Thank you to Solaris and Netgalley for this ARC!

The serpent called mercy was an overall enjoyable read. The first 10-20% I wasn’t entirely hooked into plot and had to force myself through it. However once plot really got going it was much more engaging.

I liked the characters, they were likeable and inoffensive but not especially ground breaking. Where this story really shines in monsters and mythology inspired elements. It felt really refreshing in this aspect. The worldbuilding is solid and believable, the action scenes are handled well. Overall I enjoyed my time with it and would it. As others have pointed out fans of the Witcher/Hunger Games will really enjoy this!

🐍 The Serpent Called Mercy • Roxanne Lau 🐍
★★★★.𝟮𝟱

Read if you enjoy:
🐍 Fantasy
🐍 Malaysian and Chinese inspired world building
🐍 Platonic soulmates
🐍 Monsters the Witcher would love to slay
🐍 Down with the patriarchy
🐍 Political discourse

Lythlet and her friend Desil are shackled with crippling debt, resorting to both legal and illegal means to survive the poverty. When word of an illegal monster arena reaches them, they decide to give it a shot, naively entering the city’s underworld. Lythlet attempts to avoid becoming entangled in the strings the underworld has on the city but as the master of the arena narrows in on her potential, he also attempts to tilt her moral compass.

I really enjoyed this! I thought that it was bloodthirsty but belligerently entertaining. The monster arena was so fun! It had echoes of the twelve labours of Hercules to it. But although Desil seemed to have almost Herculean tendencies (strong arms), it’s Lythlet who is the force behind figuring out how to defeat these monsters. However the real element that sets this book apart is the friendship between Lythlet and Desil. Borne of kindness and upheld with a deep platonic love for each other, it was so refreshing to read about a girl/boy duo who were just friends. In fact, there’s no romance at all in this book, and I was glad of it. There was certainly no room for romantic angst in amongst the ferocious plot and the (unfortunately quite confusing) world building. The tension of defeating monsters and the political strife was enough for me.

This was a character-driven but pacey story about friendship and fighting monsters for money. It is thoroughly entrenched in the desperation of poverty and debt, as Lythlet and her best friend choose between their principles and doing what is necessary to survive. Their relationship is the highlight of the book, warts and all. In the end it did feel like a debut, which is to say that Lau has buckets of potential but not all of it was realised in this book—the wider cast of characters, the worldbuilding, the politicking were all load-bearing but not fully realised in places. I look forward to seeing what the author does next.

However: Early on I was not entirely comfortable with the language choices around disability. Things like describing a mentally ill woman’s “demented mutterings” or neighbours thinking young Lythlet’s lack of speech was because “the demons in your mother’s head had made her give birth to an idiot child” (and then we are reassured “you weren’t an idiot. No, you had a tongue, you just didn’t know how to use it right.” Hmph!) It was just kind of unnecessary, right? It’s 2025, come on. And THEN it emerges that the aforementioned mental illness is in fact demonic/dark spirit possession? Nope, we’re not doing that. It added nothing of value to the story, stakes or character development, while playing into the oldest stigmatising myth in the world. It’s sad that I have to knock of a star off for such nonsense, when the rest of the book was so enjoyable.

This was a really nice world to live in for a while, but I couldn't help feeling the world lacking. I'm not sure what in.. but it just didn't peak at all for me.
That being said, it was an enjoyable read, with some brutal elements throughout.
I did struggle to understand the relationship of the two protagonists, as the implied closeness was dropped far too quickly at a fairly crucial part of their story and I couldn't help but feel a rift since that.

The Serpent Called Mercy is Roanne Lau's debut and I absolutely cannot wait to see more from this author! I did thoroughly enjoy reading this story and truly did picture the harsh landscape that the two protagonists try to survive in.

Firstly, Runt, the puppy. Be still my heart. What a gorgeous chartacter, with such an endearing speech impediment.. Not often you see this type of representation and it was incredibly tasteful and well written. The world setting whilst incredible and atmospheric, it just needed a little more description to really paint a vivid picture, but that is only a personal opinion as I personally like very detail heavy world-building.

I love mythical creatures in stories and the whole premise of this story is Lythlet and Desil facing beats and creatures in illegal combat to pay of their crushing debts and to try and get themselves out of the poverty they have found themselves in. Some of the combat seems are so exhilarating that more than once did some of the beasts make the hairs on my arms stand up.

