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georgia59's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A dark, damp, moody book vividly evoking the marshes of Essex. It certainly put me in that place during the time I was reading and, unfortunately, mirrored (perhaps even increased) my low mood at the time.
There were many themes in this story including:
jealousy
love
co-dependency
grief and loss
being a woman in a man's world
faith & spirituality v reason & Darwinism
the poor-rich divide
housing for the poor (the Housing of the Working Classes Act)
the tension between one's (Cora's) place in polite society with its demands for decorum and small talk, and a need to be frank and truthful about one's real beliefs and feelings
There were many themes in this story including:
jealousy
love
co-dependency
grief and loss
being a woman in a man's world
faith & spirituality v reason & Darwinism
the poor-rich divide
housing for the poor (the Housing of the Working Classes Act)
the tension between one's (Cora's) place in polite society with its demands for decorum and small talk, and a need to be frank and truthful about one's real beliefs and feelings
Pros:
Historically I learnt a lot in this novel about the superstitious? belief in the Essex Serpent, the Colchester Earthquake of 1884, the knowledge at the time of surgical procedures and experimentation, the state of housing in the late C19th, tuberculosis.
The novel was even-paced and never flagged.
Excellent writing that worked very well for me.
Well drawn characters who all developed in some way during the book.
Cons:
The melancholy tone.
Although the prose was accomplished and flowing the author had a fairly frequent habit of using the same pronoun mid-sentence or paragraph when referring to a different person than the one who began the sentence/paragraph. This had the effect of pulling me up short momentarily and interrupting the narrative flow whilst I mentally sorted things out.
So, clearly more pros than cons hence 3.75 stars. Just couldn't quite bump it up to 4 stars because the tone of the book kept my mood low. This was a book with an unpredictable plot at nearly every turn, a truly new and refreshing take on the gothic historical novel.
The novel was even-paced and never flagged.
Excellent writing that worked very well for me.
Well drawn characters who all developed in some way during the book.
Cons:
The melancholy tone.
Although the prose was accomplished and flowing the author had a fairly frequent habit of using the same pronoun mid-sentence or paragraph when referring to a different person than the one who began the sentence/paragraph. This had the effect of pulling me up short momentarily and interrupting the narrative flow whilst I mentally sorted things out.
So, clearly more pros than cons hence 3.75 stars. Just couldn't quite bump it up to 4 stars because the tone of the book kept my mood low. This was a book with an unpredictable plot at nearly every turn, a truly new and refreshing take on the gothic historical novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content and Terminal illness
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Death
cephalopodbot's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Domestic abuse
tetedump's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Classism, Death, Ableism, Murder, Terminal illness, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
heuteschongekurtet's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Physical abuse
Minor: Blood, Vomit, Classism, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Animal death
darumachan's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This one is a bit of a mystery for me. I read the audiobook, and often caught my mind wandering while listening. Usually if this happens, it's a sign that I'm not enjoying the book, but not so with the Essex Serpent. The pace is very slow, to be sure, and the plot and POV are constantly drifting and meandering, kind of like how I imagine Cora to be while on her long walks. Maybe that's what I enjoyed about this: the prose matched the setting and atmosphere so perfectly. It was almost like a meditation, where it's ok if you get off track or space out a little, as long as you just keep coming back.
Another thing that I enjoyed about this is that it read as including subtle but solidly affirming representation of LGBTQIA+ identities, disability, and neurodiversity. While i wouldn't say that there is direct or overt engagement with these identities, there were several characters who clearly identified as "queer" in the sense of being out of step with mainstream social expectations of the time. What was so lovely about these characters is that they found one another and formed an inclusive community in which they could live and be supported and loved not just in spite of, but because of the traits that made them "quirky" or "misfits" in other contexts. Things i noticed included possible autism spectrum, lesbian, gay, asexual, aromamtic, and polyamory. But again, nothing overtly identified, which only read as more authentic to the setting.
Another thing that I enjoyed about this is that it read as including subtle but solidly affirming representation of LGBTQIA+ identities, disability, and neurodiversity. While i wouldn't say that there is direct or overt engagement with these identities, there were several characters who clearly identified as "queer" in the sense of being out of step with mainstream social expectations of the time. What was so lovely about these characters is that they found one another and formed an inclusive community in which they could live and be supported and loved not just in spite of, but because of the traits that made them "quirky" or "misfits" in other contexts. Things i noticed included possible autism spectrum, lesbian, gay, asexual, aromamtic, and polyamory. But again, nothing overtly identified, which only read as more authentic to the setting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
Minor: Domestic abuse
laura_keoski's review against another edition
dark
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
3.75
Things I enjoyed about this book: the lush prose, the moody atmosphere, the historical scientific explorations, the mystery of the serpent, the potential of some of these unique characters.
Things that got in the way for me: The book relied heavily on character development, but most of the characters still felt under-developed and one-dimensional. They were so one-dimensional that they couldn’t seem to predict the rather obvious behaviors of their fellow characters. The ending of the book was a less revelatory experience as the reader than it was for the characters themselves.
Things that got in the way for me: The book relied heavily on character development, but most of the characters still felt under-developed and one-dimensional. They were so one-dimensional that they couldn’t seem to predict the rather obvious behaviors of their fellow characters. The ending of the book was a less revelatory experience as the reader than it was for the characters themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Death, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Ableism
Minor: 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Medical content, Infidelity, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
fireinherveinzz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Reread the first half which made it make a lot more sense. Did not love the random inclusion of all the extra side character povs like Thomas Taylor who didn’t contribute anything to the story . Also the end cut off without a conclusion which I hate like mid story. There was a lot of will they won’t they that just turned into fade to black eh. Story needed more passion less dryness . The show is definitely giving this story more life so far. I loved Cora and Will’s dynamic , Martha coming into her own independence from Cora and chasing her passions as well in social work. Loved Katherine Ambrose’s line to Cora “you cannot always keep yourself away from things that hurt you. We all wish we could , but we cannot: to live at all is to be bruised; I know that none of us was made to be alone. You told me once you forget you are a woman, and I understand it now you think to be a woman is to be weak you ours is a sisterhood of suffering! Perhaps so, but doesn’t it take a greater strength to walk a mile in pain than seven miles in none? You are a woman, and must begin to live like one. by which I mean: have courage “. Also another great one liner Cora telling Will “we are cleaved together , we are cleaved apart everything that draws me to you is everything that drives me away “. 😭 Could’ve liked this story better had it not been so focused on both Luke’s and Cora/ will’s and just Cora and Will. Luke deserved his own story not to be clumped in with theirs. He had nothing to do with this besides helping Cora with advice and Stella with her illness and being a part of a pseudo love triangle with her and Will.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Terminal illness
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
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