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A review by katykelly
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
4.0
4.5 stars
A moving and deep tale of final-year high school students, a threesome you grow to care for.
It's a setting that feels alien to me - a small Southern town, very religious, the student who is in any way 'different' taunted and ridiculed. But that's the home of Dill, Lydia and Travis. Dill lives in poverty with his mother, after his preacher father (one who used the serpents of the title in his work) is jailed for crimes his mother blames him for. Travis has lost a treasured older brother, his drunkard father comparing them regularly, mocking the fantasy books and world Travis wraos himself up in to escape. And Lydia pushes both of them to get away, apply to college as she has done, using her fashion blog as a way to better her own future. One which Dill sees will not have him in it.
In the midst of their close friendship, they face the usual school bullies, each has family issues, they must make it through their final year of high school - and will it be their last together?
I felt the storyline snaking round to Dill's father and the 'serpents' didn't add much to the plot, the story of the three's friendship and concerns for the future was enough to make this an interesting YA novel. The plot of Dill's dad didn't really come off either for me, it petered out and the metaphor didn't seem to go anywhere.
Just loved Lydia of course, she has the best lines. Travis grew on me, his plot takes off late in the day, and Dill's is rather heart-breaking, scenes with his religious mother frustrating. The friendship between the three adolescents is moving and feels true, with hidden feelings bubbling away.
I unexpectedly had my heart broken somewhat by this book, Zentner rips the rug out from under you and reminds you just how unfair life can be sometimes. And how we have to move on despite these setbacks. He writes the last pages well, it had me in tears.
Definitely a good one to recommend to teenagers. For a UK-born reader, the setting is different, the mindset of the characters something I am not used to, the story one about growing up and moving on one that every teenager needs to get to grips with.
A moving and deep tale of final-year high school students, a threesome you grow to care for.
It's a setting that feels alien to me - a small Southern town, very religious, the student who is in any way 'different' taunted and ridiculed. But that's the home of Dill, Lydia and Travis. Dill lives in poverty with his mother, after his preacher father (one who used the serpents of the title in his work) is jailed for crimes his mother blames him for. Travis has lost a treasured older brother, his drunkard father comparing them regularly, mocking the fantasy books and world Travis wraos himself up in to escape. And Lydia pushes both of them to get away, apply to college as she has done, using her fashion blog as a way to better her own future. One which Dill sees will not have him in it.
In the midst of their close friendship, they face the usual school bullies, each has family issues, they must make it through their final year of high school - and will it be their last together?
I felt the storyline snaking round to Dill's father and the 'serpents' didn't add much to the plot, the story of the three's friendship and concerns for the future was enough to make this an interesting YA novel. The plot of Dill's dad didn't really come off either for me, it petered out and the metaphor didn't seem to go anywhere.
Just loved Lydia of course, she has the best lines. Travis grew on me, his plot takes off late in the day, and Dill's is rather heart-breaking, scenes with his religious mother frustrating. The friendship between the three adolescents is moving and feels true, with hidden feelings bubbling away.
I unexpectedly had my heart broken somewhat by this book, Zentner rips the rug out from under you and reminds you just how unfair life can be sometimes. And how we have to move on despite these setbacks. He writes the last pages well, it had me in tears.
Definitely a good one to recommend to teenagers. For a UK-born reader, the setting is different, the mindset of the characters something I am not used to, the story one about growing up and moving on one that every teenager needs to get to grips with.