessed. Also, it seemed like other nations still had magic, so why didn't they? I know it's explained but it just felt so vague.
I would also wager a guess that Lythlet is neurodivergent. I loved the way she was described and her interactions with people. She wasn't a caricature, but a loving representation. The other thing this book does well is describe the harsh ways people get trapped in poverty. The predatory loans and jobs that overpromise and underdeliver. This really was a scrappy underdog story, but the ending isn't pitch perfect. The ending depicts an imperfect world that has years to go, I like a messy ending.
I don't know if I would read another book in this series, but if you like monster fighting rebellious fantasy, this book is for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Trafficking
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
This slapped.
This so easily could’ve been a typical fantasy romance; we follow Lythlet and her best friend Desil as they sign up to fight terrifying mythical beasts in an arena, to pay off their debts.
Such a simply premise, yet such a layered story! Lythlet isn’t especially skilled in fighting, but she’s clever and puzzles her way through the fights. Desil has been her best friend since childhood, they love each other dearly, and it never becomes romantic. I see that so rarely in books now, and it really worked here.
There’s layers of political corruption and magical world building; but the main backbone of the story is Lythlet and her trying to fight her way out of her debts. the heart of the story is her creating a support system, reconnecting with people she thought lost to her, and finding out secrets about the one person she’s always implicitly trusted.
I loved this and will definitely be picking up a copy of this fantastic standalone!
This slapped.
This so easily could’ve been a typical fantasy romance; we follow Lythlet and her best friend Desil as they sign up to fight terrifying mythical beasts in an arena, to pay off their debts.
Such a simply premise, yet such a layered story! Lythlet isn’t especially skilled in fighting, but she’s clever and puzzles her way through the fights. Desil has been her best friend since childhood, they love each other dearly, and it never becomes romantic. I see that so rarely in books now, and it really worked here.
There’s layers of political corruption and magical world building; but the main backbone of the story is Lythlet and her trying to fight her way out of her debts. the heart of the story is her creating a support system, reconnecting with people she thought lost to her, and finding out secrets about the one person she’s always implicitly trusted.
I loved this and will definitely be picking up a copy of this fantastic standalone!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and DAW for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5
The overall premises was excellent. I loved reading about the monsters and how they were described. However, I wish the author would have touched a bit more on the magic aspect. Also, the world-building could have been a bit more descriptive, I was not able to envision myself in this world most of the time.
I think Roanne is a beautiful writer, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them in this career!
3.5
The overall premises was excellent. I loved reading about the monsters and how they were described. However, I wish the author would have touched a bit more on the magic aspect. Also, the world-building could have been a bit more descriptive, I was not able to envision myself in this world most of the time.
I think Roanne is a beautiful writer, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them in this career!
slow-paced
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
The Serpent Called Mercy follows Lythlet and her best—and only—friend, Desil, who have been struggling in poverty due to a massive debt they sustained. Seeing a chance to pay it off, they enter a year-long arena trials as conquessors, warriors who fight mythical beasts for coin.
As they progress through the trials and Lythlet’s ambition grows, she begins to uncover a flawed and corrupt society ruled by cunning and unscrupulous leaders.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and its pacing. The world, characters, and society are introduced well, making for an engaging start.
However, once the trials begin, the pacing feels off. The battles often end too quickly, making some events feel rushed and, at times, confusing. Outside of the arena, not much happens for a large portion of the story, to the point that it feels like filler chapters.
While the themes of corruption, manipulation, and power struggles are present throughout, they are only explored around the 75% mark of the book (Chapter 27 of 34). I had a hard time understanding until this point, where the story and plot were progressing to.
I also found it difficult to connect with the characters due to how they were portrayed and how their storylines were written. Although, there were some interesting side characters that I would have loved to learn more about.
As someone who is not religious, I appreciated the way Desil’s religious devotion was explained and addressed. I also liked that Lythlet and Desil’s relationship remained as a friendship rather than evolving into romance. The absence of romance in this book was actually refreshing.
I was really excited to read this book, and I believe both the story and the author have a lot of potential. I actually truly enjoyed the author's writing and her storytelling skills. However, for me, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations.
