Scan barcode
emilybryk's review against another edition
2.0
damn, this wants to be [b:Finn A Novel|102077|Finn A Novel|Jon Clinch|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171484398s/102077.jpg|2667456].
the tone is a solid effort, though it heads more towards "repetitive" than the hoped-for elegiac. the real problem I have is with the individual characters' voices. they spend a lot of time using words they have no way of knowing, and it pulls me out of the story something awful. the details shift, as well -- a room towards the end of the novel is too tall for characters to stand straight up, but not too tall for a hanging?
would have benefited from a heavier-handed editing.
the tone is a solid effort, though it heads more towards "repetitive" than the hoped-for elegiac. the real problem I have is with the individual characters' voices. they spend a lot of time using words they have no way of knowing, and it pulls me out of the story something awful. the details shift, as well -- a room towards the end of the novel is too tall for characters to stand straight up, but not too tall for a hanging?
would have benefited from a heavier-handed editing.
rbriese7's review
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
mslaura's review
5.0
Loved it, loved it, loved it. This novel has a superb sense of atmosphere and the author demonstrates a wonderful talent for creating rich visuals. Perhaps this talent derives from his experience in digital media, but wherever it comes from, his vivid descriptions of the sights, smells and sounds of each and every setting brought the story to life for me. In addition to the wonderful descriptive language, this book contains a compelling plot and sympathetic characters, a truly winning combination. I just loved it.
hjem's review against another edition
4.0
i really enjoyed this book. i loved the author's style and i loved his description of spirituality. snake handling is not your run of the mill spiritual practice, so i wouldn't be surprised to find out some people aren't able to get past that aspect of it.
craigwallwork's review
5.0
Outstanding story of a boy born deformed and gifted. Set against a backdrop of deep religious superstition and traditions that channel the spirit of God into men, The Serpent Box is profound in design proving that Carrella is a storyteller who has the skill to render you awestruck with his command of the world he transcribes. Such a compelling and detailed novel that sucked me into that world from the first page. Being British, stories of preachers, serpents and lye are beyond my comprehension but Carrella's gift in crafting the vernacular and illustrating the subtleties of Appalachian heritage propels him high above his contemporaries, in my opinion. Recommended.
More...