Loved this book! It was so immersive and kept me engaged through the whole book!

The cover is what made me request it, soooo stunning!!!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC. The Serpent Called Mercy is refreshing, fantasy filled, high stakes and romantic.It is everything I love in one book. Five stars. I hope there’s more from this universe.

I did enjoy this book but not as much as I’d hoped to. I liked the characters well enough, but felt the world they resided in was not fleshed out enough. The first half of the book dragged a little, but picked up in the second half.

----------------------------------------
♟️Rating:5/5⭐
----------------------------------------
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Throughout my many years of reading, I had come across and read many books, especially fantasy. Whenever I read those books, I read like a machine programmed to do so whenever I’m unoccupied or taking a long train to my destination. More often than not, I had long forgotten, at its essence, why I read in the first place. For joy? For pain or for the sake of being another mindless consumer in this society? And so, when I came across The Serpent Called Mercy, a spark within me was relighted as I was reminded once again as to why I read and love fantasy novels. It’s novels like this where I’m once again reminded why my younger self would spend hours poring over fantasy novels as a pastime because stories such as TSCM once again reminded me of seeing characters maintaining hope despite all odds and fighting for the things they believe in even despite the inevitable sacrifice. So as I write this review, I sigh and think to myself again, “This book is precisely why I read fantasy novels.”
Despite this book being Ms Roanne’s debut novel, her prose has a distinctive flair to it. Her writing has a charm-like quality to it, reminding me of contemporary classic authors, and it followed the whole book with an unwavering grip. This is rarely seen in fantasy novels these days, opting for cliché lines or language. But I often prefer my writing to have a little more oomph to it, because how can complex thoughts and emotions be easily conveyed? The rich and vivid description brought the world roaring to life, threatening to shake your soul with the immersive dialogue and prose. When I read the fight scenes where Master Dothilos was chanting out Lythlet’s nicknames, I could feel the crashes of sounds coming all over me as if I were in the arena myself. It was as if I were right by Lythlet’s side, soaking up all of the noise until my bones threatened to shake apart. It’s almost intoxicating, and whenever I finish a chapter, I often feel disoriented as I pull myself out of those scenes.

Nonetheless, what stood out for me was how Ms Roanne didn’t explicitly divulge the worldbuilding or symbolism in detail, but rather she carefully allowed readers to piece the information together on their own and only provided explanation or details when necessary. (Admittedly speaking, this might be frustrating for some, but I absolutely abhor info-dumping or chunks of paragraphs explaining cultural contexts or worldbuilding details. I would much rather the author throw me in a forest and let me fight my way out on my own) Although some might say that some bits of the information are not necessary, providing no relevance to the plot, I actually enjoyed the bits of information, as it not only enriched the world but also allowed me to better understand the characters. Moreover, the whole world-building is so riveting, like the names of certain beasts, gods, and even simple details like the world’s popular novels. (Kilinor, Anzura, General Lauturo) Each of the beasts and gods has their own characteristics and traits which made it so interesting to read through and learn how the world works through them. Arguably, the pacing could had been better for some parts of the story, with some fight scenes and arcs being rushed, and I would love to have read a longer version of those fight scenes (especially the final round of the conquessing, even though it would come at the expense of my emotional well-being). Nonetheless, one must be reminded that it’s a standalone novel, and with all things considered, it doesn't take away the joy I had while reading it.

Another thing I want to highlight for this novel is the characters; each of them has a very distinctive voice in the whole narrative. Even though some of them are merely side characters, they don’t feel like unnecessary characters meant to fill in holes for the sake of the plot. Moreover, I LOVE the no romance subplot. More often than not, many authors often succumb to using romantic subplots for the sake of convenience and better marketing. (Look, I don’t care about how many years you waited for your partner) The lack of romantic subplots here not only makes sense but it also deepens the relationship between Desil and Lythlet, providing more nuances to them. Not everything has to be set in a romantic context to be as emotionally wrecking (I would know because I JUST STARTED BAWLING OVER THEM AS WELL AS FOR ILDEN AND SHUNVI). It’s a clever decision to write this story from a third-person perspective as it allows readers to see how the characters play off each other. What’s integral to the character’s relationship is not ‘love’ but rather the neverending trust in their partner despite their flaws and past. More importantly , it is about acceptance. Accepting someone who isn’t from your family and cherishing them all the same is what makes me feel so much for these characters. And I feel that Ms Roanne did such an excellent job at crafting this narrative and their found family.

Lythlet, who is the main character in the novel, is such a well-crafted character. Throughout the story, she went through lots of character development when she went from being chased down by ushers to chasing beasts in the arena instead. (They need to stop giving her the KDJ look treatment 😭) Her cunning wits were immaculately written, with the author opting to choose show rather than tell. And I couldn’t help but root for her whenever she solved one of those riddles the novel threw at her. While I was reading this novel, I could not help but feel for Lythlet’s predicament, her desperation and worry over money and her never-ending need to satiate her own thirst for knowledge. That is to say, I do not find Lythlet relatable at all, but rather I understood how she felt and how she understood the world.

