Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Review by Anar M., Youth Reviewer
“Serpent & Dove” is one of those books that I’ve been recommended a ton of times but didn’t get around to reading until recently. It’s set in Belterra, a fantasy world where witches and witch hunters are constantly at each other’s throats. Lou and Reid, the main characters, are a witch and a witch hunter, respectively — and soon after the book begins, they end up in a marriage of convenience. Inevitably, they start falling in love for real, but Reid is still a witch hunter and Lou is still a witch, although Reid doesn’t know it.
I really enjoyed a lot of Reid and Lou’s relationship. They’re antagonistic from the start, and their arguments are always entertaining. The banter doesn’t stop when they grow closer, either — they’re still constantly arguing, except now it’s more affectionate. Their enemies-to-lovers arc is both fun and believable.
Another thing I’m a fan of is the worldbuilding. Interestingly, a lot of Belterran words are French — place names (La Forêt des Yeux, Soleil et Lune) as well as species (witches are Dames Blanches or Dames Rouges; werewolves are sometimes called loup-garou). There are catacombs under the city of Cesarine that remind me of Paris’. Given the occasional references to countries beyond Belterra, I wonder if they might correspond to other countries in the real world, although there’s no confirmation of that in the books.
The way that the witches’ magic works is fascinating. Any magic system needs checks and balances, often in the form of using magic taking up energy. But for the witches in “Serpent & Dove”, using magic doesn’t require energy; it just requires magic. If a witch focuses on something she wants to do, she’ll be able to see or imagine different possibilities for what she can trade to get what she wants. For example: a broken finger for an open lock. The trade has to be of equal value. As a magical system, I really like it.
“Serpent & Dove” is the first book of a trilogy. I’m looking forward to reading them all.
Find “Serpent & Dove” at the Kitchener Public Library!