She did it again!
I can describe how much I loved this book. Everything in 'The Silvered Serpents' is perfect and well-written. Roshani Chokshi elevate YA Historic Fiction for another level.

The Silvered Serpents was an interesting continuation to the series.

It starts off with a flashback and you certainly learn more about the characters on this epic adventure. But for some reason I just didn't care as much this time around. The chapters were easy to get through but they were also just as easy to put down.

I think it might just be a case of I'm not in the mood for this book but I was super excited to read this arc and will definitely be getting myself a copy once it's out.

The Gilded Wolves was really good. The Silvered Serpents were really really great.

Before this book, I thought I was slumping. And then, I read this in a day.

Honestly, it took me a minute to fully remember what had happened in book 1 but when I got there, I was attached to the page. Could not put it down. It was as infuriating as it was satisfying and I loved every single second of it.
This series is a masterpiece. I love its characters, its plot, its historical background and critique. I just love everything about it. The romance is on point, the twists I never see coming, every time I think I see something coming something else happens. I just cannot. Per.-Fec-Tion.
I could not recommend this enough.
Protect my girls, protect my gays and protect the infuriating yet lovable idiot.

Buy this book, read this book, live this book. And come scream at me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC.

THIS BOOK ENDED ME!!!!
Seriously, I am at a loss for words right now. Sophomore slump, who? Absolutely not this book. The Silvered Serpents exceeded my expectations, and they were set VERY high from The Gilded Wolves.

This book was different from TGW, and in the best ways possible. While I felt TGW was more of a “setup” type of book, TSS was nonstop action. I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The characters, plot, pace, and THE WRITING(!!!) were fabulous. Roshani is in a class of her own. Seriously. The way she writes is unparalleled. It’s captivating and downright beautiful. I would read the book for her writing alone.

I’m in the biggest reading slump since I finished Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood - Sarah J Maas.

To say I need book 3 is the understatement of the century!!

Goodreads review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3292323188

When I read The Gilded Wolves last year, I was undecided about whether or not I would bother continuing with the series when the next book was released. It’d been underwhelmed given how much I adored Roshani Chokshi’s other books and how much I’d built up my expectations based on the premise. But, as I expected, my abiding affection and need for a new Chokshi book had me requesting a preview copy as soon as The Silvered Serpents showed up with a release date and I’m ashamed by my earlier hesitance because of course she delivered on the premise that had me so intrigued. The Silvered Serpents raises the stakes of the series while delving deeper into the characters and their personal struggles, especially around loss and power – or really, powerlessness.

It’s been a few months since Séverin and his team of friends lost one of their own to the Fallen House’s attempts to rise again and disrupt (and eventually destroy) the others in the Order of Babel. While they initially had a purpose – tracking down the Fallen House’s treasures, purportedly located at their lost Sleeping Palace – the leads they had dried up along with the patronage of the Order, and the members of the group went their separate ways. But Séverin hasn’t given up his determination to find the Sleeping Palace and the Book of Divine Lyrics that is rumored to be among the treasures – a book that can be wielded to transform people into gods. He refuses to be in a position where he might lose anyone else that he loves, but sometimes that means pushing people away. Bringing everyone back for one final push, Séverin and the others confront their grief over the loss of Tristan and must decide what sacrifices they’re willing to make for friendship and their larger goals.

For me, the biggest improvement in The Silvered Serpents over The Gilded Wolves is that it felt far more focused. I’m sure a big part of this is because world-building and character establishment is completely necessary in the first book of a series and that, by book two, everything has more room to breathe. That made all the difference. Where the friendships between the characters could feel informed or forced during Gilded Wolves, from page one of Silvered Serpents everything felt completely natural. There are still allusions to a shared history that predates the series but the text-based supports are there now from the events of book one. Similarly, there’s a bit more world-building going on, the foundation is there from the last book (and, even without refreshing my memory, I remembered enough of it not to be completely lost). The overarching plot surrounding the Fallen House still doesn’t capture my interest much in itself, but I definitely cared more about the central characters during Silvered Serpents so that its impact on them was able to drive my interest.

