59 pages • 1 hour read
Sarah PerryThe Essex Serpent
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Sarah Perry's 2016 novel The Essex Serpent, set in 1893, recently widowed Cora Seaborne relocates to a small Essex village, where she encounters a community obsessed with the legend of a sea monster. As Cora's fascination with the natural world and the mythical serpent grows, she forms complex relationships with the local priest, William Ransome, and other villagers, navigating themes of science, faith, and love. Instances of violence and death occur throughout the narrative.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent has garnered praise for its lush prose and complex characters set against a richly depicted Victorian backdrop. Critics commend the novel's exploration of science, faith, and love. However, some find the pacing uneven and the plot meandering. Overall, it is celebrated for its atmospheric storytelling and thought-provoking themes.
Who Should Read The Essex Serpent?
A reader who would enjoy The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry typically loves richly atmospheric historical fiction with strong, complex characters and themes of science versus superstition. Comparable to fans of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall or Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, they appreciate finely detailed settings and nuanced narratives.