Debut novel handles religion and adolescence with realism

Jeff Zentner’s debut novel, “The Serpent King,” has been on my “to-read” list since it was published in 2016. And it would have stayed on that list had I not found a paperback version at Otto Book Store with the cover quote, “If you’re going to live, you might as well do painful, brave, and beautiful things,” that was so compelling that I had to buy it.

I picked up the book and read it in one day.

The story focuses on three teen friends in Forrestville, Tennessee – a town named after the founder of the KKK and full of small-minded people. Dillard “Dill” Early Jr. is struggling to fit in after the arrest of his snake-handling preacher father who was caught with child porn. Dill is friends with Lydia, a rich girl with a popular lifestyle blog who dreams of making it in New York City. Rounding out the trio of friends is Travis, who treats life as if it is a role-playing convention for the fantasy book with which he’s obsessed.

The three seem unlikely friends, but Zentner’s prose makes it work. Lydia wants nothing more than to see her friends aspire to the greatness she knows is within them, but Dill is afraid that the poverty caused by his father’s conviction will keep him away from his dream of college. The story takes place during their senior year as they deal with fitting in, abusive parents and extreme poverty.  

Dill’s mother blames him for not lying on the stand, thus securing his father’s guilt and imprisonment. His father does not believe he is strong in his faith because he never accepted the snakes when offered, meaning he was weak of spirit. Dill instead found comfort and solace in music and his secret love for Lydia, a love he is too afraid to share because she is leaving for college. Graduation is right around the corner when the friends are faced with another devastating obstacle that gets in the way of their happiness.

While religion is a topic throughout the book – even in the church signs that serve as prognostications for Dill – it is just one part of this love story to the South. The details of small-town Southern life could only be written by someone who lives there and loves it. When Lydia gets angry at Dill for not seeing his potential after graduation, her father wisely remarks, “People live quiet lives and that’s okay. There’s dignity in that, no matter what you may think.”

When Dill struggles with depression, it is relatable and realistic. More than just a “coming of age” book, this is a book about love, resiliency and survival. There are humorous moments, too, when Lydia and Dill decide to have their own version of prom – Pathetic Prom – that was so funny I could imagine it becoming popular, and I was jealous that I hadn’t thought of it first.

Interestingly, Zentner wrote this book on his iPhone while commuting to and from work in downtown Nashville. His real-life role as a musician shines through his character Dill and his talents on the guitar.

I found Lydia’s use of social media to be realistic and genuine as she shielded her unusual friends from her popular blog and potential online bullying. Her change of heart at the end of the novel shows how her character matures when faced with challenging life experiences.

This is a solid book from an up-and-coming YA novelist that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.