Book Title: The Silvered Serpents
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Summary:
“They are each other’s fiercest love, greatest danger, and only hope.
Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost — one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumoured to grant its possessor the power of God.
Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is a myth after all.
As hidden secrets come to the light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined.
A tale of love and betrayal as the crew risks their lives for one last job.” (According to GoodReads)
Length: 406 pages
Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult; Historical Fiction; LGBT; Historical Fantasy
Spice Level (if applicable): 1 / 5*
Series: The Gilded Wolves #2
Overall Rating: 8.2 / 10
Overall Thoughts:
Where do I begin! As the second book in a trilogy I knew things were going to get bad before they got better but I did not expect this. The group of L’Eden are suffering after a hefty blow was dealt at the end of The Gilded Wolves. A blow that scatters the group and further hurts them. Severin has taken the hardest hit, along with Laila. Severin does not want to deal with the pain of being human…which leads the readers into the main plot of the book.
The gang are looking for the Divine Lyrics, a legendary item of the Fallen House that can grant people godhood. Severin wishes to remove his humanity and in turn turn all his friends into gods to prevent them from getting hurt anymore. Crazy right?! Severin really does have the worst ways of dealing with grief and pain. To add to the frustration, Severin begins to cut off emotionally from his friends, he continually hurts Laila, and does not really participate in the group.
An important moral that made itself known as I read was the power of love and the types of love there is. Love doesn’t always seem beautiful and sometimes it’s even monstrous. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.
Of course, all the members of L’Eden have different reasons for looking for the Divine Lyrics. I’ve already told you Severin’s, Enrique is looking for the Divine Lyrics to further his career, Zofia wants to help her sister, Hypnos wants to be accepted by the group, and Laila needs it to survive. The race for the Divine Lyrics is all very high-stakes.
The puzzles and clues lead them to Russia and to a sleeping palace filled with crazy ice sculpture creatures, a giant metal Leviathan, and the answer to where the Divine Lyrics are. Added to the group is Severin’s Matriarch who has her own motives for helping Severin and the group; and two house representatives Eva and Ruslan.
The Silvered Serpent as the second book in the trilogy works to move along the main theme of beauty and grotesque. We are introduced to new characters, to a different cold setting, and learn about the motivating power of love, friendship and the distracting power of godhood.
*A few kisses, a bed scene (not explicit)
” In debating the merits of pursuing hidden treasures, one must weigh the risk of whether it was never meant to be found and if so, why? “
Page 281
Spoilers Bee-ware!
You have been swarmed. Reading past this post means that you understand that you might spoil the book for yourself.
Stats + Facts:
Severin, Laila, Zofia, Enrique, and Hypnos all have chapters. Severin has 11, Laila has 10, Zofia has 7, Enrique has 8 and Hypnos rounds out the book with 1 chapter.
There are 4 parts and a prologue and epilogue.
There are 9 puzzles that keeps them from accessing the Divine Lyrics and the treasure.
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