Remarkable Creatures

By: Tracy Chevalier

Narrated by: Charlotte Parry

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

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

Natural and Human History

The novel retained my interest throughout. There are some repetitive themes but I kept looking forward to the outcome of each encounter. This book, based on a historical figure, appealed to my interest in nature and history.

Wish it didn't end!

I loved this story, I enjoyed that it is reminiscent of Jane Austen and wished it continued, I'd like to know if Mary ever married and what else her future held. Such a fascinating story!

Fossil Folly

Such a beautiful story true to the gender limits and biases of that day. Mary does turn out to become the hero and somewhat the benefactor of all her learning and hard work. There is also an awareness of the role that hard work sooner or later can pay off.

19th century status of women is now a fossil

The best part of this story is a friendship between two women inspite of differences in their social status. What I take away from this book, is the desire to continue to celebrate the development of western civilization. It was many years in the making, but women now have the freedom of choice in how they want to live their lives. And we continue to strive to improve. Elizabeth and Mary are the Remarkable Creatures , buried in a man's world, destined to be fossils. And yet they dug themselves into a passionate pursuit of knowledge and the past, despite the cruel restrictions of their society's way of life.

Absolutely Perfect!

This book deserves more than just 5 stars!!! I'm so in love with this story! It's so well written! I even didn't want to finish the book! It's like being there, with Mary Anning and Elizabeth on the beach and looking for fossils. This summer I'm going to visit Lyme Regis for the first time. I wanted to learn more about Mary Anning. Now, after listening to this fantastic audiobook I couldn't be more prepared.

WOW@

It's been a while since I listened to a book I absolutely loved! I want to start it over and listen to it again. I want to recommend it to all that I know who love a good read. This is the first novel by Tracy Chevalier that I have read. Charlotte Parry did a superb job narrating.

Great Book

Had to read for a class and loved it. I wish there was a movie for it so that I can watch.

Great way to learn about some incredible women!

Love this book, I looked up Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philbot, and read about them as I went through the book, great scientists who are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve! highly recommend the book.

Immerse yourself in Mary Anning's world

Very well-drawn characters based on historical figures that really takes the reader to the times and places of Victorian-era England. It's a lot of fun to "meet" Charles Lyell and William Buckland as well as, of course, Mary Anning. I'm going to insist that my daughter read/listen to this and, if you have a daughter at all interested in the natural sciences, this is a must-read.

The narrators were superb. One reads the chapters from Mary Anning's point of view with a Cockney accent and the other reads the parts of Elizabeth Philpot with an aristocratic tone befitting the character's high-class background.

I could have used more of the science and a little less of the drama but I recognize I'm a little more science-hungry than your average reader. It's probably about right for most folks? Definitely will get you Googling various fossils and the Lyme Regis.

Excellent narration, less than compelling story

The title pretty much sums up this one. The history in the plot wasn't all that compelling, and somehow the characters were a little flat. It felt to me that the author was struggling to incorporate the historical backdrop that she so obviously researched diligently, with the characters. The narrators really made the story come alive, though, like listening to a radio drama.