Title: A Feast of Snakes
Author: Harry Crews
First published January 1, 1976
192 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780684842486 (ISBN10: 0684842483)
Rating: 4.01
Overview
Discover the untamed and eccentric world of Mystic, Georgia with Harry Crews’ latest novel, A Feast of Snakes. Prepare to be blown away by the colorful characters and their outrageous antics at the Rattlesnake Roundup.
As with his previous works, such as “Blood and Grits” and “Childhood”, Crews’ vivid storytelling will leave you spellbound. “No amount of praise can capture the sheer audacity of Crews’ imagination”, raves the “Washington Post Book World”.
Get ready for a wild ride you won’t soon forget!
About the Author
Harry Eugene Crews was born in Bacon County, Georgia during the Great Depression. His parents were sharecroppers but his father passed away when he was a baby and his mother remarried soon after.
Eventually, they moved to Jacksonville, Florida. Crews has been married twice and has two sons, one of whom passed away tragically in 1964.
After serving in the Korean War, Crews attended the University of Florida on the G.I. Bill. However, he set out on a road trip after two years of school.
He eventually returned to the University of Florida in 1958 and graduated from the master’s program. Unfortunately, he was not accepted into the Creative Writing graduate program.
Crews then moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he taught English at Broward Community College. In 1968, Crews published his first novel.
Crews went back to the University of Florida as an English faculty member. However, he retired in 1997 to focus solely on his writing.
Crews wrote continuously after his first novel, averaging about one novel per year. He passed away in 2012 at 78 years old.
Editoral Review
Harry Crews’ A Feast of Snakes is a southern gothic novel that explores the themes of violence, masculinity, and isolation in the small town of Mystic, Georgia. First published in 1976, A Feast of Snakes is considered to be one of Crews’ most iconic works.
Crews grew up in poverty in rural Georgia and his experiences greatly informed his writing. His novels often reflect the gritty realities of southern life and A Feast of Snakes is no exception.
The novel is a fierce exploration of southern masculinity and the violence that often goes along with it. The novel centers around the annual rattlesnake roundup which brings out the worst in the town’s inhabitants.
The protagonist, Joe Lon Mackey, is a former high school football star who has fallen into despair and alcoholism. As the festival ramps up, tensions in the town boil over and Joe Lon finds himself in the middle of a bloody confrontation.
Crews’ writing is poetic and haunting, with the language perfectly reflecting the sinister nature of the story. The characters are grotesque, with each one embodying a different aspect of southern masculinity.
Crews explores the dark underbelly of southern culture, exposing the violence, racism, and misogyny that are often swept under the rug. While A Feast of Snakes is a classic of the southern gothic genre, it is not without its flaws.
The pacing can be slow at times and some of the characters lack depth. However, the strength of the writing and the story itself make up for any shortcomings.
A Feast of Snakes is a must-read for fans of the southern gothic genre. It is a brutal and unflinching examination of southern culture that still resonates today.
The novel has historical and cultural significance as it explores the darker aspects of southern identity. While the themes may be uncomfortable, they are important and worth exploring.
Overall, A Feast of Snakes is a well-written and engaging novel that will stick with the reader long after they have finished it. It is a must-read for anyone interested in southern literature or the southern gothic genre.
I give it a 4 out of 5 stars.