The Serpent Called Mercy follows Lythlet and her best—and only—friend, Desil, who have been struggling in poverty due to a massive debt they sustained. Seeing a chance to pay it off, they enter a year-long arena trials as conquessors, warriors who fight mythical beasts for coin.
As they progress through the trials and Lythlet’s ambition grows, she begins to uncover a flawed and corrupt society ruled by cunning and unscrupulous leaders.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and its pacing. The world, characters, and society are introduced well, making for an engaging start.
However, once the trials begin, the pacing feels off. The battles often end too quickly, making some events feel rushed and, at times, confusing. Outside of the arena, not much happens for a large portion of the story, to the point that it feels like filler chapters.
While the themes of corruption, manipulation, and power struggles are present throughout, they are only explored around the 75% mark of the book (Chapter 27 of 34). I had a hard time understanding until this point, where the story and plot were progressing to.
I also found it difficult to connect with the characters due to how they were portrayed and how their storylines were written. Although, there were some interesting side characters that I would have loved to learn more about.
As someone who is not religious, I appreciated the way Desil’s religious devotion was explained and addressed. I also liked that Lythlet and Desil’s relationship remained as a friendship rather than evolving into romance. The absence of romance in this book was actually refreshing.
I was really excited to read this book, and I believe both the story and the author have a lot of potential. I actually truly enjoyed the author's writing and her storytelling skills. However, for me, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations.
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*
I think this book tries too many things at once: introduce some fascinating world building (political struggles, beasts, religions, social conflict, organised crime, social ladder), the characters (lies, trauma, hopes) & the story itself (fight beasts to escape debts & poverty). Our main character is not only a gifted fighter, avid reader & thief, magnificent bookkeeper but also has mommy & daddy issues. Sadly, none of the topics are properly explored (DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE BEE STUFF AS A BEEKEEPER) and overall it was quite predictable where the story would go. Kudos for the lack of romance, having some fighting love interests in this would have made it worse!
3 stars
I think this book tries too many things at once: introduce some fascinating world building (political struggles, beasts, religions, social conflict, organised crime, social ladder), the characters (lies, trauma, hopes) & the story itself (fight beasts to escape debts & poverty). Our main character is not only a gifted fighter, avid reader & thief, magnificent bookkeeper but also has mommy & daddy issues. Sadly, none of the topics are properly explored (DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE BEE STUFF AS A BEEKEEPER) and overall it was quite predictable where the story would go. Kudos for the lack of romance, having some fighting love interests in this would have made it worse!
3 stars
I received an advanced reading copy of this book via Netgalley.
I went into this one with high expectations but ultimately was disappointed. The Witcher meets Squid Game is an interesting pitch, and The Serpent Called Mercy does attempt to deliver a fantasy full of monsters, ambition, and the grit of urban underworlds. Unfortunately, what sounds like an exciting blend of intrigue and violence instead becomes a frustratingly uneven read, where ambitious themes and promising ideas are undermined by poor execution, thin world-building, and a central message that I found frustrating at best and naive and short-sighted at worst.
The story alternates between cozy, domestic moments in tearooms around the city of Setgad and arena combat against horrible monsters brought in from outside the city, a juxtaposition that could have been compelling if handled deftly. The problem is that neither aspect fully lands. The action sequences especially fell very flat for me. These should be the beating heart of the novel but most of them consist of the protagonists sitting on platforms above the monsters they're meant to be fighting, talking through their plans in complete calm until Lythlet puzzles out the solution - usually by making use of something she's learned about said monster from a book. It put me in mind of someone reading a Dungeons & Dragons monster manual entry about a bear and then expecting to be able to win a fight against one.
The cozy elements of the book fare a little better, but even then they're undermined by tonal inconsistencies. One fairly major subplot revolves around child sex trafficking and the sexual abuse of children, and the references to it are introduced with the subtlety of a brick. Characters mention it in passing without ever really reflecting on the true horror of it, and it's incredibly jarring when set against the cozier, warmer moments. And even those cozy moments are set against a backdrop of abject poverty and spiralling debt that's never really explored. The result is a story that feels unsure of what it wants to be - soft, comforting wish fulfillment fantasy or dark, gritty drama that explores the evils of unchecked capitalism.
