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A review by rorikae
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
'A Snake Falls to Earth' by Darcie Little Badger is a heartfelt story about a Lipan Apache girl and a Cottonmouth boy whose paths cross after a disaster on Earth brings tragedy to the Cottonmouth boy's world.
Nina has been listening to her grandmother's stories for years, hoping to one day encounter the animal people that populate her family tales. Oli, a cottonmouth boy, enjoys making new friends and adventuring through his world. But one day, one of his friends becomes sick and it appears that the only way to save him is to travel to Earth to save his species. But Earth has creatures that are out to get those from Oli's world and when he encounters Nina, he brings her into a wider plot that could impact them both.
Darcie Little Badger hits it out of the park with her sophomore novel. Just like with her debut, Elatsoe, this novel has so much heart and touts the importance of family and community. Oli's relationship with his friends was one of my favorite parts of this story. There is such clear care for one another and they go out of their way to support each other.
The story structure works incredibly well. By shifting between the two narratives and providing some of each character's every day life, we come to care deeply for Nina and Oli before they ever meet. This was aided by two great voice acting performances in the audiobook.
Darcie Little Badger is an auto-read author for me and this cemented that. If you enjoyed Elatsoe, you need to read this book and if you haven't had the opportunity to read her work yet, 'A Snake Falls to Earth' is a great introduction to the heart, great characters, and engaging plot that fill her worlds.
Nina has been listening to her grandmother's stories for years, hoping to one day encounter the animal people that populate her family tales. Oli, a cottonmouth boy, enjoys making new friends and adventuring through his world. But one day, one of his friends becomes sick and it appears that the only way to save him is to travel to Earth to save his species. But Earth has creatures that are out to get those from Oli's world and when he encounters Nina, he brings her into a wider plot that could impact them both.
Darcie Little Badger hits it out of the park with her sophomore novel. Just like with her debut, Elatsoe, this novel has so much heart and touts the importance of family and community. Oli's relationship with his friends was one of my favorite parts of this story. There is such clear care for one another and they go out of their way to support each other.
The story structure works incredibly well. By shifting between the two narratives and providing some of each character's every day life, we come to care deeply for Nina and Oli before they ever meet. This was aided by two great voice acting performances in the audiobook.
Darcie Little Badger is an auto-read author for me and this cemented that. If you enjoyed Elatsoe, you need to read this book and if you haven't had the opportunity to read her work yet, 'A Snake Falls to Earth' is a great introduction to the heart, great characters, and engaging plot that fill her worlds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty