I keep thinking it’s a duology – like The Gilded Wolves being the first book and The Silvered Serpents being the second and last book. But no! It’s a TRILOGY! We’re safe, we’re fine, the third book won’t be cancelled like the next season of our favourite series (RIP to The Society. We’ll miss you) – but wouldn’t it be funny (and utterly sad) if we were waiting for the last book and then BOOM! Cancelled!
The more and more I write reviews, I feel like I’m writing less of a review and rather just me throwing out how much I loved the characters and the writing. And then have to add a couple of paragraphs about the plot because, oh right! It’s a review! 😂
Spoilers for some events that happened in the first book, but I’m very vague/don’t go into depth about them.
Title: The Silvered Serpents
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Series: The Gilded Wolves #2 (#1)
Year Published: 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books (Imprint of St. Martin’s Press)
Genre: Young Adult ~ Historical Fantasy ~ LGBTQ+ characters ~ Romance
Stars: 
Links: Goodreads || Amazon || The Book Depository || The Storygraph
Copy: E-Arc
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc through Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. The quote edits used are my own and the featured image is also my own. All quotes given in the review are from the unpublished arc and therefore are not always accurate. The summary is my own and is summarised from Goodreads. All opinions expressed are my own.
Following the harrowing events of the first book, the team travels to Russia in search of The Divine Lyrics and more answers to their ever-growing list of questions.
Séverin, still so cold-hearted as before, now takes his team into the middle of more dangers and mysteries. How much will they uncover, how far will they be forced to go; and which secrets are theirs to find and which are theirs to keep?
I’ve realised I really really like angst. Like I knew I liked it, but I didn’t realise that I actually prefer angst until I read Wayward Son (sequel to Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell). So, while I do really love happy endings and the sequel being all happiness and butterflies; I like the sadness and angst, especially with bountiful amounts of yearning and yearning, all the while the angst just builds and builds and it’s all so gorgeous.
And this is definitely the case in this book. You have Séverin perpetually pining over Laila, and that makes him sad. And he’s sad because of the very sad, awful thing that happened at the end of The Gilded Wolves (which is, you know, we don’t talk about that, okay). He must be so tired from thinking he’s doing things all wrong and a team that he’s bound to let down and/or lose them; can we all just chip in to buy him a gift voucher for a couple of therapy lessons? Like, please, Séverin, accept some love from your team.
And then on the other hand, Laila is also pining over Séverin, and I can now definitely count them as a favourite ship, and they need to be together at the end of the series. But there’s another issue that she also has to worry about, and which issue does she need to be worried about more? And the two of them go back and forth on their relationship and feelings, all written excellently and it’s all so good.
Don’t get me even started on how much I love Hypnos, Enrique, and Zofia. I love them so so much. Like I said below, I love all the cast equally but I do have a special super interest in these three because they seem to share the same thought – that they don’t belong, that they’re most likely annoying. Like, HI, I resonate!! FULLY! So that’s probably why I feel so much for them because I can relate to them just a little bit more than the others.
I had so many emotions while reading this. So, so many emotions – my Kindle is just full of it. If you’re a reader who reads for emotions and is wanting to find more books that’ll make you swoon and squeal (or whatever your choice is), then I highly, highly recommend this series.
Roshani is just a master at creating prose for her characters. Its all so beautiful. I don’t even feel like I’m sitting on my couch and watching a movie while I’m reading – the prose and the story and the way the characters speak with each other makes me feel like I’m right there with them. Basically, I just want to eat the words, I know that probably doesn’t make any sense at all, but that’s how I’m feeling – like I want to pick up the words and chew the words.
I love how sometimes, in the kindle notes I’m like Roshani, this and Roshani, that; like I personally have Sunday lunch with her or something, like she’ll read this review and then invite me to lunch 😂
Again, I can’t even begin to say who’s my favourite character. Okay, like, if you push and push and push me to give you an answer, then I’ll say Zofia – she is my utter favourite. But then ever so quickly afterwards, I’ll yell out Enrique and Hypnos’s name. So you see, it’s pointless to ask me that question because they’re all my favourite!
Even how they interact with each other – with Séverin having this whole façade and he thinks he’s lying successfully to everyone but his team sees right through him. Is that because Séverin subconsciously trusts them enough to let his guard down or are they all too good at seeing through lies and falsehoods? Either way, bound to make me more emotional.
Also, Roshani, we need to have a whole short story collection of some of their adventures. I want to know every little detail about the VOLCANO that was first mentioned in The Gilded Wolves. And then you mention MECHANICAL SHARKS?? Now I HAVE to know!! I’m glad I listened to the audiobook (of tgw) because now I know how to pronounce the stuff! And now I can see how everything is spelt.
I had like… 28 blue highlights (quote highlights), so here’s my other favourites that didn’t make the ‘quote graphics’ list. Power liked irony. /She understood how the world cultivated malice between girls, teaching them to bare their teeth when they might have bared their soul. /It is in knowledge, after all, that we find the tools to make history. /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. /Her parents had always told her to be a light, but the light she found brightest belonged in others. /What is magic but a science we cannot fathom. /Life is cruel, and often without cake.
I won’t even apologise for the long review (it’s under 2k so, not actually that long), but this could definitely have been longer! I could have carried on yelling about Roshani’s writing! Watch me!
Obviously, if you’re reading this it means you’ve read this book, or at least read the first book and are looking for a spoiler-free review of the second book. Which this is – spoiler-free. If you have read this book, please feel free to put your comments down below! Unless they’re criticisms about Zofia. I only accept praise about her.
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