This author has a lot of potential, and it was an entertaining read for a debut novel.

The characters were decently fleshed out and entertaining to read. Even if they were not nice characters, you were still invested in their actions, and the world around them. It's a shame that the world itself is not fleshed out more, because what we do see of it - a world of decay and beauty, a world of gods and wardens and a religion that seems to penetrate into most aspects of life - is incredible. There just isn't nearly enough to properly set the scene of the world and most of what is offered is given without and context. Which leads into my biggest issue with the book - the power the main character has. She can control reality (I think) for eight seconds. It's a divine, god given gift but the book does not explain enough. At one point its spoken of as a myth, but then a chapter or so later, she is able to use it, in full view of people. They are startled but then... accept it? Is it magic? Is it really that rare? Why does nobody care more or use it for their own benefit?

A lot of stuff is handwaved away; for example the main characters are given an advantage in the fighting ring, one that makes the ring master suspicious, and then we are just told that the main character said 'something' to belay his fears. It's a shame they are given that advantage, because the fights that they did without it really made the two leads shine, we got to see the MFC's smarts and how she used the world and her observations to solve a puzzle, they were enjoyable to read.

The ending might not be for everyone, but I actually enjoyed its bittersweet, realistic ending. This is an author I'm sure will grow in confidence and looking forward to their next book.

The Serpent Called Mercy is certainly a great debut! I loved the concept and the characters, and I genuinely found myself laughing at some of the interactions involving Shunvi and Ilden. The action was well written and kept me hooked, especially in the latter stages where the stakes were constant. The only letdown for me was that I personally found the first half of the book very heavy with rushed info-dumping, particularly in dialogue which felt very stilted and at times awkward to read. However, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story, and these issues were mostly smoothed over in the latter half after the world had been established. Overall a nice fantasy read!

This was a solid book that I really enjoyed. It's a bit dark, at times, but it ends up being quite hopeful.

I enjoyed the friendship between the two main characters the most, and especially the character growth of the FMC. She had to make her mistakes to get there, but it was a good journey to go on.

The book didn't go in quite the direction I thought it was going to go in, I have to admit. I thought it was going to trend a little more towards the mythological rather than the political, but it didn't. Or maybe, it was a different kind of political than what I thought it would be. That's not bad, but it was surprising.

However, once I clocked on that it was the kind of political book that it was, it became somewhat predictable. That didn't make it any less enjoyable to read though.

I look forward to seeing more!

Two friends enter the undergeound world of monster fighting to clear their debts in this fantasy debut. An intriguing premise and a strong, poignant relationship between Desil and Lythlet, but unfortunately the book is let down by overwrought writing, underdeveloped world-building and a lack of focus on either the fights or the politics of the city. Not one for me.

The Serpent Called Mercy is truly a breath of fresh air in the fantasy world. When I saw this being pitched as The Witcher meets Squid Games, I was immediately sold. Illegal monster fighting?! Ok, you’ve got me there.

The world-building in this was beautifully crafted, allowing me to fully envelope myself in the story as I could perfectly envision everything that was happening in my head.

Our fmc Lythlet is stubborn, fierce and determined. Out of all the things I loved about this book, characters were the highlight for me, and Lythlet is the stand-out. If there’s one thing about her, it’s that she will never stop fighting for what is right, even if it means sacrificing everything.

A stunning debut novel peppered with themes of socioeconomics, corruption and political intrigue. A refreshing step away from the romantasy genre, perfect for those who prefer friendship over romance.

I would love to see this continue into a duet or a trilogy because I feel there is so much to be done with this world and Lythlet’s story. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy.

I thought I'll love this one: Monster hunters, from zero to hero poor ordinary protagonist, jaded calculating autistic-coded fmc & himbo mmc, no romance, but platonic friendship stronger than love and political intrigue on top of it - sounds amazing. Sadly, the book utterly falls apart on the technical level and fails to fulfill the promise of the thrills the blurb was selling to me.

