Massive thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi. This is my Charms selection for the Magical Readathon 2020 and Intro: Persona selection for the 2020 Bangtanathon. Full disclosure, this probably deserves a lower rating but I’m big on character development and family dynamics within friend groups. I also loved The Gilded Wolves so much so I didn’t have the heart to rate this lower than a three.

Since I established that I’m being nice here, I’m going to get right into it. The Silvered Serpents starts immediately after the events of The Gilded Wolves. I believe there has been a couple of months or so since the first novel and as expected, the team is still reeling at the loss of Tristan. Séverin, Laila, Enrique, Zofia, and Hypnos go from Paris to St. Petersburg to find The Sleeping Palace of the Fallen House in order to obtain their treasure and the Divine Lyrics which gives one the power of a god. While there, they meet Ruslan and Eva of House Dazbog which is part of the Russian faction of the Order of Babel.

To put it simply, I just didn’t connect with this book as much as I did the first one. The story never hooked my attention and I found myself skimming most of the pages. I enjoyed the setting more than the story. Imperial Ballet, icy landscapes, the culture, the treasures, and everything aesthetically pleasing makes this a lovely book to read. I still have a soft spot for the characters too but the chemistry between everyone was off. I know that they experienced a major loss in The Gilded Wolves but a lot of the family dynamic was absent in this. The ending cliffhanger and the character development for Delphine, the matriarch of House Kore were also high moments as well as looking into Séverin’s past with his mother.

Séverin: he was depressed, cold, aloof, and angry throughout most of the book. His ambition is still there but since he’s the leader and the one who brings everyone together, his lack of presence was missed. However, I was fascinated by how much he cared about Zofia and it made me… feel things. I missed his banter with Hypnos and Enrique. Despite this, he is still one of my favorite characters and I’m rooting for him.

Laila: I love her as an individual character but I find Roshani Chokshi’s obsession with Laila’s sex life and perceived image as a whore to be redundant and annoying. Laila is clearly the glue and she has a lot of positive attributes and skills but this book hits us over the head with her being Séverin’s mistress, prostitute, whore… whatever. Their angst and Laila’s refusal to pull from him was exhausting. I’ll get into that more in a bit.

Enrique: Another one of my favorite characters who does nothing wrong. I don’t know if it’s because I skimmed this book or what but I felt like his presence wasn’t all there either. He seemed to be going through the motions here and he dropped everything he was hoping to accomplish to come with Séverin. We didn’t get much development with him besides his thing with Hypnos and Zofia.

Zofia: She’s adorable and I love her so much. Protect her at all costs, please.

Hypnos: Someone give him a hug. The angst with Enrique was a little annoying. I wish their relationship was explored more. It was just like one moment they were cutesy and then the next they’re breaking up. He’s trying his best though. Honestly Enrique, Zofia, and Hypnos kept me invested.

The villains: completely obvious and I refuse to believe anyone in this group didn’t see it coming.

Anyway, back to Séverin and Laila. I love them as individual characters but the angst was too much here. I said this on Twitter but I’ll say it here. I don’t get why exactly there is an issue between them when they’re in private. I get the racial constructs back then but with so many other modern advancements in this series, I don’t get why the author is playing into this trope so hard. I also don’t get the choice to make them fake date/have Laila pretend to be his mistress. We already have a solid foundation in their relationship, it felt like an unnecessary plot choice to have this sort of dynamic in an already jam-packed plot. I know I’m outside of the target audience here, I just didn’t care for it.

The Silvered Serpents, Chokshi's follow-up to The Gilded Wolves, picks up a few months after the end of the first novel. They have been months of mourning and separation. After the death of Tristan, one of the group of thieve's cohorts and brother to leader Severin, they all dispersed to half-heartedly pursue their own angles.

With Laila's impending death approaching and new facts coming to light, Severin reconvenes the group, and the kind of mischief and mayhem that one expects from this series ensues.. It is fast-paced, colorful, and littered with memorable characters. The characters are a bit darker in this book, which provides a touch of realism that the hints of romance might otherwise have withered.

Unfortunately, the thing with which I mosts struggled in the The Gilded Wolves--namely, that there is so much going on that was clearly vivid in the mind of the writer but did not necessarily present cohesively on paper--is just as bad, if not more evident, in The Silvered Serpents. I am still dying to know what happens next, but I am well aware that I may very well not understand the paths that led there.

I'll be hanging on for sure, but The Silvered Serpents was not the glorious revelation that I had hoped for.

Once again, Roshani Chokshi has built a book with some of the best characters, seeping with history and myths and legends and intrigue. From the beginning to the end, this one was a ride--one of character development and inner struggles right alongside some great action and puzzles that kept the plot moving in so many directions. The ending was definitely one that will have me sitting here, empty, waiting for the final book in the trilogy to come out.

I absolutely recommend this trilogy to everyone who loves some complicated fantasy worlds, heist-type novels, books with fully fleshed out and complicated characters, and who enjoy a bit of history and puzzles thrown in there. It is an absolute masterpiece.

