'The Essex Serpent' by Sarah Perry

“A novel of almost insolent ambition—lush and fantastical, a wild Eden behind a garden gate ... it’s part ghost story and part natural history lesson, part romance and part feminist parable. I found it so transporting that 48 hours after completing it, I was still resentful to be back home.” — New York Times

Moving between Essex and London, myth and modernity, Cora Seaborne's spirited search for the Essex Serpent encourages all around her to test their allegiance to faith or reason in an age of rapid scientific advancement. At the same time, the novel explores the boundaries of love and friendship and the allegiances that we have to one another. The depth of feeling that the inhabitants of Aldwinter share are matched by their city counterparts as they strive to find the courage to express and understand their deepest desires, and strongest fears. (Goodreads synopsis)

Told with exquisite grace and intelligence, 'The Essex Serpent' masterfully explores questions of science and religion, skepticism and faith, but it is most of all a celebration of love, and the many different—and surprising—guises it can take. (Amazon.com)

Pages: Protected content Originally published: May 27, Protected content