Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by holmes_reads
The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
----------------------------------------
♟️Rating:5/5⭐
----------------------------------------
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Throughout my many years of reading, I had come across and read many books, especially fantasy. Whenever I read those books, I read like a machine programmed to do so whenever I’m unoccupied or taking a long train to my destination. More often than not, I had long forgotten, at its essence, why I read in the first place. For joy? For pain or for the sake of being another mindless consumer in this society? And so, when I came across The Serpent Called Mercy, a spark within me was relighted as I was reminded once again as to why I read and love fantasy novels. It’s novels like this where I’m once again reminded why my younger self would spend hours poring over fantasy novels as a pastime because stories such as TSCM once again reminded me of seeing characters maintaining hope despite all odds and fighting for the things they believe in even despite the inevitable sacrifice. So as I write this review, I sigh and think to myself again, “This book is precisely why I read fantasy novels.”
Despite this book being Ms Roanne’s debut novel, her prose has a distinctive flair to it. Her writing has a charm-like quality to it, reminding me of contemporary classic authors, and it followed the whole book with an unwavering grip. This is rarely seen in fantasy novels these days, opting for cliché lines or language. But I often prefer my writing to have a little more oomph to it, because how can complex thoughts and emotions be easily conveyed? The rich and vivid description brought the world roaring to life, threatening to shake your soul with the immersive dialogue and prose. When I read the fight scenes where Master Dothilos was chanting out Lythlet’s nicknames, I could feel the crashes of sounds coming all over me as if I were in the arena myself. It was as if I were right by Lythlet’s side, soaking up all of the noise until my bones threatened to shake apart. It’s almost intoxicating, and whenever I finish a chapter, I often feel disoriented as I pull myself out of those scenes.
Nonetheless, what stood out for me was how Ms Roanne didn’t explicitly divulge the worldbuilding or symbolism in detail, but rather she carefully allowed readers to piece the information together on their own and only provided explanation or details when necessary. (Admittedly speaking, this might be frustrating for some, but I absolutely abhor info-dumping or chunks of paragraphs explaining cultural contexts or worldbuilding details. I would much rather the author throw me in a forest and let me fight my way out on my own) Although some might say that some bits of the information are not necessary, providing no relevance to the plot, I actually enjoyed the bits of information, as it not only enriched the world but also allowed me to better understand the characters. Moreover, the whole world-building is so riveting, like the names of certain beasts, gods, and even simple details like the world’s popular novels. (Kilinor, Anzura, General Lauturo) Each of the beasts and gods has their own characteristics and traits which made it so interesting to read through and learn how the world works through them. Arguably, the pacing could had been better for some parts of the story, with some fight scenes and arcs being rushed, and I would love to have read a longer version of those fight scenes (especially the final round of the conquessing, even though it would come at the expense of my emotional well-being). Nonetheless, one must be reminded that it’s a standalone novel, and with all things considered, it doesn't take away the joy I had while reading it.
Another thing I want to highlight for this novel is the characters; each of them has a very distinctive voice in the whole narrative. Even though some of them are merely side characters, they don’t feel like unnecessary characters meant to fill in holes for the sake of the plot. Moreover, I LOVE the no romance subplot. More often than not, many authors often succumb to using romantic subplots for the sake of convenience and better marketing. (Look, I don’t care about how many years you waited for your partner) The lack of romantic subplots here not only makes sense but it also deepens the relationship between Desil and Lythlet, providing more nuances to them. Not everything has to be set in a romantic context to be as emotionally wrecking (I would know because I JUST STARTED BAWLING OVER THEM AS WELL AS FOR ILDEN AND SHUNVI). It’s a clever decision to write this story from a third-person perspective as it allows readers to see how the characters play off each other. What’s integral to the character’s relationship is not ‘love’ but rather the neverending trust in their partner despite their flaws and past. More importantly , it is about acceptance. Accepting someone who isn’t from your family and cherishing them all the same is what makes me feel so much for these characters. And I feel that Ms Roanne did such an excellent job at crafting this narrative and their found family.
Lythlet, who is the main character in the novel, is such a well-crafted character. Throughout the story, she went through lots of character development when she went from being chased down by ushers to chasing beasts in the arena instead. (They need to stop giving her the KDJ look treatment 😭) Her cunning wits were immaculately written, with the author opting to choose show rather than tell. And I couldn’t help but root for her whenever she solved one of those riddles the novel threw at her. While I was reading this novel, I could not help but feel for Lythlet’s predicament, her desperation and worry over money and her never-ending need to satiate her own thirst for knowledge. That is to say, I do not find Lythlet relatable at all, but rather I understood how she felt and how she understood the world.
