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The Summer of the Serpent
A horror-infused, polyphonic work about the violence and cruelty seething in a late-70s Guadalajara neighborhood
At a traveling fair, a young girl visiting with her family will ask a “serpent woman” to tell her future. The serpent woman’s answer is cryptic, but back in their neighborhood, the lives of the girl and her sister will be haunted by a ghost and a boa as their world shimmers between the real and unreal.
The Summer of the Serpent gives us a multi-faceted, multi-textured look at the sisters, their family, and their neighbors caught in the strange intense forces afflicting the neighborhood throughout that summer, much of it seemingly related from 40 years later, in more or less our own present.
At a traveling fair, a young girl visiting with her family will ask a “serpent woman” to tell her future. The serpent woman’s answer is cryptic, but back in their neighborhood, the lives of the girl and her sister will be haunted by a ghost and a boa as their world shimmers between the real and unreal.
The Summer of the Serpent gives us a multi-faceted, multi-textured look at the sisters, their family, and their neighbors caught in the strange intense forces afflicting the neighborhood throughout that summer, much of it seemingly related from 40 years later, in more or less our own present.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2026
About the author
Cecilia Eudave
55 books72 followersCecilia Eudave nació en Guadalajara, México el 11 de abril de 1968. Es una escritora, investigadora, Profesora y coordinadora de la Maestría en Estudios de Literatura Mexicana en la Universidad de Guadalajara. Pertenece también al Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI).
Estudió el doctorado en Lenguas romances en la Universidad de Montpellier. Ha participado en diferentes suplementos y revistas culturales de México y en el extranjero como en la formación de alumnos que han cursado la carrera de letras.
En 1990 obtuvo la Beca Nacional Salvador Novo en narrativa que otorga el Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, El Colegio de México y el centro Mexicano de escritores. En 1997 fue becada por el Fondo Estatal para la Cultura y las Artes de Jalisco en la categoría Jóvenes Creadores.
Actualmente trabaja como profesora e investigadora en la Universidad de Guadalajara, su línea de investigación gira en torno de la literatura mexicana, la literatura fantástica y el análisis de textos culturales y visuales siendo coordinadora de la Maestría en Estudios de Literatura Mexicana en la misma universidad.
Estudió el doctorado en Lenguas romances en la Universidad de Montpellier. Ha participado en diferentes suplementos y revistas culturales de México y en el extranjero como en la formación de alumnos que han cursado la carrera de letras.
En 1990 obtuvo la Beca Nacional Salvador Novo en narrativa que otorga el Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, El Colegio de México y el centro Mexicano de escritores. En 1997 fue becada por el Fondo Estatal para la Cultura y las Artes de Jalisco en la categoría Jóvenes Creadores.
Actualmente trabaja como profesora e investigadora en la Universidad de Guadalajara, su línea de investigación gira en torno de la literatura mexicana, la literatura fantástica y el análisis de textos culturales y visuales siendo coordinadora de la Maestría en Estudios de Literatura Mexicana en la misma universidad.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
Review of advance copy
I found this book out and about on a shelf of books being given away, and had to see what it was about. I decided to reread this about a week after my first read through, partially because I felt like I was missing something, but also because I wanted to see what I missed and couldn't stop thinking about it. I honestly didn't even try to write a review after the first read through.
This work is written using several POVs, all of which use the first person perspective aside from one which uses the third. On my first read, this was a negative for me because I couldn't tell who the narrator was until well into each chapter and I couldn't keep things straight. On the second read, this approach made much more sense to me, and while it still wasn't perfect, it was much easier to accept. I do wish that there had been more context clues included earlier in each chapter (within the first paragraph or two ideally) to indicate which narrator's perspective we were reading, though.
I don't quite know how to describe this book or why I ended up liking it. It's somewhere between surreal and grounded, is very weird, and highly atmospheric. It falls firmly into the literary fiction genre in my opinion, but I do think it's fair to also classify it as a horror, though more of an oppressive, slow burn, slightly psychological horror.
This book certainly won't be for everyone, and honestly, if I hadn't reread it after thinking on it for several days my rating would have been much lower. I couldn't stop thinking about this one, even after the second read. If you're looking for a weird book and don't mind rereading, I definitely recommend this one.
