I needed a slump buster and this was exactly what I was looking for. Sister Snake was fast paced, creative, and contained thoughtful criticisms, all while navigating a sibling relationship that spanned centuries. Beginning the book in Emerald's perspective meant I always a little more sympathetic to her cause, however the shift in perspective to Su later on drew me in as well. If I were to have one complaint I would say that I think Su's husband and retinue in Singapore were written as almost comically superficial and self-interested, but having obvious 'villains' leant the story an additional storybook quality that aligned well with the snake lore.

I think this would be a good fit for readers of Ling Ma or Kelly Link.

Thank you to Ecco for the opportunity to read and review!

I had mixed feelings about this one. I love magical realism/urban fantasy type stories. Following these two sisters, utterly broken and yet yearning to come back to each other across time and distance; it had potential to be so beautiful. Ruminations on queerness and the sense of home and family were also so key to this novel. But in execution, I’m not sure any of this was as well-done or fleshed out as I wanted it to be. Nearly every character was hateable, so much of the conflict was reduced to simply the miscommunication trope, and there were glimmers of feminine rage done well, but I would have liked the author to fully commit to it earlier in the story, and not just at the end as the climax. On a purely nitpicking level, having a book set in Singapore and having the audiobook narrator not have any coaching on how to pronounce any of the MANY Malay words was grating for me to listen to. On the whole, 3⭐

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I adored this literary fiction about two snakes, brought to human form, who experience a wide and deep well of longing, love, loss, and distance from each other, before rediscovering what truly united them in the first place. This is a close examination of violence in culture, against women and animals and against queer children. I adored this book.

I’m sorry to say that I didn’t finish this book. It was interesting and it started off well, but it was just a little too vaguely dark for me.
Even if it wasn’t to my taste, the book was well-written with an interesting premise, and so I’m sure it will appeal to others.

This one wasn't for me. It's quite preoccupied with designer brands, sexual politics, and isn't quite as edgy as it thinks it is. At least not what I read. The two sisters feel like polar opposites and the relationship between them that's established at the beginning of the story feels like it's long gone. We have the sexy vampiric sister and the uptight good girl sister. I just didn't care after reading 15%.

This was a very interesting book and premise. I liked the take on the Asian myth and thought the dichotomy of both sisters compared to each other was so interesting. So much is unsaid and miscommunicated throughout the book. Was devastated for Su at the end, no one should be forced to do anything with their both. For her storyline, it’s such a testament to how choices other people make with your body can destroy everything and break people.

I would have loved this book if I was about 20 years younger. I think I should have known when I was just cringing during the sugar daddy stuff.

this was a masterful story that drew me in almost immediately. i thought the pacing worked well for the story and just when i thought i knew the characters, they really start to shed their skin (hehe). i have no notes. i loved the plot development, the head hopping, all the characters and the feminine rage.

The perfect book for the Year of the Snake. This compelling novel is a contemporary retelling of the Story of the White Snake set in New York City and Singapore. Emerald and Su are snakes that formed a deep bond after Emerald rescued Su and nursed her back to health. However, when they assume human form, their relationship becomes more difficult. After hundreds of years, they reunite in modern day Singapore where they have to come to terms both with each other and their lives among humans.

this book is over-the-top crazy, featuring hyperbolically beautiful and rich and charming women, and everything it does is wild. still, somehow, the core of it feels almost realistic: the way that your sister is the person you love the most who also deeply infuriates you, even if the infuriating thing is murder instead of stealing your clothes. complicated love stories. friendships and crushes. the singaporean nanny state.
it's an almost goofy book, and yet it holds itself back when it has to. 
in other words, it's really fun.

I could not finish this book. From what I got through (about 25%), this book is about two "chosen" sisters bonded through trauma in their snake forms. They take on human form and live throughout time periods, on very different paths.

I am going to preface by saying I don't think it's necessarily a bad book, it is just not for me. The writing is easy to understand and readable, but the style is not my type I think the parts that are meant to be "humor" are coming across cringey. I'm not invested in the characters or their growth because I feel like we didn't get much insight into them yet, and a quarter of the way into the book, I feel like I should have knowledge on the characters by now.

I think there is a very specific audience who is receiving this book very well, but it's unfortunately not me.

I had to put this one down at 18% because I was very confused as to what was happening. I understand there are two women.

Ok, I had to put this one down because of an F bomb slur with zero content warnings prior. Please please please use content warnings when using hate speech in a book, as it can be very triggering.

This book was put down at 19% after I was confused and saw an F bomb.

This just is not the book for me.

It’s stories like this one that remind me of what it was like to read as a teenager- falling hopelessly in love with characters, a meticulously created world, and hypnotic prose. That feeling of finishing a book and feeling genuine sadness that my time with it has come to an end. This book is so exquisitely written, and heartbreakingly authentic, that I know I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time to come.
Perfect for fans of fantasy and familial drama alike, “Sister Snake” is at its heart, a love story about chosen family, and if you’re in the market to take your emotional body to the literary gym, I could not recommend this more. Expect a heart-cracking experience from which you will surely emerge having shed a world- weary skin you didn’t even know was there.

Thank you, NetGalley & Ecco for this beautiful gift of a read!

I find myself often drawn to stories inspired from Chinese folklore and this is maybe one of the best I've found. Two sisters with such defined voices and personalities. I could not step away from them. Huge recommendation.

This was SO good, where do I even begin? Born and bred in Singapore, lived here all my life, and here comes a groundbreaking novel that has me questioning and reflecting about everything.

I was in love right from the start. The writing and plot are so compelling; the sisters and their characterisation and their backstories so fascinating, the social commentary so FLAWLESS.

All my complicated feelings about the place I call home, its many contradictions, its beauty, its evolution, its culture... I also loved the sisterly bond so much that the book made me cry more than once.

The author truly nailed it with this one. Just beautiful. Searing. Exquisite.

This was both more incisive and more luxuriant than I'd expected from the synopsis, which made for a very engaging albeit whiplash-inducing read at times. It's a very quick read, but it packs a lot into such a short length.

This was a relatively quick read and was way more than I expected. Which is always a good thing! There is Chinese Folklore, LGBTQIA+ characters, sensitive subject matter and of course the exploration of sisterhood. It was messy, violent and heartbreaking.

Emerald marches to the beat of her own drum, living her life to the fullest. Su is a trophy wife to a Singaporean diplomat who makes it a mission to fit in. Neither find themselves thriving in the human world. After many years living separate the sisters reunite. During this reunion bonds and betrayals are explored; as well as the question - how far would you go to protect the ones you love?

The writing is so immersive and compelling! I really enjoyed this one, and will likely look into other works from the author! Would definitely recommend!

This is incredibly unique and spellbinding. I've never read anything like it and I probably will not stop recommending it to friends. The magical realism is beautiful and eccentric. I did go into this thinking there would be darker scenes but I'm still so satisfied with the female rage. I loved the relationship between sisters. The writing is incredible. I'm a huge fan of Amanda Lee Koe now.

I love books about the dynamics of sisterhood, and Sister Snake was no different. I appreciate how the story balanced humor with emotion. The background of Chinese legend and folktale also made this story's telling feel unique. I appreciated the messaging about being yourself, deviating from the norm, and chosen family. Would absolutely recommend this book!

This made me laugh out loud, which is a difficult thing to achieve when reading. Sister Snake takes such important community conversations and explores them in the most digestible and unique way. I can't wait to read this again