Two things totally made me buy this one: the cover! 😍, and a rave review from Annie B. Jones (she named it one of her favorite reads of 2017). Soooooo,
I strug.gled to get through this one.
I kept hoping the build up was slow in order to set the scene, but no, it was just slow all the way through. There was a lot of anticipation around this so-called beast, The Essex Serpent, but that plot line literally never came to fruition. I’m sorry, but when you name the title of a book after that which is being sought, there better be something there! It’s just hard for me to overcome a disappointment that big.
I enjoyed Cora’s character. She’s a quirky and unconventional protagonist who is easy to adore. Recently widowed from a man she wasn’t exactly head-over-heels for, she gains her independence in admirable ways. The story was somewhat saved for me by Cora, so I’m grateful for that.
The writing wasn’t terrible. There were glimmers of hope that the story was on the verge of turning around (that, quite honestly, is probably how I kept reading instead of abandoning it all together), it just never did.
This book had similar vibes to The Signature of All Things; however, where The Essex Serpent failed, The Signature of All Things totally delivered. If you were to chose, definitely go with Signature over this one!
(I know the calendar says January 2, but this was my last read of 2017 – slid right under the radar on NYE ⏰🎊. I’m just now getting it posted because vacation…🌵☀️)
Happiest When Reading 