This work is written using several POVs, all of which use the first person perspective aside from one which uses the third. On my first read, this was a negative for me because I couldn't tell who the narrator was until well into each chapter and I couldn't keep things straight. On the second read, this approach made much more sense to me, and while it still wasn't perfect, it was much easier to accept. I do wish that there had been more context clues included earlier in each chapter (within the first paragraph or two ideally) to indicate which narrator's perspective we were reading, though.
I don't quite know how to describe this book or why I ended up liking it. It's somewhere between surreal and grounded, is very weird, and highly atmospheric. It falls firmly into the literary fiction genre in my opinion, but I do think it's fair to also classify it as a horror, though more of an oppressive, slow burn, slightly psychological horror.
This book certainly won't be for everyone, and honestly, if I hadn't reread it after thinking on it for several days my rating would have been much lower. I couldn't stop thinking about this one, even after the second read. If you're looking for a weird book and don't mind rereading, I definitely recommend this one.
January 5, 2023
De esos libros que hay que leer con atención y cautela, hay tantos avisos, tantas señales y enigmas. Creo que esa es la característica del terror que hace Eudave, me encanta.
October 13, 2022
2.5
Cecilia Eudave es una autora cuya obra siempre me ha intrigado y decidí que mi primer acercamiento sería con esta novela. La sinopsis promete un fantasma, una mujer serpiente y malos agüeros; aunque todo eso aparece en el libro, la verdad es que no fue un estilo de ejecución que yo disfrutara en particular. Para empezar el libro es muy corto y hay muchos personajes, las voces narrativas me confundían, no alcanzaba a entender quién era quién. Más que ser una historia de miedo, es una historia muy melancólica en donde hay un fantasma y una boa. Me gustó mucho la forma de escribir de Eudave pues logra transmitir ese sentimiento nostálgico, sin embargo no logré que la historia me atrapara o que verdaderamente me importara lo que le estaba pasando a los personajes. Ahora tocará leer sus cuentos para ver si son más de mi estilo.
Cecilia Eudave es una autora cuya obra siempre me ha intrigado y decidí que mi primer acercamiento sería con esta novela. La sinopsis promete un fantasma, una mujer serpiente y malos agüeros; aunque todo eso aparece en el libro, la verdad es que no fue un estilo de ejecución que yo disfrutara en particular. Para empezar el libro es muy corto y hay muchos personajes, las voces narrativas me confundían, no alcanzaba a entender quién era quién. Más que ser una historia de miedo, es una historia muy melancólica en donde hay un fantasma y una boa. Me gustó mucho la forma de escribir de Eudave pues logra transmitir ese sentimiento nostálgico, sin embargo no logré que la historia me atrapara o que verdaderamente me importara lo que le estaba pasando a los personajes. Ahora tocará leer sus cuentos para ver si son más de mi estilo.
August 7, 2026
This is so atmospheric. The world's strange and almost dreamlike, and everything feels just a little off. There's also an ambiguity to the stories that's ridiculously compelling
September 25, 2026
This was a weird book, and slightly confusing to boot. I can't say I liked it, or that it was an easy read, but it wasn't bad.
The writing was great, for one, and kept me engaged throughout. The stories themselves were mostly interesting, but I wouldn't really recommend this, because of the animal cruelty & child abuse present in some of them.
The writing was great, for one, and kept me engaged throughout. The stories themselves were mostly interesting, but I wouldn't really recommend this, because of the animal cruelty & child abuse present in some of them.
March 1, 2022
Conocí a Cecilia con su libro de cuentos "Al final del miedo" y todas y cada una de las historias me desbloquea nuevos miedos y terrores y no podía esperar a leer su segunda novela, que es parte de una trilogía de familias.
Cecilia es experta en lo extraño, lo sobrenatural, lo que se siente pero no se ve. La novela empieza cuando Maricarmen se topa con una mujer serpiente y la mudanza a una casa desolada y triste con su familia y su hermana Ana. Ahí empezamos a conocer, en breves capítulos, a sus vecinos, a los tíos, al papá, a la mamá, al basurero, a la serpiente y a la fantasma.... ese microuniverso social donde una acción repercute del otro lado. Condición humana, fascinación por lo extraño y lo sobrenatural presente.