The book also struggles with charaterisation. Lythlet, our protagonist, is positioned as an intelligent, capable heroine, but her immediate mastery of every skill and situation robs the story of tension and her character of any sense of growth. In her first arena battle she manages to do something that hasn't been done by anybody in decades, unlocking a well of ancient magic that grants her the power to rewrite time itself for 8 seconds. This is barely ever mentioned again, and it feels like this should have been the climax of her time in the arena rather than something that happens casually once or twice and is then forgotten. Her only flaws seem to be that she struggles to understand social cues, and that she has a stutter - but the stutter is mentioned a handful of times in the opening chapters and then forgotten entirely.
This is a symptom of a common problem in the book. Things are mentioned and plotlines are seeded only to never turn up again. A major subplot throughout the novel is the existence of a shady vigilante character called the Phantom, who has been stealing from the rich of the city and is a wanted criminal. Lythlet starts to be drawn into a web of conspiracy theories about the Phantom's existence, and it seems clear that this will be an important element in the final act. Then it's forgotten entirely, with no payoff whatsoever.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the book is its political naivety. The story’s central message seems to be that oppressive systems, whether they involve abusive employers, mob bosses, or the structural corruption of the city, can be defeated just as easily with a stern talking-to as with violent action or revolution. It places a strange and uncritical faith in the rule of law, despite its depiction of a city riddled with crime and inequality. In the current political climate, where systemic injustice often demands more than polite appeals to decency, this message feels incredibly naive. There's certainly a place for this sort of soft wish fulfilment, but perhaps not in a novel dealing with violent mob bosses and child sex slaves.
This is a long list of complaints, but it's not all bad. Every time I felt like abandoning the book something would come along that kept me gripped - some revelation about the world, or a detail that I thought was interesting and wanted to see explored more. When it works well the juxtaposition of cozy fantasy and gritty underworld violence is really good. It's just a shame that the focus of the novel seems misplaced, and that it's so inconsistent. I'm also unsure who this is for. It's pitched as an adult fantasy novel but it reads much more like YA or NA, and I think that had I known that were the case I likely would have skipped it. As it is, I think it's too inconsistent for me to be able to recommend it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
꧁ ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘꧂
☆☆☆
꧁ 𝔔𝔲𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔇𝔢𝔰𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔭𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 ꧂
𝚃𝚠𝚘 𝚜𝚕𝚞𝚖 𝚍𝚘𝚐𝚜 𝙻𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚓𝚘𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚕 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚋𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑, 𝚗𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚜.
꧁ 𝔐𝔶 𝔗𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔰 ꧂
𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚢𝚙𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚢𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚑 𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑-𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍. 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊 𝚑𝚞𝚐𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝.
ᴅɪꜱᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀ - ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ ʀᴇꜰʟᴇᴄᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪʙᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴡʜɪʟꜱᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC and a huge thank you to Roanne Lau.
ᴬˡˢᵒ ʳᵉᵛⁱᵉʷᵉᵈ ᵒⁿ ᴳᵒᵒᵈʳᵉᵃᵈˢ,ᴺᵉᵗᴳᵃˡˡᵉʸ, ˢᵗᵒʳʸᴳʳᵃᵖʰ,ᶠᵃᵇˡᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ᴵⁿˢᵗᵃᵍʳᵃᵐ {ᴾᵒˢᵗ ᵗᵒ ᶜᵒᵐᵉ}
(¯`*•.¸,¤°´✿.｡.:* @read.with.rue *.:｡.✿`°¤,¸.•*´¯)
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
The Serpent Called Mercy is a debut novel by Roanne Lau, and what a stunning debut it is! While it’s not without its imperfections, I found it to be an engrossing and memorable read, which is why I’m giving it a strong 4-star rating.
