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eliza_book_'s review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
# ⛰ What It's About
This short story is about an immortal little gold snake who finds humans rather curious. He follows the life of a little girl through a peaceful time and then into what I think is a fantasy depiction of WWII. It is not very plot based and is mainly philosophical about the times and trials of life and all the horrors and beauties of humans and the lives we lead.
# 🔍 How I Discovered It
- I was browsing on my local library audiobook app and I saw this short story with beautiful cover art and thought I’d try something different.
# 🧠 Thoughts
- I loved this book so much! The writing style was entertaining and the humour and overall vibes of the book were really enjoyable and nostalgic. Looking through the eyes of a magical snake and a little girl as they see the world so simply and purely, even through the confronting themes mentioned.
## What I Liked About It
- The writing style was my favourite part of this book, it was very child-like and matter-of-fact. The repetition of language was impactful and masterfully done. It almost felt poetic in a way.
- I listened to the audiobook and I loved the author’s voice and vocal expressions, she has a beautiful accent that really added to the story.
- I loved the sense f humour and the wittiness of the writing style
- I liked how themes of the story such as war, death, human nature, love, and children, were all explored very respectfully and in a way that incorporated humour.
## What I Didn't Like About It
- There wasn’t anything I disliked about this book but I would’ve maybe preferred a little more plot, as the story is mainly philosophical and doesn’t have a plot. Maybe a small integrated plot could have added to the story but this is a preference and I loved the book the way it is.
# 🥰 Who Would Like It?
- Anyone who loves witty writing & humour done very well with elements of serious themes
- Anyone who likes shorter stories with beautiful meanings
- Anyone who like fable-like stories with loveable characters
# 📚 Related Books
- I did get a little of Anne of Green Gables vibes but this book was much more witty than AOGG.
This short story is about an immortal little gold snake who finds humans rather curious. He follows the life of a little girl through a peaceful time and then into what I think is a fantasy depiction of WWII. It is not very plot based and is mainly philosophical about the times and trials of life and all the horrors and beauties of humans and the lives we lead.
# 🔍 How I Discovered It
- I was browsing on my local library audiobook app and I saw this short story with beautiful cover art and thought I’d try something different.
# 🧠 Thoughts
- I loved this book so much! The writing style was entertaining and the humour and overall vibes of the book were really enjoyable and nostalgic. Looking through the eyes of a magical snake and a little girl as they see the world so simply and purely, even through the confronting themes mentioned.
## What I Liked About It
- The writing style was my favourite part of this book, it was very child-like and matter-of-fact. The repetition of language was impactful and masterfully done. It almost felt poetic in a way.
- I listened to the audiobook and I loved the author’s voice and vocal expressions, she has a beautiful accent that really added to the story.
- I loved the sense f humour and the wittiness of the writing style
- I liked how themes of the story such as war, death, human nature, love, and children, were all explored very respectfully and in a way that incorporated humour.
## What I Didn't Like About It
- There wasn’t anything I disliked about this book but I would’ve maybe preferred a little more plot, as the story is mainly philosophical and doesn’t have a plot. Maybe a small integrated plot could have added to the story but this is a preference and I loved the book the way it is.
# 🥰 Who Would Like It?
- Anyone who loves witty writing & humour done very well with elements of serious themes
- Anyone who likes shorter stories with beautiful meanings
- Anyone who like fable-like stories with loveable characters
# 📚 Related Books
- I did get a little of Anne of Green Gables vibes but this book was much more witty than AOGG.
milesjmoran's review against another edition
5.0
When someone pointed this out to me, I was intrigued--but the moment they mentioned it was about the snake from The Little Prince, I needed it. I started this on Christmas Eve, and I've slowly digested it over the last few days as it's such a wonderful little book that I sorely needed. Kennedy could have easily dissolved into mimicking Antoine de Saint-Exupery, jarring her readers by digging them in the ribs with her elbow to raise her eyebrows and wink ("See, see what I did there?") but she didn't. This is a love letter to The Little Prince...without a doubt, yet it is also a beautiful piece all of its own. The writing is gorgeous; delicate, witty, touching all at once, and the characters and story are precious, making it a delightful albeit heartbreaking reading experience. I loved this book and it will be one I revisit when I need it most.
page100's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
davianareads's review against another edition
5.0
I nearly cried several times while reading this book. Kennedy somehow captures a child’s spirit in Mary, and offers an outside perspective to everyday pieces of society. Kennedy has a gift.
ruthjay's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved it. Struggled to put it down and do normal life. I would encourage anyone to read it and will take great pleasure in reading it to my son when he is a little older. War, death, life, love, friendship...wonderful little book.
georginaflor's review against another edition
4.0
✨4 stars✨
This little book was recommended to me by a friend months ago but for some reason I didn’t pick it up until now. The emphasis on love, loss, and war is so beautifully and succinctly conveyed and I finished the book in one sitting.