Me gusta que no es una novela como las conocemos, este libro, cuando llegas al final....tienes que regresar, por fuerza, a las primera páginas del secreto que te esconde la autora. Ese círculo que te obliga a regresar al principio me pareció un camino seguro para reponerte de ese final.
Cecilia es experta en lo extraño, lo sobrenatural, lo que se siente pero no se ve. La novela empieza cuando Maricarmen se topa con una mujer serpiente y la mudanza a una casa desolada y triste con su familia y su hermana Ana. Ahí empezamos a conocer, en breves capítulos, a sus vecinos, a los tíos, al papá, a la mamá, al basurero, a la serpiente y a la fantasma.... ese microuniverso social donde una acción repercute del otro lado. Condición humana, fascinación por lo extraño y lo sobrenatural presente.
Me gusta que no es una novela como las conocemos, este libro, cuando llegas al final....tienes que regresar, por fuerza, a las primera páginas del secreto que te esconde la autora. Ese círculo que te obliga a regresar al principio me pareció un camino seguro para reponerte de ese final.
April 1, 2026
A sinister little book that ended up being nothing like I thought it would be—in the best way. The cover and publisher made me think it would be more genre-esque, but the endeavor was a much more inventive (reading the summary on the back might have helped, whoops), a layered tale with much bubbling beneath the surface.
The year is 1977 and it’s a transformative summer for those living in the Moderna neighborhood of Guadalajara. The kind of summer that does away with naivete, and reveals the depths of human depravity. Perspectives shift among inhabitants of the neighborhood as the reader works to piece together the goings-on, distinguishing fiction from reality and the living from the dead. Is what is presented the truth or simply a version of it?
The atmosphere is pitch perfect, simultaneously evoking feelings of nostalgia for a time long since passed and the hope that the future has to be better than this. Myer’s translation is immensely readable, conjuring up striking imagery of horrors both blatant and hidden.
The more I think and write about it, the more impressive I find it. It’s the perfect novel to read on a sweltering summer afternoon.
The year is 1977 and it’s a transformative summer for those living in the Moderna neighborhood of Guadalajara. The kind of summer that does away with naivete, and reveals the depths of human depravity. Perspectives shift among inhabitants of the neighborhood as the reader works to piece together the goings-on, distinguishing fiction from reality and the living from the dead. Is what is presented the truth or simply a version of it?
The atmosphere is pitch perfect, simultaneously evoking feelings of nostalgia for a time long since passed and the hope that the future has to be better than this. Myer’s translation is immensely readable, conjuring up striking imagery of horrors both blatant and hidden.
The more I think and write about it, the more impressive I find it. It’s the perfect novel to read on a sweltering summer afternoon.
July 25, 2026
2.25 stars, rounded down because I didn't enjoy it.
There are alot of things to like about The Summer of the Serpent.
It was beautifully written and the audiobook narrator, Kim Ramirez, perfectly captured the surreal, hypnotic and languid tone. In some ways, it was a real pleasure to listen to, almost meditative.
The stories were also interesting. Each chapter serves as a window into the life of a different resident of the street, and although it is hard to get a feel for place or how everything fits together for most of the book, the things we hear and see through these different eyes have a sense of intrigue.
But the Summer of the Serpent was very confusing. It's alot of characters, and you have to pay attention to the clues to understand which chapter belongs to who and how it fits into the larger tapestry.
It also takes a long time for the book's "so what" to come into view.
Like who are these people. Why should I care. Why am I reading about any of this. What is the point, where are we going.
You get flashes throughout, but ultimately, you have to get to the very end before any of the above becomes apparent, and up until then, the story has to be its own reward.
This may work for some readers, for people who love to get lost in characters being lost in their thoughts.
But that's not really me, so staying locked into the book was a struggle.
There were also some very upsetting instances (yes, more than one) of animal abuse, and the way Eudave rendered it, it was tough for even me to abide.
