Book: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Genre: YA Fantasy
Five Word Description: French, Magical, Dark, Adventurous, Dangerous
Stars: 4-/5 Stars
This YA fantasy novel follows the story of Lou who is a young witch on the run from those who wish to kill her. Lou lives in Cesarine, which is a city divided between magic and the non magical. The church in the city has an army of Chasseurs who are dedicated to finding witches and burning them. Fate seems to have a sick sense of humor when Lou crosses paths with Reid, a chasseur out to demolish all witches. The unlikely pair is forced into an arranged marriage and as their feelings for one another grow, so does the danger.
Author Shelby Mahurin writes the novel with a large French influence. Names and terminology are drawn from France and it gives the book a very unique appeal. As a reader, at times I felt a little lost because of the use of this regional dialect. However, it was easy to decode and move past it once I got further into the novel.
Lou’s character is dynamic and multifaceted. It is interesting to see her wrestling with her “demons” and questioning whether or not she should reveal her witchcraft to Reid. In contrast, Reid seems flat and almost boring against Lou’s vibrant personality. This is meant to highlight the stark differences between the pair which adds to the surprise (No… I don’t think any reader was actually surprised) when they legitimately fall in love.
With that being said, I love YA Fantasy and this story did keep me turning pages well into the night. The world building was fairly good and the storyline is one that is sure to have loyal fans clambering after the second book “Blood and Honey” which is set to be released in Fall 2020.
Recommendations: For lovers of YA Fantasy or those who enjoy novels about witchcraft.
Literature & Lattes 