Marc is no ordinary fugitive. As a child he was humiliated and degraded in ways that left deep jagged emotional scars and a ferocious longing for love and self-esteem. But his road to respect and acceptance is paved with drugs, rape and disillusion. To escape his confusion, he joyrides aeroplanes and when he graduates to stealing military aircraft, he faces the death penalty. He briefly finds true love, but he is arrested and locked up. After numerous escape attempts, he is thrown into solitary confinement for three years. Days before his court-martial he finds the answer to why his life turned out the way it did. He manages to escape and has renewed hope for starting a new life.
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This book is a remarkable undertaking. It is beautifully penned.
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It is an amazing story. It has everything a reader wants in a good book; love, mystery, plot twists, daring adventures, intrigue, etc.
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You are a remarkable writer with an amazing storytelling ability. I enjoyed your style of writing immensely. I could only compare your work to a feast of well-spiced words leaving me hungry for more.
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Oh wow!! That was an exceptional read!
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I want to stress how well-written this story is being told. It comes across as intelligent, well thought-out, and grounded in personal experience.
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I am really impressed by this story... it is really good.
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The story is engaging and gripping.
You really do feel the emotional roller coaster the main character goes through.
You really do feel the emotional roller coaster the main character goes through.
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A great read enjoyed it from start to finish.
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You are one of the most talented writers....
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You write so well, and it is so original.
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You represent a really strong new voice.
This is a very strong piece of work.
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Coralie Laudelout *****
This biography is very unlikely as I've never read such a life story, this is a marriage of 'Catch Me If You Can' and 'The Catcher in the Rye' on a whole other level. The main character, Marc, goes through these larger than life events, yet it's the journey of his inner turmoil that is even more intriguing.
It's one of those books that when you're on the last page you really wish it didn't end.
I highly recommend this gem and as this is the first book of the author I'm definitely going to watch what he does next...
Antonina Meunier *****
Wow! I was so impressed by this book. It simply stole my several nights' sleep, as once you are in it, you can't stop reading. And yes, you regret it's already over. Funny enough, "Catch Me if You Can" was exactly the reference I compared "A Serpent's Conscience" with. And the style also reminded me of Romain Gary's books too. A super good read! Highly recommended.
Eleanor Cook *****
From the first page, I was hooked, the way it’s written, you felt as though you were with Marc, like a shadow, you go from feeling sorry for him to absolutely horrified, a brilliant read and look forward to many more of Claude’s books.
Sereta Fourie *****
As author you captivate, inspire and shock me in ways difficult to describe. Your descriptions, being so vivid, brought to the fore, unexpected emotions. I laughed, I cried, and in some instances, felt utter despair! The mere fact that you are still alive to share your experiences with the world is unbelievable. I recommend this book to everyone I know.
Bertjan Wijnhoven *****
“Your vivid writing took my imagination to beautiful and scary places”
Only a few books have been able to grab me within the first chapter and this book did that.
Claude has captured a feeling in his writing, a way to see the main character grow and experience his surroundings. There were times I could close my eyes and see the landscape, the murkiness, feel the warm air blowing over the African planes and also the disgust that I could feel in my stomach when Marc found himself in a desperate situations of humiliation, beatings and despair.
I felt bad at times and compassion for the main character of the novel.
I applaud Claude for a very good book and admire his style in writing.
I hope to read more from you in the future
This biography is very unlikely as I've never read such a life story, this is a marriage of 'Catch Me If You Can' and 'The Catcher in the Rye' on a whole other level. The main character, Marc, goes through these larger than life events, yet it's the journey of his inner turmoil that is even more intriguing.
It's one of those books that when you're on the last page you really wish it didn't end.
I highly recommend this gem and as this is the first book of the author I'm definitely going to watch what he does next...
Antonina Meunier *****
Wow! I was so impressed by this book. It simply stole my several nights' sleep, as once you are in it, you can't stop reading. And yes, you regret it's already over. Funny enough, "Catch Me if You Can" was exactly the reference I compared "A Serpent's Conscience" with. And the style also reminded me of Romain Gary's books too. A super good read! Highly recommended.
Eleanor Cook *****
From the first page, I was hooked, the way it’s written, you felt as though you were with Marc, like a shadow, you go from feeling sorry for him to absolutely horrified, a brilliant read and look forward to many more of Claude’s books.
Sereta Fourie *****
As author you captivate, inspire and shock me in ways difficult to describe. Your descriptions, being so vivid, brought to the fore, unexpected emotions. I laughed, I cried, and in some instances, felt utter despair! The mere fact that you are still alive to share your experiences with the world is unbelievable. I recommend this book to everyone I know.
