Read advance reader review of The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

The Essex Serpent

by Sarah Perry

  • Critics' Consensus (3):
  • Readers' Rating (44):
  • Published:
  • Jun 2017, 432 pages
  • Rate this book

About this book

Reviews


Page 1 of 3
There are currently 20 member reviews
for The Essex Serpent
Order Reviews by:
  • Deborah M. (Chambersburg, PA)
    Best Reading Experience So Far This Year
    What a wonderful novel! When I began it, I was afraid it was going to turn out to be some kind of fantasy or magical realism--neither of which I enjoy. But this is a novel as driven by character and ideas as by plot, and the writing is absolutely beautiful. Sarah Perry also has a gift for creating an atmosphere that totally draws the reader into a specific time and place--in this case, London and the small Essex town of Aldwinter in the 1890s.

    Cora Seaborne, newly widowed, seems to have ambivalent feelings about her deceased husband, a wealthy, powerful, but cruel man. In some ways, he shaped her into a new person and a new life; but he also stifled any sense of self that she might have developed. Now on her own, she decides to follow her whims, the primary one being to study paleontology on an amateur level. With her companion Martha, an early feminist with reformist tendencies, and her odd 12-year old son Frankie (who today would likely be considered mildly autistic), Cora packs off to Lyme Regis, where Mary Anning had set off a craze for fossil hunting. But when rumors surface that a strange sea creature, last seen in 1669, may have reappeared in the waters near the small town of Aldwinter, Cora can't resist the opportunity to find something truly remarkable. Her friends Charles and Katherine Ambrose, wealthy aristocrats, provide an introduction to the local parson, Will Ransome, a married father of three with a similar interest in fossils. Will and Cora embark on an unexpected and passionate friendship that threatens to become much more. Their debates on the conflicts between science and faith shape the heart of the novel.

    But this is not the only theme running through 'The Essex Serpent.' There are questions about the nature of love in its many forms: friendship, passion, loyalty, empathy, responsibility, parenthood, and more. These are fleshed out through a series of wonderfully drawn secondary characters: Will's wife Stella, an ethereal creature whose illness pulls her into a strange faith of her own making that centers on all things blue; Luke Garrett, a brilliant surgeon in love with Cora; his devoted friend George Spencer, a wealthy young physician who spends his fortune on charitable projects to impress Cora's companion Martha; Frankie, who seems incapable of loving anyone; and the quirky townsfolk of Aldwinter. Questions of class are never far from the surface; Charles Ambrose, for example, believes in a kind of simplified social Darwinism that keeps individuals in the places they are meant to be.

    All these elements, characters, and ideas twist and turn and intertwine like the body of the elusive serpent while the plot carries the reader along for the ride. There's nary a dull moment here, and a good number of keen insights and startlingly beautiful passages. 'The Essex Serpent' is an all-around winner, the best reading experience I've had so far this year.
  • Nikki M. (Fort Wayne, IN)
    Seriously good read!
    I can see why this has so much buzz across the pond. I am sure it will see much success here upon its release. The characters were amazingly realistic and fleshed out. Pick this one up and give it a few pages to pull you in, you won't regret it!
  • Susan B. (Rutledge, MO)
    excellent intriguing read
    This book wasn't quite what I expected, but I really enjoyed what I got: a well-written, intriguing, sometimes creepy, feels-real story. It is very much written for an English audience-- there were many historical, place and other references that I as an American didn't get. This may be a feature or a bug for you, but I found that it didn't get in the way of my enjoying the story.
  • Lynda C. (Sault Sainte Marie, MI)
    The Essex Serpent
    Enjoying The Essex Serpent has been one of the most outstanding reading experiences I have had in a very long time. I read many, many books across a variety of genres and this one is truly superior.
    I found myself entranced by the incandescent use of language - and either stopped frequently to savour a word, a sentence, or an idea; or read on a few pages and went back to re-read something that had caught my attention. This is something that rarely happens in my reading experience.
    The characters - all of the characters - are unforgettable!
    Each character is so finely drawn and complete in their physical, psychological, and emotional description it is as if they are right before you, living out the story line right now and in vivid color.
    This is a beautiful novel, a multi-layered, intellectually satisfying novel. This novel made me think on many different levels and about many different things...and I became lost in its world.
    Everybody should read this one!
  • Eileen F. (Green Valley, AZ)
    The Essex Serpent
    Sarah Perry has created a novel with very visual descriptions of her characters and the environments they are in. The characters are all unique and most represent different value systems. The story shows how people can be influenced by rumor and tales of the unknown.
  • Terri O. (Chapel Hill, NC)
    Highly recommended
    The Essex Serpent is a beautifully written novel that explores such themes as love and friendship, science and religion, reason and superstition, freedom and powerlessness, and poverty and wealth, set against the divergent backdrops of bustling London and rural Essex in the late 1800s.