What worked best for me in Silvered Serpents is the character development. Even the best heist or treasure hunting story can fall flat if the characters involved are too flat. And some of the worst plotting can be overlooked if and when the characters are compelling enough (and the plotting in Silvered Serpent is a long way from terrible). Seeing how each member of Séverin’s team comes to terms with Tristan’s death – both individually and in how they interact and relate to the group – is a character study I’d happily read even without the larger plot. It was a really natural way to further explore each character’s backstory as well as how their personalities and insecurities function and drive their actions. And while they clearly make a great deal of progress in their journeys of self-discovery, there’s also plenty to show they each still have a ways to go. I think I might be looking forward to book three (which I’m guessing will be the last in the series based on how and where book two ends, but I’m purely speculating) perhaps more for seeing the characters finish their growth arcs than for the resolution of the overarching plot.

But looking to book three is getting a bit ahead of things. The Silvered Serpents will be available on September 22, 2020.

3 stars only because the action in the last 20% bumped this up slightly from an original rating of closer to 2 stars for me for the first 80% of this book. But it's a VERY generous 3-star rating for me.

The story started out with promising, grittier, darker vibes. Our wolves are dealing with grief and pain, and strained relationships with each other and I thought that would lend itself well to giving <i> The Silvered Serpents </i> more of a bite (and elevating the characters to feel more real). Unfortunately, there really wasn't much of a story for me to sink my teeth into.

Many of my original critiques about <i> The Gilded Wolves </i> still stand in this sequel, which goes to show how much doesn't change if I can still say the same things about the characters, plot, and writing one full book later.

The last 20% was full of action, but not much else happens throughout. The pacing is uneven and it's confusing to make sense of events given the large amount of intervening information between dialogue. The flashbacks to Séverin's Seven Deadly Sins fathers and other characters' memories, data dump of history, multiple character perspectives, and too much time in the head of each character (as a vehicle for character development) keeps us at a distance as readers. Most of what we know about the characters takes place in the past, which was also my critique in TGW. It's an odd technique to try and build up your readers' investment in characters based on the things you tell us about their past, but then there's nothing you SHOW us that earns our interest NOW as we're reading it. I'm not just going to take your word on the characters; I want to see how they act. I don't necessarily care about how they were in the past before either of the two books takes place. I want to know who they are NOW.

There's very little actual interaction and dialogue in the present. And what little there is feels cheesy and cringe-y for me. Thus, the characters still seem flat, and we're still at square one after 2 books. I don't have a better sense for them - or the forging magic system at all. <spoiler> It's cool there were ice animals, but I don't care as much about that as I do about understanding more about TRISTAN and his "habits" as Chokshi has Séverin refer to them. That was the most real part of these characters for me. </spoiler>

It seems like all the characters have 2 defining "quirks" to help you distinguish between them, but they don't feel like REAL people. They're mostly just the same personality and the humor is all the same - and very cringe-y/cheesy. You can tell the characters are kids playing at being adults: Enrique's unruly hair is mentioned a lot, and his love of cake. Laila's "kind" mothering and she's the one who bakes the cakes, I don't really "buy" her as a courtesan. Séverin I still know nothing about, and I'm not sure I even remember what his forging ability is. He's supposed to be dark and brooding and mysterious (lots of comparison to "eyes the color of dusk" whatever that is) but it's really just aloof. <spoiler> Though I did enjoy his story on recruiting Zofia and their connection - that warmed my heart to both of these characters, and I wanted more of THAT kind of emotion. It was a flicker of depth before the characters returned to cardboard. </spoiler> Hypnos says <i> mon chère </i> a lot, and I'm not sure he has any other lines of note, oh and he winks a lot because he's "sassy" in a very forced way, and the resident lush. Zofia's character building gets a bit more - but the <spoiler> dynamic with her and Enrique and Hypnos is very odd and I don't enjoy that. It's again a very forced faux love triangle. I just felt a lot of second-hand embarrassment with the writing.</spoiler>

