Remarkable creatures

Tracy Chevalier

Sound recording - 2010

Growing up fascinated with the fossils she collected on the beach, Mary Anning blossomed into a skillful amateur archaeologist. When she discovers an intriguing fossilized skeleton, townspeople and religious authorities react viciously. Barred from the scientific community and in love with an unavailable man, Mary turns to Elizabeth Philpot, a London exile, for friendship. Together, they look to make their way in the evolving nineteenth century through archaeology and scientific discovery.

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FICTION ON DISC/Chevalier, Tracy
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Subjects
Published
Prince Frederick, MD : Recorded Books p2010.
Language
English
Main Author
Tracy Chevalier (-)
Other Authors
Charlotte Parry (-), Susan Lyons, 1957-
Item Description
Unabridged recording of the book published in 2010.
Physical Description
8 compact discs (10 hrs., 15 min.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in
ISBN
9781440771743
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

As she did with Vermeer's painting in The Girl with the Pearl Earring (2000) and with tapestry making in The Lady and the Unicorn (2004), Chevalier again immerses readers in a world far removed from their own. The remarkable creatures of the title are both the fossils found on the rocky beaches of Lyme Regis in England during the 1800s and the fossil hunters, working-class Mary Anning and middle-class spinster Elizabeth Philpot, a London exile. Born with a keen eye and a love for the curies she so adeptly spots on the beach, Mary relies on her ability to help support the family, selling her treasures to tourists and townsfolk. Elizabeth Philpot, relegated, along with her two sisters, to Lyme Regis by her brother, who has recently married, brings an educated eye to Mary's finds, schooling her on the scientific names and anatomy of the fossils. When Mary finds an unusual skeleton unlike anything that has ever been discovered before, her work is brought to the attention of the scientific community, but what should be a heady achievement becomes a struggle for recognition from the male-dominated profession, one that ultimately pits the two women against each other. A perfect choice for book clubs and for Austen fans, this many-faceted novel, based on a true story, has a lot to say about women's friendships and class and social prejudice.--Wilkinson, Joanne Copyright 2009 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

The discoveries of fossils on the beaches of Lyme Regis, England, in the 19th century rocked the world and opened the minds of scientists to the planet's unimaginable age and the extinction of species. Though attributed to men of consequence, the first remarkable finds were made by the poor working-class Anning family-and their young daughter, Mary. Chevalier wraps the history with a tale of the friendship between Mary and Elizabeth Philpot, a gentlewoman also fascinated by the creatures of stone, in a time when women were thought to be ill-suited to the work or incapable of understanding the scope of their finds. Each of these two characters tells a first-person story, and Susan Lyons gives Elizabeth Philpot the diction, reserve, subdued tones, and poise expected of a gentlewoman and shades her with idiosyncrasies, passions, and palpable loneliness. Charlotte Parry is convincing as a callow, coarse Mary Anning, and listeners will witness her gradual maturing and refinement as the story unfolds. The quality audio production enhances Chevalier's picturesque historical novel. A Dutton hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 28). (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

In early 1800s England, unmarried women of the upper classes were often relegated to the fringes of society, where they could find a polite way to spend their days; those of the lower classes had even fewer options. This work, based on a true story, portrays two women from these diverse backgrounds who share a fascination with fossils. Mary Anning is an impoverished girl with a gift for finding prehistoric skeletons along the coast, which also interest genteel spinster Elizabeth Philpot. She recognizes Mary's talent as she also understands the enormous implications of the specimens uncovered, for this was before Darwin, when the concept of extinction was unknown, and it was blasphemous to consider that some of God's creatures may have been flawed. Over time, both women strive for scientific credibility, love, and financial stability, with varying degrees of success. Verdict Superbly creating a unique setting, as she did in The Girl with a Pearl Earring, Chevalier captures the atmosphere of a chilly, blustery coast and an oppressive social hierarchy in real Dickensian fashion. Readers of historical fiction will enjoy this fascinating tale of rustic paleontology. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/09.]-Susanne Wells, P.L. of Cincinnati & Hamilton Cty. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.