About this item

Named to ten BEST OF THE YEAR lists and selected as a William C. Morris Award Winner,The Serpent King is the critically acclaimed, much-beloved story of three teens who find themselves--and each other--while on the cusp of graduating from high school with hopes of leaving their small-town behind. Perfect for fans of John Green's Turtles All the Way Down."Move over, John Green; Zentner is coming for you." - The New York Public Library"Will fill the infinite space that was left in your chest after you finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower." - BookRiot.com Dill isn't the most popular kid at his rural Tennessee high school. After his father fell from grace in a public scandal that reverberated throughout their small town, Dill became a target. Fortunately, his two fellow misfits and best friends, Travis and Lydia, have his back. But as they begin their senior year, Dill feels the coils of his future tightening around him. His only escapes are music and his secret feelings for Lydia--neither of which he is brave enough to share. Graduation feels more like an ending to Dill than a beginning. But even before then, he must cope with another ending--one that will rock his life to the core. Debut novelist Jeff Zentner provides an unblinking and at times comic view of the hard realities of growing up in the Bible belt, and an intimate look at the struggles to find one's true self in the wreckage of the past."A story about friendship, family and forgiveness, it's as funny and witty as it is utterly heartbreaking." - PasteMagazine.com"A brutally honest portrayal of teen life . . . [and] a love letter to the South from a man who really understands it." - Mashable.com"I adored all three of these characters and the way they talked to and loved one another." - New York Times



About the Author

Jeff Zentner

Jeff Zentner lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He came to writing through music, starting his creative life as a guitarist and eventually becoming a songwriter. He's released five albums and appeared on recordings with Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Thurston Moore, Debbie Harry, Mark Lanegan, and Lydia Lunch, among others.Now he writes novels for young adults. He became interested in writing for young adults after volunteering at the Tennessee Teen Rock Camp and Southern Girls Rock Camp. As a kid, his parents would take him to the library and drop him off, where he would read until closing time. He worked at various bookstores through high school and college.He speaks fluent Portuguese, having lived in the Amazon region of Brazil for two years.Likes:The words and (and concepts) "murmur," "petrichor," and "feuillemort"GuitarsThe American SouthHigh-quality cable television dramasAutumnBaby elephantsCast-iron skilletsHoneysuckle bushesDislikes:WaspsMan's inhumanity to man



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