Review : Serpentine by Cindy Pon

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : Serpentine (Kingdom of Xia #1)
Author : Cindy Pon
Publication Date :  September 8th 2015
Publisher : Month9Books
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SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, 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.

 Personal Thoughts

Despite the vast possibilities of cultures that can be explored, YA fantasy is unusually lacking in diversity. The promise of a Chinese setting and that gorgeous cover are what initially attracted me to Cindy Pon's Serpentine. Going in, I knew deep down that Serpentine would be a good book, but I was surprised by how much it was able to hook me into its characters' lives, the stunning world building and the dynamic relationships the book explored.

As soon as I read the first line of Serpentine, I was lured in by the gorgeous writing. Cindy Pon's prose was luscious and vivid, and it was hard to look away from the book. It's the kind of writing that will make you want finish the book in a single sitting, sweep you off your feet, make you feel like you are also part of the story and make you wish that the book never ended. Yes, it was THAT beautiful to me. Because her writing was so striking, the world building also came to life. Inspired by Chinese mythology, Serpentine was a riveting read from start to finish. Our protagonist, Skybright's, life completely changes when she shifts into a giant snake and starts seeing mythological creatures from the underworld. The plot was slow when compared with other fantasy books, but it worked in the case of Serpentine, because the story really was Skybright's journey discovering where she stands and fighting to close an opening in the underworld that allowed the infiltration of all sorts of fascinating, but scary supernatural creatures into the human world. I also loved how the author portrayed ancient Chinese cultures in the book - my mouth especially watered at the description of all the delicious-sounding food.

Serpentine wouldn't have been the wonderful novel that it is without the shining star of the novel, Skybright. As a character, Skybright's voice instantly drew me in. She was a quiet character, with her being a handmaid, who grew to be wonderful in the book. Her generosity, her selflessness and her devotion, especially when it came to her mistress and good friend, Zhen Liu, made her very easy to like and relate to. Throughout the book, as Skybright learned more about her origins, she grew to become an even braver young woman, who I found truly spoke to me. I was sad that I had to temporarily part ways with her when the book ended.

Her mistress, Zhen Liu, was also yet another beautifully fleshed-out character. As opposed to Skybright, Zhen Liu was more outspoken and daring, but she too was battling with her own share of issues - she was pressured by her family to find a good husband to marry, but Zhen Liu wasn't remotely attracted to boys. Her situation was heartbreaking because I knew that given the time period she was born in, being with a girl would be nearly impossible.

Another highlight of Serpentine, for me, were the relationships that were explored. Firstly, the slow, but passionate romance that budded between Skybright and an adorable boy who works at the local monastery, Kai Sen. I loved how sweet this relationship was and the two of them were perfect together. They talked and really connected emotionally. Not to mention, the kisses were swoony and so delightful to read about. Zhen Liu found herself a love interest too in Lan, a girl who visited her home and even though their relationship was rife with obstacles, I couldn't help but wish hard for a happily-ever-after for the two of them.

Then, there was perhaps, my favorite part of Serpentine, the bond between Skybright and Zhen Liu. These two were on the surface handmaid and mistress, but theirs was a special relationship of friendship and sisterhood. Throughout Serpentine, they had to face rough patches in their friendship because they both had secrets they were afraid to reveal to each other, but they were still incredibly close together and I loved how tight this bond was, with them willing to fight for each other.

For me, Serpentine is one of my favorite books I've read this year. It ended on a cruel ending, but there is a sequel in the works, releasing next year that I'm already itching to get my hands on. With characters that you will want to root for, romances that will leave you with a smile, friendships that will make envious and writing that will make you drown in its beauty, Serpentine is not to be missed out on. 

Rating 

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 4/5
Writing : 4/5

  

Thank you to Month9Books  for the ARC of Serpentine.