Can a snake save the world? Oli the cottonmouth snake spirit is determined to save at least his little patch of it in Darcie Little Badger’s YA fantasy novel A Snake Falls to Earth, which came out last fall. Inspired by traditional Lipan Apache storytelling, this book brings together the human world and the spirit world in a tale of monsters, magic, and family.
Nina has been hearing stories all her life. She particularly loves stories about the animal people that once shared the earth with humans during the Joined Era. But even more precious is a story her great-grandmother told just before her death that seems to be in her native Lipan Apache dialect. If Lina can decipher it, this story may unlock a magical secret about her family and the land they live on. Meanwhile, in the Reflecting World that parallels our own, a young cottonmouth named Oli leaves his mother’s side to make his own home on the banks of the bottomless lake. When his dear friend Ami falls sick, Oli and his companions realize that Ami’s species of toad may be in danger of going extinct and they’ll need to travel to the human realm to find out why. But rare toads aren’t the only ones in danger as a series of unprecedented hurricanes are predicted to ravage the southern United States. Nina agrees to help Oli save the toads if he and his friends will stay and help her family weather the storm.
A Snake Falls to Earth uses a near-future sci-fi setting as a subtle backdrop for a story that reflects contemporary fears about climate change. Nina inhabits a world that resembles our own, except that her AI-integrated personal technology and the popular social media platform seem just a bit more sophisticated—and that frequent “once-in-a-lifetime” storms are becoming the norm. This has serious impacts we’re already familiar with: ecological changes endanger entire species of animals and storms threaten the most vulnerable members of society who are unable to evacuate. But in this story, climate change also has unseen consequences in the Reflecting World. The disconnect between our society and the natural world seems to reflect the discord between humans and the spirits that were violently chased from this world long ago. Repairing humanity’s relationship with the animal people may be the first step toward repairing our relationship with the earth.
Another interesting element of this book is its depiction of monsters. In the Reflecting World, the biggest threats to the animal people (apart from their species dying out on earth) are the monsters that lurk in the darkness of the woods or the depths of the lake. Some of these monsters seem to be mechanical in nature, while others we only experience through the ominous sounds they make as they approach in the dark. But while these monsters can be dangerous, they are not necessarily evil and can sometimes be approached for wisdom or assistance. Then there are the Originators—monstrously large animal people that come from the first generation of that species to arrive in the Reflecting World. Though their size may be intimidating, these Originators are deeply revered by their descendants.
If you love folklore, the power of stories, and rag-tag bands of found family, you don’t want to miss this book! You can find A Snake Falls to Earth on shelves now at your favorite local retailer, or buy it online and support The Gothic Library in the process using this Bookshop.org affiliate link. If you’ve already read it, let me know your thoughts in the comments!