It's interesting that I feel that Chokshi makes the choices I would deem the oddest for her characters. Again, <spoiler> we get more about "Slaila" in the past - yeah I made their couple name "Slay-la". But, in the present there's a very weird dynamic - it's like it was "lovers that happened once-to somewhat friends-to enemies-to we slept together again once. A lot of anger that is pretty hostile to read about and weird. </spoiler> "Someone says something to one of them, and then the character reminisces for a full 2 pages about how "his eyes flew to mine" and a bunch of purple prose - then we get a one word response. It's too hard to keep track of what the heck is going on, combined with all the historical info data dumps. JUST. TALK. TO. EACH. OTHER. Instead of mooning over the twilight colored eyes or rose and sugar perfume that we hear about every 5 lines. <spoiler> I'm not invested in either of you or your romance based on this super moving experience you both had in the past that happens before either of the two books we read. </spoiler> Again, telling me "hey you shoulda known this character way back when - they were great!" does nothing to change how I feel now. It feels disingenuous, like you're writing what you THINK will convince us to like your characters, instead of just focusing on the story.

We get rushed glimpses of the characters' backstories. I'd rather have a book exploring those dynamics more than the vague/convoluted heist plot (Laila's story alone could be a whole series). I said this after reading TGW too. So yeah, this book doesn't move us forward at all. The cliffhanger does make me want to read book 3 - because at this point what the hell, why not. I just wanted more from this one and am disappointed I feel the same as the first book for the majority of elements. It shouldn't only be the last 20% of the book that was "just okay." Chokshi uses beautiful language, but I'm not moved solely by metaphor. I want a writer who can spin a beautiful tale - not just pretty, yet empty, words - because I'm a reader who puts more stock in a creative plot/story and character arcs than the writing style. If this is you too, then tread carefully with this one.

Sometimes Reneé Ahdieh veers into this territory for me with her "flowery" writing, and Laini Taylor for SURE does. So if you love that kind of writing, then I think you will enjoy Roshani Chokshi's work! I hope this novel resonates with you more than it did with me!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the chance to read this e-ARC.

I liked, but didn't love, The Gilded Wolves. I recognized its strengths– beautiful prose, a diverse and developed group of characters, glorious world-building– enough to stick with the series and hope that subsequent books wouldn't get too bogged down in details that masked the beauty of the overarching plotline.

The Silvered Serpents definitely delivered. Chokshi's prose is very lush, to the extent that I had to make my way through this novel somewhat slowly, but it was worth savoring over time. In The Gilded Wolves, so much happened with so much detail that I closed the book after and thought, 'so what exactly happened?', but The Silvered Serpents benefits immensely from a more compact plot that largely takes place in one setting, making the plot twists and climaxes that much more thrilling.

I also found the character development to be exceptionally well done. While the first book definitely showcased that main cast all has their own unique skills and talents, in the follow-up we get a deeper look at their motivations, which served as an excellent driver for the trilogy at large. I look forward to the final installation of this trilogy, and hope we get answers to all the questions posed thus far. We know what these characters want; I can't wait to see how they get it.

Oh. Oh. Oh wow.
I picked up The Gilded Wolves (TGW) last year and I loved it. And The Silvered Serpents was even better. Everything I did not like in book one, was better in this one. Book two just became a favourite of this year, it did everything right and I am not over it. Probably won’t be anytime soon. But let’s start to explain why this book is perfection, shall we?

First things first: let’s take a second to appreciate this absolutely gorgeous cover! It’s so pretty! I could stare at it all day.

quote: qhen the devil waged war in the heavens, even angels had to fall.The characters. What can I say? After everything that happened in TGW, the group of characters is broken, yet woven together by everything that they went through. The relationships have a tension to them, an uncertainty. There is so much love between the main cast, yet there are so many questions and so many secrets and so many things they don’t know. Each character has lost someone or something, and while they’re trying to figure things out and even though there is so much left to say, they are still a group and know each other. But on the other hand, they get to know other sides of their friends. The dynamics between these characters was so great to read, subtle things to pick up on, the yearning and longing. There was so much development.

And you know what? They have my heart. I love them all, individually and as a group. *wipes tear away* please don’t let them hurt more. I am very attached, especially to Laila and Zofia.

