It's Not "Puff, The Magic Dragon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                As I was reading Sarah Perry's novel, "The Essex Serpent," I was reminded of Sara Gruen's disappointing "At Water's Edge."  For a good part of Perry's novel, I felt it was inching toward what Gruen's book was trying so desperately to be, but was not.  Although better written, this novel, unfortunately turns out to be smoke and mirrors.

                               Which is a shame, because there really is an Essex serpent legend.  And Perry's prose style, and the way she weaves science with fiction recalls Elizabeth Gilbert's "The Signature Of All Things."  So I felt this novel was going for something much more than it turns out to be.

                                 I almost wish the serpent mystery had not been revealed.  Remember the sea monster movies of the 1950's? And "Jaws," which was pretty much the same thing?  The best part of those films was the tension they generated.  Whenever the camera panned to the water, or a ripple appeared, I would always wonder what would come out--and when?  And how about the opening of "Jaws," still one of the most frightening sequences on film?

                                The novel teasers the reader the same way these films did.  The trouble is, reality has to set in, and that is when things stop being fun.  "The Essex Serpent" is a fun, and wonderfully written novel, but fizzles out in the reality of what is revealed.  Had Perry gone with something actually monstrous, she might have earned herself some fans.

                                  This will hardly make Book Of The Year.  But take a look at the book's cover.  This is sure to make Book Cover Of The Year.  It speaks of Perry's beautifully textured writing style.
Now, she needs to work on driving narrative.

                                   Poor Gojira!  He was hoping to be cast in "The Essex Serpent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"