First problem: there's no plot tension! Everything comes to the protagonist too easy. Defeating the monsters becomes a cakewalk. Even when the mc screws up and I thought there will be nasty consequences... there weren't any.

There's also no interpersonal tension. Even though Lythlet and Desil are like night and day, they never argue and everything that Desil wouldn't approve of, Lythlet does behind his back and he never has any issue with it either, and she doesn't run into problems by leaving him behind, nope, she actually praises herself for going with the other person. Same with Master Doritos whatshisface. Lythlet constantly suspects him he'll exploit her, but he just keeps helping her and even if there's some big betrayal coming later, the tension wasn't there.

Second problem: The long, boring, moralizatory speeches. It felt excessively juvenile and soapboxy. "Teaching" the protagonist a lesson should be done through actions not speeches. It feels like lecturing the readers about the cycle of poverty. If I wanted that, I'd pick a non-fiction title.

Third problem: jarring tone differences. We learn how this world is so, so cruel, lead by some criminal organization the authorities turn a blind eye to. There are brutal gladiatorial tournaments, child trafficking, animal abuse, violent debt collectors, thieves, scammers, abusive bosses and a mentally ill mother who routinely self-harms and half the days isn't even sane to talk to. But then the plot treats the characters with kids' gloves on and nothing really bad happens to them after the plot starts (initially they get beaten a couple of times but that stops happening soon after).

I wanted to dnf at around 25-30% or so when the characters faced the first real setback and nearly lost the match and Lythlet's reaction was... "we're quitting". No, you won't, because then the book won't happen. So let's have chapters upon chapters of convincing the reluctant hero to go back into action... I thought meeting her parents will be more dramatic and convince her she can't go back to poverty, but it was again fairly devoid of tension. I really regret I didn't dnf it there.

I kept giving it a chance because I like jaded underdog protagonists, I want to see more fantasy without romance, I love to see autistic-coded protagonists well represented (Lythlet was very analytical, developed speech late, socially awkward, didn't like crowds or being touched, and had a strong sense of justice combined with a good dose of social naivety - I really think it represented common autism experiences well), and I love thrilling battles and cunning political intrigue. I kept waiting until the book gets better, but I slowly lost hope it ever will. It wasn't thrilling and it wasn't clever either.

My reading experience was bouncing between 2.5 and 3.5 and I'm setting on 3. Just when it "was getting better" we get into yet another boring speech or skimmed-over monster fight.

It's well-written on the prose level, but the scene composition and overall structure is all messed up, it focuses on the boring parts (speeches, slice of life scenes) while skipping the interesting parts (monster fights, political intrigue, sleuthing around).

And contrary to my other recent read where I struggled with pacing / lack of tension, this one can't even pass for cozy because the world is too gritty and brutal, but the narrative feels nearly cozy with it's lack of actual palpable danger, recurrent foodie scenes in the inn, and the main cast being so lovey-dovey with each other.

"...will leave you at the edge of your seat." —Amber Chen
"...raises the stakes—and your blood pressure." —Saara El-Arifi
"a thrilling spectacle from beginning to end." —Chelsea Abdullah
Yeah, nah. I wish. This is dreadfully boring and I'm disappointed.

Thank you Rebellion / Solaris and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau offers a wealth of opportunities for an engaging and thought-provoking English literature lesson. Its rich themes, complex characters, and unique setting make it an excellent text for exploring a variety of literary concepts and skills.

The Serpent Called Mercy is a gritty, action-packed, and emotionally charged debut that blends the intensity of The Witcher with the high-stakes drama of Squid Game. Set in a Malaysian Chinese-inspired fantasy world, this novel is a thrilling exploration of ambition, friendship, and the cost of survival in a society where the most dangerous monsters are often human.