While well written characters are the most important thing for me in a book (and The Silvered Serpents 100% delivers), I also love a fast-paced plot with a lot of action (again, the book delivers). While there are a few slower moments, there is a lot of stuff happening. There are fighting scenes and disputes and I loved every second of it.

What can I say? There were surprised gasps and a lot of wailing on my part. The Silvered Serpents was fantastic in plot and characters and while I’m so happy I read this already… I don’t want to wait for book 3. I need to know things!! On that note, please read these books and suffer throw your whole heart into the series with me.

The search for the Sleeping Palace and the artifact called The Divine Lyrics has Severin and his crew back together on a new questing adventure. Like The Gilded Wolves, The Silvered Serpents is a combination heist, whodunit, mystery with layers upon layers of intrigue and deception. This book is literary steampunk, with amazing descriptions of settings, costuming and magic.

Severin, still really from the loss of Tristan is dark and distant, deciding that everyone he loves is lost and therefore, he will harden his heart in order to protect it. The story opens with Severin, being led by his grief wanting the Diving Lyrics for all the wrong reasons and Laila wanting them for reasons that may shock her friends. The team feel heavier in this book, each dealing with the loss, their new dynamic and their own worries.

Both grief and love and how the two can be confused, entangled and effect by the other play a role in this adventure. Laila emerges as the caretaker of the group but not the doormat, refusing to take responsibility for the brokenness of others. Each characters vulnerability and imperfections are played in such a a way to make them more human to the reader, while solidifying the bond in the team

We can see the progression of these characters, they have matured some since the last book. Enrique and Zofia’s awkwardness play well into each other and so while, I too felt like I didn’t understand a thing they said, the meshing of their minds made them a great team. They are all so well formed, even in their flaws that even when some are unlikable, they are believable. I appreciate that the characters don’t always end up in neat and tidy romantic pairs with ease.

Much like the Gilded Wolves, this book is also puzzles wrapped in enigmas wrapped in deception.
Roshani Chokshi does fantastic characters, great world building and leads the reader through riddle after riddle, drawing you deeper and deeper into the puzzle. This is a beautifully written book, complex in so many ways but a delight to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I never wrote a proper review for The Gilded Wolves, but I did write a discussion post about why people needed to stop comparing it to Six of Crows. All the things I loved about Gilded Wolves – sharp critiques of colonialism and its long term effects, explorations of complex identity, and a truly global scope, are back in full force in Silvered Serpents. If anything, Silvered Serpents takes these elements to a whole new level! Skip to the last paragraph of this review if you haven’t finished Gilded Wolves, because there are some spoilers for book 1. I promise there aren’t any spoilers for Silvered Serpents though.

Silvered Serpents opens a few months after Tristan’s death and everyone is dealing with loss in different ways. Severin has decided he harms everyone he loves and feels close to, so he decides the best solution is to be an ice queen and act like he doesn’t care about anyone. You can imagine how Laila takes that… Zofya takes it upon herself to become Goliath’s new caretaker. Meanwhile, Enrique and Hypnos grow closer…or do they? And in the middle of everyone sorting out all their complicated feelings, they have to solve an even more complicated puzzle and pull off a bigger heist.

I really loved the dynamic between Enrique and Zofya. They were my favorite characters in the first book and continue to make me smile. They both struggle to fit in and have their own insecurities, but together they make such a good team. Hypnos grew on me more in this book, you can really see how lonely he is and how much he just wants to have friends and people who have his back. Laila and Séverin though…I thought they were angsty in the first book but in this book it was SO PAINFUL. The end of the book was Pinnacle Angst, it drove me crazy but also made me want the next book IMMEDIATELY so I guess it did what it was supposed to do?

One of my complaints with the first book was that the plot was kind of convoluted and I really wish there had been a more streamlined plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. The annoying thing was that this book also had a similar “puzzle in puzzle in puzzle” convoluted heist situation, but it definitely did keep me on the edge of my seat. This book is a lot darker than the previous one, and if you get particularly upset when you encounter violence against women, please be aware that this book features some graphic descriptions of that nature. So mixed bag, I still want a tighter plot but it was an improvement from book 1.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and am excited for the next one! Each book gets better and better in terms of world-building, character growth, and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even if you’re only kind of interested in this series, I really encourage you to read it and support a very talented BIPOC author.

