What do you think?
The Fairmyth Chronicles #2
The Serpent's Tower
Rapunzel meets Medusa.
Ranessa Medzel always wanted to be a princess until she realized she was destined to be the villain. Born as a gorgon with unusual beauty and vibrant emerald hair, she tried her luck at impressing the king as a young child with her ability to command serpents. Everything goes well, until an accident results in a missing prized jewel, and the gorgon becomes the easiest to blame. Angering a divine ruler never ends well, and in Ranessa’s case, it has a rather blinding result...
Now cursed to blind anyone she looks at, Ranessa is forced to hide away from the world that had made her a monster. With only a tower full of snakes to keep her company, ideas of revenge serve as her only entertainment.
Prince Phillip is the son of the great divine king of the oceans, but he himself wasn’t born with magic. Eager to prove his worth as a future ruler, he sets off on a mission to rid the kingdom of the snake-wielding gorgon who plagues their people.
Ranessa is all too pleased to have the prince join her—after all, killing her former betrothed would be the revenge she’s waited her entire life for. Phillip can only prove himself by bringing back the gorgon’s head, and Ranessa can only free herself by killing the royals who forced her into solitude. Will one of them emerge victorious? Or will they both remain blind to the true villains at work?
The Fairmyth Chronicles is a collection of clean interconnecting fantasy romance novels that can be read in any order. For more updates on The Fairmyth Chronicles and my other series, sign up for my free newsletter atabigailmanningauthor.com
This story was originally published on Kindle Vella.
Ranessa Medzel always wanted to be a princess until she realized she was destined to be the villain. Born as a gorgon with unusual beauty and vibrant emerald hair, she tried her luck at impressing the king as a young child with her ability to command serpents. Everything goes well, until an accident results in a missing prized jewel, and the gorgon becomes the easiest to blame. Angering a divine ruler never ends well, and in Ranessa’s case, it has a rather blinding result...
Now cursed to blind anyone she looks at, Ranessa is forced to hide away from the world that had made her a monster. With only a tower full of snakes to keep her company, ideas of revenge serve as her only entertainment.
Prince Phillip is the son of the great divine king of the oceans, but he himself wasn’t born with magic. Eager to prove his worth as a future ruler, he sets off on a mission to rid the kingdom of the snake-wielding gorgon who plagues their people.
Ranessa is all too pleased to have the prince join her—after all, killing her former betrothed would be the revenge she’s waited her entire life for. Phillip can only prove himself by bringing back the gorgon’s head, and Ranessa can only free herself by killing the royals who forced her into solitude. Will one of them emerge victorious? Or will they both remain blind to the true villains at work?
The Fairmyth Chronicles is a collection of clean interconnecting fantasy romance novels that can be read in any order. For more updates on The Fairmyth Chronicles and my other series, sign up for my free newsletter atabigailmanningauthor.com
This story was originally published on Kindle Vella.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 17, 2023
Among the Greek Mythology stories I have read throughout the ages, I was always drawn to the story of Perseus and Medusa. Now with this retelling mixing Medusa's story with Rapunzel, this one was entertaining to see her spat with the prince and showing him that she is an innocent in the whole situation and to see him protecting and saving her in the end. I also thought it was interesting how Ranessa can only blind people who look into her eyes, a much more kinder alternative than being turned to stone, and it fits with the scenario of the prince surviving his fall and becoming blind in the process. But what I really enjoyed in this retelling is the fact that Poseidon's counterpart in here actually apologizes for putting Ranessa in the wrong and Athena's counterpart got a taste of her own medicine!
Now I can only imagine how good it would be to see a story for Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and many other retellings with a Greek Mythology twist!
Now I can only imagine how good it would be to see a story for Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and many other retellings with a Greek Mythology twist!
October 28, 2023
Fully 65% of this book is them arguing like children with each other. It's not cute, it's not 'playful banter', it's just obnoxious. Philip is sweet once he gets his head out of his ass, but Ness is pretty blah as a not-villain.
August 16, 2025
The banter! The hair! The snakes! I loved this, I like it was Rapunzel is spunky instead of always naive, but it was so sweet! Phillip was good too and I enjoyed him. I wasn’t expecting the twist though. Something I liked was the Phillip and his dad had a pretty good relationship and it was good to see. If anything, read this book for the epilogue. It will make you cry and it is the sweetest thing I’ve read all year!
July 13, 2026
The snakes were something else. The Medusa aspect was great. I was very glad to see all snakes unharmed
October 26, 2023
This book was absolutely amazing.
I received an ARC of the serpent's tower, so this is my honest review.
I love fairy tale retellings, and I love mythology, so when I saw this story was both I couldn't read it fast enough. It was sweet. I love the character and how their relationship grew and how they changed. and the snakes are Adorable and Cuddly.
I also like that instead of turning people to stone, they are blinded, instead. it makes it better for this story.
Ranessa is the only Gorgon in existence that is pretty. when she gets there chance to have an opportunity to meet and marry the prince, she is happy to try. When it is discovered, she has the ability to control snakes she is chosen. but things go terribly wrong. Want to find out how then read Serpents Tower.
I hope this series continues. Can't wait for more.
I received an ARC of the serpent's tower, so this is my honest review.
I love fairy tale retellings, and I love mythology, so when I saw this story was both I couldn't read it fast enough. It was sweet. I love the character and how their relationship grew and how they changed. and the snakes are Adorable and Cuddly.
I also like that instead of turning people to stone, they are blinded, instead. it makes it better for this story.