I considered DNFing 3 separate times, and could only talk myself into proceeding cuz it wasn't long to go. Had this not been a novella, I don't think I would have made it.
I can't say it's a bad book, but I am glad to see the back of it.
There are alot of things to like about The Summer of the Serpent.
It was beautifully written and the audiobook narrator, Kim Ramirez, perfectly captured the surreal, hypnotic and languid tone. In some ways, it was a real pleasure to listen to, almost meditative.
The stories were also interesting. Each chapter serves as a window into the life of a different resident of the street, and although it is hard to get a feel for place or how everything fits together for most of the book, the things we hear and see through these different eyes have a sense of intrigue.
But the Summer of the Serpent was very confusing. It's alot of characters, and you have to pay attention to the clues to understand which chapter belongs to who and how it fits into the larger tapestry.
It also takes a long time for the book's "so what" to come into view.
Like who are these people. Why should I care. Why am I reading about any of this. What is the point, where are we going.
You get flashes throughout, but ultimately, you have to get to the very end before any of the above becomes apparent, and up until then, the story has to be its own reward.
This may work for some readers, for people who love to get lost in characters being lost in their thoughts.
But that's not really me, so staying locked into the book was a struggle.
There were also some very upsetting instances (yes, more than one) of animal abuse, and the way Eudave rendered it, it was tough for even me to abide.
I considered DNFing 3 separate times, and could only talk myself into proceeding cuz it wasn't long to go. Had this not been a novella, I don't think I would have made it.
I can't say it's a bad book, but I am glad to see the back of it.
Read
December 26, 2025An excellent, quick read. Eudave deftly creates a hazy atmosphere of a summer long past, almost as if read through sepia tones. I honestly did not expect that turn, which also made the book genuinely horrifying. Who knew the serpent could signify that as well? (It does make sense, though.) The second turn renders the book bittersweet. Best read in a single sitting for the fullest - and dizzying - experience.
March 23, 2022
A veces las redes sociales hacen mucha alharaca a propósito de tal o cual libro. En la mayoría de los casos, esta viene animada por las editoriales y revela más nuestra poca capacidad crítica, escasa comprensión lectora (aun entre personas dedicadas a la literatura) y los pocos lectores que hay en el país más que la aparición de un talento nuevo o un libro que valga la pena.
Me acerqué a El verano de la serpiente con recelo. Estamos hablando de una novela corta (apenas 135 páginas con márgenes generosos y portadillas para el número de cada capítulo) que se lee en una tarde y cuyo precio es desalentador para muchos, especialmente si ponemos sobre la mesa el hecho de que Alfaguara (Penguin-Random House) a veces no suele honrar el pacto de costo-beneficio a favor de sus lectores: muchos títulos de su catálogo fueron one-hit-wonders que palidecen en los botaderos a 99 MXN o menos, mientras que las inmanejables (e imprácticas) ediciones de Roberto Bolaño están por encima de los 300 MXN. Así, ¿en qué categoría caería este libro de Cecilia Eudave?
En él asistimos a una fábula, fiel al espíritu del realismo mágico e impecablemente escrita, donde los fantasmas forman parte integral de las familias y constituyen un medio infalible para arrostrar nuestros secretos. La acción transcurre (veladamente) en Guadalajara, en 1977, en el cuadrilátero formado por las avenidas Tolsá, Francia, Federalismo y Alemania, cerca de donde tuviera su residencia el escritor Agustín Yáñez, quien también hace un muy merecido ‘cameo’ en el libro.
El hilo conductor de la trama es, en el espíritu más proustiano de la ‘Recherche’, la evocación del pasado a través de los objetos cotidianos, pero no por ello simples, que, cargados con un simbolismo individual y personalísimo al pasar de los años, nos permiten hacer el más fiel de los inventarios de nuestra identidad. Asistimos así —y no creo estar faltando al espíritu del libro— a las cosas y situaciones de antaño, no “como ocurrieron”, sino “como las recordamos”, y en este sentido la obra de Cecilia no podría haber dado más en el blanco desde su planteamiento: la polifonía de personajes se presta más que bien al establecimiento del entramado narrativo, la brevedad de los capítulos apuntala su carácter transitorio de recuerdo, el cierre vertiginoso nos devuelve al presente que, como futuro del pasado, es necesariamente punto de partida que refrenda la circularidad de los mitos, ya sean familiares, nacionales o mundiales.