Bertjan Wijnhoven *****
“Your vivid writing took my imagination to beautiful and scary places”
Only a few books have been able to grab me within the first chapter and this book did that.
Claude has captured a feeling in his writing, a way to see the main character grow and experience his surroundings. There were times I could close my eyes and see the landscape, the murkiness, feel the warm air blowing over the African planes and also the disgust that I could feel in my stomach when Marc found himself in a desperate situations of humiliation, beatings and despair.
I felt bad at times and compassion for the main character of the novel.
I applaud Claude for a very good book and admire his style in writing.
I hope to read more from you in the future
Cathy Geha *****
This look into the life and mind of a complicated man is intriguing while also disturbing. The childhood of the main character was fraught with pain, abandonment, abuse by classmates and adults, a dysfunctional family and situations he was lucky to have survived. I can see why he turned to drugs and alcohol and may not have had the best sense of right and wrong but also kept wondering how he managed to keep getting away with the criminal acts and come up with ways to escape that he mentioned in the book.
The writing of this book is simple, easy and expressed in a way that makes the reader feel they are there...and being there is far from pleasant much of the time. As an insight into Marc it does a good job though it did leave me wondering what happens to Marc after the escape he is pursuing at the end of the book.
As I sit here contemplating the book I realize:
- I am glad this book was written because it gives a first person view into a life most would not choose for themselves
- I am glad that Marc’s life was not my own
- People are capable of surviving much
- Again wonder why children born from the same parents living in the same environment turn out so different one from the other
- I do not understand people like Marc’s parents or grandparents or many of the people in this book and yet I did appreciate the look into lives so different from my own.
- Again, that some people are cruel bullies whether students, teachers, prisoners, prison wardens, nuns and can be just about anybody at all
- That there is much more to this man than has been told so far.
Thank you to the author who bequeathed me with a copy of his book through BOTBS Publicity. This is my honest review.
Kim *****
A Serpent’s Conscience follows Marc Saayman, through his turbulent life as a young child to adult.
When we first meet little Marc his mother and father have a very volatile relationship, at times having to live with his Grandparents, leading to Marc and his brother Clive not having a very stable family life. Because of his experiences and instability in his life as a child this has made him a vunerable young person that people took advantage of and exploited. This in turn shaped his development into an adult.
Heartbreaking at times as to how he was treated and abused, I found myself wishing for Marc to find the ‘click’ that would help him turn his life around for the better, leaving the drama behind, avoiding the destructive path that he sometimes chose and the consequences that followed.
I do enjoy a well written biography and I think this is one of those books that will stay with me. This really is an unlikely biography as per the title.
The way this book ended I do wonder if there will be a follow up biography in the pipeline?
I truly hope Marc has found some semblance of peace as the events he has lived through so far are more than most people experience in their entire lifetimes.
David R *****
This book will tug at your heartstrings. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry, and then when you least expect it, punch you in the gut.
It is an intimate look into the mind of a child as he grows to become a sociopath.
This book should be studied, not read.
It is a brilliant well written work.
Anna Alekseeva *****
A breathtaking biography that has fascinated me by absolutely everything, starting with its narration style that is simple yet able to engulf the reader completely into the emotional turmoil of the character, and finishing with the topicality of the touched-upon issues: the problems Marc experiences several decades ago - abuse, harrassment, drugs, family relations, peer bulling, etc. - are by no means less burning nowadays.
The book that drags you out of your comfort zone and makes you think!
Definitely a good read!
Lou ****
A Serpent’s Conscience, Claude Saayman-Raphael’s heartbreaking but fascinating biography, is a hard-hitting and emotional read and illustrates exactly what a life of abuse can lead to. It was a particularly difficult book for me as it somewhat mirrors the abuse I have dealt with for over thirty years and still deal with today. I can relate to many of the happenings having gone through both sexual and emotional/mental abuse and want to thank the author for opening up about his experiences as it makes me feel I am not alone. Although the subject matter is heavy it is written in an engaging and gripping manner and there were numerous times I shed a tear at the sheer brutality abusers inflict on their victims. I particularly liked that amongst the heart-wrenching happenings were some humourous parts which really lightened the mood in such a bleak read.
