'The Man Who Spoke Snakish' by Andrus Kivirahk is a unique adult fairy tale set in medieval Estonia, exploring themes of colonialism, modernity, faith, and inevitable change. The story follows Leemet, a boy who grows up in the forest speaking Snakish, an ancient language that allows him to communicate with animals. As colonization and Christianity spread, Leemet's traditional way of life is threatened, leading to a clash between old and new beliefs. is described as a mix of fantasy and allegory, filled with fantastical elements, odd characters, and black humor, making it a captivating and thought-provoking read.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include graphic violence, themes of torture, and potentially disturbing imagery related to the cultural clashes within the story.
From The Publisher:
A bestseller in the author's native country of Estonia, where the book is so well known that a popular board game has been created based on it, The Man Who Spoke Snakish is the imaginative and moving story of a boy who is tasked with preserving ancient traditions in the face of modernity. Set in a fantastical version of medieval Estonia, The Man Who Spoke Snakish follows a young boy, Leemet, who lives with his hunter-gatherer family in the forest and is the last speaker of the ancient tongue of snakish, a language that allows its speakers to command all animals. But the forest is gradually emptying as more and more people leave to settle in villages, where they break their backs tilling the land to grow wheat for their "bread" (which Leemet has been told tastes horrible) and where they pray to a god very different from the spirits worshipped in the forest's sacred grove. With lothario bears who wordlessly seduce women, a giant louse with a penchant for swimming, a legendary flying frog, and a young charismatic viper named Ints, The Man Who Spoke Snakish is a totally inventive novel for readers of David Mitchell, Sjón, and Terry Pratchett.
A word-of-mouth success in France, and one of the bestselling books ever published in Estonia, The Man Who Spoke Snakish is the first of Kivirähk's novels ever to be published in English-and sure to entertain and surprise readers worldwide.
Ratings (4)
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Loved It (3) |
Reader Stats (9):
Read It (4) | |
Want To Read (4) | |
Not Interested (1) |
1 comment(s)
Dark fairytale for adults, imaginative, interesting story, great animal companion. Possible downsides: a love triangle, weak writing of female characters. Warning for gore.
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The Man Who Spoke Snakish?
About the Author:
Andrus Kivirähk is one of Estonia's most highly regarded contemporary writers. A journalist by profession, he is known for his satirical newspaper columns and his bestselling novels. A popular board game has been created on the basis of his novel The Man Who Spoke Snakish, which is his first book ever to appear in English. He lives in Tallinn, Estonia.
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