No puedo decirles con qué gusto (y mezcla de emociones) terminé El verano de la serpiente, porque —como las grandes narraciones— es uno de esos textos que resuenan en el interior de sus lectores como detonador de su propia memoria. Ignoro qué parte del relato sea autoficción, pero lo que sí es un hecho es que en cada capítulo es posible distinguir, en pocos trazos, las distintas voces que componen esta novela, y que el todo (¡apenas 135 páginas!) está construido y ensamblado con madurez, maestría e ingenio.
Si también tienes dudas, no lo pienses más. Dale un voto de confianza a Cecilia Eudave y El verano de la serpiente. Recomendable sin cortapisas.
Me acerqué a El verano de la serpiente con recelo. Estamos hablando de una novela corta (apenas 135 páginas con márgenes generosos y portadillas para el número de cada capítulo) que se lee en una tarde y cuyo precio es desalentador para muchos, especialmente si ponemos sobre la mesa el hecho de que Alfaguara (Penguin-Random House) a veces no suele honrar el pacto de costo-beneficio a favor de sus lectores: muchos títulos de su catálogo fueron one-hit-wonders que palidecen en los botaderos a 99 MXN o menos, mientras que las inmanejables (e imprácticas) ediciones de Roberto Bolaño están por encima de los 300 MXN. Así, ¿en qué categoría caería este libro de Cecilia Eudave?
En él asistimos a una fábula, fiel al espíritu del realismo mágico e impecablemente escrita, donde los fantasmas forman parte integral de las familias y constituyen un medio infalible para arrostrar nuestros secretos. La acción transcurre (veladamente) en Guadalajara, en 1977, en el cuadrilátero formado por las avenidas Tolsá, Francia, Federalismo y Alemania, cerca de donde tuviera su residencia el escritor Agustín Yáñez, quien también hace un muy merecido ‘cameo’ en el libro.
El hilo conductor de la trama es, en el espíritu más proustiano de la ‘Recherche’, la evocación del pasado a través de los objetos cotidianos, pero no por ello simples, que, cargados con un simbolismo individual y personalísimo al pasar de los años, nos permiten hacer el más fiel de los inventarios de nuestra identidad. Asistimos así —y no creo estar faltando al espíritu del libro— a las cosas y situaciones de antaño, no “como ocurrieron”, sino “como las recordamos”, y en este sentido la obra de Cecilia no podría haber dado más en el blanco desde su planteamiento: la polifonía de personajes se presta más que bien al establecimiento del entramado narrativo, la brevedad de los capítulos apuntala su carácter transitorio de recuerdo, el cierre vertiginoso nos devuelve al presente que, como futuro del pasado, es necesariamente punto de partida que refrenda la circularidad de los mitos, ya sean familiares, nacionales o mundiales.
No puedo decirles con qué gusto (y mezcla de emociones) terminé El verano de la serpiente, porque —como las grandes narraciones— es uno de esos textos que resuenan en el interior de sus lectores como detonador de su propia memoria. Ignoro qué parte del relato sea autoficción, pero lo que sí es un hecho es que en cada capítulo es posible distinguir, en pocos trazos, las distintas voces que componen esta novela, y que el todo (¡apenas 135 páginas!) está construido y ensamblado con madurez, maestría e ingenio.
Si también tienes dudas, no lo pienses más. Dale un voto de confianza a Cecilia Eudave y El verano de la serpiente. Recomendable sin cortapisas.
May 5, 2025
Novela polifónica que nos hace pensar cuál es el fantasma que cada familia carga y si hay una serpiente que nos lleva por un camino difícil. Historia contada en ix capitulos, que entretejen una historia, dónde las niñas de está descubren que la vida no es como creían
July 14, 2026
This title was a DNF for me. The writing was engaging, but there were repeated references to an episode of animal abuse, and I just couldn't keep going because of that. Look at some of the other reviews and make your own choice. For many people, I think it will be a deeply engaging read.