The world-building, while evocative, occasionally felt sparse, leaving me yearning for a bit more detail to fully visualize the setting. That said, the descriptions provided were just enough for me to picture the harsh, atmospheric world in which our protagonists, Lythlet and Desil, struggle to survive.
This is the second Advanced Reader Copy I’ve had the privilege of reading via NetGalley, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity. The Serpent Called Mercy gripped me from the very first chapter, and I could barely put it down. I was also fortunate enough to connect with the author, Roanne Lau, on BlueSky while working my way through this captivating story—a wonderful way to enhance the reading experience.
I started the book on January 2nd and found myself halfway through by the next day. By January 7th, I had turned the final page, left both satisfied and eager to see what Lau writes next. The striking cover immediately caught my attention—it’s beautifully designed and perfectly captures the essence of the story. I’d be curious to know who the artist is, as their work deserves recognition*.
Although I occasionally struggled to picture the intricacies of the world our protagonists navigate, I was thoroughly impressed by how well the characters were developed. They leapt off the page with vividness and heart. Among the many memorable figures, I was particularly charmed by the bees and a puppy named Runt, whose speech impediment gave him an endearing uniqueness.
Interestingly, the book evoked a Dickensian vibe for me. While I’m not sure if Roanne Lau intended to evoke the mid-to-late 19th century (though it’s clearly not set in London), there’s a palpable sense of societal struggle and disparity that resonates deeply. The themes felt strikingly relevant to today’s world, especially the glaring gap between the top 1% and the rest of us. It’s a sentiment I’ve often reflected on—being cash-poor truly is expensive, and Lau weaves this truth into her story with poignant effect.
The plot follows Lythlet and Desil as they are thrust into an underground world of illegal combat, where they face terrifying mythical beasts. Their ultimate goal? To pay off crushing debts and escape the relentless grip of poverty. The writing is so immersive that I found myself vividly imagining the gritty action, much like the visceral energy of Gladiator, one of my favorite films.
But this book offers more than just adrenaline-fueled action. Beneath the surface lies a rich tapestry of political corruption, family reconnections, and secrets that shake the foundations of trust. Lythlet’s journey is as much about survival as it is about uncovering the layers of betrayal and hope that define her relationships, particularly with Desil, the one person she thought she could rely on unconditionally.
I was thoroughly captivated by The Serpent Called Mercy. For a debut novel, it’s an exceptional piece of work—bold, heartfelt, and thought-provoking. Roanne Lau has crafted a story that lingers long after the final page, and I congratulate her on this remarkable achievement. I’ll be eagerly awaiting her next book and can’t wait to see how she builds on this promising start.
The Serpent Called Mercy has an interesting premise. Take a fantasy world where the poor are kept even poorer by manipulative money lenders and gamblers and the only way to financial recover to become a thief, participating in brawling or become a challenger in a 12 month contest where duos fight fantastical and mystical beasts.
Unfortunately the execution of this book doesn’t pay off. While the main character, Lythlet, has promise no else in this world is interesting at all. Lythlet is logical and well read, she excels at mental games and maths but you know to counter balance having a brain she has no looks and gets to be called worse than plain right to her face. Her partner in the games, her very best friend and the reason she is fighting for financial freedom, Desil is so one note that there is no real motivation to care about him at all. The most we get to know is that he used to be a brawler and now he is religious. If you don’t catch this point the first time it is made then don’t worry because it will be reiterated several more times.
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the opportunity to read and review this book but I cannot recommend this book at all. This is getting at best 2⭐️ DNF at 35%
Unfortunately the execution of this book doesn’t pay off. While the main character, Lythlet, has promise no else in this world is interesting at all. Lythlet is logical and well read, she excels at mental games and maths but you know to counter balance having a brain she has no looks and gets to be called worse than plain right to her face. Her partner in the games, her very best friend and the reason she is fighting for financial freedom, Desil is so one note that there is no real motivation to care about him at all. The most we get to know is that he used to be a brawler and now he is religious. If you don’t catch this point the first time it is made then don’t worry because it will be reiterated several more times.
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the opportunity to read and review this book but I cannot recommend this book at all. This is getting at best 2⭐️ DNF at 35%