The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
March 2018
One of my sisters recommended this book and I almost always take recommendations, especially if I am in between books and looking for something to read. First, let me say that I know going in that this was a young adult novel so I had certain expectations regarding how well written it would be and how much appeal it would have for me as an avid adult reader. Perhaps unfair, but my experience with "young adult" fiction is its better to set your sights low and hope that it works out better than expected. With that as a framework, the book met expectations. I found the story predictable and the characters a little over wrought. Bullying is a central theme and I found the way it was depicted irritating. In my experience bullying is not as "in your face" as this author made it. Especially in today's world of electronic and social media, kids just don't have to be mean in person and I think that they actually avoid being so. But I was never bullied as a kid and I am also not the most observant of individuals so who knows, maybe it was all around me and I was just oblivious. I hate the cliche "bad kid/bully" and this book played right directly into that. For a kid that was a victim, though, I think they may feel some affinity for these characters and these situations and they may find the parallels to their lives, and the "happy ending", as something to aspire to. So maybe there is a place for this type of fiction in the world. Just not really in my particular library.
Rating: 7- Eh.
My teenage self years (and years and years) ago: probably would have been a 5, Good Enough.
March 2018
One of my sisters recommended this book and I almost always take recommendations, especially if I am in between books and looking for something to read. First, let me say that I know going in that this was a young adult novel so I had certain expectations regarding how well written it would be and how much appeal it would have for me as an avid adult reader. Perhaps unfair, but my experience with "young adult" fiction is its better to set your sights low and hope that it works out better than expected. With that as a framework, the book met expectations. I found the story predictable and the characters a little over wrought. Bullying is a central theme and I found the way it was depicted irritating. In my experience bullying is not as "in your face" as this author made it. Especially in today's world of electronic and social media, kids just don't have to be mean in person and I think that they actually avoid being so. But I was never bullied as a kid and I am also not the most observant of individuals so who knows, maybe it was all around me and I was just oblivious. I hate the cliche "bad kid/bully" and this book played right directly into that. For a kid that was a victim, though, I think they may feel some affinity for these characters and these situations and they may find the parallels to their lives, and the "happy ending", as something to aspire to. So maybe there is a place for this type of fiction in the world. Just not really in my particular library.
Rating: 7- Eh.
My teenage self years (and years and years) ago: probably would have been a 5, Good Enough.
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