Absorbing, intriguing, puzzling and engaging, this is a fascinating read about science, religious beliefs and love of all kinds.
I like the blend of science and romance in novels and this is achieved so cleverly by Sarah Perry when she uses the discovery of Halleys comet to open up a discussion of the conflict between religious belief and scientific truth.
The main characters, Baptists, Thomas and Grace live in a small Essex town and have an unlikely friendship not least because of the significant differences in their ages. Thomas is awed by the appearance of the comet and immerses himself in scientific research. Grace's is more of the emotional wonder kind. This conflict leads to many questions about reason and belief and the interpretation of natural events.
They both have romantic relationships that steer the course of their lives in unusual directions.
The book has a victorian feel to it,despite its contemporary setting and is a wonderful read and clever with it.
I very much enjoyed the style, themes and story in Sarah Perry's latest book. It deserves its place on the Booker longlist

This was a bit more of a slow burn for me than the Essex Serpent but I still enjoyed it. Thomas and Grace are unusual protagonists (and indeed an unusual friendship pairing) and the confines of their lives are shown to great effect - there was a real sense of both of them being outside of time somehow, not quite belonging to the modern world as we know it. I also liked the comet theme running through the novel.

Enlightenment by Sarah Perry was longlisted for this year’s Booker Prize. Set in the fictional Essex village of Aldleigh, the novel opens in 1997 when 50-year-old amateur astronomer and newspaper columnist Thomas Hart forges an unlikely friendship with 17-year-old Grace Macauley through a Baptist church. While Grace grapples with her feelings for non-Baptist Nathan, closeted Thomas falls in love with a straight museum curator as they become drawn into the life of Maria Vaduva, a mysterious 19th century astronomer. Whereas The Essex Serpent had a late Victorian setting with a prose style of its time to match, Perry adopts the same 19th century style in ‘Enlightenment’ with only occasional references to its modern setting which gives it a distinctly old-fashioned feel. On a sentence by sentence level, there is some excellent atmospheric writing here which explore themes of science, faith and unrequited love, but the overall plot was too loose for my taste and probably better suited for a reader who prefers more meditative prose. Many thanks to Random House, Vintage Books for sending me a review copy via NetGalley.

I was sent a proof copy of Enlightenment by Sarah Perry to read and review by NetGalley. I absolutely adored this novel! It had everything I love in a book, beautiful writing, interesting and believable characters, a fabulous sense of time and place, and an added dose of mysticism. This novel goes a step further giving us an understanding of astronomy and comets in particular, along with the author’s characteristic insight into relationships of every sort. I love to read novels with an historical aspect and this book is up there with the best. Read and enjoy!

Enlightenment, feels like a 'worthy' book, with lots of important points to get across, therefore it is a book that requires concentration and time to unpick. Perry's writing style conjures up a Victorian era, filled with lavish descriptions and evocation of place, despite being firmly set in the modern landscape. The ethereal nature of Perry's description of the Essex marshes lends itself to 'foggy' uncertainty, misunderstanding and misdirection.

The unpicking of the forgotten astronomer Maria Veduva, lends itself to a ghost story of repressed potential, whereas the contemporary love stories of the main protagonists Thomas and Grace represents repression of self and conflict of faith. The story very much centres on the titular theme of enlightenment - scientific facts vs religious mysticism, perhaps foreshadowing our current climate of reality vs AI.

This is a novel about a mysterious astronomer who disappeared, two person bound by placed and events, religion and theology.
I was fascinated and a bit bored at times and took me a long time to reach the end because I wanted to read and to stop at the same time.
Well written and well plotted, great characters
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was so torn as to whether to give this a pick or a so-so. I went into it expecting not to like it, as I didn‘t enjoy The Essex Serpent at all, which many say is the author‘s best.

There was nothing that I loved about it, but I didn‘t hate it either. I‘m glad I listened on audio as it just burbled away in the background whilst I was commuting, but then I could have skim-read more in print.

My biggest issue was that it still felt very Victorian, even though it was sent in the 1990s and after. I also don‘t like ghosts, and it was all quite depressing. After all that I still can‘t bring myself to give it a so-so. 🤷‍♀️ It must be a very soft pick instead, then! 🤪 3 stars instead of 2.5!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC copy. I love Sarah Perry's writing and the concept of this novel was beautiful, sadly it just didn't work fully for me. It may be the long time span that the story is set over that made me feel a bit disconnected, however others may not have the issues I did with it and I recommend giving it a go. 3/5

Enlightenment appears to be a story of the stars but yet, at its heart, is a simple man of limited pleasures and freedom. We meet Thomas Hart at the end of the 90s when he is in his fifties. He writes for the Essex Chronicle and belongs to a church at Aldleigh where he meets the young Grace. He already appears old before his time when he meets her as a baby but the main action of the story takes place when Grace is 18 and deciding for herself how far to take her devotion to her faith, especially when young Nathan comes along.

