EMBRACE THE SERPENT, by Sunya Mara, HarperCollins, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
A young jeweler’s apprentice gets caught up in a fight to control kingdoms in Embrace the Serpent, by Sunya Mara.
The Serpent King is the most eligible bachelor in the land: a monster with dark and terrible magic and the ruler of the last free kingdom. Riches and power await his future bride—but so does a life forever trapped in the games of court.
That fate is eighteen-year-old Saphira’s worst nightmare. Ever since the Empire made her an orphan, she’s found freedom in being invisible. So, despite her rare gift for harnessing the magic in gemstones, she lets an unscrupulous jewelsmith take credit for her increasingly sought-after work.
But when the king sends his most clever huntsman to find the best jewelsmith of all, the spotlight lands on Saphira. Faced with choosing between falling into the Empire’s grasp or marrying a monster, she chooses the latter — even if it means getting increasingly caught between her cold, serpentine husband and his cunning, handsome huntsman. —Synopsis provided by HarperCollins
Embrace the Serpent is a spellbinding standalone fantasy. Fast-paced, it’s full of action and a slow-burn romance that’s full of intrigue.
At the center of the story is Saphira, whose story unfolds through first-person narration. Saphira has spent her life hiding, but her character shines like the jewels she sets so carefully. There’s a nice juxtaposition of how she sees things in the day-to-day and how she narrows her focus when working on a project.
Supporting characters — the king, his huntsman and two people from Saphira’s past are also well constructed.
In Sunya Mara’s deft hands, the story unfolds in an almost cinematic way. Her world-building is strong, especially in the Serpent King’s kingdom. And the elements of jewelsmithing throughout the novel are thoughtful and well placed.
Embrace the Serpent is an engrossing read — I couldn’t put it down. Mara fully captured my heart and imagination. I can’t wait to read more from her.
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