Remarkable Creatures

By: Tracy Chevalier

Narrated by: Charlotte Parry

A voyage of discovery, two remarkable women, and an extraordinary time and place enrich this New York Times best-selling novel by Tracy Chevalier, author of At the Edge of the Orchard and Girl With a Pearl Earring.

On the windswept, fossil-strewn beaches of the English coast, poor and uneducated Mary Anning learns that she has a unique gift: "The eye" to spot 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 Philpot, 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.
Remarkable Creatures is a stunning historical novel that follows the story of two extraordinary 19th century fossil hunters who changed the scientific world forever.

©2010 Tracy Chevalier (P)2010 Penguin

Unforgettable Women

This is the remarkable story of Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot based on their TRUE lives. They are two strong women who form an unlikely friendship, based on a shared interest in fossil collecting. I felt as if transported in time to join these two unforgettable characters on their quest. Tracy Chevalier should be commended for giving these two historical figures their due. Thank you ladies.

Good read, thought provoking

I became interested after coming across a news article on a fossil specimen found by Mary Anning that remains one of the most complete found to date. This story is fascinating, sad, insightful and a unique glance into society in the 1800’s. I found the struggles experienced by the protagonists both poignant and sadly resonant of the struggles women still face today. While our understanding of fossils has evolved since Annings time, there remains bigotry, prejudice, exclusion, and suspicion that made elements of the novel hit home. I did find parts a bit histrionic and I echo other reviewers who stated a greater desire for a touch more science. Overall worth a read.

Not just another love story

Wonderful writing, characters you can care about and interesting and different subject matter, well worth reading.

Awesome book!!

Absolutely loved it. Narration was superb, story line kept me fascinated and it was extremely well written. Highly recommend this book as a fascinating tale of early fossil discoveries and the difficulties that intelligent women faced back then.

The remarkable creature is not what I expected

Loved the readers. Written so you care about the characters. Very interesting subject matter. A unique book, not like so many out there. Highly recommend.

Fossils and Women's Roles in 1820 England

If science, particularly the origination of our understanding of dinosaurs and the theory of extinction, bores you, you will have trouble getting through this book. There is a lot of information about how fossils were first discovered in Lyme Regis, England (all true), and the difficulties some people (particularly religious people) had in believing in what these bones represented.

BUT it is also a story of friendship and of the first hints of women's rights. It is hard for my children to imagine a world in which a decent woman couldn't walk anywhere alone and wasn't allowed to join the geological society, but also all true.

I enjoyed the characters, and I do recommend this book.

Because I prefer mysteries with suspense and drama, it was a little tame for me, but is stiil well worth reading.

LOVED THIS BOOK

I was so entraptured by the story of Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot. The fact that they are real life characters made this book so much more intrigueing and entertaining. The narrators do a fantastic job of depicting the characters. A great book, highly recommended!

A unique story and well read

Would you listen to Remarkable Creatures again? Why?

I would listen to Remarkable Creatures again because of the uniqueness of the story in combination of the fact that the characters are real historical people. The voicing is wonderfully done, especially for the two main characters, Mary and Elizabeth. The Jane Austen references and setting of the story add another aspect of complexity - that the women butt against social conventions of the time. There is a nicely paced developmental evolution of the characters as the book progresses. This becomes evident as their discoveries become more remarkable and they must confront the male dominated world of science as well as fight for the monetary value of their discoveries.

Takes you back in time.

I enjoyed this book as it really brings you to the scene of the small Wales village. Insight into the status women held and the social issues they faced. Charlotte Parry was an excellent narrator. Loved the accent.

A great experience

An all-round enjoyable read. The narration is just perfect for the story.