Ranessa is the only Gorgon in existence that is pretty. when she gets there chance to have an opportunity to meet and marry the prince, she is happy to try. When it is discovered, she has the ability to control snakes she is chosen. but things go terribly wrong. Want to find out how then read Serpents Tower.
I hope this series continues. Can't wait for more.
November 10, 2023
Like a lot of people I’m deathly afraid of snakes, and cockroaches are beyond creepy, so I’ll admit that I found The Serpent’s Tower a bit of a hard read. My imagination is extremely vivid, so the whole time I was reading this book it was like I was both watching a horror film in my mind and simultaneously hanging out in the tower with Phillip and Ranessa, plunging my hands into the dirty dishwater (ugh) and listening to their banter - which was seriously quoteworthy and some of the best I have ever read!
A great deal of the book is focused on this couple’s verbal adventures in the tower, but instead of being boring (as one would assume) it was highly entertaining to watch these misunderstood villains duel with snakes, swords and words!
It was a treat to see Ranessa going from being bent on vengeance to choosing forgiveness instead –
“I don’t need vengeance – not when there are people who believe me.”
And the moment that Phillip chose to hear the truth from Ranessa’s lips instead of continuing to believe the lies he’d been fed all his life was pivotal:
“It was strange how quickly one’s heart could change from wanting to destroy someone to wanting to protect them.”
I loved viewing this unlikely couple’s relationship evolve from quite literally wanting to murder one another to wanting to protect each other. How through weeks of talking in the tower, each grew to see the other as a person with value instead of the monster their minds had created -
“I want to recognise you more as a person with an alibi than a villain with a pocket full of lies.”
This book does a great job of teaching its readers to delve below the surface, to look beyond what people see to what really lies beneath. It teaches us that the true villain is the person pretending to have your best in mind while twisting the knife in your back, that family isn’t always the strongest bond and that true deviousness is that which lies hidden. But it also teaches us that love can overcome any evil and that the power of forgiveness is far stronger than the satisfaction of vengeance. That what we thought we wanted may not be our heart’s desire after all, and the truth if heard and believed can dispel any lies.
I loved how Phillip chose to stay blind until he and Ranessa wed, so that she would be the first person he would see when cured, and I absolutely adored his definition of strength:
“As I stand here blind, I can clearly see the kingdom I wish to rule and strengthen. It’s a beautiful place where all species are treated with the same respect as even a prince. It’s a kingdom ruled with love and compassion where the innocent are heard.”
Phillip learnt the definition of true justice through his trials, and as a result we readers learn to question what others have told us and to verify the veracity of their statements. The Serpent’s Tower teaches readers to embrace the differences in people and not vilify them for being odd and that kindness is stronger than any insult.
I always enjoy Abigail Manning’s books. This one I enjoyed less than usual, but that was because the prevalence of cockroaches and snakes made this tale a truly scary read for me and not because the writing was in any way sub-par. That being said though, I felt this book was a bit of a deviation from the author’s usual style but it is good sometimes for authors to stretch their writing wings and explore different genres* so this is by no means a complaint! The only reason I am giving The Serpent’s Tower four stars instead of five is because I felt uncomfortable for much of this book, due to the icky, slithering snakes (no author will ever convince me that snakes can be anything but creepy!) and the disgusting cockroaches. Were it not for the presence of cockroaches in fact I might have given it 5 stars despite the snakes but those bugs are horrid and reading about them was far from pleasant. However, the author confessed she wanted to give the book a bit of a spooky vibe in light of it being released so close to Halloween and this she definitely achieved! All in all, I would recommend The Serpent’s Tower to all and sundry but if you are as terrified of snakes and cockroaches as I am, I warn you that it won’t be an easy read!
*It was still fantasy but bridging on horror.
A great deal of the book is focused on this couple’s verbal adventures in the tower, but instead of being boring (as one would assume) it was highly entertaining to watch these misunderstood villains duel with snakes, swords and words!
It was a treat to see Ranessa going from being bent on vengeance to choosing forgiveness instead –
“I don’t need vengeance – not when there are people who believe me.”
And the moment that Phillip chose to hear the truth from Ranessa’s lips instead of continuing to believe the lies he’d been fed all his life was pivotal:
“It was strange how quickly one’s heart could change from wanting to destroy someone to wanting to protect them.”
I loved viewing this unlikely couple’s relationship evolve from quite literally wanting to murder one another to wanting to protect each other. How through weeks of talking in the tower, each grew to see the other as a person with value instead of the monster their minds had created -
“I want to recognise you more as a person with an alibi than a villain with a pocket full of lies.”
This book does a great job of teaching its readers to delve below the surface, to look beyond what people see to what really lies beneath. It teaches us that the true villain is the person pretending to have your best in mind while twisting the knife in your back, that family isn’t always the strongest bond and that true deviousness is that which lies hidden. But it also teaches us that love can overcome any evil and that the power of forgiveness is far stronger than the satisfaction of vengeance. That what we thought we wanted may not be our heart’s desire after all, and the truth if heard and believed can dispel any lies.
I loved how Phillip chose to stay blind until he and Ranessa wed, so that she would be the first person he would see when cured, and I absolutely adored his definition of strength:
“As I stand here blind, I can clearly see the kingdom I wish to rule and strengthen. It’s a beautiful place where all species are treated with the same respect as even a prince. It’s a kingdom ruled with love and compassion where the innocent are heard.”
