A Snake Falls to Earth is a magical tale of friendship and found family, told through the lens of traditional Lipan Apache storytelling. One strength of the novel is the mixture of characters of different ages and backgrounds, all of whom are respectful of each other, unlike too much young adult fiction where the generations are disconnected. |
The story is told through alternating viewpoints of Nina and Oli. Nina, a young girl of Lipan heritage, is trying to translate her great-great-grandmother’s final story. Oli, a cottonmouth kid from the land of spirits and monsters, is trying to survive without family or friends.
All of the characters (with the exception of the antagonists) are delightful people to spend time with. There are plenty of dangers and surprises to keep the pages turning, and enough magic to provide an otherworldly experience.
There were a couple of places I had to reread--one being the opening scene, where the viewpoint (Nina’s) wasn't initially clear. Another spot that was hard for me to follow occurred during the climax, when a passage to the Otherworld is revealed that hadn’t been foreshadowed. The author also switched out of the two main POV characters and into omniscient, which distanced me from the story.
These were small quibbles in what was otherwize a wonderful fable, suitable for all ages.
All of the characters (with the exception of the antagonists) are delightful people to spend time with. There are plenty of dangers and surprises to keep the pages turning, and enough magic to provide an otherworldly experience.
There were a couple of places I had to reread--one being the opening scene, where the viewpoint (Nina’s) wasn't initially clear. Another spot that was hard for me to follow occurred during the climax, when a passage to the Otherworld is revealed that hadn’t been foreshadowed. The author also switched out of the two main POV characters and into omniscient, which distanced me from the story.
These were small quibbles in what was otherwize a wonderful fable, suitable for all ages.