Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

17 reviews

kbookish's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Infidelity

tlholmes's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Grief

jodar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A magnificent novel. Its elegant writing fits the late-Victorian time period and immerses the readerֹ’s senses in the environment. Its exploration of human relationships and emotions is sophisticated and complex.

The novel explores the themes of religion versus superstition,  religion versus reason, friendship and love, the role of women in society and child-adult relationships. I particularly appreciated the author’s knowledgeable and nuanced portrayal of Christian life and its tensions, avoiding any of the silly stereotyping that seems to crop up so often in recent UK novels.

The characters all felt real to me: We see both their capabilities and their flaws; so too their as-often-as-not troubled relationships, in which people can care deeply for each other and yet differ strongly in their opinions and outlook on life.

Many things of heart and mind to ponder on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Infidelity and Suicide attempt

beccaand's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Death

marjoleinvanderspoel's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This book really is a feat. Beautiful, atmospheric language mixed with modern topics and timely discoveries, this is historical fiction at it's best. I love how the characters all felt like real people and not swooning damsels and shining knights. But most important was still the wonderful naturalism and landscape descriptors. I desperately want to be a Victorian lady naturalist with a dead husband and no attachments now..

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content

Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Infidelity

selenesalavessa's review

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Medical content, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Blood, Gore, and Violence

lauramcc7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Grief, and Infidelity

Minor: Sexual content

caitlyn_baldwin's review

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A gothic tale of science vs superstition. Cora makes for an unconventional (for the time period) protagonist. Bonus points for Will, the dreamy vicar.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Infidelity and Domestic abuse

bedtimesandbooks's review

hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Medical content, Infidelity, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

dark mysterious relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Ableism, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Infidelity

Minor: Child death and Cancer