Sisters of the Snake by Sarena Nanua, Sasha Nanua
Published by HarperTeen on June 15, 2021
ISBN: 0062985590
Pages: 512
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
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“Sisters of the Snake” by Sarena and Sasha Nanua (twin sisters) is a loose fantasy retelling of “The Prince and the Pauper” with two identical twins, Ria and Rani, separated at birth. Rani grows up in the palace as the princess while Ria lived in an orphanage and now survives life on the streets. The rulers of this land are snake speakers and have the magical ability to speak to snakes and share thoughts with a snake familiar. There were other magics in the past, but those have seemingly disappeared. Ria and Rani unexpectedly meet, switch places, and both discover secrets about themselves and their society.

A young adult fantasy adventure based in Indian culture, readers will enjoy this book for its themes of finding oneself and defying fate. The chapters switch between the two sisters’ viewpoints and is done very well; you can definitely tell that each sister is a distinct and separate person. The story seems a little slow at first and I wish that the magical history of the land was explained more, but this book is clearly set up for a sequel so hopefully this will be addressed in the future. For ages 12-17, this book is recommended for Young Adult collections where fantasy is popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.