This story is a fable about a little girl named Mary meeting a beautiful golden snake who is much more than he seems. He visits her throughout her life as she grows up, learning about love and feelings in the process as Mary goes through a slew of hardships. It's a quick read, less than 150 pages and told in a very dreamlike way.

It reminded me a lot of The Little Prince in many ways, which makes sense since the author gives an acknowledgment to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in the end. The story is simple, but true, one of those where both children and adults could enjoy it for their own reasons. It has a sense of vagueness about it, which I think pairs well with the messages it tries to confer.

If you're interested in magical realism stories that are bittersweet, yet lovingly honest, I would definitely recommend picking this one up.