This book swept me away. Set in Victorian England, it tells the story of a small town on the Essex coast which is haunted by the rumor of a deadly sea serpent. It is also the story of Cora Seabourne, who's abusive husband has recently died, leaving her a happy window finally free to pursue her interests in science and natural history. She believes the Essex Serpent may be a prehistoric beast which has survived to modern times. It is also the story of Cora's circle of friends- two doctors, a union organizer for the working class, a member of government, a county parson and his wife- who are all, to some extent or another, in love which each other's minds, or bodies, or both. Feelings intersect with clashes of ideals, often argued about on long walks through a richly described landscape- bare branches against a soft grey sky, vivid green moss covering leaf mold and dark soil. Whether or not the Serpent exists, every character is tangled in it's coils.