Phillip learnt the definition of true justice through his trials, and as a result we readers learn to question what others have told us and to verify the veracity of their statements. The Serpent’s Tower teaches readers to embrace the differences in people and not vilify them for being odd and that kindness is stronger than any insult.
I always enjoy Abigail Manning’s books. This one I enjoyed less than usual, but that was because the prevalence of cockroaches and snakes made this tale a truly scary read for me and not because the writing was in any way sub-par. That being said though, I felt this book was a bit of a deviation from the author’s usual style but it is good sometimes for authors to stretch their writing wings and explore different genres* so this is by no means a complaint! The only reason I am giving The Serpent’s Tower four stars instead of five is because I felt uncomfortable for much of this book, due to the icky, slithering snakes (no author will ever convince me that snakes can be anything but creepy!) and the disgusting cockroaches. Were it not for the presence of cockroaches in fact I might have given it 5 stars despite the snakes but those bugs are horrid and reading about them was far from pleasant. However, the author confessed she wanted to give the book a bit of a spooky vibe in light of it being released so close to Halloween and this she definitely achieved! All in all, I would recommend The Serpent’s Tower to all and sundry but if you are as terrified of snakes and cockroaches as I am, I warn you that it won’t be an easy read!
*It was still fantasy but bridging on horror.
April 8, 2025
Abigail Manning returns with The Serpent's Tower, a mixed retelling of Rapunzel and Medusa, with a smattering of Sleeping Beauty thrown in. While I will always have a soft spot for her Cinderella retelling, The Serpent's Tower blew me away. It went everywhere I wanted it to go, while taking me places I never expected and going deeper than many YA novels go.
First off, heroine Ranessa Medzel is nothing short of incredible. She's three-dimensional, unpredictable, and the perfect vessel for a familiar yet complex story like this one. Ranessa is a morally gray heroine done right, in that throughout The Serpent's Tower, I honestly wrestled with the fact that her actions weren't acceptable or excusable, but they were completely understandable. Ranessa made me uncomfortable, yet made me feel seen, because I either have been in her place or could easily go there. Take away a few privileges and circumstances, or add a few, add in some magic, and we could've been the same woman.
In fact, Abigail gets major, personal kudos from me as a reader because Ranessa touched me in ways I didn't expect. I have never been a "gorgon" in a literal or even figurative sense. But as a woman who grew up with cerebral palsy and undiagnosed autism--yeah, I could identify 100% with Ranessa's experiences and emotions. When someone, or society at large, is determined to label you, not listen or believe you, take away the rights you should have because you are alive--yes, that tempts you to go down roads you never thought you could. You'll fight for justice, and sometimes justice becomes vengeance if there aren't people around you who care enough to catch it and help you get out. You'll find friendship and love in places and with people or creatures others won't touch. Abigail nailed all this and more, earning the book some highlights and me some deep thoughts.
So, what about Prince Phillip? Well, he's not quite as well-developed, which I regret; I'd have liked more of his POV and deeper shades of his story. But what exists works great, especially in conjunction with Ranessa's story. The expectations placed on him, and his feelings of uselessness, also won my deep empathy. As with Ranessa, I wrestled with the morally gray nature of Phillip's nature and loved Abigail's approach to the questions within Phillip's half of the story. What's the right thing to do, when there are no clear right options? What's the truly unselfish thing, when you've been raised in a wholly self-serving environment and to take a self-serving position? The fact that Phillip could become a true "prince" despite these obstacles, just as Ranessa could become a "gorgon princess," kept me cheering for them both.
As with The Soulless Slipper, Abigail also wins kudos for her setting and popping features in general. For instance, I never thought the crumbling tower of the Cavlen lighthouse could feel so much like home, or that I would come to see a literal house of serpents as friends. Yet, it was, and I did, because they meant so much to Ranessa. I worried for her serpents, and as someone with a beloved cat, I empathized with her desire to protect and love them. I also loved Ranessa's independent spirit in the throes of her isolation, the complexities of her relationship with her sisters, and even her poisoning talent. Plus, she gets brownie points for her gorgeous emerald hair!
Finally, Abigail's plot blew me away. I snickered and chortled all through Phillip and Ranessa's banter, partly because I have that same sense of humor. I rooted for their eventual romance, but loved its understated nature. And those plot twists--whoa! They make sense once you see them, but when they first popped up, I literally had to put my Kindle down and take a break to absorb. Great work, Abigail--you've got a master curve ball there, and I'll have my eyes open next time!
I did notice some typos, such as H for "He" and "manner" for "matter." These are distracting. But the rest of the book, the story at large, works so well, I'm loathe to remove a star. Instead, I recommend grabbing some tea and your favorite cuddly pet--plus some virtual snake-proof gloves--and reading this ASAP.
First off, heroine Ranessa Medzel is nothing short of incredible. She's three-dimensional, unpredictable, and the perfect vessel for a familiar yet complex story like this one. Ranessa is a morally gray heroine done right, in that throughout The Serpent's Tower, I honestly wrestled with the fact that her actions weren't acceptable or excusable, but they were completely understandable. Ranessa made me uncomfortable, yet made me feel seen, because I either have been in her place or could easily go there. Take away a few privileges and circumstances, or add a few, add in some magic, and we could've been the same woman.