July 19, 2026
I'm honestly a little speechless. Halfway through reading this tiny novel, I was wondering if I was really going to "get" it because I felt so unmoored. It has a mesmerizing, kind of hazy effect, even though the character writing is incredibly sharp (and efficient! It's incredible how well I feel like I knew some of these characters in so few pages). By the last few sections, though, I was really blown away by how everything was coming together to paint such a specific portrait of one summer and its secrets. It's beautiful and awful and sad and tinged with horror and I feel so lucky that this was translated so I could experience it too. I think I may have to get this one in print so I can go back over it with a fine-toothed comb.
August 7, 2026
⚠️ Dog cruelty warning
I couldn't finish this. Fuck this book.
I couldn't finish this. Fuck this book.
September 23, 2026
3.5*
Una novel·la curta, gairebé un relat, força absorbent. Una història coral ambientada a la Guadalajara de 1977 que combina allò quotidià amb l’horror, el fantàstic i una sensació d’inquietud que va creixent a poc a poc.
Tot comença amb una enigmàtica profecia en una fira de poble que va planant sobre tota la història. Eudave construeix una mena de mosaic de personatges i petites històries que al principi poden semblar disperses, però que van trobant el seu lloc. M’ha agradat especialment com aquella profecia acaba adquirint tot el seu sentit.
És una lectura curiosa perquè, tot i que en alguns moments se m’ha fet una mica lenta, al mateix temps m’ha resultat força addictiva i tenia ganes de saber cap a on anava tot plegat. I el gir m’ha agradat molt: no me l’esperava i aconsegueix fer-te mirar algunes coses d’una altra manera.
Breu, estranya i inquietant, amb una atmosfera molt particular. Una lectura interessant que he gaudit, tot i que no m’ha acabat de fascinar.
Una novel·la curta, gairebé un relat, força absorbent. Una història coral ambientada a la Guadalajara de 1977 que combina allò quotidià amb l’horror, el fantàstic i una sensació d’inquietud que va creixent a poc a poc.
Tot comença amb una enigmàtica profecia en una fira de poble que va planant sobre tota la història. Eudave construeix una mena de mosaic de personatges i petites històries que al principi poden semblar disperses, però que van trobant el seu lloc. M’ha agradat especialment com aquella profecia acaba adquirint tot el seu sentit.
És una lectura curiosa perquè, tot i que en alguns moments se m’ha fet una mica lenta, al mateix temps m’ha resultat força addictiva i tenia ganes de saber cap a on anava tot plegat. I el gir m’ha agradat molt: no me l’esperava i aconsegueix fer-te mirar algunes coses d’una altra manera.
Breu, estranya i inquietant, amb una atmosfera molt particular. Una lectura interessant que he gaudit, tot i que no m’ha acabat de fascinar.
March 31, 2022
La lectura me hizo sentir reflexiva, curiosa, triste, nostálgica y llena de sensaciones y sentimientos. Una novela cruel, fuerte pero fue un deleite leerlo. Un libro narrado de manera especial único y con un cierre donde te das cuenta de tantas cosas que te hace volver a la historia, totalmente recomendable.
May 15, 2022
me gusta como escribe. me gustan las historias que cuenta y la forma en cómo se hilan. me gustan las distintas voces.
es super corta, la disfruto mucho, pero al final, me deja indiferente, será por eso?
o por qué?
September 8, 2026
Stayed for the Goodreads challenge…wish I didn’t???
September 15, 2026
This book is special in the way that I paid attention, read the whole book, and still have no idea what was going on. It felt like i was in a dream in the worst way, because just as I had puzzled together and could follow what was happening, the chapter ended and I was confused all over again.
This was too many characters for me, too much animal cruelty that doesn't even pay off, and no plot whatsoever.
Maybe I am just not at the level I need to be for this book, but I solo read Shakespeare at 12 with more comprehension than I had in this book.
This was too many characters for me, too much animal cruelty that doesn't even pay off, and no plot whatsoever.
Maybe I am just not at the level I need to be for this book, but I solo read Shakespeare at 12 with more comprehension than I had in this book.