The story follows Lythlet and her best friend Desil, two debt-ridden slum dogs desperate to escape the crushing weight of poverty. When they sign up as combatants in an illegal monster-fighting arena, they see it as their only chance for fast money and a better life. Lythlet’s quick wit and cunning catch the attention of the match-master, Dothilos, who takes her under his wing, leaving Desil in the shadows. As Lythlet’s ambition grows, she begins to dream of fame and wealth, but the arena is a place where betrayal and deception are as common as blood and sweat.

One of the standout features of The Serpent Called Mercy is its richly imagined setting. Lau creates a vivid and immersive world, from the seedy underworld of the city to the brutal, sun-cursed arenas where fighters battle for survival. The Malaysian Chinese-inspired elements add a unique and refreshing flavour to the story, making the world feel alive and distinct.

Lythlet is a compelling and complex protagonist, whose ambition and resourcefulness make her both relatable and flawed. Her journey from desperation to ambition is fraught with moral dilemmas, and her struggle to balance her dreams with her loyalty to Desil adds depth to her character. Desil, on the other hand, is a loyal and steadfast friend, whose quiet strength and resilience provide a counterbalance to Lythlet’s ambition. The dynamic between the two is the heart of the story, filled with tension, love, and the unbreakable bond of friendship.

The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns, with plenty of action, intrigue, and emotional moments to keep readers engaged. The stakes are high, with the cost of ambition and the price of survival constantly looming over the characters. The blend of brutal arena battles, political intrigue, and personal drama creates a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.

Thematically, The Serpent Called Mercy explores issues of ambition, loyalty, and the cost of survival in a world where wealth and power are often out of reach. The novel also delves into the idea of honour and the lengths to which people will go to secure their future. These themes are woven seamlessly into the narrative, adding depth and resonance to the story.

If there is a minor critique, it is that some readers may find the pacing a bit uneven at times, with the focus on character development occasionally slowing the action. However, this is a small quibble in an otherwise masterfully crafted novel.

The Serpent Called Mercy is a must-read for fans of gritty fantasy and stories that explore the complexities of human nature. Roanne Lau has created a story that is as heart-pounding as it is heartfelt, offering readers a chance to lose themselves in a world of danger, ambition, and the enduring power of friendship.

A gritty and emotionally charged fantasy, The Serpent Called Mercy is a standout debut that will leave readers eagerly awaiting more from Roanne Lau.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of The Serpent Called Mercy!

This is the story of Lythlet who just lost her job and has to steal money to pay her monthly debt. She lives with her childhood friend Desil and when they receive a handbill promising riches beyond measure, it is an opportunity they cannot let go. It involves fighting beasts and they accept to try making as much money as possible.


Wow. This book was utterly amazing. I devoured it! The concept and the writing made the story flow so easily that I didn’t see time passing by.

Lythlet was such an amazing main character with a difficult past and a great personality- she is honest, kind, but can also stand up for herself and super smart.

Everytime she would do something I would be in awe thinking she was the smartest person ever. Be it when she was fighting or outside of these fights.

I would highly highly recommend it! 5 starts from me

Ya no se puede decir que sea una novedad que se publique fantasía con inspiración asiática, es una tendencia más que consolidada. Así que la sinopsis de The Serpent Called Mercy tenía la dura tarea de atraer a un lector quizá ahíto de estos escenarios. La mención a Geralt de Rivia y El juego del calamar no es desacertada para nada, pero el libro tiene graves problemas que el marketing no puede solucionar.


La trama de la novela se centra en Lythlet y su único amigo Desil, que malviven intentado devolver el préstamo que tuvieron que aceptar por los problemas de salud de la primera. Cuando se les presenta la oportunidad de luchar en la arena contra monstruos indeterminados, parece que ven la salida a sus vicisitudes, pero hay movimientos más complejos entre bambalinas que intentarán boicotear su camino de salida de la pobreza extrema.

