Snake

by Mary Woronov, Giuliana Zeuli (Translator)

Da sempre Cassandra è abituata a lasciarsi dietro tutto ciò che la costringe. Per lei la vita è danzare nuda nel vento, e ascoltare la voce che si leva dalle foglie dagli alberi.
In fuga da una madre ex hippie che cerca di reprimere la sua curiosità fisica e mentale, Cassandra approda sulla scena di Los Angeles poco più che ventenne. Catapultata nelle illusioni elettriche di una città che non dorme mai – scintillante labirinto di locali alla moda e artisti punk, tette al silicone e pornografi in lattice – scoprirà di essere solo in una nuova prigione, fatta di droga e festini sadomaso.
Ma Cassandra è anche colei che sogna, la donna delle visioni che le raccontano il passato e il futuro. È l’arrivo di Luke, misterioso personaggio dagli occhi gialli, killer occasionale e spacciatore di professione, a strapparla alla falsità di L.A. per condurla in direzione dei suoi sogni. Iniziano insieme una corsa attraverso le sconfinate pianure dell’Idaho, i casinò e il deserto del Nevada, inseguiti dalla polizia e dai loro fantasmi. Ma la loro fuga si avvita in un delirio allucinato, che richiama le strade perdute di David Linch quanto la Las Vegas tossica di Hunter Thompson, ed è destinato a non approdare da nessuna parte.
Dalla penna ribelle della Woronov – attrice, regista e scrittrice habituée della Factory di Warhol – il racconto di un essere metà angelo e metà animale, che cerca di trovare il suo spazio in un mondo fatto di plastica e di uomini opprimenti; una donna con un corpo botticelliano e l’animo di una guerriera, decisa a ottenere ad ogni costo la conoscenza della vera passione: "quella che brucia l’anima finché uno, impazzito, non corre al mare ad annegarsi".

Genres: Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Mary Woronov is an American actress, well known for her roles in Cult films; she has appeared in over 80 movies. She first made headlines as one of Andy Warhol's Factory superstars, and danced with The Velvet Underground in Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable. She is a published author of such books as Blind Love and Swimming Underground: My Years in the Warhol Factory.

Reviews

[Kathleen]

Did the writer of the description provided as information at the top of this page even read the book? It's wildly inaccurate and should be ignored. The book is highly entertaining. This gritty yet dreamy story explores apartness and connection while delivering an odd assortment of mad thrills.

[J]

Wretched. Former Warhol Factory girl, Woronov sets her novel Snake at least two decades too late. I kept forgetting I was reading about a heroine from my generation rather than my mother’s and when I remembered I often wondered why she didn’t just turn the calendar back twenty years. Cassandra was only tolerable as a little girl, while meant to be bewitching, the author fails to cast a spell for the reader. Meandering off onto a path of destruction, my sympathy for the character was never stirred. I just felt embarrassed for the author.

[B]

The summary that is offered above truly does not do this story justice. Without looking too much into what this novel could be about, I encourage you to just get into the passenger seat and let Woronov surprise you.

By far my favorite Mary Woronov book. Whether it be because it was my first introduction to Woronov's writing style or just the plot in general, I very much enjoyed Snake.

[Karma]

I found this book in Oslo, Norway in a bookstore that was going out of business. This was one of four English-language books left in the store. I chose this book because it had a review from John Waters on the cover, and I liked the title.

While reading the first chapter, "Spotted Snake," which is really quite well-written and interesting, I was convinced that I had stumbled onto something brilliant and special. Unfortunately, the remaining 15 chapters plus Epilogue let me down. There were moments of incredible writing in this book, and I'd like to think that with a few more re-writes and a good editor, this could be something quite good, but as it stands, the dialogue is flat, the plot is dull and uninteresting, and the ending is down right laughable.

I will, however, keep this book, because I think the imagery in the first chapter is lovely and unusual. It would have made a good short story.

[Zack]

Check it: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-83...

Pretty good. Makes me want to read Swimming Underground, Woronov's account of her years as part of Warhol's Factory. She starred in several of his movies and apparently became addicted to speed during that time. This one's fiction, described by director John Waters as "a brutal and sexy romance novel for the criminally insane." Sounds about right.

[Xan]

I love Mary Woronov's writing. The way she gives voices to nature is enchanting. I loved this story. It kept me wondering what is real, and describes perfectly how love makes people do very destructive things and make extremely bad decisions, and never learn.

[Daniel Levesque]

I have a signed copy of this so I'd never trade it. Oh, Mary. I love you. I really do.

[Nathaniel]

Interesting read. Well written: good pace and character development, and a nice twist at the end. I'd give it 3.5 stars if only goodreads would let me.