Did Not Finish
August 5, 2026dnf 43%
I don't want to read about that dog anymore :(
I don't want to read about that dog anymore :(
June 7, 2022
"El verano de la serpiente"
Cecilia Eudave
Narrada a distintas voces y con el estilo del realismo mágico, la autora nos pone sobre el telón la vida de cada personaje matizada de sus secretos y deseos. Maricarmen la mayor de las hermanas pedirá en la feria que una muchacha serpiente le lea su futuro, su respuesta resulta aterradora y confusa. Por otro lado vemos a una fantasma merodeando la casa, a vecinos y hasta una boa. Todos se mueven entre una alegoría y sus realidades, que los llevan a momentos decisivos, en particular a las hermanas que las lleva a dejar su inocencia.
30/2022
3.5⭐️
Cecilia Eudave
Narrada a distintas voces y con el estilo del realismo mágico, la autora nos pone sobre el telón la vida de cada personaje matizada de sus secretos y deseos. Maricarmen la mayor de las hermanas pedirá en la feria que una muchacha serpiente le lea su futuro, su respuesta resulta aterradora y confusa. Por otro lado vemos a una fantasma merodeando la casa, a vecinos y hasta una boa. Todos se mueven entre una alegoría y sus realidades, que los llevan a momentos decisivos, en particular a las hermanas que las lleva a dejar su inocencia.
30/2022
3.5⭐️
Read
December 22, 2025My thanks to Soho Press and NetGalley for a DRC of “The Summer of the Serpent” by Cecilia Eudave translated from Spanish by Robin Myres.
Interconnected stories from the members of a neighborhood from Guadalajara, Mexico, 1977 with supernatural elements.
The constant switch of the point of view made the narrative confusing at times. At times the stories became unsettling, thought provoking and had some important social commentary.
Unfortunately I found it hard to resonate with the characters or to get invested in their situations.
This reading experience won’t stay with me for long as there was nothing memorable or impactful.
While I am disappointed, I appreciate the chance to read a new work in translation.
Interconnected stories from the members of a neighborhood from Guadalajara, Mexico, 1977 with supernatural elements.
The constant switch of the point of view made the narrative confusing at times. At times the stories became unsettling, thought provoking and had some important social commentary.
Unfortunately I found it hard to resonate with the characters or to get invested in their situations.
This reading experience won’t stay with me for long as there was nothing memorable or impactful.
While I am disappointed, I appreciate the chance to read a new work in translation.
June 6, 2022
Wow. Estoy sorprendida de esta lectura, al inicio empieza bien, luego comienzan una serie de confusiones que te invitan a seguir leyendo para descubrir donde te encuentras y cuando menos piensas te encuentras en un final lleno de sorpresas... pensé que en lo personal había leído muy rápido o no había puesto atención a ciertas cosas en la lectura que al terminar sentí la necesidad de volver al inicio y leer de nuevo algunos capítulos. Pero veo que a varios les pasó, es parte de este libro tan peculiar. Sin duda quiero leer más libros de Cecilia Eudave 👏📚
December 29, 2022
Interesante, pero muy estraño. Me gustó un buen cómo fue hilando la historia y presentando a los personajes, está muy genial cuando conectas todo, pero al mismo tiempo me dejó bien sad
March 29, 2022
El primer capítulo me causó mucha gracia, moría de risa. Conforme avanzó la trama, me pareció más bien extraña. En un punto, me envolvió en su misterio, a ratos se volvió siniestra, y finalmente, me dejó con cierto malestar. Como cuando se está ante las tragedias de la vida, aquellas que desearíamos evitar, pero que de igual manera terminarán ocurriendo.
El verano de la serpiente, es una novela corta, plagada de voces. Eso la convierte en una historia rica en la forma que está narrada, con muchos matices y un ritmo maravilloso. Ahora entiendo porqué la gente está hablando de ella.
Feliz de haber conocido el trabajo de Cecilia Eudave. No dejen de leerla.
Que sus augurios y su comprensión lectora les acompañen.
¡Felices lecturas!
El verano de la serpiente, es una novela corta, plagada de voces. Eso la convierte en una historia rica en la forma que está narrada, con muchos matices y un ritmo maravilloso. Ahora entiendo porqué la gente está hablando de ella.
