The Essex Serpent is a good book; I enjoyed it. It reminded me of a classic English novel like any of the Bronte sisters’ novels for example or Jane Austen. You have some of the common things going on that you run into in these kinds of books written/set in the (late) 19th century- someone with consumption wasting away, a pastor and family living out in the country, the “enlightened people” from London visiting the country folk, the superstitious villagers, a “forbidden” love interest. Often they have a mystery that kind of drives the story forwards. Or some kind of protagonist/antagonist conflict, something. In the Essex Serpent there are good, believable characters, even if we don’t get to examine them in too much detail (not enough backstory or character development really). You have people visiting other people, even complete strangers coming to dinner just because a common friend introduced you via correspondence. Which, to me, seems bizarre doesn’t it? People were much friendlier back in the day, that’s for sure. Nowadays we don’t even bother to answer a text message from family half the time or just give a yes or no or thumbs up. Anyway, it’s a good classic type of British novel and if that’s your thing you might dig this. If not, I’d skip it as it’s not exactly the most exciting thing you’ll ever read. Still, like I said, it’s well written and I liked it even if I can’t quite articulate why. ha