Thomas becomes obsessed with Maria, a local legend who apparently disappears from all records in 1888 and who was also desperate to see a comet. Thomas starts to write articles about the upcoming comet, the famous Lowlands and meets James who also seems to take an interest.

This is a novel of the stars and their magic, how we can become obsessed with something and its discovery, but also one of religion and its limitations. Thomas is such a lonely soul, limited by his faith and searching for more, yet in Grace he finds a kindred spirit who is limited but searching too. It's almost like the essence of their search is just so close and yet so far away. It's a novel of 'might have beens' and sadness.

A friend recently attended an event where I believe Perry said she found it difficult to not write historical fiction and this feels of an older time despite being of recent events. There is the ghostly presence of Maria, the sad writing to people no longer with us and a religion that appears outdated and irrelevant but it never leaves them. It has moulded them as people and makes an interesting topic of conversation amongst the magic of the stars.

Sarah Perry’s Enlightenment offers a richly immersive experience for those who revel in the nuances of language and character development. The story centers on Thomas Hart, a middle-aged man devoted to exploring the mysteries of the universe, though he is neither a scientist nor a particularly adventurous soul. Hart is a regular contributor to the Essex Chronicle, where he writes about the cosmos, particularly comets, while grappling with his place in the world, his church, and the possibility of love. He has also unofficially adopted a teenage girl as a cause, and there’s an intriguing possibility of a ghost from the past residing in his home.

Hart’s journey is as complex as it is fascinating, intertwining his personal struggles with his intellectual pursuits. The novel delves into his reflections on science and religion, which some readers may find dense, but these themes are woven seamlessly into his broader narrative. Perry's lyrical prose enhances the beauty of Hart’s quest for understanding, making the sometimes challenging material profoundly rewarding. The exploration of Hart's inner life and the mysterious past of Maria from 1889 create a tapestry that affirms life in all its complexity. For those who appreciate thoughtful, introspective storytelling, Enlightenment offers a deeply gratifying read.

Beautifully and poetically written.
Thomas searches for meaning in his life, he is a journalist in a small town. Maria Vaduva is the ghost from the past who haunts him, wondering around quietly. Through a friendship with James, they discover that Maria was the first person to see one of the comets, they also try to discover the secrets of Lowland House, an ancient ruin.
Grace is the daughter of the Vicar of Bethesda chapel, her Mother died when she was born, she has been bought up by her Aunt in a strict religious way, dressing differently and behaving odly.
Thomas is attached to Grace and tried in his way to look after her, she meets Nathan, a bit more in control of his life than she is and falls in love with him, they discover a Rumanian tramp in the woods and take him home, the Vicar makes him welcome and Thomas befriends him.
The comet is central to the story, with sightings, history and the link to Maria.
Throughout the novel there are unfulfilled desires, secrets and anger.
Thank you Sarah, NetGalley and Jonathan cape.

Enlightenment is divided into three parts set in different years, roughly at intervals of a decade: 1997, 2008 and 2018. The passage of time shows us both Thomas and Grace growing up (or growing old), both yearning for the simpler life of Bethesda as they are unsettled by unexpected attractions – Grace is drawn to Nathan, a boy of her age from outside the Baptist community, whereas Thomas develops a crush on James Bower, the curator of the local museum, with whom he investigates the shadowy history of Maria Veduva. Throughout, the heavens act as a real and metaphorical backdrop to the story, a poetical lens through which to read the themes of the book.

Oh I tried with this one.

I tried a read and then I also tried the audio version. I'm not sure whether it was the style of the writing or the pace. Not for me, you might enjoy if you like Historical fiction. Which isn't to say I don't, because I also read that genre. DNF at around 70 pages.

Having enjoyed Sarah Perry’s previous two novels, The Essex Serpent and Melmoth, I had high hopes for her new one, Enlightenment. However, although I did find a lot to like about it, my feelings were more mixed than with the other two.