In fact, Abigail gets major, personal kudos from me as a reader because Ranessa touched me in ways I didn't expect. I have never been a "gorgon" in a literal or even figurative sense. But as a woman who grew up with cerebral palsy and undiagnosed autism--yeah, I could identify 100% with Ranessa's experiences and emotions. When someone, or society at large, is determined to label you, not listen or believe you, take away the rights you should have because you are alive--yes, that tempts you to go down roads you never thought you could. You'll fight for justice, and sometimes justice becomes vengeance if there aren't people around you who care enough to catch it and help you get out. You'll find friendship and love in places and with people or creatures others won't touch. Abigail nailed all this and more, earning the book some highlights and me some deep thoughts.
So, what about Prince Phillip? Well, he's not quite as well-developed, which I regret; I'd have liked more of his POV and deeper shades of his story. But what exists works great, especially in conjunction with Ranessa's story. The expectations placed on him, and his feelings of uselessness, also won my deep empathy. As with Ranessa, I wrestled with the morally gray nature of Phillip's nature and loved Abigail's approach to the questions within Phillip's half of the story. What's the right thing to do, when there are no clear right options? What's the truly unselfish thing, when you've been raised in a wholly self-serving environment and to take a self-serving position? The fact that Phillip could become a true "prince" despite these obstacles, just as Ranessa could become a "gorgon princess," kept me cheering for them both.
As with The Soulless Slipper, Abigail also wins kudos for her setting and popping features in general. For instance, I never thought the crumbling tower of the Cavlen lighthouse could feel so much like home, or that I would come to see a literal house of serpents as friends. Yet, it was, and I did, because they meant so much to Ranessa. I worried for her serpents, and as someone with a beloved cat, I empathized with her desire to protect and love them. I also loved Ranessa's independent spirit in the throes of her isolation, the complexities of her relationship with her sisters, and even her poisoning talent. Plus, she gets brownie points for her gorgeous emerald hair!
Finally, Abigail's plot blew me away. I snickered and chortled all through Phillip and Ranessa's banter, partly because I have that same sense of humor. I rooted for their eventual romance, but loved its understated nature. And those plot twists--whoa! They make sense once you see them, but when they first popped up, I literally had to put my Kindle down and take a break to absorb. Great work, Abigail--you've got a master curve ball there, and I'll have my eyes open next time!
I did notice some typos, such as H for "He" and "manner" for "matter." These are distracting. But the rest of the book, the story at large, works so well, I'm loathe to remove a star. Instead, I recommend grabbing some tea and your favorite cuddly pet--plus some virtual snake-proof gloves--and reading this ASAP.
March 13, 2026
Content:
Profanity: None.
Violence: High mild-low moderate. There are a lot of assassination attempts. People get cuts, stab wounds, poisoned by snake venom, and threatened by snakes in general. A lot of people fall from the tower and it's not stated whether they all survive or not. Broken bones. And a few times talking about cutting off someone's head. Minimal blood depiction.
Sexual: Mild. Affectionate touches, hugs, and a few swoony kisses but no spice.
Triggers: Snakes. There are so many snakes in this, so if that's a phobia definitely pass on this! Prejudice is addressed in this as well between different races (Gorgons vs. everyone else). Loneliness and isolation and not fitting in are addressed. Betrayal is a theme as well.
My Mom loves snakes, so reading this had me just grinning thinking of how much she would've loved having Ranessa's gift of communicating/controlling snakes. And I also knew what nearly all of the snakes looked like because of all the snake info I got growing up, so I had a blast reading about them curling up on her lap and her petting vipers and coral snakes and everything in-between.
This series is turning out to be delightful to see how the author is twisting Greek myths and fairy tales together in a way that is soooo fun! The way she merged Rapunzel and Medusa stimulated and energized my story-loving brain.
Ranessa is a Gorgon, but she's different. She's beautiful. Gorgons are ugly by nature with twisted backs, hooked noses, cleft lips etc. And all of them can control predators or pests of one kind. Ranessa controls snakes, while her two sisters control cockroaches and ravens. In a bid to change the prejudice against Gorgons, Ranessa enters the palace of King Phineas (Poseidon) to see if she can be chosen as his son's betrothed.
Well, things go pretty amazingly well...until they go horrifically wrong for Ranessa. She's cursed and flees from the king's court and city, where she then spends the next decade (ish) in a lighthouse tower by the sea to hide from the King who wants her head for a crime she didn't commit.
Phillip, the prince, is desperate to prove himself to his father and the kingdom. He can be a good ruler despite his lack of magic. One way to do that is to earn the respect of the woman his father wants to betroth him to, who can help their kingdom from the threat of famine. What does this would-be bride want? The Gorgon's head. The Gorgon nobody can find, that disappeared ten years ago.
Phillip agrees. And wouldn't you know it, he actually finds Ranessa.
What happens when he enters the tower is a long haul fight. Ranessa is just as determined to kill Phillip as he is her for all the damage their family has done to her and her kind. When they find themselves trapped together and unable to leave, an uneasy truce forms...and as they talk they start to understand each other. Something neither of them wanted.
Lots of mysteries are unraveled in the tower, and lots of danger approaches through misunderstanding and bad choices made with bad information.
I had a ball reading the story...but I did struggle with the weird romance. These two tried multiple times to for real kill each other. This was an enemies to lovers, yes, but holy smokes. That was pretty uncomfortable for me as they sorta flirted while trying to off each other. I just felt bemused at it until they finally stopped with the attempted murderizing.
Loved the plot and story though. Two thumbs up! I got surprised because I thought I knew where the author was going, but I was wrong, which tickled me to death. (I love being surprised) The way the two tales came together in the end was super satisfying too. And I was pleasantly surprised by King Phineas/Poseidon being a decent Dad. Not perfect, but he loves Phillip. Poseidon was...temperamental in the myths. I appreciated the difference. Zion/Zeus still makes me wanna throat punch him, which is Greek-accurate.
