The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey

So, I read The Serpent’s Shadow by Mercedes Lackey the other week and it’s an Edwardian retelling of Snow White with seven animal companions, who are possible vessels for Hindu Gods, instead of dwarves. The book was recommended to me by a former friend, and I’ve been meaning to read it for a while now. I was somewhat disappointed because I expected the Hindu Gods to play a larger role than they did. Kali-Durga who is worshiped by the antagonist doesn’t even get a line which I expected her to get at least one near the end.

The book is centered around a half-Indian-half-English doctor named Maya. She and her servants move from India to England in the wake of her father’s death by a small snake to escape danger that could make her the next victim. There she opens up a practice as a doctor and surgeon working out of her office and at a clinic and hospital. While there she comes to the notice of the Elemental Masters of London and winds up befriending a man named Peter Scott, his so-called twin Peter Amisel both water masters, an Irish doctor, a young woman going through medical school, and a gaggle of others. But Maya is also gaining a couple of enemies, her aunt who declared eternal war on her sister (Maya’s mother) and now Maya herself, and a man who wants to be a doctor but doesn’t have the mind for it and doesn’t like that Maya is a woman and half breed who is not only a doctor but a surgeon.

Maya is an earth elemental and soon her primitive but effective home boundaries bring her to the attention of the Elemental Masters of London’s White Lodge who send Peter Scott to investigate her. He winds up offering to train her since the White Lodge itself won’t because she is not only a woman but also half-Indian. Neither of these is considered good enough to be part of the lodge. Hurray for sexism and xenophobia! *blows raspberry*

The book switches POV’s between Maya, Peter, and Maya’s aunt Shivani who is the bloodthirsty antagonist. It doesn’t really humanize Shivani and just sort of makes her come across as cartoonishly evil for being so extreme in her hatred of all things British and her sister for marrying and procreating with a British man. The woman could use some serious therapy, sadly therapy in Edwardian England sucked. Anyways, Shivani manages to figure out who Maya is because one of Shivani’s pawns/followers won’t shut up about her to the older woman. Thus begins the Snow White Retelling though without eating the apple. Instead drugs and magic. Peter and a gaggle of Maya’s friends along with her animal compansions who are vessels for various Hindu Gods raid Shivani’s compound to save the day. The book ends with a double wedding between Peter and Maya along with Maya’s friend and another guy who was saved earlier in the book. And honestly I want to know their love story too.

So that’s it. Sorry its not more detailed I guess next time I write a review I should take notes as I read it like I was doing before.

Anyways, I rate this book three out of five stars.