Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Hello Books Lovers,
almost two months after its publication thanks to Harper Collins finally my turn has come to talk to you about Serpent & Dove, a book that since its first publication in the original language has created a sensation all over the world, and has already been translated into many languages.
I thank Harper immensely for the digital copy. Serpent & Dove was a book that I fell in love with on the first pages. But I can tell you that I was already in love with it from the plot. How not to fall in love when the plot reads: A witch and a witch hunter tied in the sacred bond of marriage. Then we combine this detail with a paranormal full fantasy, full of romance and we have the perfect formula for a perfect book.
But before moving on to analyze the plot specifically, there is another small sentence in the amazon plot that convinced me in this reading, the fact that the meeting between Lu and Reid is defined as a twist of fate. After all, she is a witch and he is a witch hunter. They shouldn’t even be close to each other, let alone fall in love with each other. But basically it is these impossible relationships that make this kind of books even more beautiful and intriguing.
Last curiosity and then I promise you that I will move on to the plot XD. Reading other reviews I discovered that the author was inspired by the story of Dame Blanche, seen, if you watched Outlander, in its second season. And it’s great that an author is inspired by other stories to find the voice of her own. As a result we understand that the world of Serpent and Dove should be inspired in some way by France, with no world-building specifics within the book.
Moving on to the plot – finally – Lu escaped from her family and coven by giving up her magic to live safely in a place where magic is not tolerated, and to protect herself from the witch hunters who may sense it. The peculiarity of Lu is that she is cunning, knows how to get by on her own and has survived for two years stealing what was needed to live.
One thing she can’t seem to get away from is Reid. In front of him she managed to hide her being a witch, but she must maintain this state over time. And after some unpleasant encounters with Reid, she finds herself forced to go with him, and even marry him. The strangest thing about this situation is that Reid is actually the captain of the witch hunters.
She will spend a lot of time with him, never being able to reveal her true identity. She will have to learn to live with it, and it won’t be easy. But the answers to many questions you will have to discover by reading. Will Reid find out that Lu is a witch? Will they really fall in love with each other? What will happen in the end? All questions, some less some more, with their importance useful to get you prepared for the second volume.
The story spins 360 degrees around the protagonists, making us see every aspect of the life that they will spend together. An intriguing fantasy, and different from many others. The strong point, at the end, seems to be the relationship between Lu and Reid. But what will ever happen in the next volumes? I can’t wait for harper collins to bring the latter too, in the hope that some of the secondary characters will get more space in the future.
For now, I’ll spend the rest of the time looking at all the different fanarts that can be found on the net. Deep down fanarts for me have become the most effective means to make me love a story even more. Have you read it? Are you going to read this trilogy?
Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. Book one of a stunning fantasy trilogy, this tale of witchcraft and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Sara Holland.
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. As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation&;marriage. Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.
Set in a world of powerful women, dark magic, and off-the-charts romance, book one of this stunning fantasy trilogy will leave readers burning for more.
