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strabbyfieldz's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
3.75
some parts of this book made me want to cry because I had no other way to express how I feel, it was such a strange overwhelming feeling of connection to an idea to a person to a theme that it hurt in a way. but then other parts jarred with me, especially spencer's plot line... why did the book frame him becoming a landlord as a good thing??? also idk something about Francis and his narrative felt strange in that he only really came into focus at the end. BUT that being said I got so absorbed that my eyes now sting from reading for like 3 hrs lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Medical content, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Bullying and Emotional abuse
vonmonsta's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
"Not even knowledge takes all the strangeness from the world"
I've heard such polarising views on The Essex Serpent that I didn't really know what to expect but having been sat on my to-read pile for a good few years, it was about time I picked it up.
Inspired by tales of a serpent lurking in the saltlands, newly widowed amateur naturalist Cora Seaborne moves to Essex, chasing after the idea of the fabled Essex Serpent.
Set in the late 19th Century The Essex Serpent is lyrically written & evocative, slightly gothic at times; there were so many descriptions and phrases which delighted me with how beautiful they were! It all moved so easily!
It's a beautiful story exploring faith, superstition and scientific fact, friendship and romantic love, the boundaries of which keep blurring, liminal like the landscape it's set in.
It was rather a slow book, with the plot not really kicking in until the last third, however it didn't prevent my absolute enjoyment of it; I was really charmed by the protagonist, (in fact all of the characters were really interesting & charming in their own way, & I enjoyed reading elements of the tale from their point of view), the way the narrative was woven together, the mounting panic & fear of the townspeople & there was enough of a slight unease running through the novel to keep me reading.
The menace is, however, never quite fully formed and remains a little misty and vague at times & I did feel that there were sparks of potential subplots but they either fizzled out or didn't altogether properly manifest, but it remains an absorbing tale that I throughly enjoyed!
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
I've heard such polarising views on The Essex Serpent that I didn't really know what to expect but having been sat on my to-read pile for a good few years, it was about time I picked it up.
Inspired by tales of a serpent lurking in the saltlands, newly widowed amateur naturalist Cora Seaborne moves to Essex, chasing after the idea of the fabled Essex Serpent.
Set in the late 19th Century The Essex Serpent is lyrically written & evocative, slightly gothic at times; there were so many descriptions and phrases which delighted me with how beautiful they were! It all moved so easily!
It's a beautiful story exploring faith, superstition and scientific fact, friendship and romantic love, the boundaries of which keep blurring, liminal like the landscape it's set in.
It was rather a slow book, with the plot not really kicking in until the last third, however it didn't prevent my absolute enjoyment of it; I was really charmed by the protagonist, (in fact all of the characters were really interesting & charming in their own way, & I enjoyed reading elements of the tale from their point of view), the way the narrative was woven together, the mounting panic & fear of the townspeople & there was enough of a slight unease running through the novel to keep me reading.
The menace is, however, never quite fully formed and remains a little misty and vague at times & I did feel that there were sparks of potential subplots but they either fizzled out or didn't altogether properly manifest, but it remains an absorbing tale that I throughly enjoyed!
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Suicide, and Terminal illness
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