Serpent Girl

by Matthew Carnahan

“The guys who were supposed to be my crew, my pals, my posse, had left me for dead, after I had gone above and beyond for them, after I had sussed out the perfect score, after I had done my homework, after I had overcome their stupidity, after I had sacrificed my near-virginity by having sex with the limbless lady.”

When he wakes up naked by the side of the highway in the middle of the desert, twenty-two-year-old Bailey Quinn is only sure of a few He’s in a world of testicle pain. He’s tripping out of his head on peyote. And someone seems to have made a half-assed attempt at slashing his throat. He can’t for the life of him remember what happened. And then it all comes His boys screwed him over.

Bailey, college dropout and carny, was working props and rigging for a touring tent circus and freak show. The Freaks were the nastiest, most tweaked-out group of misfits Bailey had ever come across. But the Freaks were doing some shady bookkeeping in addition to a boatload of veterinary Quaalude and crystal meth. So to get the inside dope on the circus payroll, Bailey took up with Eelie, the Serpent Girl, and began an unexpectedly erotic and dangerous odyssey.


As Bailey hits the road to track down his “friends” and get his loot back, a black-edged, hilarious caper unfolds. From Tank Deerflower, the drug-dealing rodeo rider, and Arnold, the fire-eater with a temper as black as his charred throat, to Sissy, the beautiful ex-junkie/whore who steals Bailey’s heart, strange characters and stranger events converge in this fast, gritty, and unforgettable novel. Crafted with artistry and deftness, Serpent Girl is a voyage into the darkest depths of carny life–and, remarkably, a tender love story to boot.

Genres: Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Matthew McNair Carnahan is an American producer, writer and director.

Carnahan studied at New York University as well as the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.

He has a daughter with companion Helen Hunt, Måkena lei Gordon Carnahan (born 2004). He also has a son, Emmett.

Reviews

[Djrmel]

I read this as research, otherwise I would have stopped about 10 pages in. Mr. Carnahan may have a style that passes as modern, but I thought the writing was amateurish and self-consciously "cool". If you're looking for an insider's view of life working in a carnival, it's a fast read with some good information. Otherwise, I couldn't recommend it.

[Patrick Boye]

If I never read the phrase "copping free" again it will still be too soon. The book is shallow and trite. It lacks depth, character development and direction. It is derivative. On the plus size it is only 194 pages and can be read in two hours.

If you like banal books that seem to be written by a horny 14 year old, this is the book for you.

[Autumn Christian]

A fun, short little book about a man who stole from the circus, and incurred the wrath of the limbless Serpent Girl.

The good: It's well written and engaging. Has several laugh-out-loud moments and characters that are like literary car-wrecks you can't look away from.

The bad: I do wish that the book expounded more on the relationship between the Serpent Girl and the protagonist, and the ending was a bit of a deus ex machina. Ultimately, I felt the protagonist really didn't change from his experience (Which isn't entirely necessary, but it felt forced at the end by his chance encounter with a new girl, Sissy) and the happy ending wasn't deserved. The protagonist's 'tough guy' persona did end up being a little grating - he didn't seem to care about much, and when he did care it didn't seem to quite fit with the rest of his persona. He does describe himself as 'almost a sociopath', but I still would've liked a protagonist that was more than just a wise-cracking observer.

[Katie]

I've been on a circus kick lately, for no apparent reason, but when I saw Serpent Girl at a used book store for $1, I figured it'd be worth picking up. I had no knowledge of the book, and hadn't read reviews, but the write up looked interesting and the praise on the book jacket looked promising. It's written in the voice of a young 20 something man, and although he's easy not to root for, you do end up getting somewhat attached. Carnahan's writing is well detailed, but the timeline was slightly confusing, in that it's neither linear, nor very clear at what point we are in the speaker's life. It's a quick read, and mostly enjoyable, but not one I'd rush to recommend to someone looking for their next book.

[Lee Ann Johnson]

Bailey Quinn wakes up by the he side of a road after people he considered to be his friends stole his part of the take from a robbery. The writing, while not sparse, is also not padded in any way h lying to keep up the pace. An excellent read, particularly because it has a completely non-apologetic amorality to I.

[Mary Feeley]

It was like a Guy Richie movie. A cast of characters , from low level thieves who are delusional enough to believe they aren’t hurting anyone. To circus freaks, meth heads, evil clowns , double crosses. Revenge and redemption. Wild ride Bailey Quinn walk a crooked line between flawed hero and an insensitive boob.

[Rachel]

snappy dialogue, gonzo road trip, sometimes a little too pleased with itself. liked the glimpse into traveling circus life.

[Skulli]

it flew by definitely just the story but it wasn't bad per se

[Lillia]

There are elements of this book that aren't really my cup of tea, but it kept me reading, and the story is well told but easy to follow with just enough depth to make it worthwhile.

[Jenni Lathrop]

Okay, sure, it sounds as crass as it is. And the plot is pretty thin (simple revenge plot). And there isn’t anything really redeeming about any of the characters (aside from Sissy). But this book was so much fun!

It’s a quick read, easily slipping from present to past events to even further past events and back again. Bailey really just wants to get some money to go back to college and he plans to get it by stealing from the circus owners who are pretty shady to begin with. It goes wrong when his friends turn on him.

This is a crass book and not meant for kids. The language is foul, the descriptions vivid, but Carnahan’s writing is so fun and his descriptions so unusual that this is just such an entertaining book to read. I want to write more, but the description above pretty much covers the book. The main character is everything he appears to be. He never pretends he’s doing anything for any other reason than getting his money back for school There are little sketches throughout the book that don’t really move the plot along but are a fun addition. In this day and age where authors don’t like chapters let alone chapter titles, Carnahan has fun chapter titles. I usually just skim over chapter titles, but made sure to read them in this book

While reviews says this is a “hilarious” book, laugh-out-loud, and riotous, I don’t know that I would go that far, but this was certainly a fun summer read. Recommended highly!

