Catherine G Purcell

The Yellow Serpent Catherine G Purcell

Gemma is a ten-year-old young lady who lives with her mother and an older sister in a poor country village on the island nation of Camerhogne. They are a poor family with only the very faded patina of being middle class. The story starts as she is about to transition from Primary school to High School and she along with her fellow classmates, are filled with dread about the future. For her age she is very observant and is keen to avoid the impact of all the negative forces that are growing in her life. She is keenly aware of how those forces often truncates young girls progress toward a healthy productive adult life. Often that has to do with the issues of teenage pregnancy.

Lots of the scary village tales told by adults are highlighted in this book and their complex interactions within the lives of everyday people, particularly the youngsters. Expect down home grittiness and lots of irreverence. The fun and sauciness of daily school life both at the primary and secondary school levels is a big feature here, along with the pressure to succeed academically too. Many aspects of traditional celebrations peculiar to the Caribbean are also mentioned plus the role played by churches in the society. Complex interactions between parents and a children are weaved into the storyline.