Los combates con los monstruos me han recordado un poco a Shadow of the Colossus, esa maravilla de juego en que tenías que enfrentarte a pantagruélicos enemigos sin mucha idea ni contexto sobre cómo vencerlos. Lythlet y Desil se encontrarán en esta situación en los primeros combates, sin saber a qué bestia se van a enfrentar ni como podrán vencerla. En este sentido, las luchas son lo más entretenido del libro, aunque se nos escamotean algunas de las doce prometidas por abreviar el libro. Pero claro, lo divertido de discernir cuál es el punto débil de los monstruos es cuando lo haces tú, no cuando ves cómo lo hacen otros.

El problema que tiene The Serpent Called Mercy es que el resto de la historia está tremendamente poco desarrollada. No solo por la ingenuidad extrema de los protagonistas, si no por los pobre recursos que Roanne Lau utiliza. Cuando le conviene echa mano de los poderes de los dioses, en unos deus ex machina que parecen innecesarios, completamente injustificados y con unas reglas aleatorias que convienen a la trama en ese determinado momento. En cuanto a la trama política, tiene menos consistencia que una sopa de piedra, y de nuevo se adecúa convenientemente en cada momento a lo Lythlet requiere para salir bien parada. Aunque la historia se desarrolla a lo largo de todo un año, tiene partes muy apresuradas y otras desesperadamente lentas, con unos problemas de ritmo que se pueden achacar al hecho de que sea una primera novela pero que no se pueden ignorar.

El libro es una amalgama de buenas intenciones con una ejecución que deja mucho que desear.

The Serpent Called Mercy is a thrilling debut. I absolutely loved the FMC, she is an underdog that uses her mind and wit to overcome so many obstacles. I also loved her friendship with her close friend, this was a delight to read. I thought we would see more of the monster fighting and go deeper into the mythology. There was a lot more focus on politics, which I did like but I did feel there was a lack of balance between this and the arena. Considering there are 12 epic fights, we only get coverage of three/four in any detail - these were the best parts of the book for me and I would rather have read this and not had the side plot with her parents. Although I can see why this was included and the character arc was charming to read. Definitely an entertaining and quick read with some cool monsters and exploration of societal systems.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Thank you to Solaris and Netgalley for this ARC!

The serpent called mercy was an overall enjoyable read. The first 10-20% I wasn’t entirely hooked into plot and had to force myself through it. However once plot really got going it was much more engaging.

I liked the characters, they were likeable and inoffensive but not especially ground breaking. Where this story really shines in monsters and mythology inspired elements. It felt really refreshing in this aspect. The worldbuilding is solid and believable, the action scenes are handled well. Overall I enjoyed my time with it and would it. As others have pointed out fans of the Witcher/Hunger Games will really enjoy this!

🐍 The Serpent Called Mercy • Roxanne Lau 🐍
★★★★.𝟮𝟱

Read if you enjoy:
🐍 Fantasy
🐍 Malaysian and Chinese inspired world building
🐍 Platonic soulmates
🐍 Monsters the Witcher would love to slay
🐍 Down with the patriarchy
🐍 Political discourse

Lythlet and her friend Desil are shackled with crippling debt, resorting to both legal and illegal means to survive the poverty. When word of an illegal monster arena reaches them, they decide to give it a shot, naively entering the city’s underworld. Lythlet attempts to avoid becoming entangled in the strings the underworld has on the city but as the master of the arena narrows in on her potential, he also attempts to tilt her moral compass.

I really enjoyed this! I thought that it was bloodthirsty but belligerently entertaining. The monster arena was so fun! It had echoes of the twelve labours of Hercules to it. But although Desil seemed to have almost Herculean tendencies (strong arms), it’s Lythlet who is the force behind figuring out how to defeat these monsters. However the real element that sets this book apart is the friendship between Lythlet and Desil. Borne of kindness and upheld with a deep platonic love for each other, it was so refreshing to read about a girl/boy duo who were just friends. In fact, there’s no romance at all in this book, and I was glad of it. There was certainly no room for romantic angst in amongst the ferocious plot and the (unfortunately quite confusing) world building. The tension of defeating monsters and the political strife was enough for me.

