Review: The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

...I'm honestly kind of speechless. The Gilded Wolves was good but in a more fun kind of way. I was especially impressed by the characters, and found the rest of the story to be pretty solid and entertaining, but not much more. This book, however...wow. Maybe for girls made of snow, love was worth the melt. But she was made of stolen bones and sleek fur, grave dirt and strange blood—her heart wasn’t even hers to give. Her soul was all she had, and no love was worth losing it.* I savored every last drop of this book's beauty and I am hungry for more. This was perfectly paced, and the plot was a HUGE step up from everything that happened in book one. Again though, to me, the masterful character work here is what really stands out. Every single person has such a logically defined motive and personality. Every feeling they felt had been building up over their whole lives, and their backstories are woven in seamlessly throughout the narrative. That's incredibly hard to do with five main characters and several more secondary ones. Enrique and Zofia might honestly be my faves in this book which comes as a huge surprise! I did LOVE Zofia in the last one as well, but I honestly had no memory of Enrique. However, in this book he truly shines. His comedic effect is impeccable and honestly reminds me of humor in cartoons, which I personally love. And, on the flipside, Chokshi was able to perfectly convey the serious side to him as well. The side struggling with his identity, desperately striving to be heard. His relationships with Hypnos and Zofia were the PERFECT way to show this!! I have no idea how Chokshi came up with such a genius, yet unexpected, idea, but it worked flawlessly. Additionally, Laila and Séverin's characterization and relationship within this book was insane. Through so few words, the reader can feel the undeniable pull between the two, underlying all of that deeply set hatred. And no, this hatred was not added in for gimmick, it is pure, genuine hatred that sprouted from the cruelest words and actions imaginable. I didn't really gather too much about Séverin's desires in book one, but it all clicked into place in this one. He's kind of a bad person and it all stems from his bad childhood. From Delphine. Her final reveal is heartbreaking, but I know it will only give Séverin a new drive. It was a perfect ending for her and I need to know how it will continue to affect him in book three. Speaking of book 3, what on earth is going to happen to Laila?? She grew so much in this book it's crazy. She was already one of the strongest women I've ever read about, but in this story she faces even more, and she faces it head on, shoulders back. "The difference between a diamond necklace and a diamond dog collar depends on the bitch. And they both have teeth, Monsieur."* I'm so glad she recognizes her true self-worth and stands up for herself more against Séverin. Of course, sometimes she gives in, but that's just what happens in life, right? When emotions get in the way? Chokshi is a master of balancing the strength and weakness within characters. While Hypnos takes more of a backseat in this installment, his character development is also evident. He desperately seeks to fit in, and is forced to face the consequences of using others in trying to do this. Lastly, regarding the plot twists of this book, I must say that while some were predictable, others were NOT AT ALL omg. But they still make so much sense !! The foreshadowing !! Okay, okay, after all that rambling, I think it's my time to finally call this one a wrap. I have to wait way too long for the next book, so, in the meantime, preorder this book. It comes out on September 22!! I was lucky enough to win an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway, so thank you to Wednesday Books and Goodreads for the opportunity to read it early! I'm gonna go scream into the void now while I desperately wait to find out where the next installment of this story will take me. *all quotes in this review are from the ARC so they may not be finalized

Song I was reminded of while reading: Mystery of Love