The book presents snakes much like other animals. I came to care about Snake’s snakes and by the end of the book, where there is a scene that normally would have haunted my dreams (it involves someone in a pit full of snakes), I actually was able to react rationally to the situation and be more concerned about the evil of the person who threw the person in the pit and whether the person would be able to get out of the pit eventually than really be concerned about the snakes themselves. Snakes are not seen as not dangerous, just that only certain snakes have truly dangerous venom, and people are encouraged to get immunized against this venom and to be cautious in areas where they might frighten a snake into striking. Interestingly, a key part of the plot revolves around a person minsinterpreting a snake as dangerous and reacting violently to it. Both my husband and a close friend think snakes are super cute, so I was hoping this book might change my perception to at least be less negative. I have a gut negative reaction to snakes one that most likely was learned before I have memories, I’m sure. You can’t talk about this book without talking about the snakes. It is just so different, and different is good in my scifi. What I found, upon listening, was a book that brought everything I had been promised in a unique plot that I still find myself thinking about periodically. She speaks at the perfect speed and tone for my listening taste. I was surprised to find it on Audible but elated, especially when I heard the sample of the narrator’s voice. It’s 1970s scifi by a woman author, known for being feminist, and is supposed to be able to change your mind about snakes. This book made it onto my tbr for three reasons. The city that keeps the tribes mostly locked out and communicates with the people who live in outer space. It is almost impossible to breed dreamsnakes, but maybe the city will be able to help.
Snake is on her first year of bringing roving healing, but when a misunderstanding ends in the death of her dreamsnake, she is determined not to return home to the healers until she finds a way to replace him. These people rely on roaming healers armed with three snakes whose venom help provide healing relief. On a far future Earth destroyed by nuclear warfare, most people have reverted to tribal living on the desert.
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