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    The Essex Serpent: A Novel
    The Essex Serpent: A Novel
    The Essex Serpent: A Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Essex Serpent: A Novel

    Written by Sarah Perry

    Narrated by Juanita McMahon

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    NOW AN APPLE TV+ SERIES

    A Washington Post Notable Work of Fiction * Winner of the British Book Awards Fiction Book of the Year and overall Book of the Year *A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of The Year * Waterstones Book of the Year * Costa Book Award Finalist

    “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

    London, 1893. When Cora Seaborne’s brilliant, domineering husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness: her marriage was an unhappy one, and she never suited the role of society wife. Seeking refuge in fresh air and open space, she leaves the metropolis for coastal Essex, accompanied by her inquisitive and obsessive eleven-year-old son, Francis, and the boy’s nanny, Martha, her fiercely protective friend. 

    Once there, they hear rumors that after nearly three hundred years, the mythical Essex Serpent, a fearsome creature that once roamed the marshes, has returned. When a young man is mysteriously killed on New Year’s Eve, the community’s dread transforms to terror. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist with no patience for religion or superstition, is immediately enthralled, certain that what locals think is a magical sea beast may be a previously undiscovered species. 

    Eager to investigate, she is introduced to parish vicar William Ransome, who is equally suspicious of the rumors but for different reasons: a man of faith, he is convinced the alarming reports are caused by moral panic, a flight from the correct and righteous path. As Cora and William attempt to discover the truth about the Essex Serpent’s existence, these seeming opposites find themselves inexorably drawn together in an intense relationship that will change both of them in ways entirely unexpected. And as they search for answers, Cora’s London past follows her to the coast, with striking consequences. 

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJun 6, 2017
    ISBN9780062676634
    The Essex Serpent: A Novel
    Author

    Sarah Perry

    Sarah Perry is the author of the memoir After the Eclipse, which was named a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a Poets & Writers Notable Nonfiction Debut, and a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers pick. Perry is the recipient of the 2018 Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award and was a nominee for the 2024 MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award from the James Beard Foundation. She holds an MFA in nonfiction from Columbia University, was the 2019 McGee Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at Davidson College, and teaches in the graduate program in creative writing at Colorado State University.

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    Reviews for The Essex Serpent

    3.5/5

    1,088 ratings117 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a beautiful and emotional story with excellent narration. The characters are diverse and well-developed, and the writing is poetic and evocative. The book explores the complexities of humanity without leaving the reader disillusioned. The prose brings the English countryside to life, and the narrator skillfully captures the voices of the characters. Overall, this gothic novel is satisfying and highly recommended for fans of well-written historical fiction.

    What did you think?

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    • 4/5

      Sep 21, 2024

      I loved the story and the intertwining of all the characters. Very well written, a nice change! Loved how women were portrayed in the turning of centuries, as well as the foreboding setting mud and all creatures included. Original! I will miss these characters.
    • 4/5

      Feb 8, 2024

      Interesting plot with several twists and turns ( no pun intended) whilst overlaying the development of the key characters.
      The background history of London’s outcast poor provides a backdrop against which the Essex village folk are mirrored. Whether it was as cut off from London as the author suggests at the end of the 1800’s we can only assume. Too much was made of Stella and too little of Luke’s role in society post injury. Felt it was too sentimental at the end.
      Very earthy you can almost taste the mud and smell the sea at Essex. Makes for a fast read as an easy style. Makes a difference to trying to slog through the normally dense 19 th century style of writing.
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      This story is so ridiculously beautiful. Somehow it manages to show every beautiful and awful part of humanity and doesn’t leave you disillusioned in anyway. It is warm and bright and sad and cold at once. It is the way I feel about living and the way I want to be remembered when I’m gone. I’m not even sure that any of that makes sense except that it encapsulates my feelings, mostly. This book has somehow become my friend. Thanks to the author for that.
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      Such a satisfying gothic book. Neither overly sentimental nor brutal. And with no neatly wrapped-up stories … but a lot of satisfaction nonetheless. Enjoy!
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      Oh wow, this book… I don’t have the words to describe it but let’s just say it was amazing. The writing, the story, the narrator, all just incredible!
      I also downloaded the book because I wanted to read some of the phrases and noticed that the audio book does not start with the introduction. I recommend reading that before listening since it will make more sense.
      I highly recommend this book!
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      One of my enjoyable reads in years.
    • 4/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      Sarah Perry’s writing evokes the flavor of the Victorian gothic novel while elevating the prose to a higher standard. She intermingles the lives and storylines of a varied set of characters without pushing too hard for a desired outcome. Although some characters aren’t as clearly defined as others, this never detracts from the overall narrative. If you’re a fan of well-written British historical fiction, Perry’s serpent is sure to delight.
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      A hymn to the simple humanity in otherwise complex characters. I was riveted from beginning to end.
    • 4/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      I was initially put off this book by the themes of science and religion, thinking it would be the usual clash between two modes of thought that I have never seen as incompatible. However I am glad I was persuaded to give it a try. The story centres around rumours of a flying serpent living in the marshes, and different people's attitudes to it, as well as the relationships between them. There is no violent clash between differing world views, only mutual respect and conversation. This is historical fiction and suffers rather from putting modern ideals and attitudes in the minds of a previous generation, but that did not spoil my enjoyment.
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      Gleaming prose, that brings the English countryside and those who populate it to vigorous life. The reader is particularly adept at capturing the wide variety of voices in the text; I thoroughly recommend listening!
    • 4/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      An interesting description of the many aspects of being liberated as a woman
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      The narrator shines in this audiobook. Her diction and cadence are perfect for this story. She narrates in voices and accents distinctive for each character. I am sometimes annoyed when a narrator does that, but not this one.
      The many and divers characters are the heart and soul of this story. There are lots of them: men, women, boys, girls, living, dying, dead, and resurrected. Between the author and the narrator, each had their own story within the story they had together.
      Highly recommended for story, poetic and emotional writing, and excellent narration.
    • 5/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      What a wonderful novel. I loved the Victorian setting, the mythic quality to the plot, the sense of place, the downright beautiful turns of phrase that jump out at you in every other paragraph, and the intriguing, complex characters. Yes, the pacing can be slow, but I found that this helped me to concentrate on and savour the fantastic writing all the more. I will definitely read more of Sarah Perry's work!
    • 4/5

