Book Review

The Snake Charmer

the-snake-charmer

There are few certainties in this life, but a novel from K. Sean Harris is one of them. Just leafing through the pages, the literary heat radiates as no one builds a more powerful plot than Harris, one that is guaranteed to satisfy you yet leave you aching for more.

His newest work for 2016 is ‘The Snake Charmer’, undoubtedly another best seller as it contains what every good novel should have : a great plot, dramatic subplots, killer characters that are relatable and of course lots of mind altering sex. Your best bet therefore is not to get too engrossed in those scenes in a public place!

The story surrounds Tawana, a fresh faced 17-year-old with the mentality of a woman a decade older and the body and face of a goddess. A product of an illicit affair between a visiting white businessman and a black inner-city teenager, Tawana grew up knowing that if she wanted to achieve durable success, she had to work her brain and not her body.

Having a mother who was not charming resulted in her having similar personality traits. Tawana grew up as a loner, and this was a blessing in disguise as it prevented her from getting involved in intimacy too soon. When intimacy actually came her way, it was in the form Nassim, a young-man who gives her a new perspective on what is important in life.

‘The Snake Charmer’ is simply spell binding so regardless of the tasks at hand or the errands to be run, none of those will get done once readers open to the first page. As with all K. Sean Harris’ books, resistance is futile as the Jamaican setting, language, curse words and even the mentality of the average man when he is rejected by a beautiful woman is not only classic but spot on. Harris goes further to capture and to delve into the psyche of the red blooded Jamaican male cursed with a wondering eye and penis that is always straying far from home.

This tale however is told through the eyes of not one but three persons, one who does not make it to the end. It is refreshing to get the outlook of all three, especially on the same situation. This highlights the way our socialization and upbringing is truly reflected in our perspectives.

‘The Snake Charmer’ is a must have for both a ravenous reader and someone who is looking to stock their bookcase with quality Jamaican novels.