This creative series has me hooked. I'm already halfway through the next book even though I only finished this one yesterday. Love it when that happens!
Profanity: None.
Violence: High mild-low moderate. There are a lot of assassination attempts. People get cuts, stab wounds, poisoned by snake venom, and threatened by snakes in general. A lot of people fall from the tower and it's not stated whether they all survive or not. Broken bones. And a few times talking about cutting off someone's head. Minimal blood depiction.
Sexual: Mild. Affectionate touches, hugs, and a few swoony kisses but no spice.
Triggers: Snakes. There are so many snakes in this, so if that's a phobia definitely pass on this! Prejudice is addressed in this as well between different races (Gorgons vs. everyone else). Loneliness and isolation and not fitting in are addressed. Betrayal is a theme as well.
My Mom loves snakes, so reading this had me just grinning thinking of how much she would've loved having Ranessa's gift of communicating/controlling snakes. And I also knew what nearly all of the snakes looked like because of all the snake info I got growing up, so I had a blast reading about them curling up on her lap and her petting vipers and coral snakes and everything in-between.
This series is turning out to be delightful to see how the author is twisting Greek myths and fairy tales together in a way that is soooo fun! The way she merged Rapunzel and Medusa stimulated and energized my story-loving brain.
Ranessa is a Gorgon, but she's different. She's beautiful. Gorgons are ugly by nature with twisted backs, hooked noses, cleft lips etc. And all of them can control predators or pests of one kind. Ranessa controls snakes, while her two sisters control cockroaches and ravens. In a bid to change the prejudice against Gorgons, Ranessa enters the palace of King Phineas (Poseidon) to see if she can be chosen as his son's betrothed.
Well, things go pretty amazingly well...until they go horrifically wrong for Ranessa. She's cursed and flees from the king's court and city, where she then spends the next decade (ish) in a lighthouse tower by the sea to hide from the King who wants her head for a crime she didn't commit.
Phillip, the prince, is desperate to prove himself to his father and the kingdom. He can be a good ruler despite his lack of magic. One way to do that is to earn the respect of the woman his father wants to betroth him to, who can help their kingdom from the threat of famine. What does this would-be bride want? The Gorgon's head. The Gorgon nobody can find, that disappeared ten years ago.
Phillip agrees. And wouldn't you know it, he actually finds Ranessa.
What happens when he enters the tower is a long haul fight. Ranessa is just as determined to kill Phillip as he is her for all the damage their family has done to her and her kind. When they find themselves trapped together and unable to leave, an uneasy truce forms...and as they talk they start to understand each other. Something neither of them wanted.
Lots of mysteries are unraveled in the tower, and lots of danger approaches through misunderstanding and bad choices made with bad information.
I had a ball reading the story...but I did struggle with the weird romance. These two tried multiple times to for real kill each other. This was an enemies to lovers, yes, but holy smokes. That was pretty uncomfortable for me as they sorta flirted while trying to off each other. I just felt bemused at it until they finally stopped with the attempted murderizing.
Loved the plot and story though. Two thumbs up! I got surprised because I thought I knew where the author was going, but I was wrong, which tickled me to death. (I love being surprised) The way the two tales came together in the end was super satisfying too. And I was pleasantly surprised by King Phineas/Poseidon being a decent Dad. Not perfect, but he loves Phillip. Poseidon was...temperamental in the myths. I appreciated the difference. Zion/Zeus still makes me wanna throat punch him, which is Greek-accurate.
This creative series has me hooked. I'm already halfway through the next book even though I only finished this one yesterday. Love it when that happens!
October 27, 2023
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from mainly Ranessa & Phillip’s points of view, with a few (about 3) chapters from other characters’ points of view
– Ranessa can control snakes & considers them her friends/family (so we see a lot of snakes)
– there is some fantasy violence
Review:
I was curious how these two tales would be mixed together & how much of the tales would need to be nixed in favor of the other. From what I can tell, this actually has more of the Rapunzel tale than we usually see in retellings and having Rapunzel also be Medusa was such a great addition! I loved this enemies to more romance with a girl who could control/communicate with snakes and a prince who is powerless! Ranessa was such a great seemingly villianess who not only wanted justice for herself, but also for the other gorgons. I loved that that’s the part she turned back to most – the fact that she wanted other gorgons to be treated better. Phillip was also her perfect rival! I loved that though he was determined to make himself a hero, his perspective changed as she got to know Ranessa and what she believed the story of what happened to be. I loved that he took the time to find out the truth once he realized that it might not be what he thought. I am excited for the next Fairmyth book to release when it’s done in Kindle Vella!
