A fantastic exploration of many perspectives on life, love and choice. I cried a little on the first read, and I suspect this gorgeous little story will wring more tears out of me in re-read after re-read.
"My mother tongue is that of the stars singing as the world put itself together." The Serpent Must Die, evoking themes and characters explored in Verse's earlier works Lion in Human Hide, May The Moon Shine Upon Camlann, and To Skin a Lindworm, discusses curses, aromantic marriages, and blessed violence. For Rikaeven, marriage is the crossing of a continent to find another who you are bound to by contract. Marriage is the cancerous cycle of bloodshed, teeth, and tearing down your counterpart. Marriage is the crafting of a new body through steel, or clay, or molded flesh. It is an irrevocable change of circumstances. The rhythm of recurring story beats is satisfying and fits the pacing very well. I also adored the depiction of healing magic as a weapon - the horrific nature of endless growth, which brought to mind a babirusa's tusks piercing their skull. Violence is described like a dance, and the narrative follows suit. "I spend most of my time dead. There is very little benefit to worshiping me."
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A fantastic exploration of many perspectives on life, love and choice. I cried a little on the first read, and I suspect this gorgeous little story will wring more tears out of me in re-read after re-read.
"My mother tongue is that of the stars singing as the world put itself together."
The Serpent Must Die, evoking themes and characters explored in Verse's earlier works Lion in Human Hide, May The Moon Shine Upon Camlann, and To Skin a Lindworm, discusses curses, aromantic marriages, and blessed violence. For Rikaeven, marriage is the crossing of a continent to find another who you are bound to by contract. Marriage is the cancerous cycle of bloodshed, teeth, and tearing down your counterpart. Marriage is the crafting of a new body through steel, or clay, or molded flesh. It is an irrevocable change of circumstances. The rhythm of recurring story beats is satisfying and fits the pacing very well. I also adored the depiction of healing magic as a weapon - the horrific nature of endless growth, which brought to mind a babirusa's tusks piercing their skull. Violence is described like a dance, and the narrative follows suit.
"I spend most of my time dead. There is very little benefit to worshiping me."