Our favorite treasure hunters are back and ready to take on a new heist that will hopefully lead them all to a new, brighter future.

'The Silvered Serpents' follows the events from 'The Gilded Wolves', so there will be major spoilers from the first book in this review.

Séverin’s loyal team inside of Hotel L’Eden can no longer be found inside those walls. Suffering the loss of their beloved team member, Tristan, and shouldering their own hardships, everyone has separated. Séverin, Laila, Zofia, Enrique, and Hypnos don’t feel much like a found family as they once did in 'The Gilded Wolves'. They are now broken and fighting their way through their grief in different ways.

Hoping to keep the promise he made to each of them, that he would always protect them, Séverin calls on his team for one final job. Finding 'The Divine Lyrics' has always been the treasure they eagerly sought after. Séverin finally has a lead on where the mysterious book may be hidden, but he needs his team back if he hopes to right his wrongs.

Compared to 'The Gilded Wolves', this sequel is a lot darker and the characters are more mature. We don’t get a sparkly version of them anymore. We get their raw feelings after dealing with so much pain.

They’re all lonely souls even when they are together. I found that being inside of their heads felt a lot different than before, even when they have the same insecurities. Hypnos wants to feel a part of the team, Enrique wants someone to listen to him, and Zofia doesn’t want to become a burden.

I really felt for both Laila and Séverin in this book. Laila’s days are numbered. She’s constantly frightened over what is to become of her if she can’t figure out how to save herself. Then there is Séverin who lost his brother and that pain is unbearable for him. That heartbreak he feels is what leads them to their final heist.

The team puts their trust in one another once again to hunt for 'The Divine Lyrics'. It takes them on an icy path. There are a lot of new characters introduced, some old acquaintances make an appearance, and there are many twists and turns! My mind is still blown from the final revelations in the final act.

It would be a shame for me to spoil much of the plot because Roshani Chokshi does a fantastic job writing this story. She twists history and fantasy in such a telling way that makes the reader curious to know more about this world she’s created. On top of exploring mythologies, she also continues to tackle the history of European colonialism. The way she is telling this series is brilliant!

Overall, I believe fans of 'The Gilded Wolves' will be pleased with this sequel. It will tear your heart open but you’ll thank Roshani Chokshi for it. There’s plenty of action, suspense and mystery! Readers will get to know their favorite characters on a more personal level and wish for the final installment to give them their happily ever after.

This book was just so much fun; I practically flew through it. A lot of reviews of the first book, The Gilded Wolves, mentioned it being confusing, and I mostly agreed, but there's no confusion to be found in this book. While I believe this book could work just as well as an adult fantasy - especially with all of its damaged, vulnerable main characters still reeling from the events of the last book - I did appreciate the younger touches of humour dotted about. And the ending will leave you speechless, I guarantee it.

The Silvered Serpents is the sequel to The Gilded Wolves. The gorgeous cover of the first book was what attracted me to it in the first place; however, as we all know, the book must be good or it will not make a bit of difference how stunning the cover is. Fortunately, this duo is is well worth reading, and provided me with many pleasurable hours.

From the beginning I was caught up in the story that was full of intrigue. I love the author’s world building that is so descriptive I could visualize many of the details. Since the first book is said to be set in Paris in 1889, and this one follows so closely after, it would be in the same time period. However, much of the technology and materials that are used seem like they are really something from the future. On the other hand, there could be a bit of an advanced civilization, like Atlantis, that exists along with the 1889 time period but is unknown to many of the residents. That really adds to the intrigue.


The characters were well developed, and I definitely came to care for them. The author did an excellent job showing the little things and emotions that brought them to life. They are all reacting in different ways to where the last book left off with the death of one of the members of this close knit group.

The book has twists and turns—many I didn’t see coming, and this is another wonderful aspect of the book that makes it a 5 star story.

