Name: The Serpent's Skin
ISBN: 9781787824652

Erina Reddan

It's a cold and wintery night in 1968 and ten-year-old JJ's mother isn't home. The cows are milked, the pigs fed, and her dad won't answer any questions. The four children survive as best they can in a cloud of their father's lies and clear misery, dealing with their mother's absence in their own ways. But it's always been JJ's job to cause trouble, and her sleuthing wreaks havoc in their tight-knit community. Fourteen years on, JJ has a new life, a loving partner and a good job, but she finds herself being pulled back into the unsolved mystery of her childhood. While pretending to have made peace with her father's dishonesty, she organises a final farewell for her mother so they can all put the past behind them. Will the tragic truth finally set them all free?

The Serpent's Skin

An extraordinary novel about overcoming male power, the strength of sibling bonds and the secrets that can haunt a family. Most of all, The Serpent’s Skin is about the many ways we prove our love. It’s a cold and wintery night in 1968 and ten-year-old JJ’s mother isn’t home. The cows are milked, the pigs fed, and her dad won’t answer any questions. Sarah is the lifeblood of their family, and her absence throws everyone off course: Tessa takes charge, Tim gets in trouble, Philly retreats, and JJ blames herself. Their father works hard to keep up appearances, but something’s not right. It’s always been JJ’s job to cause trouble, and when she can’t leave the clues alone, her sleuthing wreaks havoc in their tight-knit community, and she swears off troublemaking for good. Fourteen years on, JJ has a new life, a loving partner and a good job. But she puts it all in jeopardy when she stumbles across a chance to solve the big mystery of her childhood. While pretending to have made peace with it, she organises a final farewell for her mother so the family can all put the past behind them. Will the explosive truth finally set them free? Compulsive, gripping and full of heart, The Serpent’s Skin ushers in Erina Reddan as a brilliant new voice in Australian fiction.

peyton mckenzie

I had certain expectations for this book that were not fulfilled. While the summary promised a very exciting literary crime novel, I couldn't help but feel that The Serpent's Skin was a little lacking in several areas. Rather than having a smooth progression over the course of the novel, the plot seemed to tip-toe and really take it's time. Like other reviewers here, I was caught off guard by the slow pace that was followed by a truly questionable climax. In addition to this, the characterization and the relationships between the siblings were dry; I would have enjoyed this book a tad bit more if the author had taken the time to explore these bonds in more depth. 

I may not have enjoyed the entirety of this book, but the craft has to be admired. Reddan deserves credit for constructing her story with vivid imagery of the Australian countryside, and although the prose was quite purple at times, her attention to detail and her poetic voice should not be ignored. 

 Thank you to NetGalley and Pantera Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ERINA. REDDAN

It's a cold and wintery night in 1968 and ten-year-old JJ's mother isn't home. The cows are milked, the pigs fed, and her dad won't answer any questions. The four children survive as best they can in a cloud of their father's lies and clear misery, dealing with their mother's absence in their own ways. But it's always been JJ's job to cause trouble, and her sleuthing wreaks havoc in their tight-knit community. Fourteen years on, JJ has a new life, a loving partner and a good job, but she finds herself being pulled back in to the unsolved mystery of her childhood. While pretending to have made peace with her father's dishonesty, she organises a final farewell for her mother so they can all put the past behind them. Will the tragic truth finally set them all free? The Serpent's Skin is a gripping, literary crime novel about male power and the secrets that can haunt a family. Most of all, it's about the many ways we prove our love. This novel ushers in Erina Reddan as a brilliant new voice in Australian fiction. "The Serpent's Skin is a powerful, gripping read, with a cast of complex, satisfyingly original characters. Erina Reddan has written a rich, memorable Australian novel." Graeme Simsion

The Serpent's Skin

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