Moreover, the way the antagonist is crafted is so well done. You almost can’t help but to empathise with Master Dothilos despite all of his actions. You’re being made to empathise and vilify him at the same time. This can be said for the other antagonists as well, because even though they had all done monstrous behaviours, they are all humans nonetheless, and whether they like it or not, they’re not as unbeatable as they seem. In the end, they’re just moulded by the dreams of avarice demanded by society. This also brings me to the next point of my review, the symbolism and plot in this novel. (I won’t delve more into the other characters because that would be major spoilers)
Ms Roanne masterfully made use of analogies and symbolism to effectively convey the plot and themes to its readers. There’s a lot of subtext at play in this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed picking up crumbs along the way. There are many full-circle moments, and it ties the novel closer together (negative space, animals, stars, name titles, etc). This might seem tiring for some readers and require multiple rereads BUT I ENJOYED IT! Not only does this enrich the world in this novel, but Ms Roanne forces her reader to think and ask questions about themes such as morality and poverty. What does it mean to steal from the rich when they stole from the poor? When does someone cease from being treated as a commodity to being treated as a human being? Unlike many other books I have read, this book dives into what it means to be poor when living in a corrupted and capitalistic society. Being poor is not just about not having enough money to feed themselves as it is much more than that. Being poor also means being limited in making choices for their own despite trying to overcome it.
Moving on to the plot, it’s structured extremely well and it’s filled with unpredictable twists along the way. Like a serpent sinking its teeth into your skin, the plot is gripping and captivating from the get-go. It doesn't fall to the convenient and linear plots or tropes and Ms Roanne is not afraid to write about the grimey areas in society. My favourite part of this novel is the conquests themselves as well as the political arc. There’s so much at stake here, and my blood pressure definitely rose on numerous occasions as Lythlet and Desil fought for their freedom or risk losing everything. As previously stated about my critique of the pacing, I still feel that the plot is ultimately well done for a standalone novel. It gives off the same feeling as watching a standalone movie that can stand on its own despite it not being a franchise.
The Serpent Called Mercy is a riveting, fervent, and gripping read. With its vicious fangs prying at your skin with a rebellious nature, you will be forced to watch through the grand show Ms Roanne had put up for her readers. As I sit here and write this review, I still find my review failing to capture the whole essence of this book. If you were to ask me to review this book using only tropes, I simply couldn’t because there’s so much more to this novel than that. Despite its flaws and shortcomings in this novel, it does not diminish my love for it. (I believe that enjoying a novel and pointing out its shortcomings are not mutually exclusive things. If anything, this makes me love the novel even more as I’m forcing myself to ponder deeper into this novel.) This is definitely one of my favourite fantasy novels and one I will never stop thinking about for quite some time. Even though this is Ms Roanne’s debut work, I highly recommend checking out this novel when it comes out on 25 March 2025. (I’m definitely adding her to my auto-buy list of authors 🤡) In the meantime, let’s wait for our Rose and Golden Thorn to make their glorious entrance.
♟️Rating:5/5⭐
----------------------------------------
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Throughout my many years of reading, I had come across and read many books, especially fantasy. Whenever I read those books, I read like a machine programmed to do so whenever I’m unoccupied or taking a long train to my destination. More often than not, I had long forgotten, at its essence, why I read in the first place. For joy? For pain or for the sake of being another mindless consumer in this society? And so, when I came across The Serpent Called Mercy, a spark within me was relighted as I was reminded once again as to why I read and love fantasy novels. It’s novels like this where I’m once again reminded why my younger self would spend hours poring over fantasy novels as a pastime because stories such as TSCM once again reminded me of seeing characters maintaining hope despite all odds and fighting for the things they believe in even despite the inevitable sacrifice. So as I write this review, I sigh and think to myself again, “This book is precisely why I read fantasy novels.”
Despite this book being Ms Roanne’s debut novel, her prose has a distinctive flair to it. Her writing has a charm-like quality to it, reminding me of contemporary classic authors, and it followed the whole book with an unwavering grip. This is rarely seen in fantasy novels these days, opting for cliché lines or language. But I often prefer my writing to have a little more oomph to it, because how can complex thoughts and emotions be easily conveyed? The rich and vivid description brought the world roaring to life, threatening to shake your soul with the immersive dialogue and prose. When I read the fight scenes where Master Dothilos was chanting out Lythlet’s nicknames, I could feel the crashes of sounds coming all over me as if I were in the arena myself. It was as if I were right by Lythlet’s side, soaking up all of the noise until my bones threatened to shake apart. It’s almost intoxicating, and whenever I finish a chapter, I often feel disoriented as I pull myself out of those scenes.
Nonetheless, what stood out for me was how Ms Roanne didn’t explicitly divulge the worldbuilding or symbolism in detail, but rather she carefully allowed readers to piece the information together on their own and only provided explanation or details when necessary. (Admittedly speaking, this might be frustrating for some, but I absolutely abhor info-dumping or chunks of paragraphs explaining cultural contexts or worldbuilding details. I would much rather the author throw me in a forest and let me fight my way out on my own) Although some might say that some bits of the information are not necessary, providing no relevance to the plot, I actually enjoyed the bits of information, as it not only enriched the world but also allowed me to better understand the characters. Moreover, the whole world-building is so riveting, like the names of certain beasts, gods, and even simple details like the world’s popular novels. (Kilinor, Anzura, General Lauturo) Each of the beasts and gods has their own characteristics and traits which made it so interesting to read through and learn how the world works through them. Arguably, the pacing could had been better for some parts of the story, with some fight scenes and arcs being rushed, and I would love to have read a longer version of those fight scenes (especially the final round of the conquessing, even though it would come at the expense of my emotional well-being). Nonetheless, one must be reminded that it’s a standalone novel, and with all things considered, it doesn't take away the joy I had while reading it.