After the first book, I was dying to get my hands on this one and Chokshi did not disappoint. It has such depth and beauty in these pages. I was blown away by every little detail. Between the story concept and the fluidity of the book, I devoured every word of it and left me begging for more. This is one of those books you struggle to write that review that would do it justice because you do not want to give plot points. Let me just say that this book is high intensity, beyond fast paced and will keep you glued to the pages!

This series has so many elements that I just adore. It's set in the Gilded Age in Paris, there is magic, a group of misfits who become friends, and (at it's core) a heist. Gilded Wolves, the first in the series, was fun, had an complex world of magic, and an exciting story. The Silvered Serpents continues the adventure. But this time, we get a more in-depth look at several of the supporting characters. This was a highly entertaining page-turner!

What I Liked:

Recap:

One of the unfortunate aspects of reading a sequel is that I often can't remember who the characters are, or what happened in the first book. The Silvered Serpents solves this problem by subtly recapping important events from the first book. I really appreciated this as a reader.

Characters:

While the first book was all about world-building, the second book is more character driven. We really get to know Enrique and Zofia, and see why they are such valued members of the group.

Enrique, a young Filipino man in Paris, has a lot of bravado. But this masks a deep unease as he navigates European society. He is keenly aware of how he is treated by most people. This affects his self-esteem and makes him question his worth to the group, and it's leader, Séverin. He is also the book's conscience, noticing how the Europeans conquer and pillage from other cultures.

Zofia is another character who we learn more about in this book. While not saying it outright, Zofia exhibits characteristics of Autism and anxiety. Zofia has very particular habits such as needing food to be bland (and not touching on the plate), and she soothes herself by counting objects. She knows she is different and that her friends do small things to accommodate her. While she uéderstands this is done out of love, she also doesn't want to be a burden.

Romances:

The love/hate relationship between Laila and Séverin is even more intense in this book. While they are drawn to each other, they have many misunderstandings, which lead to intense anger. I think both of them are confused by their feelings. How can you be so attracted to someone who hurts you so much?

The relationship between Enrique and Hypnos is also complex and touching. It's heartbreaking to see how Enrique wants a real relationship with Hypnos. But the object of his affections just can't take Enrique seriously. If this were a book set in modern times, Laila would be telling Enrique, "He's just not into you"!

Story:

The story is, again, filled with adventure, and puzzles. It was a lot of fun to follow the gang as they look for The Divine Lyrics, which could be the key to saving Laila. I really liked all the clues and puzzles they must sort through to find their prize.

Who else is looking for The Divine Lyrics? What will Séverin (or anyone) do with the prize once they get it? Who can they trust? So many questions... I liked that most of these questions are answered. Even though there was a cliff-hanger, the main plot points were resolved. This makes for a satisfying ending, while leaving the reader eager for the next novel in the series.

3.5/5 stars.

A lot of the things I loved about book one were still here in book two, but there were also some things I liked less this time around. For the most part, I still loved all the characters. Except Severin. I wasn’t a big fan of his arc in this book. He felt like a moody teenager who wanted to pretend like he cared about nothing in the world, but he failed miserably. I still love Zofia the most. We got a glimpse of her backstory here and I wish there had been more.

There were also some atmospheric aspects such as setting and character and wardrobe descriptions that seemed way over the top in this book, almost to the point of being cringey.

I found the storyline to be fun and entertaining, but pretty predictable overall. The ending was interesting though, so I’ll be interested to pick up book three and see where the story goes.

The Silvered Serpents is the long-awaited sequel to The Gilded Wolves, by Roshani Chokshi. When the first novel came out, it was one of my favorites of the year. And I can tell you with complete honesty, the sequel is setting up to do the same.

Severin and the team are still reeling from the loss that came at the end of The Gilded Wolves. Yet they still have a mission, a goal to find a long lost treasure. Some are seeking the treasure to prove a point, others to sate their curiosity. While some? They're aware that their success or failure will decide the fate for one of their own.

“When the devil waged war in the heavens, even angels had to fall.”

