Wordy, slow paced/steady, beginning was a struggle but was thought provoking with engaging characters and evoked the time well.

The Essex Serpent has at its heart the story of two extraordinary people who fall for each other, but not in the usual way.

They are Cora Seaborne and Will Ransome. Cora is a well-to-do London widow who moves to the Essex parish of Aldwinter, and Will is the local vicar. They meet as their village is engulfed by rumours that the mythical Essex Serpent, once said to roam the marshes claiming human lives, has returned. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist is enthralled, convinced the beast may be a real undiscovered species. But Will sees his parishioners' agitation as a moral panic, a deviation from true faith. Although they can agree on absolutely nothing, as the seasons turn around them in this quiet corner of England, they find themselves inexorably drawn together and torn apart.

reviews on this book ranged all over. I do get some of the better reviews, but this was not a book for me. Thought it was wordy, boring, not a great story. sorry.

I had a very hard time staying with the book. I got through it but it was difficult for me. The descriptions were good and it was well written but I found the subject matter and characters boring. Probably just not my cup of tea! Hope you have a good book club and others enjoyed it. Look forward to seeing other reviews.

The author successfully transports us back to Victorian England by creating a colorful collection of characters who believe opposing philosophies and live in different economic classes. The human failings and odd behaviors are somewhat endearing yet in the end, I felt the story moved painfully slow and I cared very little about what happened to any of them. Notheless, our club did have a robust discussion around this book thanks to some good questions posed about the many themes and situations created by the author.