Tracy Chevalierâs stunning novel of how one womanâs gift transcends class and gender to lead to some of the most important discoveries of the nineteenth century.
A revealing portrait of the intricate and resilient nature of female friendship.
In the early nineteenth century, a windswept beach along the English coast brims with fossils for those with the eyeâŠ
From the moment sheâs struck by lightning as a baby, it is clear Mary Anning is marked for greatness. When she uncovers unknown dinosaur fossils in the cliffs near her home, she sets the scientific world alight, challenging ideas about the worldâs creation and stimulating debate over our origins. In an arena dominated by men, however, Mary is soon reduced to a serving role, facing prejudice from the academic community, vicious gossip from neighbours, and the heartbreak of forbidden love. Even nature is a threat, throwing bitter cold, storms, and landslips at her.
Luckily Mary finds an unlikely champion in prickly, intelligent Elizabeth Philpot, a middle-class spinster who is also fossil-obsessed. Their relationship strikes a delicate balance between fierce loyalty and barely suppressed envy. Despite their differences in age and background, Mary and Elizabeth discover that, in struggling for recognition, friendship is their strongest weapon.
GuardianâIt is a stunning story, compassionately reimaginedâ
