BOOK REVIEW: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Witches, magical rings, and a race to escape fate.
Woah. After I finished this one, I actually needed to take a day to process it all!
This book was an adventure from the very first page. There were twists and turns that were unexpected and some that were pretty shocking. Going into this read, I didn’t know what it was going to be like...literally, I had no idea there were even witches in the book! But sometimes, going into a book clueless provides the best opportunity to be thoroughly engulfed in the narrative!
There is a definite Salem Witch Trials vibe here. You have the Chasseurs, in which Reid seems to be the chosen favorite, who are overseen/ruled/controlled by the Archbishop. Their sole purpose is to hunt and burn witches. Throw in Lou, a sassy, reckless, snarky, sarcastic, and desperate witch and you have the beginning of a wonderful life together. What we don’t know is the motivation for anyone’s actions. There are plenty of hints that there is more to the characters’ stories, but Mahurin holds them hostage for a good portion of the book.
Characters of course are one of the most important literary aspects of books for me, and as a result, I struggled at the beginning of this book. I felt that Lou was just like every other strong-willed, teenage fantasy protagonist. That basic stock character who’s attitude could fit into any book in this genre; however, like so many other aspects, as you begin to peel back the layers, you are able to see the idiosyncrasies that set her apart from the stereotypical character. As hints begin to be provided regarding her past, building the image of this desperate to hide and survive girl, the true motives and her true spirit begin to peek out. By the end of the book, you can see that there is a lot of depth to her, but even with the knowledge of her past and her “fate” presented over time, she herself as a character continues to change and develop with the influence of Reid, who fell all over her.
Reid was also a very rigid character. This strategy of rigidity by Mahurin was wisely implemented and could have gone very poorly by turning readers off right away. However, the excellent word choice in creating the tone, mood, and world was enough to allow her time to develop the characters and drop the bombs at the perfect moments on her terms. Reid, however, is one that even at the end of the book, I feel is still a little stiff. Don’t get me wrong, he definitely grows and develops in the most important way, but there is still so much unknown and closed off about his character. He is blinded by both his growing feelings for Lou and his ingrained prejudices, which the Archbishop has worked to condition the Chasseurs to believe as truth.
While the main characters are critical, the side characters aid in filling in the holes and add that element of relief. Not necessarily comic relief, but a reprieve from the growing tensions and rising action. Coco and Ansel are perfect side characters. They each balance out Lou and Reid. Coco is a little more rational and mature than Lou, while Ansel is a little more aware and open minded than Reid. I think I may actually like them better than Lou and Reid!
The plot and narration are presented in alternative POVs between Lou and Reid, which is so powerful when you have two characters coming from two opposite ends of the spectrum on a collision course with each other. This allows the reader to see the character development and the epiphanies the characters experience as they share more about themselves and as revelations are uncovered. Again, some of them are crazy. All I’ll say is your mother probably isn’t nearly as bad as Lou’s!
The one big aspect of the plot that still has me scratching my head is Angelica’s Ring. Obviously, if you read the book you know what I’m talking about. This object was the focus of the first 70 pages of the book, but after that it would go MIA for long periods of time, then get briefly mentioned only to be forgotten again. It is clear that it is important as it is more prevalent at the end of the book. Maybe this is another one of Mahurin’s delay strategies and all will be clear in Blood and Honey.
Battling the tough topic of prejudices and discrimination can be very touchy, but the book presenting it in this genre with witches and magic was interesting and very subtle. But, at the end of the day, that’s exactly what this book addresses. Witches are hunted and burned at the stake simply because they are different. Their only crime is that they have magic running their veins along with their very real blood. Just like in our real world, these views are instilled generation after generation by the Archbishop and his religious teachings. It is the driving trait in Reid’s personality. He hates witches, believes they all should die simply because someone told him he should think that way.
Unlike our world, by the end of the book he has to face those beliefs head-on. He has to look inside himself and question all that he has ever known. It’s not easy for him, and I think that many of his reactions are on par. But, he is willing to question those beliefs, he is willing to begin to attempt to see past the ideals he was raised on to see them for what they are. Wrong. People are people and are deserving of life and respect. That shouldn’t be impacted by how someone looks or if they have magic!
Where does this book land on my bookshelf?
TOP SHELF! This is a five star book without any hesitation. I loved how it built up, how it saved critical information and dropped it at the perfect moments. Not only is it a witchy read, perfect for October, it is moving and powerful with the underlying messages. The first infirmary scene… wow! It is these dark, creepy moments that balance out the more traditional aspects of this genre. I highly recommend this book. Add it to your TBR list right now!!