By now you all know–as I first opened my kindle to this gem last April, it was love at first chapter: this book had something that pulled me, and it has never disappointed me. And now it’s finally out! And I can’t wait for you all to read it and come scream your thoughts to me. Being witness to Shelby’s creative process from (almost) the very beginning will always be one of the best experiences in my life. So I guess it’s time for me to show you my review!
But first…
The Plot:
Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
Info on the book:
Title: Serpent and Dove
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publication date: September 3rd, 2019
Language: English
Publishing House: Harper Teen (HarperCollins)
Pages Count: 519
ISBN: 9780062878021
Where to buy it: Bookdepository hardback link
English level: Quite easy
My rating: 9.25/10
My thoughts as I finished the book:
Okay so, the time has come: I have to write a proper review for this book. BUT FIRST. I wanted to thank the gods of Edelweiss+ and HarperCollins for giving me the chance to read one of my most anticipated books for 2019 IN ADVANCE. It’s been a pleasure, and an incredible honor! Also I want to thank that beautiful, beautiful person who is Shelby Mahurin. Honestly, find you an author who stalks and answers to your Instagram stories when you’re talking about their book, without even tagging them!🤣 She’s one of the most precious authors out there. So be careful on what you write about her book…’cause I’ll be the first in line for defending her.
But now. The review.
I have decided to split my rating into different “categories”, so that you can have the whole view of the story. It’s the story of a witch and a witch-hunter, if you’re wondering.
– World-building: 4🌟. I LOVED the 17th century French vibes (even if it will always be Middle Ages for me😂) . This book is set in a world in which witches live among humans, but they have to hide, because they’re being chased by the Chasseurs, aka a sort of Church’s organization hunting witches. BURNING them. The historical reference is basically that of the Witch Purge, and the Inquisition, the real Ecclesiastical institution whose main goal was to eliminate heresy. It also reminded me of Notre Dame de Paris, I mean for the atmosphere. Because the author really managed to make me read in a constant state of anxiety for the protagonist’s destiny.
So yes, I loved it, and I loved all the French names and historical references! The other thing that’s interesting is the witches’ world of magic, but we don’t get many insights in it. Basically there are different kinds of witches, with different kinds of abilities, so I would have liked to learn a little bit more about it. Buuuut we have a sequel, so I’m sure that it will be more centered on this!
– Characters: 5🌟. Honestly, I didn’t think I could get SO attached to them! They are so real, with their own flaws and temper, and in the end, I wanted to marry Reid. I wanted to marry Lou. Yes.
Lou is our protagonist, she’s a witch and she’s hiding. From the Chasseurs who seek to kill her kind. From her past. She’s wild, she’s a shameless flirty person, always smiling, she loves swearing, she hides her scars with a good dose of sarcasm, but she’s also very compassionate and funny. I laughed so much during her chapters! And yes…she keeps secrets.
And Reid is our witch-hunter. He’s like…the most precious love-interest out there. He’s tall. Like, very tall. He’s pure, and he’s chast, and his cheeks kept blushing so HOW could I not fall in love with him? And yes. You have guessed right: there’s basically an inversion of the typical roles in a couple. AND I LIVED FOR IT. GUYS FINALLY. FINALLY! His temper is probably something someone would be triggered by, but I honestly love reading about characters who are not perfect, but real. And he was so, so real and relatable. Seems like a Rowan x Rhysand fanfiction to you?🤣 but it was so.much.more. (I loved spotting all the Maas references by the way! This book is perfect for fans of SJM if you haven’t noticed, cause the author is a big fan like me!). And I loved how at the beginning of the story the characters belong to completely different worlds and ideals, and at the end, they each learn something from the other.
But THE REAL PEARL ABOUT THIS BOOK IS THE CHARACTERS’ INTERACTIONS. I lived for them. Shelby is so good at writing scenes in which you laugh out loud AND ship so hard. Guys, THE CHEMISTRY. And THE ANGST. AAAAAAH. The way it was built throughout the book? Enchanting. Addicting. And not only the mains were so good, but the secondary characters were also very interesting and deep! I can’t wait to learn more about them. I loved Coco (the protagonist’s best friend) and Ansel, and Madame Labelle!
And the baddie, the being there and not being there, the mysteries and the cruelty at the end…I have to say that I don’t always like villains like that (you have to be good at writing them) …but this one was well built! And I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next book! But the real villain in this book, I have to repeat myself, is the angst between the two main characters. THAT is what really killed me. Because they both are what the other needs but also what the other needs dead.
But the problem with reading a book in advance is that NOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOR FANARTS, AND I AM ALREADY IMAGINING THEM! SO PLEASE ARTISTS BE QUICK 🤣. And yes, I am already fan-casting Armie Hammer and Emilia Clarke for a movie because THIS BOOK WILL MAKE THE PERFECT MOVIE!
