jessicaludden's review
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“I wish my love had been more beautiful.”
I continue to love this world, these characters, and Roshani’s writing. I loved getting to dive deeper into the magic and the backstories of these characters. Zofia really shined in this book. I love her so much and loved getting to see her build her confidence. I loved how intricate the heist/mystery of this book was. There were so many elaborate pieces that went into their search for The Divine Lyrics.
I do think it was a little slow at times and then suddenly picked up near the end, but I think it overall had a great build up even though it lagged a little bit in the middle. Now, I love these characters a lot, but man did some of them get on my nerves. Some of them being Séverin. I get it, he’s grieving and desperate to protect his loved ones, but jeez he was being so cold the whole book and hurting everyone (mostly Laila) in the process. I also expected so much more tension between Séverin and Laila and was left a little unsatisfied when that “tension” came to a breaking point. I did love getting more of Laila’s back story and learning more about her powers.
What I loved the most about this book was the overarching theme of powerlessness. It’s prevalent with every. single. character. Séverin’s desire to become a god to protect his loved ones, the expiration date on Laila’s life and the fact that she’s Forged, Zofia feeling like a burden for seeing the world differently than others, Enrique feeling like nobody sees him, and Hypnos feeling like an outsider within this group. I loved how feeling powerless motivated each character. It was also interesting to see each character’s perspective on love. This idea that love doesn’t always look the way you think it will. Overall, I love this series, I love these characters, and I loved the core ideas of this book in particular.
I continue to love this world, these characters, and Roshani’s writing. I loved getting to dive deeper into the magic and the backstories of these characters. Zofia really shined in this book. I love her so much and loved getting to see her build her confidence. I loved how intricate the heist/mystery of this book was. There were so many elaborate pieces that went into their search for The Divine Lyrics.
I do think it was a little slow at times and then suddenly picked up near the end, but I think it overall had a great build up even though it lagged a little bit in the middle. Now, I love these characters a lot, but man did some of them get on my nerves. Some of them being Séverin. I get it, he’s grieving and desperate to protect his loved ones, but jeez he was being so cold the whole book and hurting everyone (mostly Laila) in the process. I also expected so much more tension between Séverin and Laila and was left a little unsatisfied when that “tension” came to a breaking point. I did love getting more of Laila’s back story and learning more about her powers.
What I loved the most about this book was the overarching theme of powerlessness. It’s prevalent with every. single. character. Séverin’s desire to become a god to protect his loved ones, the expiration date on Laila’s life and the fact that she’s Forged, Zofia feeling like a burden for seeing the world differently than others, Enrique feeling like nobody sees him, and Hypnos feeling like an outsider within this group. I loved how feeling powerless motivated each character. It was also interesting to see each character’s perspective on love. This idea that love doesn’t always look the way you think it will. Overall, I love this series, I love these characters, and I loved the core ideas of this book in particular.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Child death, Blood, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Child abuse
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Religious bigotry, Murder, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Hate crime, Grief, Death, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Colonisation, Body horror, Antisemitism, Blood, Gore, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Genocide, and Sexual content
oliverreeds's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
FUCK
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Confinement, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Racism
ncoletti's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Torture, and Blood
maryjames's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, and Racism
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation
marephobia's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror and Suicide
Minor: Antisemitism and Infertility
lousreadings's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Death, and Murder
chloejadereads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Body horror
Minor: Infertility, Antisemitism, and Racism
in_love_with_bookish's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
#1 : The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves, #1) : 4 Stars
Honestly, I was worried this sequel won’t live to the greatness of the first book, fortunately, it did that and more.
Honestly, I was worried this sequel won’t live to the greatness of the first book, fortunately, it did that and more.
Love does not always wear the face we wish,” she said. “I wish my love had been more beautiful. I wish … I wish we had more time.
The book starts with the team reunited for a new dangerous mission that will take them from Paris into Russia searching for a lost artifact that can grant the power of God to its owner. But the danger is at every corner and secrets can prove as deadly as any weapon so Séverin will do anything to find the artifact and protect those he loves even if it means losing them.
This story is really different from the first one especially in tone and I appreciate how the author managed to main the same feel of danger and suspense with a totally different mission in a setting that adds to the story and its darkness.
Séverin Montagnet-Alarie knew there was only one difference between monsters and gods. Both inspired fear. Only one inspired worship.
The atmosphere and the setting are great in this sequel even though I still prefer Paris and how tantalizing and charming the setting of the first book was. I totally understand the change as it really reflects what’s happening to the characters and the coldness that’s seeping inside them as they struggle with the mission, their dynamics, and their personal feelings.
Also, the characters are different in this book and its’ totally understandable, I still found them well written and well developed. I still see them as fascinating and complex and real but They’re going through more in this sequel and it shows. They struggle to keep their friendships alive, they struggle to contain their pain, they struggle to communicate and move on from their grief and loss and It’s reflected in their inner thoughts, in the decisions they make, in the things they say, and the things they hide. Their trauma plays a huge part in their stories and how the dynamics are reshaped.
Then again, the names we are born with can end up meaning so little. The names we give ourselves, well, perhaps that’s the truth of us.
It was heartbreaking seeing them struggle so deeply and so painfully after their tragic loss in the first book. Right from the start, as we witness how the friendship between them is torn apart, we understand this is a darker journey for them as well as us. The author is brilliant at communicating the inner thoughts and feelings of each character in a way that creates this intimate and deep connection between readers and characters.
The plot is also brilliant with so many twists and turns and secrets. I was really invested in the story and where it’s going. I admit I didn’t see some of those events coming and the ending left me speechless, It was brutal, hard to read, and completely unpredictable.
Depending on who you ask, sometimes ghost stories are all that is left of history. History is full of ghosts, because it’s full of myth. All of it woven together depending on who survived to do the telling.
The Silvered Serpents made me understand the characters more and feel them on a deeper level and it also managed to make me more invested in this dangerous, dark and twisted journey of heists, magic, and deadly secrets. I can’t wait to read the finale and see how Roshani Chokshi will make everything come together.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Murder
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