There is themes of betrayal, unconditional familial trust, survival and societal struggle that are all carefully weaves through each page that feel they are about to unravel into choas before being swiftly pulled and woven into a truly excellent debut story. I really can't wait to see what Roxanne does next.

I enjoyed the concept of this book. It reminded me of the hunger games mixed with maze runner and a little bit of something else.

I do feel there were some overly complex scenes that weren’t necessary and it could’ve been shorter. That being said, it was enjoyable. The FMC was likeable and I enjoyed seeing her development and admiration for her family/friends. She maintained that the whole way through.

I was hoping for a romance between the MMC and FMC. !

First I want to thank Solaris and Netgalley for this ebook

I did enjoy this book in parts, but not as much as I wanted to though. The pacing was slow at first but then picked up in the second half. I did like the world building but I do wish the author would have touched more on to the magical aspect in the book, I love anything magic and I wanted more of it.

I didn’t really understand the plot either, there was too much going on that I could really see what was happening. I couldn’t really get on with the characters either.

But I did enjoy the authors writing style and if this was a series I would definitely carry on.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Serpent Called Mercy follows Lythlet and her best—and only—friend, Desil, who have been struggling in poverty due to a massive debt they sustained. Seeing a chance to pay it off, they enter a year-long arena trials as conquessors, warriors who fight mythical beasts for coin.
As they progress through the trials and Lythlet’s ambition grows, she begins to uncover a flawed and corrupt society ruled by cunning and unscrupulous leaders.

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and its pacing. The world, characters, and society are introduced well, making for an engaging start.
However, once the trials begin, the pacing feels off. The battles often end too quickly, making some events feel rushed and, at times, confusing. Outside of the arena, not much happens for a large portion of the story, to the point that it feels like filler chapters.

While the themes of corruption, manipulation, and power struggles are present throughout, they are only explored around the 75% mark of the book (Chapter 27 of 34). I had a hard time understanding until this point, where the story and plot were progressing to.

I also found it difficult to connect with the characters due to how they were portrayed and how their storylines were written. Although, there were some interesting side characters that I would have loved to learn more about.

As someone who is not religious, I appreciated the way Desil’s religious devotion was explained and addressed. I also liked that Lythlet and Desil’s relationship remained as a friendship rather than evolving into romance. The absence of romance in this book was actually refreshing.

I was really excited to read this book, and I believe both the story and the author have a lot of potential. I actually truly enjoyed the author's writing and her storytelling skills. However, for me, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Serpent Called Mercy - cleverly so titled - is one I find very difficult to rate. It has a few very strong points going for it and I think it’s a fantastic debut work. But there were also some elements that were simply “not for me”, but also some elements I’d consider weak points as well as poorly marketed.

Starting off strong, Lythlet is a fantastic main character. She is smart and has many strengths albeit not being the strongest physically speaking. She is the epitome of an underdog fighting her way up and you can’t help but root for her, even when greed or other darker traits take over. I would argue that her character development throughout the book is a highlight in and of itself.

Relationships are also an important aspect of this plot and while largely well done, it did have a few things that didn’t quite work for me. Firstly, despite being a lover of romance, it was nice to see this romance-free book take on a male-female friendship as a focus point. I found Desil to be a pretty boring character by himself but they made an endearing couple of friends. I just felt that the author weakened this by implying Desil likes men. Straight men and women can also be friends and I find it so rare to see one represented in fiction where romance doesn’t come in the way - a wasted opportunity here!

Lythet’s relationship with her parents is also quite an important one - I found it confusing in the first half of the book and I don’t think it was ever clear enough what is actually wrong with her parents, but I was overall satisfied with how things were treated in the second half of the book.

There are several other characters who are important but it’s ultimately the Match Master I found most intriguing. He makes for an interesting character by himself already, one who is easily liked as much as despised. And his relationship to Lythlet is much in the same vein - there’s a lot of dynamic in their interactions and you could never quite tell which side the coin would fall with their content and yet some form of respect and affection for another.