    Sarah Perry skillfully brings to life a cast of late Victorian characters that are far from the buttoned-up prudes one might expect, endowing them with complicated interior and exterior lives. They seem both of their time and timeless, and the complex relationships among the characters are presented with both depth and compassion. The many forms of love and friendship are deftly explored and even though the desires of many of the characters are mutually exclusive, somehow the novel leaves one feeling optimistic.

    This book would be a great choice for book clubs and would appeal to fans of Tracy Chevalier and Charles Dickens.
  • Priscilla M. (Houston, TX)
    A hugely entertaining read!
    The Essex Serpent has something for every reader. It is a melange of mystery, historical fiction, love story, and Victorian period piece. The characters are complex yet engaging, and the reader is easily swept up into their struggles and triumphs. I found myself rooting for Cora as she evolved from abused wife to independent, joyous woman. This book is a definite must read for anyone looking for a well-told tale that is rich in atmosphere and multi-layered story lines.
  • Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Read-Alikes

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
The Cover Girl
by Amy Rossi
Find them early enough, and they will always be her girls.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket
    The Sister's Curse
    by Nicola Solvinic
  • Book Jacket
    The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes
    by Chanel Cleeton
    A mysterious book links three women across generations in this novel by New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton.
  • Book Jacket
    The Vanishing Place
    by Zoë Rankin
Who Said...

Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Book
Trivia
  • Book Trivia

    Can you name the title?

    Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

W the C A the M W P

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

 


Debugging Information
ColdFusion Server Developer 2021,0,13,330286
Template /arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
Time Stamp 31-May-26 09:32 PM
Locale en
User Agent Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
Remote IP 127.0.0.1
Host Name 127.0.0.1


Execution Time

Total Time Avg Time Count Template
1780263140857 ms 1.78026314086E+012 ms 1 /root/website/app_server.cfm
572 ms 572 ms 1 /root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
219 ms 219 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm
147 ms 147 ms 1 /root/website/app_layout.cfm
105 ms 105 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/dsp_right_column.cfm
69 ms 35 ms 2 /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm
67 ms 67 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_briefs_reader_rating.cfm
52 ms 52 ms 1 /root/website/app_globals.cfm
36 ms 36 ms 1 /root/website/adzones/AdZone6.cfm
36 ms 36 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/dsp_footer.cfm
34 ms 34 ms 1 /root/website/adzones/showcase_track.cfm
32 ms 32 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_border_first_impressions.cfm
31 ms 31 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_arcs_for_ad.cfm
25 ms 25 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_by_id.cfm
25 ms 25 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_book_giveaway.cfm
22 ms 22 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_awards_by_id.cfm
16 ms 16 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm
10 ms 10 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_books_by_briefs_category.cfm
9 ms 9 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_competition.cfm
7 ms 7 ms 1 /root/website/act_check_login.cfm
7 ms 7 ms 1 /root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/dsp_briefshell.cfm
7 ms 7 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_border_booktalk.cfm
6 ms 6 ms 1 /root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/dsp_reviews.cfm
6 ms 6 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_author_bookcount.cfm
6 ms 6 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_member_info.cfm
5 ms 2 ms 3 /root/website/actions/act_spider_tracker.cfm
5 ms 5 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_arc_by_id.cfm
5 ms 5 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_reviews_by_arc_id.cfm
4 ms 4 ms 1 /root/website/actions/adstatus.cfm
3 ms 3 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_wordplay.cfm
2 ms 2 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_obc_number.cfm
2 ms 2 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/dsp_bottom_block.cfm
2 ms 2 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/dsp_header.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_ezine.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_free_newsletters.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_top_brief_block.cfm
1 ms 1 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/head.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/Application.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/act_libraryIPLogin.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/actions/udfs.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/dsp_views.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/banners/ad_594.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/formurl2attributes.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/js/fbjavascriptsdk.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/queries/qry_get_previous_arcs_for_ad.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/act_book_view_tracking.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_header_newsletter.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_wordplay.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/email_modal.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/google_tags.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/header_announcement.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/main_menu.cfm
0 ms 0 ms 1 /root/website/site/blocks/layout/main_search.cfm
2 ms  STARTUP, PARSING, COMPILING, LOADING, & SHUTDOWN
574 ms  TOTAL EXECUTION TIME
red = over 250 ms average execution time