Moreover, the way the antagonist is crafted is so well done. You almost can’t help but to empathise with Master Dothilos despite all of his actions. You’re being made to empathise and vilify him at the same time. This can be said for the other antagonists as well, because even though they had all done monstrous behaviours, they are all humans nonetheless, and whether they like it or not, they’re not as unbeatable as they seem. In the end, they’re just moulded by the dreams of avarice demanded by society. This also brings me to the next point of my review, the symbolism and plot in this novel. (I won’t delve more into the other characters because that would be major spoilers)

Ms Roanne masterfully made use of analogies and symbolism to effectively convey the plot and themes to its readers. There’s a lot of subtext at play in this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed picking up crumbs along the way. There are many full-circle moments, and it ties the novel closer together (negative space, animals, stars, name titles, etc). This might seem tiring for some readers and require multiple rereads BUT I ENJOYED IT! Not only does this enrich the world in this novel, but Ms Roanne forces her reader to think and ask questions about themes such as morality and poverty. What does it mean to steal from the rich when they stole from the poor? When does someone cease from being treated as a commodity to being treated as a human being? Unlike many other books I have read, this book dives into what it means to be poor when living in a corrupted and capitalistic society. Being poor is not just about not having enough money to feed themselves as it is much more than that. Being poor also means being limited in making choices for their own despite trying to overcome it.
Moving on to the plot, it’s structured extremely well and it’s filled with unpredictable twists along the way. Like a serpent sinking its teeth into your skin, the plot is gripping and captivating from the get-go. It doesn't fall to the convenient and linear plots or tropes and Ms Roanne is not afraid to write about the grimey areas in society. My favourite part of this novel is the conquests themselves as well as the political arc. There’s so much at stake here, and my blood pressure definitely rose on numerous occasions as Lythlet and Desil fought for their freedom or risk losing everything. As previously stated about my critique of the pacing, I still feel that the plot is ultimately well done for a standalone novel. It gives off the same feeling as watching a standalone movie that can stand on its own despite it not being a franchise.

The Serpent Called Mercy is a riveting, fervent, and gripping read. With its vicious fangs prying at your skin with a rebellious nature, you will be forced to watch through the grand show Ms Roanne had put up for her readers. As I sit here and write this review, I still find my review failing to capture the whole essence of this book. If you were to ask me to review this book using only tropes, I simply couldn’t because there’s so much more to this novel than that. Despite its flaws and shortcomings in this novel, it does not diminish my love for it. (I believe that enjoying a novel and pointing out its shortcomings are not mutually exclusive things. If anything, this makes me love the novel even more as I’m forcing myself to ponder deeper into this novel.) This is definitely one of my favourite fantasy novels and one I will never stop thinking about for quite some time. Even though this is Ms Roanne’s debut work, I highly recommend checking out this novel when it comes out on 25 March 2025. (I’m definitely adding her to my auto-buy list of authors 🤡) In the meantime, let’s wait for our Rose and Golden Thorn to make their glorious entrance.

The Serpent Called Mercy Review (publish date 27th March 25)

The Serpent Called Mercy was an enjoyable read overall, offering a fresh and engaging take on a well-worn premise. The story follows two slum dogs, Lythlet and Desil, as they enter an illegal monster-fighting arena to clear their debts. Set in world inspired by Malaysian-Chinese culture, the novel weaves themes of survival, loyalty, and resilience into a fast-paced narrative.

I usually struggle with stories centered around trials or competitions, but this book had me hooked by the end of the first chapter. The vivid action scenes and high stakes pulled me in quite quickly.

One of the highlights of the story is the unshakable bond between our two main characters, It’s refreshing to read a story where a deep, platonic friendship takes centre stage without veering into romance.

While the book delivers an enjoyable story, I felt the fighting arena matches could have been more detailed. Given that these matches are the central theme, it was disappointing that nearly half were glossed over, missing opportunities to fully immerse the reader in the action.

Similarly, the political subplots, though intriguing, felt underdeveloped. With more depth, they could have added a richer layer to the narrative and heightened the stakes.
In summary, if you're looking for a light, enjoyable read with a heroic underdog and a touch of politics, this book fits the bill perfectly. However, if you prefer highly detailed action sequences and a more robust political narrative, it might fall short. Overall, a cozy, fun read—perfect for autumn.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I loved how this wasn’t your typical fantasy with a plot of romance is some form, it is a story about the platonic relationship between Lythlet and Desil, we see their struggles together, their wins together and also their individual struggles.

The world building is so thorough and expands as the story progresses, bringing in new information that can leave you with a new understanding with how there a big divide with the north being the rich, the south being home to the slums and the forgotten city being home to the unregistered.

I was hooked waiting to see what creature they would be forced to fight in the arena and I was even more shocked at what they had to fight on their 12th match. The writing for the matches was in a way that made me feel like I was with the duo fighting their monsters, I felt the same fear and elevation as they did.