Another thing I want to highlight for this novel is the characters; each of them has a very distinctive voice in the whole narrative. Even though some of them are merely side characters, they don’t feel like unnecessary characters meant to fill in holes for the sake of the plot. Moreover, I LOVE the no romance subplot. More often than not, many authors often succumb to using romantic subplots for the sake of convenience and better marketing. (Look, I don’t care about how many years you waited for your partner) The lack of romantic subplots here not only makes sense but it also deepens the relationship between Desil and Lythlet, providing more nuances to them. Not everything has to be set in a romantic context to be as emotionally wrecking (I would know because I JUST STARTED BAWLING OVER THEM AS WELL AS FOR ILDEN AND SHUNVI). It’s a clever decision to write this story from a third-person perspective as it allows readers to see how the characters play off each other. What’s integral to the character’s relationship is not ‘love’ but rather the neverending trust in their partner despite their flaws and past. More importantly , it is about acceptance. Accepting someone who isn’t from your family and cherishing them all the same is what makes me feel so much for these characters. And I feel that Ms Roanne did such an excellent job at crafting this narrative and their found family.
Lythlet, who is the main character in the novel, is such a well-crafted character. Throughout the story, she went through lots of character development when she went from being chased down by ushers to chasing beasts in the arena instead. (They need to stop giving her the KDJ look treatment 😭) Her cunning wits were immaculately written, with the author opting to choose show rather than tell. And I couldn’t help but root for her whenever she solved one of those riddles the novel threw at her. While I was reading this novel, I could not help but feel for Lythlet’s predicament, her desperation and worry over money and her never-ending need to satiate her own thirst for knowledge. That is to say, I do not find Lythlet relatable at all, but rather I understood how she felt and how she understood the world.
Moreover, the way the antagonist is crafted is so well done. You almost can’t help but to empathise with Master Dothilos despite all of his actions. You’re being made to empathise and vilify him at the same time. This can be said for the other antagonists as well, because even though they had all done monstrous behaviours, they are all humans nonetheless, and whether they like it or not, they’re not as unbeatable as they seem. In the end, they’re just moulded by the dreams of avarice demanded by society. This also brings me to the next point of my review, the symbolism and plot in this novel. (I won’t delve more into the other characters because that would be major spoilers)
Ms Roanne masterfully made use of analogies and symbolism to effectively convey the plot and themes to its readers. There’s a lot of subtext at play in this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed picking up crumbs along the way. There are many full-circle moments, and it ties the novel closer together (negative space, animals, stars, name titles, etc). This might seem tiring for some readers and require multiple rereads BUT I ENJOYED IT! Not only does this enrich the world in this novel, but Ms Roanne forces her reader to think and ask questions about themes such as morality and poverty. What does it mean to steal from the rich when they stole from the poor? When does someone cease from being treated as a commodity to being treated as a human being? Unlike many other books I have read, this book dives into what it means to be poor when living in a corrupted and capitalistic society. Being poor is not just about not having enough money to feed themselves as it is much more than that. Being poor also means being limited in making choices for their own despite trying to overcome it.
Moving on to the plot, it’s structured extremely well and it’s filled with unpredictable twists along the way. Like a serpent sinking its teeth into your skin, the plot is gripping and captivating from the get-go. It doesn't fall to the convenient and linear plots or tropes and Ms Roanne is not afraid to write about the grimey areas in society. My favourite part of this novel is the conquests themselves as well as the political arc. There’s so much at stake here, and my blood pressure definitely rose on numerous occasions as Lythlet and Desil fought for their freedom or risk losing everything. As previously stated about my critique of the pacing, I still feel that the plot is ultimately well done for a standalone novel. It gives off the same feeling as watching a standalone movie that can stand on its own despite it not being a franchise.
The Serpent Called Mercy is a riveting, fervent, and gripping read. With its vicious fangs prying at your skin with a rebellious nature, you will be forced to watch through the grand show Ms Roanne had put up for her readers. As I sit here and write this review, I still find my review failing to capture the whole essence of this book. If you were to ask me to review this book using only tropes, I simply couldn’t because there’s so much more to this novel than that. Despite its flaws and shortcomings in this novel, it does not diminish my love for it. (I believe that enjoying a novel and pointing out its shortcomings are not mutually exclusive things. If anything, this makes me love the novel even more as I’m forcing myself to ponder deeper into this novel.) This is definitely one of my favourite fantasy novels and one I will never stop thinking about for quite some time. Even though this is Ms Roanne’s debut work, I highly recommend checking out this novel when it comes out on 25 March 2025. (I’m definitely adding her to my auto-buy list of authors 🤡) In the meantime, let’s wait for our Rose and Golden Thorn to make their glorious entrance.