SQL Queries

spidercheck (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=4ms, Records=1) in /root/website/actions/act_spider_tracker.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT	a.bot_number
        FROM	bots a
        WHERE	charindex(a.bot_name, ?) > 0
		OR a.bot_ip = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_varchar) = Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
Parameter #2(cf_sql_varchar) = 127.0.0.1

get_member_info (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=6ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_member_info.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
select 	a.*, 
    		b.member_account_type_name, b.member_account_type_charge, b.member_account_type_charge_frequency,  b.member_account_type_months, 
            c.member_chargetype_name, c.member_chargetype_number, a.member_classification_number, a.member_book_format
	
    from members a, member_account_types b, member_chargetype c
	
    where a.member_account_type_number = b.member_account_type_number
	and a.payment_method_id = c.member_chargetype_number
	and a.member_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 0

adactive (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=2) in /root/website/actions/adstatus.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT	viewby, section
    FROM	adsystem 
    WHERE	active  = 1 
    AND		start_date <= GETDATE()
    AND 	(viewby = ? OR viewby = 'all')
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = non

get_current_ezine (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=0ms, Records=1, Cached Query) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_ezine.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
select		top 1 ezine_number, ezine_dt, ezine_image, ezine_brief_description, ezine_introduction
from		ezines
where		ezine_active_flag = 1
and 		ezine_type_number = 4
and			ezine_dt < getdate()
order by 	ezine_dt DESC
get_current_wordplay (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_wordplay.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT		a.wordplay_number, a.wordplay_dt, a.wordplay_name, a.wordplay_intro_text, b.wordplay_puzzle_number, b.wordplay_puzzle_question
    FROM		wordplays a 
	INNER JOIN	wordplay_puzzle_mapping c on c.wordplay_number = a.wordplay_number
	INNER JOIN	wordplay_puzzles b on b.wordplay_puzzle_number = c.wordplay_puzzle_number
	WHERE		a.wordplay_number = (	select top 1 a.wordplay_number
                                from wordplays a, wordplay_puzzles b, wordplay_puzzle_mapping c
                                where a.wordplay_number = c.wordplay_number
                                and b.wordplay_puzzle_number = c.wordplay_puzzle_number
                                and a.wordplay_dt < getdate()
                                and a.wordplay_expiration_dt > dateadd(day, -1, getdate())
                                order by a.wordplay_dt asc
                                )
get_ComNo (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_competition.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT 	TOP 1 	x.competition_number, x.bb_briefs_flag
	from			competitions x
	
		WHERE	x.competition_dt <= getdate()
		AND		x.competition_expiration_dt > dateadd(d,-1,getdate())
get_current_competition (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=5ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_current_competition.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT 	x.competition_number, x.book_number, x.competition_teaser_title, x.competition_teaser_description, x.competition_intro_text, x.competition_expiration_dt, x.bb_briefs_flag, x.competition_full_info_flag, x.competition_type, x.competition_optin,x.competition_optin_text, 
				a.book_title as "title",
				(b.author_first_name + ' ' +  b.author_middle_initial + ' ' + b.author_last_name) as "author",
	            f.edition_publish_dt AS "hardcover_publish_dt", f.edition_jacket_image as "hardcover_jacket_image",
				g.edition_publish_dt AS "paperback_publish_dt", g.edition_jacket_image as "paperback_jacket_image"
	
		FROM 		competitions x
		INNER JOIN	books a on a.book_number = x.book_number
		INNER JOIN	book_author_mapping c on c.book_number = x.book_number
		INNER JOIN	authors b on c.author_number = b.author_number
		LEFT JOIN	editions f on a.book_number = f.book_number and f.edition_paperback_flag = 0
		LEFT JOIN	editions g on a.book_number = g.book_number and g.edition_paperback_flag = 1

