Sister Snake

A Novel

By: Amanda Lee Koe

Narrated by: Zoë Chao

A glittering, bold, darkly funny novel about two sisters—one in New York, one in Singapore—who are bound by an ancient secret

Sisterhood is difficult for Su and Emerald. Su leads a sheltered, moneyed life as the picture-perfect wife of a conservative politician in Singapore. Emerald is a nihilistic sugar baby in New York, living from whim to whim and using her charms to make ends meet. But they share a secret: once, they were snakes, basking under a full moon in Tang dynasty China.

A thousand years later, their mysterious history is the only thing still binding them together. When Emerald experiences a violent encounter in Central Park and Su boards the next flight to New York, the two reach a tenuous reconciliation for the first time in decades. Su convinces Emerald to move to Singapore so she can keep an eye on her—but she soon begins to worry that Emerald’s irrepressible behavior will out them both, in a sparkling, affluent city where everything runs like clockwork and any deviation from the norm is automatically suspect.

Razor-sharp, hilarious, and raw in emotion, Sister Snake explores chosen family, queerness, passing, and the struggle against conformity. Reimagining the Chinese folktale “The Legend of the White Snake,” this is a novel about being seen for who you are—and, ultimately, how to live free.

Very interesting Read

This is a very interesting read. The story is different enough to keep you reading. It explains a very different affection, that helps you feel the emotion.

I disagree with the darkly funny claim

This was an engaging mix of Asian folklore and modern day, conformist satire. It had luxurious imagery and a wide variety of LGBTQ characters. While I found it sly and wry, however, I didn’t find it darkly funny as the summary claimed. There are a number of adult topics, but violence and language is more comic book YA than adult graphic. It was a solid enough book that I’d be interested in more by this author.

magical realism done right

I think I only decided to be get this based on all the great reviews. Well, here's another. You won't regret it.

Loved this!

I saw Amanda Lee'Koe at a book reading in Brooklyn last month. Her book sounded interesting and she had such good energy I decided to get it with my precious 1 credit from Audible. I really enjoyed this book. It kept my attention throughout. I loved how descriptive it was, from the emotional state of the characters to the sights and smells of the cities described. Lee'Koe's description of the food was mouth watering. I will definitely be trying a few of the Singaporean dishes mentioned soon. Zoe Chao's voice was sweetly empathetic, and a joy to listen to. Loved it!

A Surprise Treasure

This is a deep book on so many layers. I was not expecting the profundity and philosophical treatment of existence, self-realization, and societal norms when I purchased this. The characters represent so many types of people at different times, yet remain themselves. It is well worth reading. The audiobook is well-performed. I highly recommend.