The Essex Serpent
Apr. 18th, 2026 08:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearThe Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry was another book I randomly picked up at my local station free book exchange, having heard about it on reading retreats but never been interested enough to seek it out. I'm very glad I decided to give it a try, though, because it's excellent!
It's about a young widow who travels to Essex after the death of her husband, in search of fossils, but she finds a lot more than she bargained for in the deep connections she forges with the local pastor and his family, while the village is in the thrall of superstition and fear around rumours of a malevolent serpent frequenting the nearby waterways.
The writing is exquisite - generally lovely, but with frequent images and turns of phrase that cut deep. The character portraits are layered and extremely well observed, and the leisurely pace was a welcome requirement (I had to slow down to appreciate it properly).
The story took some unexpected and satisfying turns - though the ending was a bit nebulous.
It's about a young widow who travels to Essex after the death of her husband, in search of fossils, but she finds a lot more than she bargained for in the deep connections she forges with the local pastor and his family, while the village is in the thrall of superstition and fear around rumours of a malevolent serpent frequenting the nearby waterways.
The writing is exquisite - generally lovely, but with frequent images and turns of phrase that cut deep. The character portraits are layered and extremely well observed, and the leisurely pace was a welcome requirement (I had to slow down to appreciate it properly).
The story took some unexpected and satisfying turns - though the ending was a bit nebulous.
