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Serpentine, by Cindy Pon
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Inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology, this sweeping fantasy is set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns 16, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell. When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.
- Sales Rank: #1013195 in Books
- Published on: 2015-09-08
- Released on: 2015-09-08
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.50" h x .80" w x 5.50" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 300 pages
From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—Skybright never knew her parents. She was raised by an affluent Chinese family who took her into their home to be a handmaid to their daughter, Zhen Ni. The two grew up as close as sisters, best friends and confidants who shared everything. Skybright loves her mistress, but as both girls grow up, changes start to occur. While Zhen Ni finds love in a new friendship, Skybright discovers a new side of herself, one filled with darkness. She fights to balance her duties, the love she has for another, and this evil within herself. Skybright struggles to maintain her true self, as well as to hide what she is becoming from her closest friend. The teen doesn't know who she is anymore. Is she a servant, a friend, a lover, or a demon? Could she be all of these things, or must she choose one? This coming-of-age story takes readers on a fantastical journey through friendship and Chinese mythology. YA fans will love Pon's storytelling ability and the immersion into a world filled with love, danger, and fantasy. VERDICT Readers will be begging for a sequel to find out what happens to these intriguing characters.—Jessica Strefling, US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Library (starred review)
Review
"This fast-paced fantasy adventure is set in an ancient China of folklore, the same land as Pon’s previous books. Pon’s descriptive writing conjures precise images, as in when describing Skybright’s transformation from human to serpent: “Smooth scales rippled over her human flesh, like dragonfly wings fluttering their way from her feet to cover her abdomen.”At its core, the novel is about friendship, loyalty, and self-acceptance, with characters as delightfully real as any in the realm of young adult literature." —Diane Colson, VOYA Magazine (starred review)
“The economical narrative conjures an entire world, drenched in color and texture and scent, rich in evocative mythology and heady action, and filled with vivid characters . . . A fast-paced and engrossing read for anyone weary of the same old hackneyed storylines.”� —Kirkus Reviews
"Serpentine's world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you'll want to lose yourself in."� —Marie Lu, author, Prodigy
“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over--I highly recommend Serpentine.”�� —Cinda Williams Chima, author, The Warrior Heir
"Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright's transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.”� — Kristin Cashore, author, Bitterblue
“YA fans will love Pon's storytelling ability and the immersion into a world filled with love, danger, and fantasy. Readers will be begging for a sequel to find out what happens to these intriguing characters.”� —School Library Journal (starred review)
About the Author
Cindy Pon is a writer and a longtime student of Chinese brush painting. She is the author of Fury and the Phoenix and Silver Phoenix, which was named one of Booklist’s Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth, and one of 2009's best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. She lives in Southern California.
Most helpful customer reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Strong on setting but characters and relationships fell flat.
By Stephanie A.
I was excited to read SERPENTINE because of the setting, which is based in large part on China. I wasn’t disappointed in this respect, but the setting was the only part of the book I was really able to get into.
From the beginning, we’re immersed in the setting. I loved how well the details came to life all throughout the story, and it was nice to read a fantasy novel that wasn’t based on Europe. It also made me want to learn more about Chinese history, which isn’t something I’m as familiar with.
I wasn’t into the characters at all. I realize that, as a handmaiden, Skybright is expected to fade into the background so as not to overshadow her mistress. But we spend the whole book in her head, so I was hoping there’d be more going on with her. For me, there wasn’t. She spends the whole book centered on the people around her – first her mistress, Zhen Ni, and then the boy she falls in love with, Kai – and we don’t really get to know who Skybright really is. While that isn’t necessarily unrealistic, it didn’t make for the most interesting narration.
Also, the romance between Skybright and Kai fell flat for me, in large part because of my aforementioned issues with Skybright. The romance felt really underdeveloped for this reason. We also don’t get to know Kai very well; all I got was that he trains with the monks and that he’s fascinated by Skybright, so I couldn’t get into his character, either.
The subplot with Zhen Ni was interesting, though. I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t give specifics, but I’ll say that it was explored very well through Skybright’s eyes.
