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A review by nikraines
The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau
2.0
Huge thanks to NetGalley and DAW for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm sad to say, this was a 2.5 stars read. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't a book I fell in love with.
I admit, the cover did its job well and intrigued me.
The premise sounded great, two friends fighting monsters for a shady man, trying to earn enough money to pay off their debts and escape poverty.
Unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations.
The Bad.
The world and lore wasn't what I would call well developed. It’s a standalone novel, so I understand I can't expect the worldbuilding I'd get from a series, and I really enjoyed the glimpses we got of the religion, but I would've loved to have a bit more.
The magic system was non-existent. We get some vague references about powers existing in the past, but now the only things that's left are random monsters and the most deus ex machina power ever, but for only eight seconds! And only Lythlet can do it! As many times as she wants! But don't ask why or how!
I liked that Lythlet was a (somewhat) jaded protagonist full of flaws fighting for any scrap in an unjust world, but I expected her to be different. From the blurb, it seems like she was supposed to be a not-so-great fighter that could best every challenge with wit and cunning, but in the first fight she literally, which should've been the climax of her journey, not a random thing she can just do.
The fights felt extremely rushed. We’re told there's one fight a month, for a total of twelve fights in a year, but then we just gloss over some fights, therefore completely skipping months, and it all feels unbalanced.
But if the focus isn't on the fights, then it's on the political games, right? WRONG.
There's some politicking going on, but it feels like everything happens in the background.
Lythlet helps for about five minutes after not thinking about it for most of the book, we're introduced to a convenient subplot in chapter 26 out of 34, she manages to overthrow a government with the help of a vaguely mentioned organization, and then nothing. There's no payoff, no consequences, nothing. Or, well, things happen but we don't feel the weight of the situation, we're just told it happened.
I understand that Lythlet isn't supposed to be The Chosen One, she just contributes, sometimes unknowingly, to Things happening, but it felt like seeing a vague post online about a thing that happened to an acquaintance.
She's supposed to be the focus of the book! She's the protagonist! And if it isn't the fighting or the politicking, then what's left?
The Good.
Her relationships, you might say. Well, dear reader, you might be onto something.
I think Lythlet feeling like a burden to her parents, enough that she never got in contact with them for years after leaving her home, was amazingly written. I will be seeking compensation (/j) because by the end there wasn't a full reconciliation, but a promise to do better.
But what I loved most is that this book, at its core, was about a friendship. Desil and Lythlet are friends, no need for romance.
Their bond felt real and raw, they had disagreements that felt justified, and the final chapter literally brought me to tears.
I loved that, despite Desil being the secondary protagonist, he was fleshed out. We see him like Lythlet sees him, as someone who's devoted and kind, as someone who could do nothing wrong.
When Lythlet discovers the truth about him, we feel the same disconnect as her, like seeing someone we know without recognising them. It was crushing.
In Conclusion.
These are my thoughts. There's some good, a lot of bad, and I wish I could've liked this more than I did. I'm sure someone will love this, but it wasn't for me and so I don't think I can, in good faith, recommend it.
I'm sad to say, this was a 2.5 stars read. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't a book I fell in love with.
I admit, the cover did its job well and intrigued me.
The premise sounded great, two friends fighting monsters for a shady man, trying to earn enough money to pay off their debts and escape poverty.
Unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations.
The Bad.
The world and lore wasn't what I would call well developed. It’s a standalone novel, so I understand I can't expect the worldbuilding I'd get from a series, and I really enjoyed the glimpses we got of the religion, but I would've loved to have a bit more.
The magic system was non-existent. We get some vague references about powers existing in the past, but now the only things that's left are random monsters and the most deus ex machina power ever, but for only eight seconds! And only Lythlet can do it! As many times as she wants! But don't ask why or how!
I liked that Lythlet was a (somewhat) jaded protagonist full of flaws fighting for any scrap in an unjust world, but I expected her to be different. From the blurb, it seems like she was supposed to be a not-so-great fighter that could best every challenge with wit and cunning, but in the first fight she literally
Spoiler
sees the threads of the universe and manipulates them for eight seconds to kill a beastThe fights felt extremely rushed. We’re told there's one fight a month, for a total of twelve fights in a year, but then we just gloss over some fights, therefore completely skipping months, and it all feels unbalanced.
But if the focus isn't on the fights, then it's on the political games, right? WRONG.
There's some politicking going on, but it feels like everything happens in the background.
Lythlet helps for about five minutes after not thinking about it for most of the book, we're introduced to a convenient subplot in chapter 26 out of 34, she manages to overthrow a government with the help of a vaguely mentioned organization, and then nothing. There's no payoff, no consequences, nothing. Or, well, things happen but we don't feel the weight of the situation, we're just told it happened.
I understand that Lythlet isn't supposed to be The Chosen One, she just contributes, sometimes unknowingly, to Things happening, but it felt like seeing a vague post online about a thing that happened to an acquaintance.
She's supposed to be the focus of the book! She's the protagonist! And if it isn't the fighting or the politicking, then what's left?
The Good.
Her relationships, you might say. Well, dear reader, you might be onto something.
I think Lythlet feeling like a burden to her parents, enough that she never got in contact with them for years after leaving her home, was amazingly written. I will be seeking compensation (/j) because by the end there wasn't a full reconciliation, but a promise to do better.
But what I loved most is that this book, at its core, was about a friendship. Desil and Lythlet are friends, no need for romance.
Their bond felt real and raw, they had disagreements that felt justified, and the final chapter literally brought me to tears.
I loved that, despite Desil being the secondary protagonist, he was fleshed out. We see him like Lythlet sees him, as someone who's devoted and kind, as someone who could do nothing wrong.
When Lythlet discovers the truth about him, we feel the same disconnect as her, like seeing someone we know without recognising them. It was crushing.
In Conclusion.
These are my thoughts. There's some good, a lot of bad, and I wish I could've liked this more than I did. I'm sure someone will love this, but it wasn't for me and so I don't think I can, in good faith, recommend it.