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51 pages 1 hour read

Tracy Chevalier

Remarkable Creatures

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier is a historical fiction novel set in 19th-century England. It follows the story of Mary Anning, a working-class woman passionate about fossil hunting, and Elizabeth Philpot, an unmarried middle-class woman. Their friendship defies societal norms as they uncover significant prehistoric fossils that challenge the religious beliefs of their village and advance the study of paleontology.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Tracy Chevalier’s Remarkable Creatures is praised for its vivid historical setting and strong female protagonists, Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot. Readers appreciate the novel’s exploration of early 19th-century fossil hunting and gender roles. Criticisms include a slow pace and occasional predictability. Overall, it’s lauded for engaging storytelling and well-researched context.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Remarkable Creatures?

A reader who would enjoy Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier is likely a fan of historical fiction centered on groundbreaking women in science. Comparable to readers of The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, they appreciate richly detailed, character-driven narratives that highlight women's contributions against societal odds.

Book Details
Pages

320

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Lyme Regis, England • 19th Century

Publication Year

2009

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

16-18 years

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