Serpent and Dove Review

Serpent and Dove (book) is rated ages 14 and up by Amazon.

Louise is a young witch on the run. Fleeing from her coven, she takes up residence in the city of Cesarine. Their witches are hunted, so Louise forgos magic and turns to surviving off whatever she can steal. Reid Diggory has been a chasseur, a witch hunter, his whole life. As opposite sides of a feud, Louise and Reid were never supposed to meet, until one day. In order to save themselves they are forced into marriage. Serpent and dove by Shelby Mahurin takes a fresh look at a well loved trope in YA fantasy.

Serpent And Dove felt like an off kilter rom-com starring a witch and a witch hunter. The main reason to read this book is the characters. They each have very vibrant personalities that drive the plot in a unique way. It is the characters that get you to stay for the story. From the first moment you are introduced to them you want to know more. The relationships they form build up a plot into something interesting and multifaceted. The plot itself was just okay. It was well written but I didn’t find it incredibly interesting up until the middle, when the story became less about the main characters and more about the past of their world. The plot is also brought to life by a great setting. Set in a fantasy city based on medieval France, witches and romance seem to fit right in. In the end, this was a book about acceptance of others no matter their background, a message that is very important to our modern day.

Serpent and Dove is the first book in the Serpent and Dove trilogy. The third book has yet to be released. I would recommend this series for fans of character driven stories, awesome fantasy settings, and a powerful final lesson.

MAYA OEVERMAN

Editor Emeritus at The City Voice | MIPA Honorable Mention Award Winner

I am a Senior at City and I normally write the weekly book reviews! If I'm not reading, you can usually find me at the barn riding and taking care of the horses.