– Plot: 4.5🌟. I have to admit that I am a sucker for plots in which everything is well constructed from the beginning, and disentangled all of a sudden towards the end. And I have to say that it kept me tied to the pages, with this constant anxiety, because this book is basically what I seek in a fantasy: action-packed from the very beginning, funny, with a good dose of tension and romance which kept me up at night. AND THOSE PLOT-TWISTS. Some of them I had predicted, and some others had me shook!! There were maybe some little details which weren’t very logical in my opinion, like characters appearing right when you need them the most or very easy solutions and rushed conclusions. Also maybe I expected to cry more, but it was perfect anyway, cause it gave me so many emotions nonetheless! And these are basically the reasons why it’s more a 4.5 than a full 5 to me. But let’s remember that this is Shelby’s first book, and I had never read a debut novel so well-planned! She’s gonna be a NY times bestseller one day, and I’ll be crying because I have been granted this amazing chance🖤
And let’s also remember that no book is perfect, but what counts is what that book gives you. And this book is totally worth it!
– Message: 5🌟. I absolutely loved the way the idea of being a woman during those times was conveyed. The critic to the Church, to the small-mindedness, the problem of racism and homophobia though not directly addressing them…well done! I found the way they were addressed very original. And the themes of love, of tolerance, of forgiveness and sacrifice and trust…❤️❤️❤️
– Emotions: 4.5🌟. As I said, it kept me reading past midnight, which is folly to me. The chemistry and the angst and the tension were REAL. And I got really attached to the characters, so🤷🏻♀️. I only expected to cry a little more.
And finally
– Style: absolutely 5🌟. Is this really this woman’s first book? ‘Cause her style is simple but already clear, and totally brilliant! I was never bored by this book, not a second! The descriptions are never too long and the dialogues are perfect. And did I mention it kept me tied to the pages? Her style is wonderfully fluid.
It was a ride (or a Reid? 🤣) and I’m really looking forward to the sequel! I really don’t know what to expect from it because I basically ran out of all my plot-twists guesses but yes, I hope it lives up to my hype!
Some of my favorite quotes:
“But the flames come first with the Church. Questions second. It’s a dangerous time to be female.”
“Gone was the spitting hellcat. Now, there was only a woman. And she was small. And she was frightened. And she was strong.”
“There are lots of women in pubs, Ansel. We aren’t like you think. We can do anything you can do—and probably better.”
” They might’ve all been hypocrites, but I was the biggest of all.”
“How can you cherish a book that ends in death?” “It doesn’t end in death. The lovers die, yes, but the kingdoms overcome their enmity and forge an alliance. It ends in hope.”
“Surely the church shouldn’t lock its doors at all?”
” It was laughable, really, his dedication to protecting a witch. He would’ve had kittens if he knew the truth.”
“They’re wicked.” “Aren’t we all? Isn’t that what your own god teaches?”
“I was half tempted to slit my arm open again, so he could see the blood that flowed there. The blood that was the same color as his own.”
“Greatest fear?” This time she didn’t hesitate. “Death.” I frowned and reached across the table to grasp her hand. “There’s nothing to fear in death, Lou.”
” The tension in our room that night was physically painful.”
“I won’t force you. If you aren’t comfortable enough to tell me, it’s my fault, not yours.”
“I never said it was your god. Your god hates women. We were an afterthought.”
“‘Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from you.’” […] . “‘Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay.’”
“The icy fingers crept steadily down my spine—paralyzing my body—but it was nothing to the ice in Reid’s gaze as he finally looked at me. That was the ice that pierced my heart.”
“Do—do all the blood witches look like you?” She arched a brow in wry amusement. “Are they all breathtakingly beautiful, you mean?”
“I knew who you were. I knew what you believed . . . and I fell in love with you anyway.”
“I—I’ve never seen anyone savor anything the way you do everything. You make me feel alive. Just being in your presence—it’s addictive. You’re addictive. […] The way you see the world . . . I want to see it that way too.”
5 things I associate with Serpent and Dove:
1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame: France? Check. Churches and closed-mindedness criticism? Check. Good Vs Evil? Check. A sort of bohene girl and a character representing an authority? Check check check.
2. Sarah J. Maas: The first time I bumped into this book was in a SJM group on Facebook. In a post where Shelby was sharing her enthusiasm with us because Sarah Janet Maas herself had reviewed her book. And as I read it, I couldn’t stop myself from noticing how Sarah was an inspiration for Shelby. Lou has the same witty-smirky personality as Aelin and Rhys, and of course, the witches reminded me of Throne Of Glass.
3. Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows: Witch and witch-hunter. Hate-to-love ship. Banter. Love for sweets and more or less same personalities–a loud sunshine for Lou, and a close-minded with a great character development for Reid.
4. Autumn: Again, witches, but not only for this–sticky buns, candles, and a celebration that’s called “Modraniht” will give you all the fall vibes.
5. Taylor Swift’s latest album “Lover” : Which is actually an album on love, acceptance as a woman in an all-men society, and it also features a song called “False God”, so there’s probably nothing more relatable.
Do you know I am hosting a Readalong for this book?
And I invite you to join us! We’re starting September 9th and finishing on the 26th with a very special live on Instagram with the author herself!
I hope you’ll be able to read with us ‘case we’ll be having so much fun!
I’ll leave you the schedule here, and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and use the hashtag #SerpentAndDoveReadalong
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