The thing I really struggled with, and it may very well be my lack of familiarity with Malaysian culture, was the world building. I went into this expecting a Malaysian and Chinese inspired setting. I found the world building so sparse, I only picked out very few elements I would have associated with the cultures mentioned and may have even missed it had I not been looking out for it. I generally found a lot of the visuals lacking; the characters were very vivid from the inside but not so well described on the outside.

A big miss for me were unfortunately the matches, the main focus point of all the marketing. Given the cover and blurb, one would expect the matches against beasts to be a major part of the plot - 12 in total! I understand that it’s a big number to get through and that some might need to be glossed over, but we only truly get three of these matches. Once the first three are established, the remaining ones are just briefly mentioned in hindsight. The finale was also surprisingly lacklustre.

In addition, fantasy creatures they may be, it’s hard not to think of them as living creatures acting on instinct rather than malice and the few matches we do see are pretty brutal with gore and just has my stomach turning a bit. There are also other topics discussed in this book which were unexpectedly dark and warrant some warnings such as sexual child abuse.

This can very easily be read as a standalone, in fact, I went into it thinking of it as such and the main plot wraps up nicely as I found this to be focused on Lythlet’s journey and her development was fantastic. There’s does seem to be a related book in the making which had me think - there was one character who we never got a reveal for and I feel that may yet be important. And I am very much convinced there’s something off about Runt which will be further explored and will also possibly address some of the issues I had.

I went into this one with high expectations but ultimately was disappointed. The Witcher meets Squid Game is an interesting pitch, and The Serpent Called Mercy does attempt to deliver a fantasy full of monsters, ambition, and the grit of urban underworlds. Unfortunately, what sounds like an exciting blend of intrigue and violence instead becomes a frustratingly uneven read, where ambitious themes and promising ideas are undermined by poor execution, thin world-building, and a central message that I found frustrating at best and naive and short-sighted at worst.

The story alternates between cozy, domestic moments in tearooms around the city of Setgad and arena combat against horrible monsters brought in from outside the city, a juxtaposition that could have been compelling if handled deftly. The problem is that neither aspect fully lands. The action sequences especially fell very flat for me. These should be the beating heart of the novel but most of them consist of the protagonists sitting on platforms above the monsters they're meant to be fighting, talking through their plans in complete calm until Lythlet puzzles out the solution - usually by making use of something she's learned about said monster from a book. It put me in mind of someone reading a Dungeons & Dragons monster manual entry about a bear and then expecting to be able to win a fight against one.

The cozy elements of the book fare a little better, but even then they're undermined by tonal inconsistencies. One fairly major subplot revolves around child sex trafficking and the sexual abuse of children, and the references to it are introduced with the subtlety of a brick. Characters mention it in passing without ever really reflecting on the true horror of it, and it's incredibly jarring when set against the cozier, warmer moments. And even those cozy moments are set against a backdrop of abject poverty and spiralling debt that's never really explored. The result is a story that feels unsure of what it wants to be - soft, comforting wish fulfillment fantasy or dark, gritty drama that explores the evils of unchecked capitalism.

The book also struggles with charaterisation. Lythlet, our protagonist, is positioned as an intelligent, capable heroine, but her immediate mastery of every skill and situation robs the story of tension and her character of any sense of growth. In her first arena battle she manages to do something that hasn't been done by anybody in decades, unlocking a well of ancient magic that grants her the power to rewrite time itself for 8 seconds. This is barely ever mentioned again, and it feels like this should have been the climax of her time in the arena rather than something that happens casually once or twice and is then forgotten. Her only flaws seem to be that she struggles to understand social cues, and that she has a stutter - but the stutter is mentioned a handful of times in the opening chapters and then forgotten entirely.

This is a symptom of a common problem in the book. Things are mentioned and plotlines are seeded only to never turn up again. A major subplot throughout the novel is the existence of a shady vigilante character called the Phantom, who has been stealing from the rich of the city and is a wanted criminal. Lythlet starts to be drawn into a web of conspiracy theories about the Phantom's existence, and it seems clear that this will be an important element in the final act. Then it's forgotten entirely, with no payoff whatsoever.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the book is its political naivety. The story’s central message seems to be that oppressive systems, whether they involve abusive employers, mob bosses, or the structural corruption of the city, can be defeated just as easily with a stern talking-to as with violent action or revolution. It places a strange and uncritical faith in the rule of law, despite its depiction of a city riddled with crime and inequality. In the current political climate, where systemic injustice often demands more than polite appeals to decency, this message feels incredibly naive. There's certainly a place for this sort of soft wish fulfilment, but perhaps not in a novel dealing with violent mob bosses and child sex slaves.

