Editorial Reviews: 

Readers of African literature and culture who enjoy novels steeped in African communities and social issues will relish Serpent Boy. It’s a novel about Kamboda, a boy with physical disabilities, whose condition is considered to hold spiritual significance. When he vanishes, his cousin Maladho N’Gayou becomes obsessed with uncovering the boy’s whereabouts, inadvertently stumbling upon hidden truths, shaking long-held traditions, and revealing deadly social and political practices that simmer under the village’s surface. These, he feels compelled to confront.

In so doing, Maladho introduces readers to different facets of not just African culture, but a special form of group psychology that condones abhorrent and cruel practices under the name of social propriety and acceptance.

From violence against women and the almost supernatural powers equated to Kamboda’s presence in the village to a sense of immediacy cultivated by vivid descriptions, Suleimane Camara’s “you are here” feel may challenge some sensitive readers with its vivid descriptions of violence and group dynamics:

“Bakar, this isn’t the man we know you to be,” one villager said sternly, stepping forward to mediate. Karamoko sat nearby, calmly smoking his pipe, seemingly indifferent to the turmoil unfolding around him. Tombom, scared but strong, watched as her community came together to help her. Even though things were chaotic, she felt safe with the community’s help. She lay on the floor, her tears flowing uncontrollably as the pain and shock overwhelmed her.

From questions of insanity, charms, and protection to the involvement of those outside this African community, the events created by Kamboda’s birth and disappearance swell into a revolution sparked by relentless probes of old traditions and new thinking processes.

Readers will enjoy the moments of relief that offer atmospheric descriptions, subtly connecting bigger-picture human experiences and events in a philosophical and suggestive manner:
When he had finished relieving himself, Maladho spotted a bird struggling on the ground. The bird couldn’t fly. He ran to help it. He gently tried to assist, following its every attempt to take off. But the bird kept falling. He followed the bird, but he didn’t realize he had already gone so far into the bush. When the bird finally managed to fly away, Maladho chuckled, “Sly little thing.”

These and ongoing psychological, social, and political revelations contribute to this vivid story. It’s a journey undertaken because of love and family connection which blossoms into deeper-level thinking about traditions, cruelty, and the changing nature of human interactions and acceptable and unacceptable viewpoints.

Libraries interested in adding more contemporary African fiction to their collections, given prior patron enthusiasm for authors such as Ben Okri and Chinua Achebe, will find Suleimane Camara’s Serpent Boy of high value, holding literary acuity alongside important contrasts in moral, ethical, and social thinking. Its analysis of the wellsprings of compassion and love is invaluable to the process of connecting the personal to the political.

Diane C. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
Donovan’s Literary Services
www.donovansliteraryservices.com

“A thrilling adventure story that reveals a familys forbidden secrets.”
-Barbara Weisber
Author, Strong Passions

“From the first page, Camara immerses readers in a vividly drawn but nuanced West Africa, where local tribes’ practices and beliefs connect people but also foster superstitions.” 

-BookLife

“Fans of stories about people who challenge archaic traditions will particularly like Serpent Boy.” 

                     -Kirkus Reviews

“Serpent Boy is a remarkable story—intensely felt and beautifully written.”

—David Black, award-winning novelist, journalist, and screenwriter

Powerful! Serpent Boy will provide an education for new generations to recognize that the ancestral beliefs described in this novel must be abandoned.”

—Mamadu Lamarana Bari, PhD, Associate Professor     Federal University of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso, Brazil

“Serpent Boy reveals the unsettling realities of cultural ignorance that still thrive in our world, shedding light on the sad truths that persist today.”

    -Don Privett, chairman 

    Boys Hope Girls Hope of New York

“Serpent Boy is a tremendous and eye-opening journey into a world of family secrets, heartbreak, and ancient traditions. If you want to be taken to lands magical and unknown, this is the book for you.”

—Alex Johnson, freelance writer

“Serpent Boy is an extraordinary tale of resilience and justice. Maladho’s relentless pursuit of truth against entrenched traditions left me inspired and captivated. A truly powerful and breathtaking read”