Silvercloak — Book Review with Content Warnings

Author: L.K. Steven

Genre: Romantasy

Series: Silvercloak Saga #1

Age Rating: Adult

Synopsis

Saffron Killoran goes deep undercover among the vicious Bloodmoon gang to expose their corruption and take them down once and for all for the murder of her parents. Saff finds herself embroiled in lies, deceit, and intrigue… and romance with the least likely person of all, the son of the kingpin.

Content Warnings

General Rating: Adult

• Spice Rating: Severe—open door sapphic intimacy in chapter 15, open door heterosexual intimacy in chapters 42 and 45

• Violence Rating: Moderate—murder, death, blood, injury by fire

• Profanity Rating: Severe—f*ck occasionally used, mostly as a verb to refer to sexual intimacy

• Other Trigger Warnings: murder and attempted murder, drug use/overdose, death of parents, death of a loved one, alcohol use, self-harm, abusive/toxic relationships, explicit sexual content, torture

Overall Rating: 5/5

Wowww. What a heartbreaking story of pain, betrayal, and attempts to make things right only to realize that going to the ends of the earth for one’s ambition is the definition of villainy. It’s like a dark, adult version of Harry Potter from the perspective of the Death Eaters.

What I Liked

• A worthy villain: Lyrian is an exceptional villain. Within one chapter of his entry into the story, I was convinced of his villainy.

• Depth of character: *spoiler* Levan is the perfect tortured male protagonist. The pain that he suffered as a young child is horrific and understandably formative. He hides his pain and villainy so well.

• Masterful storytelling: It all unfolds so well. It’s not your typical undercover betrayal story… Saff is committed to her goal, but also has feelings for Levan. Ultimately, both are driven by their tortured pasts and grief over their parents’ deaths.

What I Didn’t Like

• Tribalist mentality: I’m not a great fan of the “I will do anything to avenge my parents’ death” storyline. Both Saffron and Levan have a fierce loyalty to those whom they consider theirs. This is exactly the mentality that results in so many seemingly unresolvable wars and conflicts. People refuse to set aside their family loyalties for the sake of the greater humanity. Perhaps Steven will redeem this in the ensuing novels.

Themes and Reflections

• Fate vs free will: Saffron is driven to her task as an undercover detective because of an early prophecy that shows her how she will succeed. Does she have any free will in the matter, or is she fated to destroy the Bloodmoons?

  “Maybe this was how most murderers became murderers—Not because of some deep-rooted evil, some innate bloodlust, but because they had no other choice. A heretical idea, for a Silvercloak. There was always a choice.” (119)

• Suffering in early development hinders healthy adult development: Both protagonists suffer tremendous loss, grief, and in some cases, abuse as young children. It skews their perspective and morality; it twists their ambition for self-preservation with little thought for how their actions affect others. Thus, the statement is made that child abuse results in tortured adults unless the abuse is processed and dealt with in a healthy, safe environment.

• Pleasure and pain as power: The world’s magic is derived from pain or pleasure. As you can imagine, this sometimes conflates the two ideas. What is pleasure? What is pain? How far will one go to obtain either in order to keep and build their power?

“She didn’t believe that some people were just born violent, born greedy, born bloodthirsty. That some people wanted power for power’s sake, wealth for wealth’s sake. Though she did understand that some people had so sorely missed these things as a child, and spent the rest of their lives trying to rebalance the scales.”

— Silvercloak, L.K. Steven

Writing Style

• Vivid, crisp prose

• Fast-paced and steady

• Gritty, tense, and dark atmosphere

• Vibrant, flawed, complex, and sympathetic characterization

• Witty, sharp dialogue

• Sprawling, detailed, and immersive worldbuilding

• Third-person POV

• Evocative and unsettling
  

Tropes

• Revenge story

• Prophecy vs. free will

• Magical academy

• Secret identity

• Forbidden magic
  

Books Like This

• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

• Book of Night by Holly Black

Publisher Info

• Publisher: Del Rey

• Release Date: July 29, 2025

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