Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

On a windswept beach in Lyme Regis, in the early 19th Century two women discover an unusual passion which forges a friendship that spans across years and social class.

This is an engaging tale of friendship, and it brought two historical figures very much to life. These two characters were written with sensitivity and enough depth for the reader to care till the last page. Chevalier weaves real life people into a fictional tale, her winning formula that brings history alive. Mary Anning is an unusual woman for her time, especially of her class. Her obsession with fossil hunting is not just a way of providing her family with an income, but her way of making a mark upon the scientific world. Elizabeth Philpott, though more privileged than Mary, still has her own path to furrow in a male dominated world; where women are at men’s mercy including their own brothers. Chevalier is an excellent storyteller and I was swept along by this tale of friendship that is blighted by jealousy, rivalry and prejudice. There was something about the characters that struck a chord with me, their passion, (their fossils, mine writing) in a life that can appear mediocre. And indeed, gives these two women a passion that is frowned upon in their time. Both women have to fight to get their voices heard, but as usual there is a man at the centre which threatens their unusual friendship.

Having read Chevalier, I love her way of taking a real life character and bringing them to life. Characters that jump out of the page and stay with you, even when you have put the book down.