Remarkable Creatures

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender discrimination and death.



Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot’s unlikely friendship crossed rigid social boundaries in 19th-century England. Which moments in their relationship did you find most meaningful or surprising?

2. Throughout Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier portrays both the exhilaration of scientific discovery and the stubborn resistance to new ideas. Which scenes illustrating this tension affected you most powerfully?

3. Chevalier often writes about overlooked historical women, as she does with Mary Anning in Remarkable Creatures and with Griet in Girl with a Pearl Earring. Compare how both these two novels portray women finding their voices within restrictive societies.

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Elizabeth and Mary faced social exclusion for their unusual interest in fossil hunting. When have you pursued a passion that others found strange? How did you stay true to your interests despite outside pressure?

2. Mary describes feeling the “lightning” of excitement when making a discovery. What experiences in your life have given you this same electric thrill?