This is a fantastic memoir and one that'll keep you awake and turning the pages. I can also understand his reasons for turning to drugs and alcohol as a way to relieve the pain and anguish for few hours. This is a really brave and ballsy memoir and the author shows he is able to analyse his own actions; it is by far one of the most self-aware and self-critical books about abuse that I have picked up and highlights that what goes on in our formative years impacts us for the rest of our lives and not just at the time it occurs. But not only was he abused at home he was also bullied relentlessly at school, just as I was, and it makes for disturbing reading. His need to escape by any means possible and people not understanding that it stems from years of abuse and chaos made me sad and I found it relatable.
This is the author's life written in a fictional manner and it is far from pleasant. I can only hope he finds find peace but I know from my experience that it is often elusive. This is an important, no holds barred and all-too-necessary story. Many thanks to BOTBS for an ARC.
Sarah ****
A Serpents Conscience is the authors first biography. I say first as with how it ends and having seen mention that there is to be another, which will carry on where I assume this one has finished.
From the description, it does give out warnings of the authors childhood being a volatile one, leading him to drug addiction. Whilst I did roughly guess at what was to come, it still makes for a harrowing read as the story deals with different forms of abuse, rape, self harm to name just a few difficult subjects. Like I said, some parts are slightly harrowing but it needs to be included as for one, it's the authors biography but it also helps us understand the journey of self destruction that he sets himself on.
Around half of the book focuses on the author as a young child, leading up to his adolescence years. You can't help but feel empathy as his parents turbulent marriage is the start of the emotional and mental damage that the author and his younger brother endures. From then on, it was heart breaking seeing him trying to fit in as he grows up and becomes a "problem" child, seemingly never out of trouble with people in authority.
At times I got frustrated at the choices he makes, but then none of us are perfect and who knows what we would do in the same position.
A Serpent's Conscience is a sad reminder that life can be cruel. That from a young age, the acts of adults and others can shape a person and can do inconceivable damage. It does make for an interesting read though and am sure it will appeal to readers who like non fiction, biographies of which is on the darker side with some unexpected adventures along the way.
Jessica Belmont ****
I can’t really look at the cover because I’m terrified of snakes, but this biography sounded intriguing and I decided to look past it. This is a challenging read because of the themes. The author’s childhood was horrific, which led him on the path of drugs. This vividly deals with various forms of abuse, rape, self-harm, and other subjects that may be difficult for others to read. It was necessary for this story to be told, though.
This is a difficult book to review because I can’t say I “enjoyed” it. It was heartbreaking to read the things that happened to this human being. It’s tough for me to wrap my brain around the abuses…and then knowing what he went through as he grew older because of these abuses was very difficult.
This is a biography that deserves to be read by readers who can handle these topics, because it does remind us that these kinds of things do happen. However, I urge readers who are disturbed by these themes to be cautious with this biography as it could trigger some emotions. None of the elements of this story could have been left out because this is a true story and I think the author is brave to share his life with the world. I recommend checking it out if this is your kind of non-fiction.
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from BOTBS Publicity in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Donna Maguire ****
A Serpent's Conscience was an unexpected gem of a read for me!
I read the blurb and was intrigued, it is a biography that is emotional and hard-hitting in placed. The book illustrates exactly what a life of abuse can lead to and it was definitely one that made me sit up and read it without putting it down.
The book was addictive and very well written but be warned it is dark in places and the author has done a great job of talking about the subjects – it does include abuse, rape and self-harm but they need to be in the book to show how the author ended up on the path of self-destruction and it does show how not everyone has an easy ride in life and the consequences can be harrowing.
It is 4 stars from me for this one, I am assuming, and hoping that there will be a follow up book from how the story was left – highly recommended!
Lyndi Kovacevich
I think it is a great story and definitely one that is told in a such a way that it’s does really take you on a journey with Marc.
Well done, you are a very talented writer and I hope that you continue to write many more.
Margot Duke
I have just finished reading the book "A Serpent's Conscience". The story is heart wrenching and you feel all the emotions experienced by the main character. The reader is given an in-depth insight into the cruelty that human beings inflict on both themselves and each other. The writing style is superb and I look forward to reading more works by this author
K T
First few pages took a bit of time to read but the more I read the more I wanted to read, book was really a good read, and would recommend to anyone that likes a bit of adventure and insight to a young boy and the grown man....
Shalini
I would be honest to say I am not the right audience for this book as it has abuse in it - physical, sexual, and substance. The blurb should have come with trigger warnings.
The story is the author's biography in a fictional form with the main character called Marc which showed me his life journey. The book evoked my pathos at the way an innocent child had his life turned upside down due to bullying. I could understand his anger and his embarrassments. The author did show the scenes with the right emotions.