      Jun 30, 2025

      Historical fiction set England in the late 19th century, this novel is centered around a recently-widowed young woman, Cora, who has temporarily relocated from London to a small town in the country. Due to unexplained deaths and sicknesses, the townspeople have revived a 17th century legend involving the Essex Serpent. The local rector attempts to combat their superstitious inclinations. Other important characters include Cora’s eccentric young son, her companion and son’s former nanny, the vicar’s wife and children, a childless couple, the doctor for Cora’s deceased husband, and the doctor's colleague.

      I had mixed feelings about this book. I found it less a mystery than an exploration of the complexities of interpersonal relationships. The characters are interesting but not particularly well-developed. For me, the plot is unfocused, and there is not much action. About half way, I found myself wondering if the pace would pick up. It did, but only slightly. Place and time are important to the story. Although recently written, the language is vividly evocative of a 19th century Victorian novel, and the author excels at descriptions that bring the scenes to life, especially those related to the natural environment. Philosophical questions such as the interplay of religious faith vs. science and the various motivations for improving the dreadful living conditions of the urban poor are explored, but unfortunately, not in much depth. For me, the book was more successful in portraying the boundaries of friendship, the risks involved in advancing medical science, and the expanding role of women in Victorian times. Recommended to readers of Victorian novels.
    • 4/5

      Oct 12, 2024

      Reason read: Gothic novel by English author. Sarah Perry is from Essex and in this tale she writes about Essex and the history of myths significant to the area. The setting is late Victorian England, Aldwinter, Essex. Essex is a land of a lot of short line made up of tidal salt marshes. The Essex serpent is a real myth about a beast that is in the marshes of Essex. It terrorizes locals and emerges to eat sheep and humans. The sea serpent myth is a common myth and may have wings and be dragon like. Cora Seaborne is a widowed woman, mother of Frances who sees herself as an amateur naturalist. She goes to Essex to research the Essex Serpent, believing it might be a living dinosaur. The story is about defiant women. This area was the seat of the Roman empire in England and Boudicca rose up against the Romans. The character of Cora is much like Boudicca. I found the story to be hard to get into and it did not draw you back if you set it down. I have had it on my shelf for awhile so am glad to finally get it read.
    • 3/5

      Jul 29, 2022

      The best thing that I can say about this book is that the language and illustrative text is wonderful. That made the story very atmospheric and creepy for the first half of the book. After that it lost me somewhat. I found that I was trying to skip ahead to get to more action. This book was a gift and I've had it for a few years, so thought I should read it. it is set in England in the Victorian era, but honestly I did not see much description about the social, political and moral incidents at all in this book. That is why I wouldn't categorize it an historical fiction book. I realize that Ms Perry built the book around a true-life happening in Essex at this time as proven by the extensive newspaper articles about the The Essex Serpent at the back of the book. I was also disappointed with the ending. It just made the book so pointless really. I gave the book three stars because of the writing skills and language throughout, but I really can't recommend this book.
    • 5/5

      May 20, 2024

      I enjoyed every image and every word in this novel.
    • 3/5

      Jan 22, 2024

      I enjoyed this book...but did not love it. I thought Melmoth was a more complete outing.
      Sarah Perry knows how to tell a story. The reader can smell this book. The geography...The sea, the marsh and the salted folks who live upon the land are VIVID. The plot of this book seems simple. In the end there is much more than meets the eye. A young widow and her son relocate from a bustling 19th century English city find themselves suddenly in the laid back marsh country of less than rural England. The inhabitants are colorful and memorable. While reading this story the reader might expect a slightly different and predictable ending. Well Perry is not going to let that happen. What happens is normal...at times too normal but The Essex Serpent is a novel of the heart and what makes it beat. While the stark realization that we can follow it and go one way but also choose to make careful steps and deviate from it allows us to still be content with our choices.
    • 2/5

