Release date : 26 June 2025
As a child Saphira witnessed her mother’s murder before being kidnapped by the killer. She escapes to the streets where she is taken in by a jewelsmith who sees the potential in her natural talent. He teaches her the finer elements of the craft and offers her a job and a home. In return he takes credit for her work and watches his business flourish. Fortunately for him Saphira is more than happy to keep to shadows, especially if it means the woman who killed her mother won’t be able to find her again.
But Saphira’s masterful work soon begins to attract more notice than either of them could have ever expected. When the Serpent King comes to town looking for both a jewelsmith and a bride, Saphira finds herself thrust into the spotlight amidst a maze of politics and danger.
Saphira has all the foundations for the perfect female protagonist: a fierce orphan with a special talent, a past she is trying to hide, and dreams for a better future. She even has a cute and quirky ‘animal’ sidekick. It’s the perfect set-up for a great story and Sunya Maya does not disappoint with the execution. Her character development is flawless. Saphira starts as a girl in hiding and is pushed reluctantly into the spotlight before eventually embracing her true self.
The character of the Serpent King offers a delightful contrast, living his life in the spotlight with a carefully cultivated image of confidence, authority, and danger. His reputation relies on the bloody accomplishments that others would try to hide. Similarly his huntsman Rane exudes confidence, but holds his secrets close to his chest. I love how, as the plot progresses, we start to see glimpses behind the armour of both men.
As for the world itself, I think Sunya Maya has taken a few simple ideas and embellished them beautifully. The idea of a hidden city and a rivalry between the magical and the non-magical is an age old trope and it works so well in this book. The magic of jewelsmithing is introduced in a frivolous way, as jewellery for noble women, but quickly takes on a much more serious tone with a far greater level of complexity. As a stand-alone book, it has just enough world-building to immerse us in the story without bogging down the book with too many plot-slowing details.
Overall this book has the ideal balance of character development, plot intrigues, and world-building – just the right combination to make it impossible to put down.
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