This was a character-driven but pacey story about friendship and fighting monsters for money. It is thoroughly entrenched in the desperation of poverty and debt, as Lythlet and her best friend choose between their principles and doing what is necessary to survive. Their relationship is the highlight of the book, warts and all. In the end it did feel like a debut, which is to say that Lau has buckets of potential but not all of it was realised in this book—the wider cast of characters, the worldbuilding, the politicking were all load-bearing but not fully realised in places. I look forward to seeing what the author does next.

However: Early on I was not entirely comfortable with the language choices around disability. Things like describing a mentally ill woman’s “demented mutterings” or neighbours thinking young Lythlet’s lack of speech was because “the demons in your mother’s head had made her give birth to an idiot child” (and then we are reassured “you weren’t an idiot. No, you had a tongue, you just didn’t know how to use it right.” Hmph!) It was just kind of unnecessary, right? It’s 2025, come on. And THEN it emerges that the aforementioned mental illness is in fact demonic/dark spirit possession? Nope, we’re not doing that. It added nothing of value to the story, stakes or character development, while playing into the oldest stigmatising myth in the world. It’s sad that I have to knock of a star off for such nonsense, when the rest of the book was so enjoyable.

This was a really nice world to live in for a while, but I couldn't help feeling the world lacking. I'm not sure what in.. but it just didn't peak at all for me.
That being said, it was an enjoyable read, with some brutal elements throughout.
I did struggle to understand the relationship of the two protagonists, as the implied closeness was dropped far too quickly at a fairly crucial part of their story and I couldn't help but feel a rift since that.

The Serpent Called Mercy is Roanne Lau's debut and I absolutely cannot wait to see more from this author! I did thoroughly enjoy reading this story and truly did picture the harsh landscape that the two protagonists try to survive in.

Firstly, Runt, the puppy. Be still my heart. What a gorgeous chartacter, with such an endearing speech impediment.. Not often you see this type of representation and it was incredibly tasteful and well written. The world setting whilst incredible and atmospheric, it just needed a little more description to really paint a vivid picture, but that is only a personal opinion as I personally like very detail heavy world-building.

I love mythical creatures in stories and the whole premise of this story is Lythlet and Desil facing beats and creatures in illegal combat to pay of their crushing debts and to try and get themselves out of the poverty they have found themselves in. Some of the combat seems are so exhilarating that more than once did some of the beasts make the hairs on my arms stand up.

There is themes of betrayal, unconditional familial trust, survival and societal struggle that are all carefully weaves through each page that feel they are about to unravel into choas before being swiftly pulled and woven into a truly excellent debut story. I really can't wait to see what Roxanne does next.

I enjoyed the concept of this book. It reminded me of the hunger games mixed with maze runner and a little bit of something else.

I do feel there were some overly complex scenes that weren’t necessary and it could’ve been shorter. That being said, it was enjoyable. The FMC was likeable and I enjoyed seeing her development and admiration for her family/friends. She maintained that the whole way through.

I was hoping for a romance between the MMC and FMC. !

First I want to thank Solaris and Netgalley for this ebook

I did enjoy this book in parts, but not as much as I wanted to though. The pacing was slow at first but then picked up in the second half. I did like the world building but I do wish the author would have touched more on to the magical aspect in the book, I love anything magic and I wanted more of it.

I didn’t really understand the plot either, there was too much going on that I could really see what was happening. I couldn’t really get on with the characters either.

But I did enjoy the authors writing style and if this was a series I would definitely carry on.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Serpent Called Mercy follows Lythlet and her best—and only—friend, Desil, who have been struggling in poverty due to a massive debt they sustained. Seeing a chance to pay it off, they enter a year-long arena trials as conquessors, warriors who fight mythical beasts for coin.
As they progress through the trials and Lythlet’s ambition grows, she begins to uncover a flawed and corrupt society ruled by cunning and unscrupulous leaders.