I came in late to this story and when I got book one as a present I just knew I needed book two to binge read.

This book does not suffer suffer book two issues. In no way is it a filler or anything like that.

The characters are dark (my favourite kind) the plot is very well thought out and you end up screaming at the book because of the building tension in this book. The last twist is so surprising in makes you question everything that has been happening.

A must read

The Silvered Serpets is the sequel to The Gilded Wolves and I would definitely say read that one first. This sequel picks up after a bit of time has passed after the dramatic events of the first book and the characters are all each recovering in their own ways (as am I!) What had been a tight knit group is now spread out and separate, but Séverin needs them to come together for one last job. We meet new characters, learn more about old ones, and of course, nothing goes according to plan. This second book in the series is even stronger than the first. The characters are more fleshed out, the story feels fuller, and I loved watching them grow within themselves and with each other. Zofia is still my favorite character and she really finds her own strength in this one. There’s more spectacular displays of forging magic, and the more serious topics are discussed well. This has grown from a series I liked to one I love, and I can’t wait for book 3!

One wants to be listened to. One wants an anchor to hold. One wants to live. One wants to play a god.

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

I read The Gilded Wolves last year, and I know this series is right up my alley. I’ve been invested emotionally in each character, and after that devastating ending, I knew that I have to read the sequel right away.

The Silvered Serpents is what I’m more than hoping for a sequel. Personally, I find second books a filler of a series, but this one is one of the exceptions. It’s darker, emotionally heavy, full of twists and left me with a broken heart.

I’ll try my best not to spoil every one with this review. I would like everyone to enjoy the plot the way that I enjoyed them — free of spoilers. The story picked up a few days after the devastating end of TGW. The characters grieved the loss in their own ways. It was painful to watch how this made a big impact on them. For one last time, the crew would make an attempt for another quest. This time, they had to search for a long lost ancient treasure which promised the power of God.

With the political intrigue, mythology, and magic, this novel will transport you to another mystical world. The tension just got higher and higher. Boredom has no such place in this book. The pacing is fast and the conflict development is definitely exciting. The way Roshani Chokshi weaved beautiful sentences made me devour each word and engross me until the end of the page. Just like in the first book, I fell in love deeper to each character. Every one of them were portrayed so realistically. Every laugh, pain, hope, longing, betrayal and love, I also felt them. How I wish I could just scoop them all up and move them to a place where no one could hurt them.

Lastly, the ending. I was lost for words. It was totally unexpected and left me screaming internally.

Overall, The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi is a superb sequel. I know that waiting for the third book would be a torture, but this is the punishment I’m willing to take.

I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy from Net Galley.
This book is the sequel to The Gilded Wolves, a book that I enjoyed quite a bit. This sequel does not disappoint! The characters I love are back and we get to know this world even more. The pacing was strong and the character development is on point. My only criticism is that I found some of the plot points predictable. However, the characters and world still commanded my attention so strongly that I enjoyed this read.
I cannot wait for the next book!

To be honest I was not the biggest fan of the first in this series. I was given the chance to read an ARC through Netgalley and I got excited. But, unfortunately, my excitement died as the story “progressed”. I say progressed with quotations because there was barely an movement in the story line. I felt like there was too much explanations given for the surroundings, the setting. I will not be reading the third book in this series.

absolutely adore this cast of characters. The setting and the world is so beautifully written, I just want more and more when I read

I was very much looking forward to this second book. While I enjoyed the first, I felt much more invested in the characters in book two. The main characters are relate-able, the suspense is palpable, and the emotions are high in this thrilling fantasy. The cast is fascinating, with backstories that are still unfolding, and mysteries yet to be solved are very intriguing. I will definitely purchase the sequel, and will recommend it to my fantasy readers!

This book had me speechless. This is one of the best sequels I've ever read and it quickly became one of my favourite readings of the year.

The characters we know in The Gilded Wolves aren't the same, they're changed by trauma and loss and each deals with it in their own way. The dynamics were even more interesting and complex and oh, the third book is gonna be even more so. I cannot wait to see where Roshani Chokshi takes this story but I know its gonna be a hell of a ride.

Chokshi's second novel in "The Gilded Wolves" series was leagues better than the first. It's one of those story lines that just takes a little longer to really develop, so book one fell a little flat with me. Book two, though? So much more engaging.

The events of book two pick up right after those from book one. Severin and the gang are continuing their search for the book that holds the secret to divinity, The Divine Lyrics. Chokshi begins with a chapter for each of our four POVs (Severin, Laila, Enrique, and Zofia) describing the motivation for searching for this text. While in the first book of the series, I felt like it took us awhile to get this from the side characters, it's clear from the start why everyone is making the choices they're making. Their quest takes them from their home in Paris to Russia to find the Fallen House's hidden cache of treasure, which for me was a welcome change from book one. While she maintained all the puzzle goodness, it is less trite and forced.