Summary:
Ranessa had it all for a moment: a betrothal to the prince, recognition for the gorgon race, and a bright outlook for her life. But that all ended with a simple mistake. Now hiding from the people of Oceanic for a crime she didn’t commit, Ranessa bides her time at getting back at the royals who declared her a criminal just because she is a gorgon. She hides in her tower with only her sisters and her snakes as her companions, but even her sisters never stay for long before they have to venture out once more to find work. Luckily this works in her favor as Ranessa gathers her weapons and poisons she plans to use in order to find justice for the injustice against her. If only Ranessa could find a way into the castle that guards the judging royals within…
Prince Phillip was a rarity among the royals of Fairmyth because he was born mortal instead of as a divine one. He has no special powers that makes him unique or even powerful as a ruler for his people, which is why his father has been on the hunt for a powerful divine wife for him. Phillip feels like an unworthy ruler with all the reminders around him of his status. So when a chance to prove himself is presented, Phillip is eager to take it. If he can kill the snake wielding gorgon that he was once betrothed to, then he will have something that makes him finally feel worthy of his title…
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from mainly Ranessa & Phillip’s points of view, with a few (about 3) chapters from other characters’ points of view
– Ranessa can control snakes & considers them her friends/family (so we see a lot of snakes)
– there is some fantasy violence
Review:
I was curious how these two tales would be mixed together & how much of the tales would need to be nixed in favor of the other. From what I can tell, this actually has more of the Rapunzel tale than we usually see in retellings and having Rapunzel also be Medusa was such a great addition! I loved this enemies to more romance with a girl who could control/communicate with snakes and a prince who is powerless! Ranessa was such a great seemingly villianess who not only wanted justice for herself, but also for the other gorgons. I loved that that’s the part she turned back to most – the fact that she wanted other gorgons to be treated better. Phillip was also her perfect rival! I loved that though he was determined to make himself a hero, his perspective changed as she got to know Ranessa and what she believed the story of what happened to be. I loved that he took the time to find out the truth once he realized that it might not be what he thought. I am excited for the next Fairmyth book to release when it’s done in Kindle Vella!
Summary:
Ranessa had it all for a moment: a betrothal to the prince, recognition for the gorgon race, and a bright outlook for her life. But that all ended with a simple mistake. Now hiding from the people of Oceanic for a crime she didn’t commit, Ranessa bides her time at getting back at the royals who declared her a criminal just because she is a gorgon. She hides in her tower with only her sisters and her snakes as her companions, but even her sisters never stay for long before they have to venture out once more to find work. Luckily this works in her favor as Ranessa gathers her weapons and poisons she plans to use in order to find justice for the injustice against her. If only Ranessa could find a way into the castle that guards the judging royals within…
Prince Phillip was a rarity among the royals of Fairmyth because he was born mortal instead of as a divine one. He has no special powers that makes him unique or even powerful as a ruler for his people, which is why his father has been on the hunt for a powerful divine wife for him. Phillip feels like an unworthy ruler with all the reminders around him of his status. So when a chance to prove himself is presented, Phillip is eager to take it. If he can kill the snake wielding gorgon that he was once betrothed to, then he will have something that makes him finally feel worthy of his title…
November 29, 2023
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is book 2 in The Fairmyth Chronicles Series and can be read as a standalone. I haven't read book 1 in the series yet and didn't feel lost reading this one. The book's blurb lets you know what to expect, and do be aware that snakes appear throughout the entire story. The Serpent's Tower is told through Ranessa and Phillip's pov and is an excellent Medusa and Rapunzel retelling.
Because of what happened when she was a child and the fact that she's a gorgon, Ranessa has been forced to spend her life locked up in a tower. While she has two sisters, her snakes have been her constant companions. Her loneliness and the way that she's been treated has made her driven to get revenge on the royal family, who she holds responsible. When Phillip appears before her and she has her opportunities to take her revenge, she begins to wonder if she can actually carry out her plans. Since Ranessa had the villain title given to her, she chose to embrace itand I absolutely loved it. She was angry but, underneath that, she was hurt and wanted to be seen for who she really was and not for the assumptions made about her.
As crown prince, Phillip has expectations that he feels he must live up to. Being different from his family, he's never felt as if he's been enough and is waiting for the chance to prove himself. Growing up, he heard the stories about the gorgon causing problem for his kingdom so he doesn't hesitate to agree to get rid of her - even if he knows it will be a difficult task for him. When he discovers Ranessa, he starts to question if she's really the monster others have told him that she was. While Phillip was raised with certain truths, he was able to put them aside and come up with his own conclusions based on what he experienced for himself.
Since they were enemies, their romance was a slow burn but every moment was worth it. Their banter was fun to read and I loved seeing them try to best each other. I enjoyed the way that they came to realizations about each other and how they were similar in ways that they wouldn't have imagined. The romance is a clean one consisting of only kissing and foul language being used. Aside from the romance, I really liked Ranessa and her story. It was easy to feel for her and understand why she felt the need to do the things that she did,even if some readers would choose to take a different road than she did. I'm not sure how surprising the end is but it was satisfying. I loved this book and think that those who love a villain origin story will too.
Because of what happened when she was a child and the fact that she's a gorgon, Ranessa has been forced to spend her life locked up in a tower. While she has two sisters, her snakes have been her constant companions. Her loneliness and the way that she's been treated has made her driven to get revenge on the royal family, who she holds responsible. When Phillip appears before her and she has her opportunities to take her revenge, she begins to wonder if she can actually carry out her plans. Since Ranessa had the villain title given to her, she chose to embrace it
As crown prince, Phillip has expectations that he feels he must live up to. Being different from his family, he's never felt as if he's been enough and is waiting for the chance to prove himself. Growing up, he heard the stories about the gorgon causing problem for his kingdom so he doesn't hesitate to agree to get rid of her - even if he knows it will be a difficult task for him. When he discovers Ranessa, he starts to question if she's really the monster others have told him that she was. While Phillip was raised with certain truths, he was able to put them aside and come up with his own conclusions based on what he experienced for himself.