This is a long list of complaints, but it's not all bad. Every time I felt like abandoning the book something would come along that kept me gripped - some revelation about the world, or a detail that I thought was interesting and wanted to see explored more. When it works well the juxtaposition of cozy fantasy and gritty underworld violence is really good. It's just a shame that the focus of the novel seems misplaced, and that it's so inconsistent. I'm also unsure who this is for. It's pitched as an adult fantasy novel but it reads much more like YA or NA, and I think that had I known that were the case I likely would have skipped it. As it is, I think it's too inconsistent for me to be able to recommend it.

Lythlet and Desil, two slumdogs drowning in debt to a local loan shark, think they’ve found the solution to all their money problems and the key to a better life.

‘…but the serpent you call mercy is nothing more than a fairytale notion that sinks its venomous fangs into the young…’

I absolutely fell in love with this book; such a fabulous debut! If this book remains a standalone, I do at least hope more stories are written from this same world!
Kudos to the lack of a romance subplot, with the current ‘spicy’ saturated market, this book is breath of fresh air.

Thank you NetGalley and Solaris for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Rating & Tropes
☆☆☆☆

-Quick Description-
Two slum dogs Lythlet and Desil make the decision to join an underground illegal fighting ring to earn the coin to escape their debt and hopefully lead to a better life. They will not be fighting humans though, no they will have to win against wild mythical creatures.

-My thoughts-
This book was a completely different type of read for me and I really enjoyed the unique style of the story. The characters had a lot of depth especially the FMC who I really ended up rooting for through-out this book. The battles that take place are highly entertaining and I found myself completely engaged. Strong friendships and personal growth are a huge part of this story and I honestly loved that. I will definitely be reading more from this author and look forward to seeing what comes next.
Disclaimer - My rating reflects the vibes and enjoyment I had whilst reading the book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC and a huge thank you to Roanne Lau.
Also reviewed on Goodreads, StoryGraph,Fable and Instagram (post coming soon) @read.with.rue

The Serpent Called Mercy is a debut novel by Roanne Lau, and what a stunning debut it is! While it’s not without its imperfections, I found it to be an engrossing and memorable read, which is why I’m giving it a strong 4-star rating.

The world-building, while evocative, occasionally felt sparse, leaving me yearning for a bit more detail to fully visualize the setting. That said, the descriptions provided were just enough for me to picture the harsh, atmospheric world in which our protagonists, Lythlet and Desil, struggle to survive.

This is the second Advanced Reader Copy I’ve had the privilege of reading via NetGalley, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity. The Serpent Called Mercy gripped me from the very first chapter, and I could barely put it down. I was also fortunate enough to connect with the author, Roanne Lau, on BlueSky while working my way through this captivating story—a wonderful way to enhance the reading experience.

I started the book on January 2nd and found myself halfway through by the next day. By January 7th, I had turned the final page, left both satisfied and eager to see what Lau writes next. The striking cover immediately caught my attention—it’s beautifully designed and perfectly captures the essence of the story. I’d be curious to know who the artist is, as their work deserves recognition*.

Although I occasionally struggled to picture the intricacies of the world our protagonists navigate, I was thoroughly impressed by how well the characters were developed. They leapt off the page with vividness and heart. Among the many memorable figures, I was particularly charmed by the bees and a puppy named Runt, whose speech impediment gave him an endearing uniqueness.

Interestingly, the book evoked a Dickensian vibe for me. While I’m not sure if Roanne Lau intended to evoke the mid-to-late 19th century (though it’s clearly not set in London), there’s a palpable sense of societal struggle and disparity that resonates deeply. The themes felt strikingly relevant to today’s world, especially the glaring gap between the top 1% and the rest of us. It’s a sentiment I’ve often reflected on—being cash-poor truly is expensive, and Lau weaves this truth into her story with poignant effect.

The plot follows Lythlet and Desil as they are thrust into an underground world of illegal combat, where they face terrifying mythical beasts. Their ultimate goal? To pay off crushing debts and escape the relentless grip of poverty. The writing is so immersive that I found myself vividly imagining the gritty action, much like the visceral energy of Gladiator, one of my favorite films.