This story acknowledges the deep and innate sadness that is inextricably attached to love, as one cannot exist without the other, and my heart got a little heavier with every meeting of Mary and Lanmo. It may only be 130 or so pages long but watching him learn to love and look after Mary as she grows up was really emotional and so well written. The ending is bittersweet, and I really felt it in my bones; this book handles heavy topics and yet does so softly, brilliantly, raising ideas and simply letting them hang for you to consider more on your own. Lanmo’s outlook on death becomes more complex as the story progresses, as does his view of humans, and it is in this way that the ideas are presented to us as readers, and I think this is genius.
Life is complicated and hard and wonderful and happy and sad and scary and fun and bright and dark and tiring and warm and lovely and this book perfectly encapsulates all of that. It packs a lot of meaningful moments into very few pages, and I am sincerely glad that I finally picked it up and read it.
This little book was recommended to me by a friend months ago but for some reason I didn’t pick it up until now. The emphasis on love, loss, and war is so beautifully and succinctly conveyed and I finished the book in one sitting.
This story acknowledges the deep and innate sadness that is inextricably attached to love, as one cannot exist without the other, and my heart got a little heavier with every meeting of Mary and Lanmo. It may only be 130 or so pages long but watching him learn to love and look after Mary as she grows up was really emotional and so well written. The ending is bittersweet, and I really felt it in my bones; this book handles heavy topics and yet does so softly, brilliantly, raising ideas and simply letting them hang for you to consider more on your own. Lanmo’s outlook on death becomes more complex as the story progresses, as does his view of humans, and it is in this way that the ideas are presented to us as readers, and I think this is genius.
Life is complicated and hard and wonderful and happy and sad and scary and fun and bright and dark and tiring and warm and lovely and this book perfectly encapsulates all of that. It packs a lot of meaningful moments into very few pages, and I am sincerely glad that I finally picked it up and read it.
delff17's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars. This is beautifully enchanting tale that even in my now 17 years of teenage destruction has found it like a hug and kiss in form of a book.
The only way to describe it is comparing to the feeling when I watch Studio Ghibili movies. The books is so simple but so complex that at all ages it will touch your heart.
I will leave this three highlights yo prepare for your heart to swell:
“You are the night with sunshine
You are the ocean with no shore
You are the bird that sings wine
You are the lion with no claw.
And be my honour and be mine
And be my glory and be mine
And be my living and be mine
My friend, my love, be mine.”
Excerpt From
The Little Snake
A.L. Kennedy
“They should fly kites, he thought. They should play with cats and eat ice cream and bake bread and dance with each other and sing and they should marry each other and perhaps make intelligent children who understand things, or adopt children who are orphans and have nobody for them in the world.”
Excerpt From
The Little Snake
A.L. Kennedy
“two humans devoting themselves to each other in joy and tenderness. As the days to come descended, it was something to remember. When matters became grey, or hard, or uncertain there would often be a face in this or that crowd which was smiling slightly, thinking of the girl and her boy and their dancing and the light caught in their hair.”
Excerpt From
The Little Snake
A.L. Kennedy
The only way to describe it is comparing to the feeling when I watch Studio Ghibili movies. The books is so simple but so complex that at all ages it will touch your heart.
I will leave this three highlights yo prepare for your heart to swell:
“You are the night with sunshine
You are the ocean with no shore
You are the bird that sings wine
You are the lion with no claw.
And be my honour and be mine
And be my glory and be mine
And be my living and be mine
My friend, my love, be mine.”
Excerpt From
The Little Snake
A.L. Kennedy
“They should fly kites, he thought. They should play with cats and eat ice cream and bake bread and dance with each other and sing and they should marry each other and perhaps make intelligent children who understand things, or adopt children who are orphans and have nobody for them in the world.”
Excerpt From
The Little Snake
A.L. Kennedy
“two humans devoting themselves to each other in joy and tenderness. As the days to come descended, it was something to remember. When matters became grey, or hard, or uncertain there would often be a face in this or that crowd which was smiling slightly, thinking of the girl and her boy and their dancing and the light caught in their hair.”
Excerpt From
The Little Snake
A.L. Kennedy