Since they were enemies, their romance was a slow burn but every moment was worth it. Their banter was fun to read and I loved seeing them try to best each other. I enjoyed the way that they came to realizations about each other and how they were similar in ways that they wouldn't have imagined. The romance is a clean one consisting of only kissing and foul language being used. Aside from the romance, I really liked Ranessa and her story. It was easy to feel for her and understand why she felt the need to do the things that she did,
August 1, 2026
The Enemies-to-Lovers and Banter are Top Notch
Combining Rapunzel with Medusa is so unique, and it works incredibly well! I fell in love with the characters and story. Ranessa and Phillip are so much fun together. They go from constantly trying to murder each other to gradually having feelings for one another. Their character development and relationship change happened naturally, and I couldn’t put the book down. The banter between them kept the tone lighter and ensured he was never a full-on red flag. Also, I don’t even like snakes much, but for Ranessa, they are the perfect pets, and she made me (almost) want to cuddle all of the snakes in this book. The book is clean in language and no spice (only kisses and hugs). Highly recommend!
Age Range: 14+
Genre: Fantasy romance
Language: None
Romance: Moderate. There are a couple kisses and hugs.
Violence: Moderate. Ranessa deals with poisons and venoms due to her snakes. She was cursed as a child. Her grudge against the king and prince lead to her plotting murder. There are fight scenes and murder attempts.
Mood: Moderate. Ranessa and Phillip start the book filled with bitterness and anger, but together, they find acceptance and healing. Their banter from the start help keep the mood from getting too heavy.
Worldbuilding: Solid. This book focuses on Oceanic. We learn about gorgons and their specific magic. The Serpent’s Tower also addresses prejudice and systemic discrimination. Ravenna’s tower in Oceanic is the setting for much of the book and is easy to visualize with the descriptions provided.
Combining Rapunzel with Medusa is so unique, and it works incredibly well! I fell in love with the characters and story. Ranessa and Phillip are so much fun together. They go from constantly trying to murder each other to gradually having feelings for one another. Their character development and relationship change happened naturally, and I couldn’t put the book down. The banter between them kept the tone lighter and ensured he was never a full-on red flag. Also, I don’t even like snakes much, but for Ranessa, they are the perfect pets, and she made me (almost) want to cuddle all of the snakes in this book. The book is clean in language and no spice (only kisses and hugs). Highly recommend!
Age Range: 14+
Genre: Fantasy romance
Language: None
Romance: Moderate. There are a couple kisses and hugs.
Violence: Moderate. Ranessa deals with poisons and venoms due to her snakes. She was cursed as a child. Her grudge against the king and prince lead to her plotting murder. There are fight scenes and murder attempts.
Mood: Moderate. Ranessa and Phillip start the book filled with bitterness and anger, but together, they find acceptance and healing. Their banter from the start help keep the mood from getting too heavy.
Worldbuilding: Solid. This book focuses on Oceanic. We learn about gorgons and their specific magic. The Serpent’s Tower also addresses prejudice and systemic discrimination. Ravenna’s tower in Oceanic is the setting for much of the book and is easy to visualize with the descriptions provided.
January 7, 2025
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧.
Ever been stuck in a tower with a massive load of snakes that you can control with your gorgon magic? Neither have I.
Follow-up question: have you ever desired to cuddle a snake? No? Agreed.
The angry, sweetie pie Ranessa has been living this very existence (except she loves to cuddle her snakes) since the day her life was ruined—the same day she was selected as Prince Phillip’s betrothed! The scandal! Now, 10 years later she hears the prince is betrothed once more, but he never broke off his betrothal to Ranessa! In quite a predicament: Prince Phillip wants to kill Ranessa & Ranessa wants to kill Prince Phillip and his father. It’s all a real rollercoaster from there. 🎢
This novel fed me the enemies-to-lovers trope on a silver platter, and I gobbled it up like a sweet-deprived child being handed a donut. 🍩 It was delicious. It was fairly predictable, but it was written so perfectly I didn’t care that the end didn’t leave my jaw unhinged on the floor—rather, it left my heart a little bigger, my eyes a little misty, and my mind at ease.
If it wasn’t obvious by the 5-star rating, I absolutely recommend this book. Abigail Manning is the queen of fairytale retellings, and I have yet to read a book by her that doesn’t hit the spot. She is a mastermind. ❤️
Ever been stuck in a tower with a massive load of snakes that you can control with your gorgon magic? Neither have I.
Follow-up question: have you ever desired to cuddle a snake? No? Agreed.
The angry, sweetie pie Ranessa has been living this very existence (except she loves to cuddle her snakes) since the day her life was ruined—the same day she was selected as Prince Phillip’s betrothed! The scandal! Now, 10 years later she hears the prince is betrothed once more, but he never broke off his betrothal to Ranessa! In quite a predicament: Prince Phillip wants to kill Ranessa & Ranessa wants to kill Prince Phillip and his father. It’s all a real rollercoaster from there. 🎢
This novel fed me the enemies-to-lovers trope on a silver platter, and I gobbled it up like a sweet-deprived child being handed a donut. 🍩 It was delicious. It was fairly predictable, but it was written so perfectly I didn’t care that the end didn’t leave my jaw unhinged on the floor—rather, it left my heart a little bigger, my eyes a little misty, and my mind at ease.
