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karen_hallam's review
5.0
What a discovery! Such a gorgeously written tale inspired by Chinese Mythology. I loved Cindy Pon's vivid, textured, and multilayered word building. I often felt I was right there in the scene, eating the delicious exotic meals and drinking tea, in a meditation. Only to be swooped into the Fantasy of Skybright, the sixteen-year-old handmaiden to a wealthy family, who discovers her true nature, and what she really is, but she can't let anyone know. Until she meets, a mysterious monk-boy who learns of her true nature and fights for her.
Skybright is a strong character, and her devotion and deep love for her mistress, Zhen Ni, is heartwarming, their friendship more as sisters. I loved this book! So rich in detail and character--and then there's the high fantasy! Such a well developed and fantastic world. I cannot wait to read more from Cindy Pon.
Skybright is a strong character, and her devotion and deep love for her mistress, Zhen Ni, is heartwarming, their friendship more as sisters. I loved this book! So rich in detail and character--and then there's the high fantasy! Such a well developed and fantastic world. I cannot wait to read more from Cindy Pon.
tinynavajo's review
4.0
A good start
I liked this as a way to tell of lengends, love, and sacrifice. These are all things that we have to learn as we grow in life, and sometimes it's late when we learn the lesson. But Serpentine shows that sometimes time is what we need.
I liked this as a way to tell of lengends, love, and sacrifice. These are all things that we have to learn as we grow in life, and sometimes it's late when we learn the lesson. But Serpentine shows that sometimes time is what we need.
billblume's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed this novel a lot. Serpentine takes the reader on a journey into Chinese mythology as Skybright discovers her place in it, but the real story focuses on how her relationship with her best friend Zhen Ni changes as they enter adulthood (which includes plenty of self-discovery for both) and they each find love. This novel turned out a bit racier than I expected, but none of it is gratuitous. There's a sequel, but this book stands on its own well.
golden_lily's review against another edition
Dnf at 70%. I'm so mindnumbingly bored. Characters are cardboard and the romance is a fucking joke.
annaptobias's review
2.0
I genuinely thought this was a standalone...? I adore Cindy Pon's writing, and I don't even mind the extraneous descriptions of the furniture and the trees that other reviewers have noted. While I do love her worldbuilding and use of folklore/mythology, I found the primary characters sort of dull. I cared more for the secondary pairing since their relationship seemed built on a longer "getting-to-know you" period as opposed to the insta-love of the main couple.
kiperoo's review against another edition
4.0
Such a lovely, rich story! I was swept away by the details, both in Skybright's real world and fantasy world. Also, the food! Still hungry for cabbage buns even now. I really liked how the romance with Kai Sen developed slowly a side plot and not the main plot, because what really made this book was Sky's deep friendship with her mistress, Zhen Ni. I will definitely read the next book!
roseybot's review against another edition
4.0
FINALLY I have finished this book. It only took me thee months. The problem wasn't the book itself, but more that I needed to read a bunch of things in between.
Interesting world, definitely awesome to be in a non-European fantasy setting. I was intrigued by the world building, and what was going on with Skybright. I loved the sister relationship, and the fact that female relationships were extremely important in this book.
I'm still... confused by the ending. But it's the first book, so it could be expected.
3.5 stars.
Interesting world, definitely awesome to be in a non-European fantasy setting. I was intrigued by the world building, and what was going on with Skybright. I loved the sister relationship, and the fact that female relationships were extremely important in this book.
I'm still... confused by the ending. But it's the first book, so it could be expected.
3.5 stars.
geldauran's review against another edition
3.0
Cool idea, but this book is just totally lacking in all tension.
finalefile's review against another edition
3.0
I finally finished this! It took long enough...the book takes a while to get going and it just didn't grab my attention enough to put a lot of effort into it.
The blurb on the cover really doesn't tell you much at all. Ghosts! Demons! Zombies! Battles between mortals and immortals! That's what this book is really about, and those are subjects I don't particularly like to read about. I don't know what I was expecting... but not that. I was hoping for a relatively happy book, but this was pretty dark. However, I did like the characters and the worldbuilding, and the shapeshifting theme was fun to explore.
I want to know what happens next but I don't feel like reading the entire next book, so I'll just look for a synopsis somewhere.
The blurb on the cover really doesn't tell you much at all. Ghosts! Demons! Zombies! Battles between mortals and immortals! That's what this book is really about, and those are subjects I don't particularly like to read about. I don't know what I was expecting... but not that. I was hoping for a relatively happy book, but this was pretty dark. However, I did like the characters and the worldbuilding, and the shapeshifting theme was fun to explore.
I want to know what happens next but I don't feel like reading the entire next book, so I'll just look for a synopsis somewhere.
lady_mel's review against another edition
4.0
This is a coming of age story, with a twist. Skybright is an orphan raised as a handmaid to the youngest daughter of a wealthy family. The girls were grew up together, and were as close as sisters.
At the age of 16, Skybright discovers a secret about herself, and it changes her life forever.
At the age of 16, Skybright discovers a secret about herself, and it changes her life forever.