It has been a hot minute since The Gilded Wolves released. Fans have had to wait quite some time for the sequel. That begs the question, is The Silvered Serpents worth the wait? The answer is yes. Absolutely and without a doubt, yes.

There is so much to love about this novel, I'm honestly not even sure where to begin. Let's start with my emotional reaction to it all, yes? I loved it. I was drawn in from the very first page, and quickly found myself devouring it.

It's also a book that left me exceedingly anxious at points, thanks to everything that was at stake. More than that, this book made me literally scream with shock at one point. My cats did not appreciate my sudden outburst, let me tell you. Yet it's the truth, and it shows how emotionally invested I became in this book.

“-perhaps monsters were misunderstood gods; deities with plans too grand for humans; a phantom of evil that drank from the roots of good.”

The world is still as beautiful and fascinating as it was the first time around. I still desperately want to see more of it, as well as more of the forging (the equivalent of magic) in this world. The characters are amazing, being very human, and at times, flawed. They pay a price for their flaws, and their failures. I think that's one of the many reasons I love this series so very much.

I was surprised by the more whimsical and lighthearted moments. Much of those I have to give credit to Zofia for. Her way of looking at the world and reacting to it left me amused. At several points she even managed to make me laugh, though I'm sure that she would not have actually intended to do so.

My biggest regret right now? That I have to sit here and anxiously wait on news about the next novel in the series. As with The Silvered Serpents, I have no doubt that the wait will be worth it. But the ending certainly made that wait just a touch more difficult.

The Silvered Serpents, by Roshani Chokshi, is a truly terrifying book. It is a reminder that books have the power to tear us apart inside, to break our hearts into a million pieces. It is also a reminder that books have the power to make us feel warm and happy, to give us characters that we can’t help but feel the need to protect.

All in all, The Silvered Serpents, by Roshani Chokshi is a masterpiece.

When I finished the book, I was shocked, terrified, and was sobbing. And the hardest thing about this book was having to leave the characters. I wanted to be there for Laila, run over and hug Zofia and Enrique, and punch Severin. Not really. Sort of.


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But these characters, I wanted to protect them. I still want to protect them. I want them to know that they are loved, and I want them to just once have a happy ending. Or at least a happy five minutes.

After suffering a loss that has broken his heart, Severin is determined to protect the ones he loves. Using any means necessary, they will not be hurt. Full of well intentioned love, he blocks out any emotion and pushes away any distraction that could stop him.

Laila is facing a deadline, and she is working as hard as she can to find what just might save her. But she is nervous to share secrets, and struggles to trust those who she wants to be close to.

Struggling with different parts of his life, Enrique isn’t sure what he wants anymore. But he will help his friends, and pushes through as hard as things get.

Zofia wants to help her sister, wants to heal her and make her better, but also wants to tell her more. She has faced a lot of antisemitism, and fears that.

Always seeking approval, Hypnos wants to fit in, to really become a part of the family the group has created.

The writing in the novel is incredible. While reading this, I could see the the characters so vividly, could imagine the adventures they were having and it made the experience of reading it so much more amazing.

Severin Montagnet-Alarie knew there was only one difference between monsters and gods. both inspired fear. only one inspired worship.
The world building in this novel is intricate, complex and unique. Some people are born with the affinity for forging, and forged objects are special, almost alive.

The Order of Babel is an order spread across the world made up of houses with a matriarch or patriarch, like House Kore, and the order is a main part in the book.

Set in late 1800s Paris the book is not only full of history and magic, but is also full of mythology. Legends and myths from all over the world come alive in this novel and are woven into the story and world.

The cast of characters is also very diverse, and the many cultures are written into the book.

Colonialism is also talked about quite a bit. The Order of Babel brings in objects from all over the world, and takes credit for a lot that is not theirs, and dehumanizes anyone different from them. The Order is the center of civilization, or at least they like to think of themselves of the center of it.

There is so much in this book, and it was difficult at times to take it all in. But sitting back, taking time to fully understand the book really helped me realize and understand even more about it. The Silvered Serpents exceeded my expectations, and I think that it was even better than the book before it, The Gilded Wolves.

