In the Serpent's Coils

WOW! I had a day off, decided to start in on this one, and I wound up reading it cover-to-cover in two sittings. (I had to take some time off to make myself a little lunch.) If you love Libba Bray's "Gemma Doyle" trilogy, then you absolutely have to read In the Serpent's Coils, because there are some definite similarities. The biggest difference is that this book is, I'd say, considerably "darker" than Bray, with a fifteen-year-old heroine in post-Civil War America who's sent by her guardian to a "reform school" that's definitely more Dickensian than the "young lady's finishing school" of Bray's "Gemma Doyle" trilogy, but the "dark fantasy" element is definitely there.

You'll find, though, that Tiffany Trent is definitely a "quicker show more read" than Libba Bray. and it looks like Hallowmere might be more the start of a "series" than a trilogy. I see the second book is already out, and I'm on my way out to get a copy now!

EDIT TO ADD (3-22-12): I wrote this review over four years ago, and I've read the subsequent books in the series. It's a series, though, that had six books published in a very short time period but then was never completed. I love the series, but I caution against anyone's getting started in something that's going to be incomplete (assuming you can even find the books at retail today). show less

The first book in the Hallowmere series pulls you right in from the very first page. It starts off with a vivid dream sequence that sets the stage for a terrifying and eerie novel of the Civil War and scheming Fey. Trent really knows how to write a gripping story with lush imagery and beautiful prose. "In the Serpent's Coils" has something for everyone. Whether you're looking for historical fiction, fantasy, romance, ghosts and faeries...this book has it all! I know this is technically a young adult novel but I think it'll have great appeal for all ages. The writing and story line are more mature than I've encountered in most young adult books. And Trent keeps you guessing until the very end over who young Corrine can trust and what show more exactly the Fey want from her. A great start to the series! I definitely plan to check out the second installment! show less

Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com

"I do believe in faries! I do! I do! "

So begins the chant in the middle of PETER PAN to save Tinkerbell from dying. In Tiffany Trent's first book of the HALLOWMERE series, IN THE SERPENT'S COILS, you had better believe in fairies or you may find yourself dead.

The book opens to find Corrine, our heroine, deathly ill at her Uncle's home. She finds out that her beloved mother has died, and her father had died a few years before while fighting on the side of the North in the Civil War. She hardly knows her uncle and she quickly gets on his bad side.

While there at his home she starts having nightmares of the Fey, which are very confusing. She doesn't obey her uncle and gets sent to Falston, a show more boarding school for girls. The girls here are mostly unwanted. They get sent to Falston for many reasons, but mainly because their families don't want them. At Falston, they are treated like they are criminals.

They are locked in their rooms at night and are escorted wherever they go. The dreams that Corrine had in Virginia are now intensified. She is haunted by the Fey and is confused about who to trust, the witches who run the school, the priest, the very handsome groundskeeper who keeps saving her, and, of course, the Fey.

Things are not as they seem and the action is plentiful. This was a well-written and quite enjoyable story. It gave me some nice shivers and is the perfect fall book.

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!" show less

The first book of the Hallowmere series, In the Serpent's Coils is a nice mixture of historical fiction and dark fantasy.

Corrine, who gets sent of to a reform school by her uncle when her mother dies becomes becoming very aware of strange happenings that may or may not have to do with the Fey.

When I read the back of the book, I had my doubts about the whole historical fantasy thing. I love both genres and love them even more together, but lets face it, it's easy butchered into an unreadable mess. So when it said Post civil war I had nightmares of seeing Scarlett O'Hara prancing around with a wand. Sad but true. But this, thankfully, wasn't to be!

Trent obviously has done her research for the time period and having her actually living show more in Virginia has given her descriptions a very real feel to them.

Very intersting book, not a favorite but a nice read. I'm not sure if I will pick up the next one but I wont say that I'm outright opposed to it. show less

It is a tale of weird things happening at a British boarding school. It deals with the Fey, voodoo magic, and dark secrets. The author tells the tale and while it is engrossing, the story behind everything that you think you will hear at the end of the book never appears. Again, maybe it is meant for the next book, but it left me with a sour taste in my mouth. Nevertheless, the story of Corrine and her quest to find the truth about herself and the world surrounding her is a good one.

In the Serpent’s Coils is a wonderful new fantasy book that I read just a little while ago. It is filled with disaster, secret love letters, confusion, secret meetings, and the mysterious Fey.

At the beginning of the story, Corrine is sent to live with her uncle. There, she finds out that her mother is dead, and she has her first encounter with the people under the hawthorn bush. It seems like the hawthorn people are helping her, by curing her of her illness, but something isn’t quite right.

By helping the hawthorn people, Corrine is sent away, although she isn’t quite sure why. Throughout the book, there are a lot of secrets held by the adults, which often lead to trouble. There is more trouble in the form of a boy names Rory. show more Soon, Corrine doesn’t know who to trust. This leads to even more disaster.

I found this book interesting and easy to read. It was also very educational because it takes place right after the civil war came to a close. The mystery and secrets involved held me intrigued until the end of the story. I can’t wait for the sequel, By Venom’s Sweet Sting, to be published. I would recommend this to any fantasy readers who haven’t found any new and good fantasy books to read, because this is a fantastic choice.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com show less

I absolutely loved this book! I felt like I was getting a little bit of history mixed into an exciting story that kept me guessing.