Enlightenment begins in 1997 in the small fictional town of Aldleigh in Essex, home to Thomas Hart and Grace Macaulay. Thomas and Grace are decades apart in age but share a special bond, formed when Thomas first sets eyes on Grace as a motherless baby and experiences a wave of love and protectiveness he would never have expected. Now in his fifties, Thomas still feels an affinity for seventeen-year-old Grace who, like himself, is a worshipper at the Strict Baptist chapel in Aldleigh. The first cracks in their relationship appear when each of them falls in love – Thomas with museum worker James Bower, who unfortunately doesn’t seem to return his feelings, and Grace with Nathan, a boy from school.

Meanwhile, Thomas, who works for a local newspaper, has begun writing a column on astronomy and develops an interest – almost an obsession – with a vanished 19th century female astronomer, Maria Vaduva, whose ghost is said to haunt a local manor. Thomas is so fascinated he devotes his life to trying to uncover Maria’s story, tracking down documents and correspondence in an attempt to find out who Maria was and why she disappeared.

The novel is divided into three parts, with the first part being set in 1997 before jumping forward in time to 2008 and finally 2017. Each time we rejoin Grace and Thomas, we see how their lives have changed in the intervening years and the effects of these changes on their relationship, while the constant threads running through the entire novel are the story of Maria Vaduva and the mysteries of the night sky.

Sarah Perry writes beautifully but I think this particular novel might have worked better for me if it had been set in a much earlier time period. If the section heading hadn’t told us that the first part of the book took place in 1997, there was very little that would have made me guess I was reading about the 90s. The characters spoke and behaved more like Victorians, which I’m sure was intentional, to reflect the rather old-fashioned Strict Baptist community to which Thomas and Grace belong, but it still gave the novel a bit of an odd feel. It took me a while to connect with either main character, but I did eventually warm to them, finding a lot of sympathy for Thomas, who is gay and in love with a man who is not and isn’t interested, and for Grace, whose relationship with Nathan doesn’t go quite as planned either.

I did love the descriptions of the small Essex town, Bethesda Chapel where the congregation meets, and Lowlands House where Maria’s ghost is thought to roam. Not really knowing much about Sarah Perry, I was interested to learn that she drew on her own personal experience for both the geographical setting (she based the fictional Aldleigh on Chelmsford, where she was born) and Grace’s Strict Baptist upbringing (Perry herself also followed the same religion and grew up without television, pop music or fashionable clothes). And for readers who have read The Essex Serpent, this book overlaps with that one in a clever way which I’m sure you’ll enjoy as much as I did.

A superb mix of love, faith, mystery and ghosts returns Sarah Perry to her Essex Serpent brilliant best.

One of my favourite books ever is The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry. I confess that I didn’t really get on with Melmont her next novel. So I was in two minds as to whether or not the read her latest novel Englightenment. But she has returned to Essex and I love all of the East Anglian coast. Love, faith, astronomy and ghosts all intertwine. Our heroes are Grace and Thomas, best friends despite the fact that one is thirty years older than the other. I needn’t have worried Enlightenment is spellbinding, with a strong sense of the connectivity of past and present and the pull of celestial bodies.

This wasn't for me I'm afraid. Well written, ambitious, but ultimately the heart of the story didn't click for me. It was beautifully polished but ultimately a bit hollow. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I was asked by NetGalley to review this book. I found myself really immersed in this interesting book. I was lucky to review this authors prevoius books The Essex Serpent. This book also is set in Essex. The author writes so beautifully and with scientific knowledge.
The protagonist Thomas Hart, attempts to learn astronomy, cosmology and physics which I personally found fascinating and there are discoveries of the past some 100 years ago.

This was an enlightening read.

DNF at 11%.

This book was such a struggle to read. The ideas and the cover are so beautiful, but trying to read it was like wading through mud, it was so difficult to read. I just couldn't get into it at all.

For me, Enlightenment is Sarah Perry's best novel yet and one that I will revisit, I am sure. It tells the tale of Thomas and Grace; the paths their lives take and how their lives change when Thomas comes across a local mystery tied up with the stars.

It is actually quite difficult to describe this novel, which seems peculiar given how much I loved it. In its own way it is a mini Essex saga. It maps the passing of the years of Thomas and Grace with engrossing characters and relationships. I became really invested in them and their relationship with each other which is life affirming and devastating in equal measure.

Realistic interesting human characters being tied into a mystery to be unravelled isn't anything new but Sarah Perry does it with such style. She is not afraid to go beyond what is expected. You don't expect the historical character that is the subject of the mystery elements of the book to climb off the page and crawl into the corner of the room. The conclusions to some storylines are realistic rather than tied in a neat bow. At times we are not given what we want and that is what is particularly brilliant about this novel.

I also liked the nods to another novel by Sarah Perry which did make me give a little squeal of delight. An absolute beauty of a book.