Then came the trials with drugs and other kinds of abuse which did my head in. Though I could understand the basis of the self harm, I can't read it in books. I am not that strong. The story triggered my nightmares and left me with a huge headache.
This book is only for readers who are strong enough to read a true story.
The P.Turners
Please see blog for [K]'s review: https://thepturnersbookblog.wordpress...
This look into the life and mind of a complicated man is intriguing while also disturbing. The childhood of the main character was fraught with pain, abandonment, abuse by classmates and adults, a dysfunctional family and situations he was lucky to have survived. I can see why he turned to drugs and alcohol and may not have had the best sense of right and wrong but also kept wondering how he managed to keep getting away with the criminal acts and come up with ways to escape that he mentioned in the book.
The writing of this book is simple, easy and expressed in a way that makes the reader feel they are there...and being there is far from pleasant much of the time. As an insight into Marc it does a good job though it did leave me wondering what happens to Marc after the escape he is pursuing at the end of the book.
As I sit here contemplating the book I realize:
- I am glad this book was written because it gives a first person view into a life most would not choose for themselves
- I am glad that Marc’s life was not my own
- People are capable of surviving much
- Again wonder why children born from the same parents living in the same environment turn out so different one from the other
- I do not understand people like Marc’s parents or grandparents or many of the people in this book and yet I did appreciate the look into lives so different from my own.
- Again, that some people are cruel bullies whether students, teachers, prisoners, prison wardens, nuns and can be just about anybody at all
- That there is much more to this man than has been told so far.
Thank you to the author who bequeathed me with a copy of his book through BOTBS Publicity. This is my honest review.
Kim *****
A Serpent’s Conscience follows Marc Saayman, through his turbulent life as a young child to adult.
When we first meet little Marc his mother and father have a very volatile relationship, at times having to live with his Grandparents, leading to Marc and his brother Clive not having a very stable family life. Because of his experiences and instability in his life as a child this has made him a vunerable young person that people took advantage of and exploited. This in turn shaped his development into an adult.
Heartbreaking at times as to how he was treated and abused, I found myself wishing for Marc to find the ‘click’ that would help him turn his life around for the better, leaving the drama behind, avoiding the destructive path that he sometimes chose and the consequences that followed.
I do enjoy a well written biography and I think this is one of those books that will stay with me. This really is an unlikely biography as per the title.
The way this book ended I do wonder if there will be a follow up biography in the pipeline?
I truly hope Marc has found some semblance of peace as the events he has lived through so far are more than most people experience in their entire lifetimes.
David R *****
This book will tug at your heartstrings. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry, and then when you least expect it, punch you in the gut.
It is an intimate look into the mind of a child as he grows to become a sociopath.
This book should be studied, not read.
It is a brilliant well written work.
Anna Alekseeva *****
A breathtaking biography that has fascinated me by absolutely everything, starting with its narration style that is simple yet able to engulf the reader completely into the emotional turmoil of the character, and finishing with the topicality of the touched-upon issues: the problems Marc experiences several decades ago - abuse, harrassment, drugs, family relations, peer bulling, etc. - are by no means less burning nowadays.
The book that drags you out of your comfort zone and makes you think!
Definitely a good read!
Lou ****
A Serpent’s Conscience, Claude Saayman-Raphael’s heartbreaking but fascinating biography, is a hard-hitting and emotional read and illustrates exactly what a life of abuse can lead to. It was a particularly difficult book for me as it somewhat mirrors the abuse I have dealt with for over thirty years and still deal with today. I can relate to many of the happenings having gone through both sexual and emotional/mental abuse and want to thank the author for opening up about his experiences as it makes me feel I am not alone. Although the subject matter is heavy it is written in an engaging and gripping manner and there were numerous times I shed a tear at the sheer brutality abusers inflict on their victims. I particularly liked that amongst the heart-wrenching happenings were some humourous parts which really lightened the mood in such a bleak read.
This is a fantastic memoir and one that'll keep you awake and turning the pages. I can also understand his reasons for turning to drugs and alcohol as a way to relieve the pain and anguish for few hours. This is a really brave and ballsy memoir and the author shows he is able to analyse his own actions; it is by far one of the most self-aware and self-critical books about abuse that I have picked up and highlights that what goes on in our formative years impacts us for the rest of our lives and not just at the time it occurs. But not only was he abused at home he was also bullied relentlessly at school, just as I was, and it makes for disturbing reading. His need to escape by any means possible and people not understanding that it stems from years of abuse and chaos made me sad and I found it relatable.
