When I was looking through my stack of advanced readers’ copies shortly before Christmas madness happened, I picked up my copy of Tracy Chevalier’s Remarkable Creatures and read a few chapters. Not until January rest occurred did I pick it back up again and become pleasantly surprised at Chevalier’s treatment of the early 1800s in London and south of there in the small seaside village of Lyme Regis.
Based on the life of Mary Anning, a “before-her-time” fossil explorer and rare prehistoric sea creature discoverer, this little novel offers an unusual and provocative read. Insights into the male dominated academic geological community and exploration into the church’s role of rare acknowledgment of extinct fish or animals created by God propel the book’s premise. Add to that an often close, but tumultuous friendship between Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, a middle age spinster newly arrived from London, who is also captivated with fish fossils,and the plot thickens. A shared interest in a complicated man adds jealousy and envy to the emotional mix between the socially diverse women. Comments on English society of the times, social class differences, as well as educational differences, provide abundant details and additional interest in this time period.
Although I did not read Chevalier’s popular The Girl with the Pearl Earring, which was published in 2005, I saw the beautiful movie. True to this previous read, Chevalier dapples in historic fiction, and does quite a good job. I had never heard of Mary Anning and remembered few details of this period of time in English history, so reading this book was an eye opening experience for me. Conversational in tone and method, the writing flows easily; chapters are told alternately between Mary and Elizabeth. Flowery descriptions of the English seaside village add to the enjoyment. Even the book’s cover pulls the reader in! Remarkable Creatures provides a nice little read for a cold January’s weekend.
-Nan
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