[Tai]

so i read this book in middle school and it was one of the first books i read that had sex in it and i still think about that chapter a lot because it introduced that weird intersection of dehumanization and desexualization & it describes him rolling her body around like a tire on a pole or something & i kind of use it as a benchmark for comparison to other sex scenes i witness but also it was really fucked up and i kind of hated the protagonist because what the fuck he burns down the entire circus or something and kills everyone including the snake lady he banged and i still can't get over that scene when snake fucko bites off a chunk of flesh from his face there are a lot of things that i read in this book that i still can't get over

& tbh the prose was so-so and wasn't the worst but wasn't memorable either but a lot of the shit that went down affected me so much and it was such a strangely hopeful, optimistic book that got me through some tough times and it's been like five years and i still cannot get any of it out of my head okay

[Richard]

Written by screenwriter Matthew Carnahan, this reads much more like a first draft of a script than a fully realized novel. The setup- a former carny robs his old bosses, then is double crossed by his crew and left for dead- is interesting, but the rest of the book is rushed and forced into barely two hundred pages, which leaves no time for important things like characterization or plot. The book feels like a writing exercise combining the movies Freaks and True Romance, sadly removing the creepiness of the former and the drugged out charm of the latter. While a divirting afternoon read, I find it hard to recommend to just about anyone.

[Maddy]

PROTAGONIST: Bailey Quinn
SETTING: American West
RATING: 3.5
WHY: Bailey Quinn is a college dropout and recreational drug user who decides to join the circus to get away from his messed-up life and prepare for returning to school. He and his friends do a lot of "copping free", meaning they steal stuff but don't really harm anyone. He figures out a way to do that with the circus. Part of his plan involves sleeping with the Limbless Lady, Eelie. His partners rip him off and almost kill him, which leads to a wild ride to retribution. I wish that Carnahan had stepped off the break and taken more advantage of the cast involving fire eaters, messed-up clowns, etc.

[Victoria]

I really enjoyed this book! It was different, tautly written, highly entertaining and intelligent, too. Though short for a novel (just under two hundred pages), its pace was consistent and a startling amount of story and character was conveyed to the reader. Were it not for the whole circus aspect, it would make for an excellent film (I think it would be just too offensive on the big screen for most audiences). I really enjoyed this debut novel and will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future books produced by this unique talent.

[Carly]

I devour books about circus freaks and this one was absolutely compelling to me from start to finish. A very easy read with some truly nasty characters.

It's been over a year since I read the book, so I fear this review isn't much to go on. I just remember sitting in stunned silence at the end and barely putting it down throughout. However, I can't remember it fully, so it obviously wasn't a life changer.

[dana]

I picked this up on the behalf of the author's best friend who lived down the beach from me.

The depiction of the life is captivating, even from someone who has lived a parallel existance but in the luxury of tour buses and catered food.

I'm not one to pick up fluffy chic-lit for my weekend at the beach, this is more my speed. An easy enjoyable read.

[Donna Jo Atwood]

This book had some good blurbs, but the story is not for me. I had read Geek Love and was fascinated/repelled by the the characters. In Serpent Girl, I was just repelled. If you enjoy books about drugs and sex you might like this, I didn't. Oh, yes, the book do take place in a circus/carnie atmosphere.

Task 10.1 Under the Big Top

[M]

This fast-paced novel mixes high crime and circus freaks and hits puree. Bailey Quinn has finally found a way to get on his feet - by ripping off the carnival freakshow that has hired him. Unfortunately for Bailey, he finds betrayal at every turn - and a vengeful, limbless ex-girlfriend hunting him down.

[John]

Quick, fun circus sideshow of a book. Not as full - fledged Geek Love, but I enjoyed it. We're supposed to somehow identify with the main character, Bailey, but I found him too shallow and liaisons both unremarkable and unbelievable, except Serpent Girl herself.

Most freaky is that they got blurbs out of Elmore Leonard, Call Heaven, and Mike Myers for the jacket.

[Shelley Jones]

This was a crazy, fast-paced, bizarre look into the drug hazy life of Bailey, who regains consciousness on the side of the road after having been badly beaten. What follows is Bailey putting together the pieces of the puzzle that landed him there. This was like a Quentin Tarantino film on speed. Its a very quick read that keeps your attention until the end.

[Ebb]

I like this kind of book. You know? Freaky and gritty and maybe a little uncomfortable and startling. I like it when things are said concisely and there's appropriate use of slang. I like my protagonists dirty and morally ambiguous.

I liked it.

[Gregory]

Contemporary fiction which introduced a world that I'm not used to...and that's OK. The book kept pulling me forward and I finished it in just a couple of hours. If you enjoy reading about circus freaks, meth tweaks and general skank then you'll like this book. If not stay far, far away.

[Alishiya]

Quick read. Fast moving story. Not as big a story as Geek Love or Fortune's Bastard, but delivers the repugnance. What can I say? I have a thing for circus, carnival freak-show stories. Look away. I can't look away.

[Judy]

A quick read that was strangely compelling. I wanted to know what happened and what was going to happen next with this rag tag group of shallow and self-centered characters. Sure the book could have been fleshed out a bit more for a longer read but it wasn't too shabby as is.

[Carol]

Funniest first sentence ever. It didn't live up to this promise.

[Justin]

One word review...Sucks!

[Your Gal J]

Interesting characters and plot line. This style book is out of my usual read which made it fun and a quick read.

[Cory Taylor]

Unexpected and fantastic debauchery

[Judy]

Fun, fast-paced, full of one double-crossing after another. Memorable characters