		WHERE		x.competition_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 0

get_previous_arcs_for_ad (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=0ms, Records=0, Cached Query) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_previous_arcs_for_ad.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT 	a.arc_number,a.arc_client_url,a.arc_active_dt, a.arc_off_ad_dt,
		b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publisher, 
		b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_number_of_pages, b.ezine_preview_bb_comments, b.ezine_preview_isbn13,
		c.ezine_preview_category_name AS "ezine_preview_category",
		(select count(*) from arc_allocator d where d.arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) as "reviews",
		(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
				 ELSE 0
				 END)
 			from arc_allocator	where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating,
 			(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,1))) AS numeric(12,1)))from arc_allocator where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS "decrating"

FROM arcs a
INNER JOIN ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
INNER JOIN ezine_preview_categories c ON b.ezine_preview_category_number = c.ezine_preview_category_number

WHERE arc_closed_flag = 1
AND arc_obc_flag = 0
AND getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
AND getdate() < arc_off_ad_dt

ORDER BY a.arc_on_ad_dt DESC
get_future_obc (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=4ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk, a.discourse_flag, a.arc_promo_text, arc_on_ad_dt,
				b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_publisher, ezine_preview_publish_dt, ezine_preview_number_of_pages, ezine_preview_isbn, ezine_preview_short_summary,
	            b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, ezine_preview_bb_link
	
	FROM 		arcs a
	INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
	
	WHERE 		arc_obc_flag = 1

	AND 		getdate() < arc_on_ad_dt
	
		ORDER BY  	NEWID()
get_active_obc (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=5ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk, a.discourse_flag, a.arc_promo_text,
				b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_publisher, ezine_preview_publish_dt, ezine_preview_number_of_pages,  ezine_preview_isbn, ezine_preview_short_summary,
	            b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, ezine_preview_bb_link,
	            c.book_reading_guide
	
	FROM 		arcs a
	INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
	LEFT JOIN  	books c on c.book_number = b.ezine_preview_bb_link
	
	WHERE 		a.arc_obc_flag = 1
	AND			a.arc_active_flag = 0
	AND 		arc_closed_flag = 1
	AND 		getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
	AND 		getdate() < arc_off_ad_dt
	ORDER BY  	NEWID()
get_recent_obc (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=4) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_active_obc.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk, a.discourse_flag, a.arc_promo_text,
				b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_jacket_desc, b.ezine_preview_publisher, ezine_preview_publish_dt, ezine_preview_number_of_pages,  ezine_preview_isbn, ezine_preview_short_summary,
	            b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, ezine_preview_bb_link,
	            c.book_reading_guide
	
	FROM 		arcs a
	INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
	LEFT JOIN  	books c on c.book_number = b.ezine_preview_bb_link
	
	WHERE a.arc_number IN (select top 4 arc_number
							from		arcs
							WHERE 		arc_obc_flag = 1
							AND			arc_active_flag = 0
							AND 		arc_closed_flag = 1
							AND 		getdate() > arc_off_ad_dt
							ORDER BY	arc_on_ad_dt DESC)
	ORDER BY  	NEWID()
get_arc_by_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_arc_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT		a.arc_client_url,
			a.bc_active_flag,
			a.arc_forumidfk,
			b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publisher, b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, b.ezine_preview_number_of_pages, b.ezine_preview_isbn, b.ezine_preview_isbn13, b.ezine_preview_bb_link, b.ezine_preview_bb_author_link, b.ezine_preview_firsts_flag, b.ezine_preview_rating, b.ezine_preview_reading_level,
			c.ezine_preview_category_name,
			(select count(arc_allocator_review_rating) from arc_allocator	where arc_number = ? and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arccount,
            
            (select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) >= 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
				 ELSE 0
				 END)
 			from arc_allocator	where arc_number = ? and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating
     
FROM		arcs a
INNER JOIN	ezine_previews b on b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
INNER JOIN	ezine_preview_categories c on c.ezine_preview_category_number = b.ezine_preview_category_number

WHERE		a.arc_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 668
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 668
Parameter #3(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 668

get_reviews_by_arc_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=4ms, Records=20) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_reviews_by_arc_id.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT		arc_number, arc_allocator_number, arc_allocator_review_dt, arc_allocator_reviewer_name, arc_allocator_review_title, arc_allocator_review, arc_allocator_review_rating,
			member_cc_city, member_cc_state

FROM		arc_allocator a
inner join	members m on m.member_number = a.member_number

WHERE		arc_number = ?
AND			arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1


	ORDER BY arc_allocator_review_rating DESC, arc_allocator_review_dt DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 668

get_briefs_reader_rating (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=65ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_briefs_reader_rating.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
SELECT	(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) >= 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
			ELSE 0
			END) AS "avrating",
            count(rating) as "ratcount"
            
	FROM (
		SELECT reader_review_rating AS rating
		FROM reader_reviews
		WHERE ezine_preview_number = ?
		
