Thank you Netgalley and Solaris books for the opportunity to read and review this book before publication!

The Serpent Called Mercy follows Lythlet as she attempts to pay off her best friend's debt and escape the cycle of poverty. The world building in this book is thoughtful and intriguing- from the structure of society to the light sources, the author clearly put a ton of effort into creating it. 

I love the world this story takes place in as well as the basis in mythology and the social commentary it includes, but the story itself was a little off in some places. While the author does an excellent job of using dialogue to advance the plot in some places, conversations sometimes feel forced and fall victim to info dumping. Additionally, I feel like pacing was far better in the first 60% of the novel than towards the end. 

It seems like this book is more suited for YA audiences than the adult fantasy it is marketed as. I almost DNF'd it, but I am overall glad that I finished the story. It shows a lot of promise for future novels!