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and its pacing. The world, characters, and society are introduced well, making for an engaging start.
However, once the trials begin, the pacing feels off. The battles often end too quickly, making some events feel rushed and, at times, confusing. Outside of the arena, not much happens for a large portion of the story, to the point that it feels like filler chapters.

While the themes of corruption, manipulation, and power struggles are present throughout, they are only explored around the 75% mark of the book (Chapter 27 of 34). I had a hard time understanding until this point, where the story and plot were progressing to.

I also found it difficult to connect with the characters due to how they were portrayed and how their storylines were written. Although, there were some interesting side characters that I would have loved to learn more about.

As someone who is not religious, I appreciated the way Desil’s religious devotion was explained and addressed. I also liked that Lythlet and Desil’s relationship remained as a friendship rather than evolving into romance. The absence of romance in this book was actually refreshing.

I was really excited to read this book, and I believe both the story and the author have a lot of potential. I actually truly enjoyed the author's writing and her storytelling skills. However, for me, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Serpent Called Mercy - cleverly so titled - is one I find very difficult to rate. It has a few very strong points going for it and I think it’s a fantastic debut work. But there were also some elements that were simply “not for me”, but also some elements I’d consider weak points as well as poorly marketed.

Starting off strong, Lythlet is a fantastic main character. She is smart and has many strengths albeit not being the strongest physically speaking. She is the epitome of an underdog fighting her way up and you can’t help but root for her, even when greed or other darker traits take over. I would argue that her character development throughout the book is a highlight in and of itself.

Relationships are also an important aspect of this plot and while largely well done, it did have a few things that didn’t quite work for me. Firstly, despite being a lover of romance, it was nice to see this romance-free book take on a male-female friendship as a focus point. I found Desil to be a pretty boring character by himself but they made an endearing couple of friends. I just felt that the author weakened this by implying Desil likes men. Straight men and women can also be friends and I find it so rare to see one represented in fiction where romance doesn’t come in the way - a wasted opportunity here!

Lythet’s relationship with her parents is also quite an important one - I found it confusing in the first half of the book and I don’t think it was ever clear enough what is actually wrong with her parents, but I was overall satisfied with how things were treated in the second half of the book.

There are several other characters who are important but it’s ultimately the Match Master I found most intriguing. He makes for an interesting character by himself already, one who is easily liked as much as despised. And his relationship to Lythlet is much in the same vein - there’s a lot of dynamic in their interactions and you could never quite tell which side the coin would fall with their content and yet some form of respect and affection for another.

The thing I really struggled with, and it may very well be my lack of familiarity with Malaysian culture, was the world building. I went into this expecting a Malaysian and Chinese inspired setting. I found the world building so sparse, I only picked out very few elements I would have associated with the cultures mentioned and may have even missed it had I not been looking out for it. I generally found a lot of the visuals lacking; the characters were very vivid from the inside but not so well described on the outside.

A big miss for me were unfortunately the matches, the main focus point of all the marketing. Given the cover and blurb, one would expect the matches against beasts to be a major part of the plot - 12 in total! I understand that it’s a big number to get through and that some might need to be glossed over, but we only truly get three of these matches. Once the first three are established, the remaining ones are just briefly mentioned in hindsight. The finale was also surprisingly lacklustre.

In addition, fantasy creatures they may be, it’s hard not to think of them as living creatures acting on instinct rather than malice and the few matches we do see are pretty brutal with gore and just has my stomach turning a bit. There are also other topics discussed in this book which were unexpectedly dark and warrant some warnings such as sexual child abuse.

This can very easily be read as a standalone, in fact, I went into it thinking of it as such and the main plot wraps up nicely as I found this to be focused on Lythlet’s journey and her development was fantastic. There’s does seem to be a related book in the making which had me think - there was one character who we never got a reveal for and I feel that may yet be important. And I am very much convinced there’s something off about Runt which will be further explored and will also possibly address some of the issues I had.

