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ashton_reads_ 's review for:
The Serpent King
by Jeff Zentner
4.25/5 stars
"And if you’re going to live, you might as well do painful, brave, and beautiful things."
This book is one of those that breaks your heart a hundred times over, then somehow bandages it up every time. It’s one that aches, but between the cracks you see the beauty.
The Serpent King follows three friends - Dill, Lydia, and Travis - who live in a dirt-poor town in Tennessee, outcasts in their school. But they are all three very different. Dill: the son of the Serpent King, the minister of a church known for its dangerous snakehandling practices, and the man who was just recently put in jail for watching child pornography. Lydia: born into a rich family, with great fashion sense and a thriving blog to prove it - her ticket out of this small, suffocating town. And Travis: abused by his alcoholic father, seeking his escape through the lens of his favorite fantasy book series. As their senior year of high school begins to close and they start to look towards their futures, they all see something different, and their paths threaten to diverge. As they fight their own battles and lean on each other, they have to discover what to let go of, and what to hold on to.
This book is beautiful. I usually shy away from books that will make me sad - I prefer happy endings, you know? But because it was my book club’s pick for the month, I decided to try. About a fourth of it is all I read before the meeting date, to be honest, and it took me some time to pick it back up - like I said, I knew it would be sad.
But I’m so glad I did. Yes, there was uncontrollable sobbing. Yes, my heart broke so many times. Yes, I grieved for these kids, who believe so little of their own futures. But this isn’t just a sad story.
It’s a story of hope. It’s a story of moving on. It’s a story of relying on the people you trust when you’re afraid. It’s a story of loyalty to those who trust you, being the one who makes them promise to stay, even when they want to surrender. It’s a story of believing in yourself and your future, in the least cliche way. It’s a story of getting back up even if you can’t bear the thought of going on, of continuing to breathe.
As a rising senior in high school terrified of the prospect of the future, this book meant worlds to me. As a citizen of Tennessee, it gave me new eyes for my classmates. As a Christian, it gave me insight on views that exist so close and I didn’t even realize it, ones that disgust me and sadden me because they aren’t really the Gospel at all. But even more so, it impacted me as a human. It gave me a vision of what it means to be a friend, what it means to be fearless, and what it means to lose, live, and let go.
I truly cherish this book, y’all. It’s one that sticks with you forever ❤❤
If you enjoyed this review, you can follow me here on Goodreads and on Twitter/Instagram @ashton_reads. Love you guys!
"And if you’re going to live, you might as well do painful, brave, and beautiful things."
This book is one of those that breaks your heart a hundred times over, then somehow bandages it up every time. It’s one that aches, but between the cracks you see the beauty.
The Serpent King follows three friends - Dill, Lydia, and Travis - who live in a dirt-poor town in Tennessee, outcasts in their school. But they are all three very different. Dill: the son of the Serpent King, the minister of a church known for its dangerous snakehandling practices, and the man who was just recently put in jail for watching child pornography. Lydia: born into a rich family, with great fashion sense and a thriving blog to prove it - her ticket out of this small, suffocating town. And Travis: abused by his alcoholic father, seeking his escape through the lens of his favorite fantasy book series. As their senior year of high school begins to close and they start to look towards their futures, they all see something different, and their paths threaten to diverge. As they fight their own battles and lean on each other, they have to discover what to let go of, and what to hold on to.
This book is beautiful. I usually shy away from books that will make me sad - I prefer happy endings, you know? But because it was my book club’s pick for the month, I decided to try. About a fourth of it is all I read before the meeting date, to be honest, and it took me some time to pick it back up - like I said, I knew it would be sad.
But I’m so glad I did. Yes, there was uncontrollable sobbing. Yes, my heart broke so many times. Yes, I grieved for these kids, who believe so little of their own futures. But this isn’t just a sad story.
It’s a story of hope. It’s a story of moving on. It’s a story of relying on the people you trust when you’re afraid. It’s a story of loyalty to those who trust you, being the one who makes them promise to stay, even when they want to surrender. It’s a story of believing in yourself and your future, in the least cliche way. It’s a story of getting back up even if you can’t bear the thought of going on, of continuing to breathe.
As a rising senior in high school terrified of the prospect of the future, this book meant worlds to me. As a citizen of Tennessee, it gave me new eyes for my classmates. As a Christian, it gave me insight on views that exist so close and I didn’t even realize it, ones that disgust me and sadden me because they aren’t really the Gospel at all. But even more so, it impacted me as a human. It gave me a vision of what it means to be a friend, what it means to be fearless, and what it means to lose, live, and let go.
I truly cherish this book, y’all. It’s one that sticks with you forever ❤❤
If you enjoyed this review, you can follow me here on Goodreads and on Twitter/Instagram @ashton_reads. Love you guys!