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debsiddoway 's review for:
The Essex Serpent
by Sarah Perry
I really wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, while there is no doubting that it is beautifully written, the story failed to grip or to carry me with the flow of the exquisite language. The book became more of a task to read rather than a joy. There were moments towards the end where I could see the potential of the tale and the mythical beast that gripped the village, however, this was not sufficient to make me pick up the book every day to carry on.
Although the book is set in the Victorian era, it is worth reminding ourselves that it is actually set very late in the era. Much had developed to transform the rights of women during Victoria's reign and we simply do not get a sense of the real sociological issues facing the female characters. Cora, Stella and Martha were intriguing, but each flawed in their own way, and it became difficult to identify with any of them. The redeeming feature of this book for me, however, can be summarised in one quote:
"It's a poor woman whose ambition is only to be loved. She has better things to be getting on with".
Although the book is set in the Victorian era, it is worth reminding ourselves that it is actually set very late in the era. Much had developed to transform the rights of women during Victoria's reign and we simply do not get a sense of the real sociological issues facing the female characters. Cora, Stella and Martha were intriguing, but each flawed in their own way, and it became difficult to identify with any of them. The redeeming feature of this book for me, however, can be summarised in one quote:
"It's a poor woman whose ambition is only to be loved. She has better things to be getting on with".