But this book offers more than just adrenaline-fueled action. Beneath the surface lies a rich tapestry of political corruption, family reconnections, and secrets that shake the foundations of trust. Lythlet’s journey is as much about survival as it is about uncovering the layers of betrayal and hope that define her relationships, particularly with Desil, the one person she thought she could rely on unconditionally.

I was thoroughly captivated by The Serpent Called Mercy. For a debut novel, it’s an exceptional piece of work—bold, heartfelt, and thought-provoking. Roanne Lau has crafted a story that lingers long after the final page, and I congratulate her on this remarkable achievement. I’ll be eagerly awaiting her next book and can’t wait to see how she builds on this promising start.

A pair of self-proclaimed slumdogs search to find a way out of poverty. Lythlet is a woman who grew up in the midst of great pain and trouble. Desil is a man who had a great upbringing but fell into massive debt helping a friend. While chasing fame and fortune, they encounter a much deeper problem in their society.
There are incredibly strong relationships in this book, which is where it excels. The characters are complex in a way that feels very human. My favorite parts to read were the battles, but I truly enjoyed reading the development of Lythlet and Desil making friends with fellow ‘conquessors’.
At times, specifically on the front end, it felt a bit slow (which feels normal for a book with such thrilling battles and conflicts). There were quite a few words that I had to lookup because I had no idea what they meant. This can either engage or take-away from some readers’ experiences.
Overall, a book that got better as it went along!

What a great debut story!
I really enjoyed the exploration of friendship and the characters were the real highlight of this novel.
A stand-alone story that creates an interesting world. I loved the idea of a fantasy book based on Malaysian Chinese-inspired mythology but I was hoping for a bit more lore.

A suspenseful and fast paced rich vs poor story with so many twists and turns it was hard to put down! I loved the fmc lythlet, she was a really strong character. And I enjoyed the platonic friendship focus, rather than a romantic storyline.

Would recommend! Thanks Netgalley for the arc.

We dive into a world of rich vs poor. And the poor are really poor - its not equal but there are always ways to make money!

Lythlet is our narrator, poor and seemingly very unlucky but as the story progresses we learn that she's a really good person who just needs the right chances. I wish the story had had some other narrators, just to provide a wider picture of the world we're in.

First off, you think it's just a game, right? But just like squid game it's so much more. Imagine peeling back the layers of an onion and each layer revealing something profound about society today. The story begins with a seemingly simple game, you enter, kill the monster and win money but as you flip the pages, you start seeing all these subtle (and not-so-subtle) reflections on our world.

So, if you’re ready for a YA ride that’s part thrilling adventure, part deep philosophical journey, The Serpent Called Mercy is your next must-read!

A nice fantasy trial book. I enjoyed the arena setting and the monsters, as well as the friendship between the two MCs (I have too rarely seen good ones lately).
My only complaint is that I might not have connected much with any characters, but a good read overall!

(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC)

the world building in a serpent called mercy was rather underwhelming. i wished there was more of it. it left me wanting more and feeling like i didn’t fully grasp much of anything. i desperately wanted to know more about the magic and creatures but was left hanging.

lythlet, our fmc, is a really strong individual. she’s very headstrong and determined. not only that, she’s incredibly smart and fantastic at adapting.

desil is golden retriever of the book. he’s portrayed as rather weak in comparison to lythlet. he was like the dumb friend who didn’t really help much in throughout the book. this bothered me slightly, as i felt like he could’ve done more to help out.

a serpent called mercy focuses on platonic love rather than actual romance. i found this really nice to read about, as every book i’ve been reading lately is heavy on the romance. platonic relationships are usually my favourite aspect of any book, so knowing how important this was to this book, i was very happy.

as a whole, the book is non stop from start to finish. there’s never a dull moment. i just wished the world building was fleshed out some more because i have so many questions.

I stayed up way past my bed time finishing this and it was SO WORTH IT. This is a fantastic debut with a very unique storyline so definitely not one to miss!

Roanne had me at the edge of my seat, gasping out loud and nearly screaming at times, I just could not put this down! What a twist of events!

Thank you Netgalley and Solaris for the arc!