I think people who prefer quieter heroines will probably have more luck with this one than I did.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Features a fantastic friendship
By Zoey Talbon
Reviewing Serpentine is hard because I didn't have particularly strong feelings about it in either direction. In the beginning, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing but wasn't totally invested in the story. And that's pretty much how it went the entire way. The story definitely did get more intriguing, but it didn't feel as if it had enough intricate and fleshed-out details to seem believable, and so instead I found myself rolling my eyes sometimes.
Still, the mythology of Serpentine is something I haven't seen a ton of before, which was refreshing. I felt so immersed in the setting and could picture it so easily. The dark forests, the huge manor, the monks right next door. I know I already used the word refreshing, but it applies here as well.
Another good thing that Serpentine does? It tells its tale through the handmaiden rather than the privileged girl who owns the handmaiden. It's obviously not the first book to do so, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a nice break from the upper class. However, Skybright and her mistress, Zhen Ni, are practically sisters. They've known each other since they were babies, grown up together. But there's still a pretty big divide, if you ask me. Zhen Ni is still a mistress. Skybright can never herself marry or have children, and sometimes I feel like the book didn't really make a big enough deal of that. Now, those are things that I don't personally want, but the thing is that I have that choice. I have an option to want it, to do it someday. Skybright never has.
Nevertheless, Skybright and Zhen Ni have quite a strong connection. Until, of course, they both start keeping their own secrets from each other. You just know that's not going to end well.
As characters, I didn't find either of them particularly interesting. Maybe it's because I couldn't connect to them, I don't know. But not a single one of the characters in Serpentine was particularly remarkable to me. I didn't hate them, no. Skybright's love for Zhen Ni and her strength as she dealt with her own changes were important, sure. But beyond that I just . . . didn't care much, I guess. I was intrigued to find out what was going on with Skybright, where the story would go. But that wasn't really about her.
The romance is probably where I have the strongest feelings, because it was just so unbelievable to me. It happened too fast and I didn't feel a genuine connection. I rolled my eyes. Quite a bit. They meet and talk a handful of times throughout the entire novel. In the beginning, Skybright sees Kai Sen for the first time from very far away and she suddenly can't stop thinking about him. Which kind of set the tone for the entire romance. And, of course, a third party sort of enters the picture and I just. WHY. NO THANKS.
Of course, Serpentine also features a f/f relationship. YAY! FINALLY! I feel as if we didn't see enough of one of the characters involved, but it was still something nice to see, and it actually does play a part. (AKA it doesn't feel as if it was just thrown in to check off a box.) It's so unfamiliar to many of the characters in the book, unacceptable to some. It was a little heartbreaking to see the damage that simple love between two people could cause.
Plotwise and in terms of what's happening to Skybright, it had its weak moments and its stronger moments. The stronger moments were definitely at the end where there were a few plot twists.
tl;dr: Serpentine brings a lot of fresh stuff to the table - new mythology, a great setting, a f/f relationship. It features a strong female friendship. But for me, there's a bit of an execution problem. It was hard for me to stay interested and the romance between Skybright and Kai Sen wasn't believable. Still, I enjoyed the writing for the most part and did find a lot of stuff refreshing. Will I be reading the sequel? Probably not. But I do think Serpentine deserves 3 stars.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
A wonderful YA read for all ages
By Deborah
The enchantment of Serpentine is not just the shape-changers and demons that inhabit Pon's world, but her ability to transport people of all ages into a YA (young adult) world with such compelling characters and plot that I found this as difficult to put down as any suspenseful adult novel.
Skybright is a teenage handmaiden to a privileged girl, Zhen Ni, enjoying a sheltered existence in a comfortable home. Skybright, an orphan, has been raised alongside Zhen Ni since birth but, despite the closeness between the two girls, immutable cultural distinctions eventually create a barrier between mistress and servant. At sixteen, the dramatic changes that occur to Skybright’s body make her question her sanity and force her to keep secrets from Zhen Ni and the rest of the household. Her choices plunge her into an unimaginable world of magical creatures, leading to a dangerous quest that has consequences not just for herself but for all those she cares about.
I loved the pace of this book, its characters and the world that the author created, richly textured with deft brushstrokes, defined and real but with enough restraint to allow the reader’s imagination to fill the spaces. I cannot wait for a sequel.
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