From the New York Times bestselling novelist, a stunning historical novel that follows the story of Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, two extraordinary 19th century fossil hunters who changed the scientific world forever. On the windswept, fossil-strewn beaches of the English coast, poor and uneducated Mary learns that she has a unique gift: “the eye” to spot ammonites and other fossils no one … and other fossils no one else can see. When she uncovers an unusual fossilized skeleton in the cliffs near her home, she sets the religious community on edge, the townspeople to gossip, and the scientific world alight. After enduring bitter cold, thunderstorms, and landslips, her challenges only grow when she falls in love with an impossible man.
Mary soon finds an unlikely champion in prickly Elizabeth, a middle-class spinster who shares her passion for scouring the beaches. Their relationship strikes a delicate balance between fierce loyalty, mutual appreciation, and barely suppressed envy, but ultimately turns out to be their greatest asset.
From the author of At the Edge of the Orchard and Girl With a Pearl Earring comes this incredible story of two remarkable women and their voyage of discovery.
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A fascinating tale of two remarkable women from very different worlds whose paths cross through their passion for fossils…so much interesting information about the discovery of unknown species that rocked the worldview of the 19th century.
I loved this book. Real life characters that I found were actually real! Learned a lot about there lives so long ago. Learned where some of the first fossils finders were from, about their lives and community. Also, where I can go to view some of there finds. A great novel!
I loved this book. The story and the period are interesting and the fact that women were made these fossils come to life is fascinating! Fiction and history are blended well, I learned a lot and was entertained at the same time!
Tracy Chevalier is one of my favorites—and Remarkable Creatures is my favorite of her books, to date.
Fascinating story of Mary Annon and fossil hunting in Victorian England. The book is well written and historically accurate where it counts. Chevalier makes what could be a very dry subject absolutely riveting.
This story is based on the real-life of Mary Anning. In the early 1800s, Mary hunted fossils on the shores and cliffs of the Lyme Regis area in southern England. Her discoveries of ammonites and other small fossils as a young child helped her family eke out a meager living. As a young adult, she made the remarkable discovery of a fossilized ichthyosaur. While much of the interactions of the characters are imagined, this story portrays social norms, relationships, religion, and fossil hunting in a way that encourages the reader to go beyond the story. I loved this book!
I learned a great deal about fossils, but much more about human foibles, follies, and connections. A wonderful story about the connections that really matter as we stumble through life together.
Disappointing
Boring. Hard to care much about th7e characters.
Since I am into Genealogy, that gave me an interest in the ancestors that we not find in the census records but in the layers of rocks of long ago.
Easy to read about a time long gone. Sweet characters.
This was a slow, sweet piece of historical fiction. These women, of modest means, made great scientific discoveries, and discovered things about themselves in the process.
Chevalier’s writing is excellent. I especially liked how delicately she painted the nuances of character (everyone has their good points, and maybe a little bad side too). Enjoy the twists and turns, leading to a satisfying but unconventional conclusion.
there’s hardly anything by this author I do not enjoy –great revelation of characters and time periods….well-researched..
I loved this read! I learned a lot about a woman’s role in paleontology. It was especially interesting as it related to the caste system of that era and the challenges of science versus religion.
An enjoyable and informative book about a girl and her family that hunt for fossils in the 1800’s. I never thought I would enjoy a book about fossil hunting. I loved the town with all the different characters and those that visited.
Wonderful writing based on the life of a real person..
The true story behind the beginning of archeology and the women who persevered
Very well written
Interesting look at the problems faced by women in the sciences two centuries ago.