I was carried away by The Serpent Called Mercy. If you love stories about competitions, mythical creatures, and ethics, this is for you. There’s action, exploration of themes, and questions of forgiveness. Keep reading this book review of The Serpent Called Mercy for my full thoughts.
Summary
Lythlet and her only friend Desil are shackled to a life of debt and poverty that she fears they will never escape. Desperate for money, they sign up as arena combatants who fight sun-cursed beasts in the seedy underworld of the city.
Match-master Dothilos is initially enamored of Desil’s brawling reputation, but after seeing Lythlet lead the pair to triumph with her quick cunning, he takes her under his wing, scorning Desil. Ambition takes root in Lythlet’s heart as a life of fame and wealth unfolds in her imagination.
But Lythlet isn’t the only one out for coin and glory, and she soon finds herself playing an entirely different game—a game of politics and deception. As the cost of her ambition grows, she will have to decide if sacrificing her honor, and only friendship, is worth the chance to shape her own fortune.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
From one heist to another, when will it ever end? Sometimes we just are scraping by and we ask ourselves why. Why do we keep toiling to chip away a debt we are only barely scratching the surface on? Is there not a better way? For Desil and Lythlet, their chance to get above it all might be here, but nothing comes for free. The Serpent Called Mercy is a book full of adventure and action. It’s for fans of those who love reading about this game of survival. And asking ourselves when we fight between ambition and mercy, who wins?
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Besides the action of the arena, my favorite element of The Serpent Called Mercy was the question about what will we do to get ahead. Can there be a road forward that includes mercy, compassion, that isn’t pure ambition? Or is ambition necessary to get ahead, to get ahead of our debt, to provide. With this world of cruelties and greed, how can we break free of that cycle and keep ourselves? If you love stories about power and friendship featuring fabulous character growth, this is for you. Find The Serpent Called Mercy on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.