Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for The Man Who Spoke Snakish by Andrus Kivirähk - Available

The Man Who Spoke Snakish

by Andrus Kivirähk
Christopher Moseley
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Read a sample Read a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Unfortunately people and tribes degenerate. They lose their teeth, forget their language, until finally they're bending meekly on the fields and cutting straw with a scythe. Leemut, a young boy growing up in the forest, is content living with his hunter-gatherer family. But when incomprehensible outsiders arrive aboard ships and settle nearby, with an intriguing new religion, the forest begins to empty - people are moving to the village and breaking their backs tilling fields to make bread. Meanwhile, Leemut and the last forest-dwelling humans refuse to adapt: with bare-bottomed primates and their love of ancient traditions, promiscuous bears, and a single giant louse, they live in shacks, keep wolves, and speak to snakes. Told with moving and satirical prose, The Man Who Spoke Snakish is a fiercely imaginative allegory about a boy, and a nation, standing on the brink of dramatic change.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 1, 2016

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781611859607
      • File size: 3902 KB

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781611859607
      • File size: 5679 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 6, 2015
      Leemet is a child of the forest who communicates with animals in the ancient
      language of Snakish and dreams of seeing the godlike Frog of the North. The pull of village life is irresistible to many of the forest people, and Leemet and his family are among the few who remain in the forest. His loneliness is somewhat assuaged by his friendship with the adder Ints. At its best, this peculiar coming-of-age story explores interesting themes of religion and lost culture. However, readers unused to wandering aimlessly in the thickets of allegory and folklore may also balk at the frequent scatological references and portrayals of frisky bears that stalk young women in the hopes of mating with them. This lengthy, patience-trying work was a runaway hit in its native Estonia, making one wonder just how much was lost in translation. Agent: Frédéric Martin, Éditions Le Tripode (France).

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading