The Essex Serpent

Beautifully written novel of ideas set in the late Victorian era. London and Essex are convincingly evoked and the characters - well they are so perfectly what they are supposed to be that it is hard not to claim cliche, though they are they still drag you into the world. This book adhered to the necessary tropes of its genre so well, I laughed with joy. Just a lovely book in which not a lot happens in terms in physical action, but much life happens indeed. Recommended for folks who do not need wham bam boom books set in the 19th century.