This book really highlights the corruption and politics that many in their everyday lives can relate to. The corruption and politics were written very well and the way the author highlights this through Lythlet’s past and her present.

The book was very slow in the middle and I struggled to push through at times, the start and end was strong and more fast paced, I felt like some parts of the middle could of been cut or shortened as they didn’t feel like they added to the story.

Overall it was a pretty strong standalone and I can’t wait to see what else the author can create, whether it be set in this world or a new one.

I think this book came to me at the wrong time. The premise sounded very interesting and I always love a good arena fighting, but I just couldn't start caring for the plot or the characters. I can recommend this book to those who want to read about smart characters fighting fantasy creatures and trying to climb the social ladder.
I actuall, enjoyed reading about a greedy protagonist who wants it all and isn't afraid to show it.
My biggest problem was that it started off really slow and then sped up along the way. Once it started moving a bit faster i enjoyed it, but the first half was a bit hard to get through and I don't think I would've finished it if I just picked up the book in a store.
The main focus of the story is more on the political manouvering and social climbing, and the fantasy part is just a very interesting background. But it's still just the background.
Overall, I liked the writing, the characters, but it just wanted to do too much and somehow lost me as a reader along the way.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This slapped.
This so easily could’ve been a typical fantasy romance; we follow Lythlet and her best friend Desil as they sign up to fight terrifying mythical beasts in an arena, to pay off their debts.
Such a simply premise, yet such a layered story! Lythlet isn’t especially skilled in fighting, but she’s clever and puzzles her way through the fights. Desil has been her best friend since childhood, they love each other dearly, and it never becomes romantic. I see that so rarely in books now, and it really worked here.

There’s layers of political corruption and magical world building; but the main backbone of the story is Lythlet and her trying to fight her way out of her debts. the heart of the story is her creating a support system, reconnecting with people she thought lost to her, and finding out secrets about the one person she’s always implicitly trusted.

I loved this and will definitely be picking up a copy of this fantastic standalone!

The Serpent Called Mercy started well. Although the idea clearly has similarities with other works, it still had a freshness in its approach that didn't make it feel too familiar despite that. Lythlet and Desil interested me as characters and I was keen to see where the story would take them. Where I think this book fell down a little for me was from the mid-point onwards when several new subplots were suddenly introduced. While none were boring per se, they came a bit out of nowhere and then the narrative was forced to split between them all, so none got developed as well as they could have been. This might have worked in a book with a longer page count or with a duology, but there just wasn't enough time for it all in this single volume. When the story ended, I wasn't unsatisfied with the resolution, but I wished we could have found out more about a number of things, from the sun-cursed beasts to the general world in which the story was set, to the politics at play in the background. This was not a bad story by any means, but it is one that, in my opinion at least, had the potential to be better with further development. Still, if you are a fan of fantasy tales involving mythic creatures and death challenges, it's worth checking out and I am giving it four stars.

This book was so much fun! The cover is stunning and immediately pulled me in, but it was the world that really grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let me go. There's something so intriguing about having to fight against mythological beasts to earn enough money to get out of a tough situation. I definitely see the Squid Game comparison and I think having that in mind made the reading experience even more enjoyable.

I especially loved the platonic relationship between Lythlet and Desil. I always think I prefer a romantic subplot in a book until I find a platonic relationship that's done really well. Lythlet's character arc throughout the story was also amazing. Overall, this was a fantastic fantasy story and I can't wait to see what Roanne Lau comes out with next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the platonic friendship, I loved the side characters, I loved the growth the protagonist goes through, and I loved the lore. Despite struggling to remember all the names thrown at me, but that is something you always encounter when picking up a new book set in a fantasy world. I wanted to more know more about it though, maybe in more bite sized chunks.

I liked the pacing, skipping periods of time felt right to get to the next important event in the story, and that I wasn’t missing out on anything. I did find the shift in focus to the gold rot subplot a bit of a bump in the road though. I know we were given crumbs early that the situation wasn’t quite right, but when we did get to it, at first, I was left with a bit of whiplash with the change of focus. Having SAID THAT, I did like the payoff of this subplot.

Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5. A good story about friendship, growth, and overcoming the temptation of letting a poorly dealt hand in life steer you down a bitter and selfish existence. I was left satisfied and teary eyed at the end.

I love discovering new worlds in fantasy books, this was vibrant and an enjoyable twist on the urban environment. The diversity in characters and culture from what most popular books entail was refreshing and made elements more intriguing and interesting. The plot was really good and again, having a modern, urban fantasy was a great escape. I appreciated all the little details in the world building and the lore/belief system was well structured. The story was high stakes and I was stressed throughout, in a good way!

I was beyond hyped for this book the moment I read the description and saw that gorgeous cover! While there were definitely parts that didn’t quite hit the mark for me, there was still a lot to enjoy.

Even with my gripes, it was still a pretty enjoyable read. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author, even if the book isn’t quite at the top of my recommendation list for friends.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

#TheSerpentCalledMercy #NetGalley.