The characters that we love, the found family, and the magic and mythology woven into the story all make the book incredible in so many ways. The heists and adventures that are sometimes to complicated to understand make the book exciting and compelling.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars
Recommendable: Yes

To who? This book is an amazing sequel to The Gilded Wolves, so if you enjoyed that I definitely recommend reading this. If you are a fan of historical fantasy, I definitely encourage you to read this trilogy, and if you love books with heists, this book is wonderful. And if you are looking for an interesting book to read, pick it up.

Gilded Wolves was one of those books you kept thinking about when you weren’t reading it. And when you were you couldn’t help but keep trying to guess at what would happen next.

The Silvered Serpent was more, I read this book as slow as I could so that it wouldn’t end as quickly. I was hooked from the ending of The Gilded Wolves until the ending of The Silvered Serpent. All I can think about now is how Roshani could do me like that! It might have been just me but I did not know this was a trilogy.

I don't want to give spoilers so forgive my vagueness, Laila has my heart and her struggle.the whole way through. And all the other characters, wow do things get messy and confusing and just so real for them. I really enjoyed book two and more so than book one. Now I'm eager to see where things conclude with the gang and please Roshani, girl, please don't break my heart!!!!

I give this a 5/5 star rating!

The Gilded Wolves was an extremely hyped fantasy release last year that I was personally a bit disappointed with. However, the ending of The Gilded Wolves was enough of an interesting cliffhanger that when I was presented with the opportunity to read a copy of The Silvered Serpents, I knew I wanted to check it out. Fortunately, I can say that I thought The Silvered Serpents was definitely an improvement from the first, though it still lacked a little something to completely draw me in.



The Silvered Serpents picks up not too long after the events of The Gilded Wolves with all of our characters moving on from and trying to pick up the pieces of some of the more tragic fallout. Now the group of friends are somewhat reluctantly coming together to hunt down an ancient artifact that both Séverin and Laila are after, though both for vastly different reasons. This book really felt like a departure from the first book for a variety of reasons, including the differing relationship dynamics, location, and motivations for each character.



As mentioned, a majority of the events of The Silvered Serpents take place in one new location, the ice palace, which I think added a new and interesting dimension to the series. I really enjoyed exploring this new setting because it sounds stunning and I found it to be one of those places that simply embodies a sense of intrigue and mystery, and I also thought that the singular setting allowed for Chokshi to really spend more time focusing on character development and plot, which she did really well. There was one particular place within the ice palace known as the Menagerie that was filled with a variety of rather...foreboding animals made of ice that was easily one of the most captivating components of the palace.



I once again seemed to struggle with connecting to the characters as a group, but individually I felt that their development and Chokshi's descriptions were strong and effective in showcasing the internal struggles that each one faced. However, I feel like I once again struggled with enjoying the group as a whole. The camaraderie feels forced, and one of the my favorite characters from the first book was no longer which only added to the sort of disjointed feeling. There were a lot of conflicts between the characters, which of course is only natural when faced with high stress situations and pasts full of secrets, but it did sort of take away from the experience that the first book had where everyone seemed to mostly work together. There were also a few newer characters that we got to know and that I thought added some particularly interesting new dynamics to the story and friend group. I liked parts of these new characters, but I found some of the ways in which Chokshi incorporate them felt slightly awkward at times.



Much like in The Gilded Wolves, this book was full of puzzles that our characters had to solve throughout the course of the book. Some of these were enjoyable and interesting, but I also lost interest in a lot of them and the explanations and/or descriptions of the characters figuring out how to solve them. On the one hand, I appreciate how much thought and effort Chokshi always puts into these components, but on the other hands I often feel that they drastically alter the pace of the story and cause things to start dragging a bit. There was also still a small issue with info-dumping and what seems to be a desire to include so much that just overwhelms the plot and story. Despite this, it was still a mostly entertaining read and I genuinely enjoyed the imaginative creations and plot that Chokshi developed.



Overall, I've given The Silvered Serpents 3.25 stars! If you read and enjoyed The Gilded Wolves, then you'll definitely enjoy The Silvered Serpents as well.