I went into this one with high expectations but ultimately was disappointed. The Witcher meets Squid Game is an interesting pitch, and The Serpent Called Mercy does attempt to deliver a fantasy full of monsters, ambition, and the grit of urban underworlds. Unfortunately, what sounds like an exciting blend of intrigue and violence instead becomes a frustratingly uneven read, where ambitious themes and promising ideas are undermined by poor execution, thin world-building, and a central message that I found frustrating at best and naive and short-sighted at worst.

The story alternates between cozy, domestic moments in tearooms around the city of Setgad and arena combat against horrible monsters brought in from outside the city, a juxtaposition that could have been compelling if handled deftly. The problem is that neither aspect fully lands. The action sequences especially fell very flat for me. These should be the beating heart of the novel but most of them consist of the protagonists sitting on platforms above the monsters they're meant to be fighting, talking through their plans in complete calm until Lythlet puzzles out the solution - usually by making use of something she's learned about said monster from a book. It put me in mind of someone reading a Dungeons & Dragons monster manual entry about a bear and then expecting to be able to win a fight against one.

The cozy elements of the book fare a little better, but even then they're undermined by tonal inconsistencies. One fairly major subplot revolves around child sex trafficking and the sexual abuse of children, and the references to it are introduced with the subtlety of a brick. Characters mention it in passing without ever really reflecting on the true horror of it, and it's incredibly jarring when set against the cozier, warmer moments. And even those cozy moments are set against a backdrop of abject poverty and spiralling debt that's never really explored. The result is a story that feels unsure of what it wants to be - soft, comforting wish fulfillment fantasy or dark, gritty drama that explores the evils of unchecked capitalism.

The book also struggles with charaterisation. Lythlet, our protagonist, is positioned as an intelligent, capable heroine, but her immediate mastery of every skill and situation robs the story of tension and her character of any sense of growth. In her first arena battle she manages to do something that hasn't been done by anybody in decades, unlocking a well of ancient magic that grants her the power to rewrite time itself for 8 seconds. This is barely ever mentioned again, and it feels like this should have been the climax of her time in the arena rather than something that happens casually once or twice and is then forgotten. Her only flaws seem to be that she struggles to understand social cues, and that she has a stutter - but the stutter is mentioned a handful of times in the opening chapters and then forgotten entirely.

This is a symptom of a common problem in the book. Things are mentioned and plotlines are seeded only to never turn up again. A major subplot throughout the novel is the existence of a shady vigilante character called the Phantom, who has been stealing from the rich of the city and is a wanted criminal. Lythlet starts to be drawn into a web of conspiracy theories about the Phantom's existence, and it seems clear that this will be an important element in the final act. Then it's forgotten entirely, with no payoff whatsoever.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the book is its political naivety. The story’s central message seems to be that oppressive systems, whether they involve abusive employers, mob bosses, or the structural corruption of the city, can be defeated just as easily with a stern talking-to as with violent action or revolution. It places a strange and uncritical faith in the rule of law, despite its depiction of a city riddled with crime and inequality. In the current political climate, where systemic injustice often demands more than polite appeals to decency, this message feels incredibly naive. There's certainly a place for this sort of soft wish fulfilment, but perhaps not in a novel dealing with violent mob bosses and child sex slaves.

This is a long list of complaints, but it's not all bad. Every time I felt like abandoning the book something would come along that kept me gripped - some revelation about the world, or a detail that I thought was interesting and wanted to see explored more. When it works well the juxtaposition of cozy fantasy and gritty underworld violence is really good. It's just a shame that the focus of the novel seems misplaced, and that it's so inconsistent. I'm also unsure who this is for. It's pitched as an adult fantasy novel but it reads much more like YA or NA, and I think that had I known that were the case I likely would have skipped it. As it is, I think it's too inconsistent for me to be able to recommend it.