If it wasn’t obvious by the 5-star rating, I absolutely recommend this book. Abigail Manning is the queen of fairytale retellings, and I have yet to read a book by her that doesn’t hit the spot. She is a mastermind. ❤️
September 9, 2024
This book was amazing! I loved how Abigail Manning combined Rapunzel and Medusa to create such an intriguing book. I am sad that Ranessa's sisters never truly loved her and only saw her as a means to an end and they never even repented at the end. However, I loved how Abigail wrote the story with a partial-villain as the main character and I loved how Ranessa and Philip were forced to be trapped in the tower together. It was honestly so sweet how they tried to kill each other. I loved how they both learned to love each other and Philip had to learn how to let go of the stereotypes that he had been taught since childhood. Abigail Manning wrote such a wonderful story about inclusion and not discriminating against people who were different. I felt so sorry for Ranessa as she was forced to become the villain due to her circumstances. Overall, Abigail Manning wrote such a wonderful book that kept me turning the pages and I just couldn't put it down.
October 4, 2023
Captivating. The 2 main characters are stuck together in a tower, with both trying to kill each other. Ranessa has her snakes and was supposed to have married the prince, until she got accused of theft and had to run and hide. The prince wants to kill her so he can marry another. She wants to end him because of all she has had to go through. The dialog between these 2 for many chapters is worth the read, because her snakes "like to cuddle."
October 7, 2023
I don’t think I have ever read a story that nodded to Medusa, but this unique and beautiful take on the story warmed my heart. Both the main characters had to face their prejudice and preconceptions and learn to see each other’s beauty hidden underneath. The villains were cleverly sprung out at the last minute to complete this fantastic story … and of course I couldn’t be happier with the ending!
July 30, 2026
This was fun. This was a lot of fun. I liked it better than the previous book, I think. I really enjoyed their banter and the sword/dagger to throat enemy-ing, and I was so wildly happy when they were still enemies at 50%. I don't think I've read one like that anytime recently, if at all. Unfortunately I predicted all but one or two of the twists, but I still enjoyed it. I liked the snakes a lot, surprisingly more than I thought I would. They are all my children now.
September 27, 2026
This was such a fun and unique retelling of Rapunzel! It blended perfectly with the myth of Medusa! This was a great Enemies-to-Lovers romance where they were actually trying to kill each other. The story kept you guessing the whole time as you try to see how things could possibly work out. The romance was so swoony and the transition from Enemies-to-Lovers was done very smoothly. A perfect book if you love retellings with a twist and Enemies-to-Lovers romance!
July 11, 2025
This clean retelling of a mix of Medusa and Rapunzel was so cleverly done! I loved how each character was shown and how they developed through the story. The way the villains were defeated and the happy ending were extremely satisfying, and I laughed a few times at the absurd but cute snakes that were the perfect sidekicks!
July 25, 2026
Lovely Merging of Tales
I really enjoyed getting to spend more time in Fairmyth. Both of the main characters had their moments of idiocy, but also of significant growth and learning. I enjoyed being along for the journey, and my own competitive nature fully agrees with how their challenges with each other changed throughout the story.
I really enjoyed getting to spend more time in Fairmyth. Both of the main characters had their moments of idiocy, but also of significant growth and learning. I enjoyed being along for the journey, and my own competitive nature fully agrees with how their challenges with each other changed throughout the story.
November 4, 2023
I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I really loved this retelling of Medusa and Rapunzel! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I am looking really forward to reading the next book in this really wonderful series!
February 1, 2024
I had high hopes for this story because I enjoyed the first book in the series. The first half of the book dragged on and on. If you can get past that much, the second half was much more entertaining and fast-paced.
July 2, 2024
This book was a great mixed of Fairytale retelling and mythology reimagining! As someone who loves Greek mythology and the Fairytale Rapunzel I was so happy to see that there was one that mixed the two! I will definitely be looking into the other books in this series!
January 1, 2025
Despite the fact that I don't like snakes (and this book has a LOT of snakes), I ADORED this one! A Rapunzel retelling mixed with the Greek myth of Medusa. It was so gripping. I just couldn't put it down!
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June 29, 2025I got really close to finishing, but then lost interest. The story was fun and unique, but could maybe use a bit more polish. I will say that the author made snakes seem super cute, which is not how I usually view snakes..
May 23, 2026
A Wonderful Mashup
A perfect Mashup with a romance that keeps you on your toes. I love strong and sassy female leads!! I was so hooked I read the whole book in one sitting!!! Perfect short adventure between long reads.
A perfect Mashup with a romance that keeps you on your toes. I love strong and sassy female leads!! I was so hooked I read the whole book in one sitting!!! Perfect short adventure between long reads.
October 15, 2023
Take rapunzel fairytale, add a few pieces of Medusa, and you have a great read!
October 29, 2023
Cute story, but about 30% could have been cut out. The banter between the two main characters was very repetitive and I found myself skipping whole chapters due to this.
May 3, 2024
Sweet but predictable
Good book with a good plot. I could predict what was going to happen most of the time. When I couldn't, it made the sweet moments even sweeter
Good book with a good plot. I could predict what was going to happen most of the time. When I couldn't, it made the sweet moments even sweeter
June 24, 2024
Good book!
I enjoyed reading this book! The way it combines Rapunzel and Medusa story elements was very cleverly done! I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I enjoyed reading this book! The way it combines Rapunzel and Medusa story elements was very cleverly done! I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
September 9, 2025
Had me hooked!
I love a fairy tale retelling, and am so glad that "medusa" finally gets justice. These two are so sweet and the banter is just delicious!
I love a fairy tale retelling, and am so glad that "medusa" finally gets justice. These two are so sweet and the banter is just delicious!
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