This is the author's life written in a fictional manner and it is far from pleasant. I can only hope he finds find peace but I know from my experience that it is often elusive. This is an important, no holds barred and all-too-necessary story. Many thanks to BOTBS for an ARC.
Sarah ****
A Serpents Conscience is the authors first biography. I say first as with how it ends and having seen mention that there is to be another, which will carry on where I assume this one has finished.
From the description, it does give out warnings of the authors childhood being a volatile one, leading him to drug addiction. Whilst I did roughly guess at what was to come, it still makes for a harrowing read as the story deals with different forms of abuse, rape, self harm to name just a few difficult subjects. Like I said, some parts are slightly harrowing but it needs to be included as for one, it's the authors biography but it also helps us understand the journey of self destruction that he sets himself on.
Around half of the book focuses on the author as a young child, leading up to his adolescence years. You can't help but feel empathy as his parents turbulent marriage is the start of the emotional and mental damage that the author and his younger brother endures. From then on, it was heart breaking seeing him trying to fit in as he grows up and becomes a "problem" child, seemingly never out of trouble with people in authority.
At times I got frustrated at the choices he makes, but then none of us are perfect and who knows what we would do in the same position.
A Serpent's Conscience is a sad reminder that life can be cruel. That from a young age, the acts of adults and others can shape a person and can do inconceivable damage. It does make for an interesting read though and am sure it will appeal to readers who like non fiction, biographies of which is on the darker side with some unexpected adventures along the way.
Jessica Belmont ****
I can’t really look at the cover because I’m terrified of snakes, but this biography sounded intriguing and I decided to look past it. This is a challenging read because of the themes. The author’s childhood was horrific, which led him on the path of drugs. This vividly deals with various forms of abuse, rape, self-harm, and other subjects that may be difficult for others to read. It was necessary for this story to be told, though.
This is a difficult book to review because I can’t say I “enjoyed” it. It was heartbreaking to read the things that happened to this human being. It’s tough for me to wrap my brain around the abuses…and then knowing what he went through as he grew older because of these abuses was very difficult.
This is a biography that deserves to be read by readers who can handle these topics, because it does remind us that these kinds of things do happen. However, I urge readers who are disturbed by these themes to be cautious with this biography as it could trigger some emotions. None of the elements of this story could have been left out because this is a true story and I think the author is brave to share his life with the world. I recommend checking it out if this is your kind of non-fiction.
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from BOTBS Publicity in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Donna Maguire ****
A Serpent's Conscience was an unexpected gem of a read for me!
I read the blurb and was intrigued, it is a biography that is emotional and hard-hitting in placed. The book illustrates exactly what a life of abuse can lead to and it was definitely one that made me sit up and read it without putting it down.
The book was addictive and very well written but be warned it is dark in places and the author has done a great job of talking about the subjects – it does include abuse, rape and self-harm but they need to be in the book to show how the author ended up on the path of self-destruction and it does show how not everyone has an easy ride in life and the consequences can be harrowing.
It is 4 stars from me for this one, I am assuming, and hoping that there will be a follow up book from how the story was left – highly recommended!
Lyndi Kovacevich
I think it is a great story and definitely one that is told in a such a way that it’s does really take you on a journey with Marc.
Well done, you are a very talented writer and I hope that you continue to write many more.
Margot Duke
I have just finished reading the book "A Serpent's Conscience". The story is heart wrenching and you feel all the emotions experienced by the main character. The reader is given an in-depth insight into the cruelty that human beings inflict on both themselves and each other. The writing style is superb and I look forward to reading more works by this author
K T
First few pages took a bit of time to read but the more I read the more I wanted to read, book was really a good read, and would recommend to anyone that likes a bit of adventure and insight to a young boy and the grown man....
Shalini
I would be honest to say I am not the right audience for this book as it has abuse in it - physical, sexual, and substance. The blurb should have come with trigger warnings.
The story is the author's biography in a fictional form with the main character called Marc which showed me his life journey. The book evoked my pathos at the way an innocent child had his life turned upside down due to bullying. I could understand his anger and his embarrassments. The author did show the scenes with the right emotions.
Then came the trials with drugs and other kinds of abuse which did my head in. Though I could understand the basis of the self harm, I can't read it in books. I am not that strong. The story triggered my nightmares and left me with a huge headache.
This book is only for readers who are strong enough to read a true story.
The P.Turners
Please see blog for [K]'s review: https://thepturnersbookblog.wordpress...
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