      Feb 23, 2024

      Beautifully written, a joy to read, but the story rambled, went on unexplained side trips and petered out. There was some interesting tension building between science and religion, belief and proof, progress and conservationism but it was abandoned.
    • 4/5

      Jan 13, 2022

      Although the characters weren't very memorable, they were worth following through this story where the serpent is a metaphor for something, perhaps a focus for fear. Highly readable, the first chapter was best in referencing other fiction, making the reader feel smart. It is not, as some review say, either highly Victorian or very Gothic, except in spirit.
    • 5/5

      Oct 31, 2023

      Great story
    • 5/5

      Dec 3, 2021

      I was caught off guard at first, being so used to books stating everything plainly like, 'look, here's the deal'. I thought I must have gotten distracted and missed things after reading the first chapter and went back and reread it, but no, that's really just how it was. Subtly showing the reader more often than telling. You're almost collecting clues to string together for meaning. Or handed puzzle pieces and it's up to you to arrange them into the correct picture. It is very different from most books! Some 'reading between the lines' required, but it's worth it. I think people are probably likely to either feel dumb and lost, or feel clever and intrigued. For me, it was a very nice break from being beaten over the head with an author's point, 'and once more for the people who missed it the first three times!...'. It was almost like a vote of confidence shown in the intelligence of her readers.

      The tone is a bit sobering I think, sometimes a little raw feeling, but life isn't all sanitized and easy and joyful all the time, so I appreciated the truth of it. The start was a bit slow for me, but it got increasingly more interesting. There was also a poetry in the words chosen and arranged. I am impressed.

      Also Juanita McMahon does a wonderful reading in the audiobook!
    • 1/5

      Sep 8, 2023

      What a pile of shit. Hated every moment of it
    • 3/5

      Jul 25, 2021

      It was ok. sometimes I could get into the story and other times I just couldn't. I'll be honest- the main reason I picked it up is because I heard about the mini series that was filming for Apple + and was curious about it. Overall, not bad but not my favorite.
    • 3/5

      Jun 22, 2021

      I confess I was unable to finish the book. I bought it based on the cover art and an intriguing premise. I found, though, that the characters were not compelling enough to sustain my interest.
    • 5/5

      Apr 29, 2023

      A mid nineteenth century exploration of strange events. Seaside fogs and superstitions weave together to n reveal local personalities and events.
    • 3/5

      Dec 2, 2022

      The Short of It:

      Not exactly what I expected but entertaining nonetheless.

      The Rest of It:

      London, 1893. When Cora Seaborne’s brilliant, domineering husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness: her marriage was an unhappy one, and she never suited the role of society wife. Seeking refuge in fresh air and open space, she leaves the metropolis for coastal Essex, accompanied by her inquisitive and obsessive eleven-year-old son, Francis, and the boy’s nanny, Martha, her fiercely protective friend. ~ Indiebound

      What makes this story interesting is that it also includes a mythical creature, the Essex serpent. After years of rumors, a man shows up dead and once again the town is convinced that the serpent is back to its tricks.

      As you’re reading though, whether or not this creature actually exists is left up to the reader. Does the creature represent something or more specifically, someone in the story? I found this story to be very readable and read it in one afternoon but I found the characters to be unremarkable. We picked it for book club and there wasn’t that much to discuss but some of the members have seen the series adaptation and so had some good comparisons to share.

      Have you read it? I think I expected it to be more adventurous.

      For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.
    • 5/5

      May 17, 2021

      I stayed up too late to finish this and then was sorry I had because it was over. Chilly, damp Victorian England; a complicated, smart, floundering woman with an odd son; a kind, fragile woman with heart and guts; several intelligent, difficult men; all admirably depicted in thoughtful, formal language... that'll do it for me, thank you. Relationships are tangled and fraught; philosophies and ethics of science, faith and love collide. What is the Serpent but a manifestation of everything we fear or distrust or don't want to believe? Spoiler (sort of...): it almost doesn't matter what it turns out to be, because how we think about it and respond to it is much more important. This is a book I wish I could have written. I will now look out for Sarah Perry's first novel (After Me Comes The Flood) and wait eagerly for her next.
    • 3/5

      Apr 28, 2021

      Meh. I’ve heard rave reviews about how great The Essex Serpent was. It was a so-so historical fiction account centered around a rumor of a mysterious beast off the Essex coast. The Londoners get involved with the country people and culture clash ensues. The abused widow with her autistic son, the doctor buddies, the parson with his dying wife and their brood, the socialist friend and the murderous co-worker—none of them are all that compelling. The best thing about this book is the beautifully designed cover.
    • 3/5

      Jan 26, 2023

      Preliminary notes: about 60 pages in, having to force myself to keep reading. I finally figured out why: I dislike all the characters.

      On finishing: It was worth reading but rather sad throughout.