Feliz de haber conocido el trabajo de Cecilia Eudave. No dejen de leerla.
Que sus augurios y su comprensión lectora les acompañen.
¡Felices lecturas!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ The Summer Of The Serpent by Cecilia Eudave ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
• 2 ☆ •
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
The Summer of the Serpent had such an interesting setup and this strange dreamy atmosphere that I really wanted to love it, but it just never came together for me.
The structure is the biggest issue. The story moves through fragments, shifting perspectives, memories, and surreal imagery instead of anything resembling a traditional plot, and I can see what it was trying to do, especially with the themes around memory, violence, and community. But I could never stay grounded in it. I kept losing track of who was speaking, how one scene connected to the next, or where the story was headed.
The tone also leans way more literary than horror, which was a letdown for me. I went in hoping for something more unsettling, and that wasn’t really what this was. There’s also a pretty disturbing animal abuse scene that I ended up skipping, so that’s worth noting for readers who may need a content warning.
Kim Ramirez’s narration on the audiobook is solid and she does her best to guide you through the fragmented structure, but even that couldn’t keep me locked in. I zoned out more than once and had to rewind.
I can appreciate what it was trying to do, and there are some genuinely striking moments here. The storytelling just made it difficult for me to fully connect with the experience. If literary surrealism or more abstract storytelling is your thing, you’ll probably get a lot more out of this than I did.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ literary horror
✔️ surreal storytelling
✔️ magical realism
✔️ fragmented narratives
✔️ atmospheric reads
✔️ stories about memory and community
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
📅 Pub Day: Jun 30, 2026 🎧
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from Highbridge Audio. All opinions are my own.
• 2 ☆ •
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
The Summer of the Serpent had such an interesting setup and this strange dreamy atmosphere that I really wanted to love it, but it just never came together for me.
The structure is the biggest issue. The story moves through fragments, shifting perspectives, memories, and surreal imagery instead of anything resembling a traditional plot, and I can see what it was trying to do, especially with the themes around memory, violence, and community. But I could never stay grounded in it. I kept losing track of who was speaking, how one scene connected to the next, or where the story was headed.
The tone also leans way more literary than horror, which was a letdown for me. I went in hoping for something more unsettling, and that wasn’t really what this was. There’s also a pretty disturbing animal abuse scene that I ended up skipping, so that’s worth noting for readers who may need a content warning.
Kim Ramirez’s narration on the audiobook is solid and she does her best to guide you through the fragmented structure, but even that couldn’t keep me locked in. I zoned out more than once and had to rewind.
I can appreciate what it was trying to do, and there are some genuinely striking moments here. The storytelling just made it difficult for me to fully connect with the experience. If literary surrealism or more abstract storytelling is your thing, you’ll probably get a lot more out of this than I did.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ literary horror
✔️ surreal storytelling
✔️ magical realism
✔️ fragmented narratives
✔️ atmospheric reads
✔️ stories about memory and community
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
📅 Pub Day: Jun 30, 2026 🎧
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from Highbridge Audio. All opinions are my own.
August 12, 2026
For the Goodreads challenge.
I'm either too dumb to understand or this is just poorly executed, but I didn't enjoy a single page from this book.
I'm either too dumb to understand or this is just poorly executed, but I didn't enjoy a single page from this book.
July 20, 2026
after reading the last page, i almost wanted to turn back to the beginning and reread The Summer of the Serpent immediately. it’s the kind of thing you need to let settle first. i’m letting it sit in my mind for a bit.
this book was fantastic and visionary and i desperately want to read more from this author.
the bit we hear from THE BOA!—incredible treat!!!!
this book was fantastic and visionary and i desperately want to read more from this author.
the bit we hear from THE BOA!—incredible treat!!!!
February 8, 2022
Qué lindo escribe Cecilia, con qué facilidad y belleza mezcla lo real con lo fantástico y lo insólito, todo enmarcado en duras y escabrosas realidades.
April 7, 2022
Una novela excelente sobre la memoria, la pérdida de la inocencia y ¿fantasmas? De los mejores libros que he leído este año.
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