Is The Serpent and the Wings of Night appropriate for high schoolers?

No. While it trends heavily among fantasy readers online, the book features graphic tournament violence, torture, and explicit open-door sexual scenes. It is written and marketed for adult readers.

How explicit is this book compared to standard YA fantasy?

It goes far beyond YA fantasy limits. Young adult fantasy typically caps intimacy at fade-to-black scenes or mild kissing; this book contains multiple detailed, open-door sex scenes.

What are the main content warnings parents should know about?

Beyond explicit intimacy, expect graphic physical violence, gore, torture, blood-drinking, heavy betrayal, and references to genocide.

Are there cleaner alternative fantasy books with a similar tournament vibe?

Yes. For readers looking for high-stakes competition without explicit content, titles like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir offer intense fantasy action formatted for young adult readers.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Serpent and the Wings of Night

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

bookFiction

42%

WISE Score

Vampire Hunger Games with graphic violence and explicit romance that belongs squarely on the adult shelf.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night

book

Fiction

42%

WISE Score

Vampire Hunger Games with graphic violence and explicit romance that belongs squarely on the adult shelf.

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Screenwise Verdict

If your teenager is asking about this book because they saw it trending on social media, know this: The Serpent and the Wings of Night is explicitly written and marketed for adults. Think The Hunger Games with vampires, but significantly bloodier and with explicit open-door intimacy.

While the story of human Oraya navigating a lethal tournament among vampires delivers strong pacing and genuinely interesting political dynamics, the graphic violence and explicit romance put it firmly on the top shelf for mature readers.

Age Fit

Strictly for readers 18 and up. This is New Adult fantasy romance with explicit open-door sex scenes, graphic violence, and dark themes like torture.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Features heavy themes of betrayal, lethal survival tournaments, brutal violence, and explicit romance, placing it far outside family-friendly territory.

Imaginative

Strong dark fantasy worldbuilding centering on vampire kingdoms, death gods, and high-stakes survival politics.

Safe

Contains graphic violence, gore, torture, dark themes, and explicit open-door sexual scenes. Inappropriate for children and younger teens.

Enriching

Offers engaging narrative drive and explores complex themes of trust and family loyalty, but functions primarily as adult entertainment.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely compelling worldbuilding that elevates the high-stakes tournament plot above typical romance tropes.
Complex character dynamics, particularly the tension between human protagonist Oraya and her adoptive vampire father.
High-pacing dark fantasy that keeps readers hooked through lethal twists and political intrigue.

⚠

What to Watch For

Explicit sexual content with multiple open-door, detailed intimacy scenes.
Graphic violence and gore, including torture, brutal tournament killings, and dark themes of genocide.

Conversation Starters

"What makes Oraya's relationship with Vincent so complicated when she's living among predators?"
"How does the pressure of physical survival change the way characters choose who to trust?"

Deep Dive

The Romantasy Wave Hits High Stakes

Carissa Broadbent's The Serpent and the Wings of Night sits right at the center of the modern romance-fantasy boom. It mixes a deadly survival tournament—the Kejari—with dark political intrigue and a slow-burn romance between human protagonist Oraya and her rival Raihn.

For adult readers who enjoy dark fantasy romance with heavy stakes and explicit romance, the book delivers. The tension is real, the worldbuilding holds together, and the father-daughter dynamic between Oraya and her adoptive vampire king father adds genuine emotional weight.

However, for parents trying to assess what their teens are picking up off online recommendation lists, the content markers are substantial. Between graphic tournament violence, torture, and explicit open-door intimacy scenes, this is not a YA fantasy crossover. Keep it strictly reserved for adult readers.

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