There were two issues for me: Severin's character and the love triangles. I acknowledge what Chokshi does with Severin after Tristan's death at the end of book one, and the motivation for his new-found "bad-boy vibe", but it didn't translate well until the very end of the book for me. I thought she could have done more to convey this in subtler ways. And there is not one, but TWO "love triangles" here. I'm not going to spoil anything here, but one made me violently angry and one seemed unnecessary.

This one was definitely more of a page turner for me. I had to put it down last night to finish the last 40 pages because I knew I was not going to be able to handle how this one ended. I will most definitely be reading the third book of this series.

I did not read The Gilded Wolves first, and it made it hard to follow the storyline. It was well written though and entertaining once I got into it.

Hi, my name is Skye, and I would absolutely die for all of the main characters in this book. I love these characters so freaking much. Roshani has done a tremendous job portraying each character’s distinct voice; you always know whose POV you’re reading. Their arcs in this book are beautiful. Seeing how each of them handles grief was heart-wrenching and utterly relatable.

Roshani has outdone herself with this book. This book definitely didn’t succumb to the “second book” syndrome. In fact, I think it’s better than the first book! There was never a dull moment. I loved this book from start to finish. The setting, the world-building, and the magic are all fantastic. Roshani excels at painting a vivid picture in your mind when it comes to setting.

I will say my shipper heart was anxious throughout this whole book. However, I have a pretty good feeling that both of my ships will sail in the next book! Woo!

My only complaint is that I need the next book now because that ending was CRUEL. Do you hear me Roshani, that was cruel of you to do to me?! Grudgingly, I will admit that the ending was cruel in a beautiful way. That’s all I will say about it because of spoilers. If you’ve read this book and need to vent to someone, message me.

Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about this book. I definitely recommend this series to everyone. If you’re a fan of fantasy and history, then this book is right up your alley. Roshani does an amazing job of staying true to the time period and the setting while also throwing in her own unique fantastical elements.

Phew what a ride.

I ended up getting the NetGalley ARC after I read the first one in the series. There’s a lot of death and the appearance of death in these books, so tread lightly.

Great concept and the more we learn about the characters the more I like them. There are some things about the world that is a little unclear to me, and that might be because there is another book in the trilogy coming out (hopefully soon!)

I got to the end of it and was like — “that’s it? Ugh....” but in a way where I wanted to keep reading and was sad that it ended. Also, cliffhangers...

Starting shortly after the devastating end of book 1, we return to Paris and the group around Severin.
Everyone deals differently with the loss of their friend and that is the main reason for friction we get to experience in the team. Thankfully a new acquisition comes along and everyone has to work together for them to survive.

In the first part of the book I just wanted to take each and every character and give them a good shake, because I just couldn't stand how they acted around each other.
For me, one of the highlights of `The gilded wolves` was the group dynamics they had. And to see them falling apart was just too sad to watch. But thanks to the wonderful writing I could understand, why they acted as they did and even though I didn't like it, it was a perfect fit for their circumstances.
The story was captivating, answering quite a few of my open questions from book 1 and had so many surprises I didn't expect. The tempo ist fast and sometimes the team stumbles from one fight into the next, always keeping the suspense high. The slower chapters bring wonderful breaks, where we get to learn more about the characters feelings or get to solve a puzzle along with the group.

My only problem after this near perfect read: Now I have to wait far too long for book 3!

A good example of a second-book-in-a-planned-three-book-series that falls kind of flat. Lots of clunky and unnatural dialog between the characters, whose sole purpose seems to be to dump necessary information onto the reader so that the next action sequence can occur.

Many readers enjoy Chokshi’s flowery writing style. I like it in small doses, but you can expect a lot of passages like the following as you read:

Séverin. A silhouette of silk and night, a boy with a mouth made for kisses and cruelty. A boy who had once conjured wonder and came too close to touching her heart. Laila reached for her hate like armor, but he was too fast.

Chokshi creates a beautiful world inspired by 19th century Europe, and this bridge to the final installment in the series was passable, but doesn’t stand well on its own merits.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the digital ARC.

The Silvered Serpents is the second book in a fantasy series by Roshani Chokshi. Other reviews suggested that it was not necessary to read the first installment to enjoy The Silvered Serpents. However, I struggled to get a grasp of the story, relate to the characters, or engage in the events. After forcing myself to read most of the book, I finally gave up. I may come back to this one after attempting the first book in the series, but definitely won't read it otherwise.

I absolutely loved this follow up to The Gilded Wolves!! Chokshi has the ability to make these complex characters so realistic, yet fantastic at the same time. It was so nice to see all of theses charters together again- and see some people ones enter the story. The plot of the story seemed to move a little faster than the first one, which I loved. We also to see more talents from each character, and more romance.

If you haven’t read Gilded Wolves, do yourself a favor and pick it up! It’s an adventure that will not disappoint!

I picked up my copy of Gilded Wolves from Owlcrate and could not put it down! The writing is beautiful and the complexity of the characters had me fully engaged. However, this book was even more amazing than the first. The cover is stunning and the writing had me turning pages well into the night!

I highly recommend this series!