		AND reader_review_rating > 0
		
		UNION ALL
		
		SELECT reading_list_book_rating AS rating
		FROM reading_lists
		WHERE book_number LIKE 'p%'
		AND TRY_CAST(SUBSTRING(book_number, 2, LEN(book_number)) AS INT) = ?
		AND reading_list_book_rating > 0
		AND TRY_CAST(SUBSTRING(book_number, 2, LEN(book_number)) AS INT) IS NOT NULL
	) combined_ratings
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 12070
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 12070

get_preview_by_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=7ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:20.020
select 			a.ezine_preview_number,
				a.ezine_number, 
				a.ezine_preview_category_number, 
				a.ezine_preview_title, 
				a.ezine_preview_subtitle, 
				a.ezine_preview_author, 
				a.ezine_preview_publisher,
				a.ezine_preview_publish_dt,
				a.ezine_preview_number_of_pages, 
				a.ezine_preview_jacket_image,
				a.ezine_preview_reviews,
				a.ezine_preview_short_summary,
				a.ezine_preview_jacket_desc,
				a.ezine_preview_reading_guide,
				a.ezine_preview_bb_comments, 
				a.ezine_preview_isbn,
				a.ezine_preview_isbn13,
				a.ezine_preview_rating,
				a.ezine_preview_bb_link,
                a.ezine_preview_bb_author_link,
                a.ezine_preview_firsts_flag,
                a.ezine_preview_reading_level,
                a.ezine_preview_paperback_flag,
				b.*,
                c.ezine_dt, c.ezine_description
,(select publisher_holding_company from publishers where ezine_preview_publisher like publisher_imprint AND publisher_holding_company LIKE 'Harper%') AS "publisher_holding_company"		
 				
from ezine_previews a 
inner join ezine_preview_categories b ON b.ezine_preview_category_number = a.ezine_preview_category_number
left join ezines c ON c.ezine_number = a.ezine_number

where ezine_preview_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 12070

get_author_name (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=16ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT author_number, 
        CASE WHEN datalength(author_middle_initial) > 0 then author_first_name + ' ' + author_middle_initial + '. ' + author_last_name
            ELSE author_first_name + ' ' + author_last_name
            END "author_name"
        FROM authors 
        WHERE author_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 3136

get_preview_awards_by_id (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=21ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_preview_awards_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
select a.book_award_number, a.book_award_name, a.book_award_image, c.book_award_dt
    from book_awards a 
    inner join book_awards_category b on b.book_award_number = a.book_award_number
    inner join book_awards_mapping c on c.book_awards_category_number = b.book_awards_category_number
    where ezine_preview_number =  ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 12070

get_arc_idfk (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=9ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk,a.discourse_flag
    FROM 		arcs a
    INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews e on e.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
    
	
        WHERE 		e.ezine_preview_number = ? 
    AND DATALENGTH(a.arc_forumidfk) > 0 AND arc_obc_flag=1
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_integer) = 12070

get_arc_idfk_legacy (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=10ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT 		a.arc_forumidfk,a.discourse_flag
    FROM 		arcs a
    INNER JOIN 	ezine_previews e on e.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number
    
	
        WHERE 		e.ezine_preview_number = ? 
    AND DATALENGTH(a.arc_forumidfk) > 0 AND arc_obc_flag=1 AND a.discourse_flag = 0
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_integer) = 12070

obc_discussions (Datasource=booktalk_new, Time=133ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT 		t.name,
                m.title, m.body,
                u.username, t.id,
				(SELECT COUNT(*) from booktalk_messages where threadidfk = t.id) AS	"responses"
                
    FROM 		booktalk_forums f
    INNER JOIN	booktalk_threads t on t.forumidfk = f.id
    INNER JOIN	booktalk_messages m on m.posted = t.lastpostcreated
    INNER JOIN	booktalk_users u on u.id = m.useridfk
    
    WHERE 	f.id = ?
    AND 	f.active = 1
	AND		t.active = 1
    
    ORDER BY t.name, t.messages DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_varchar) =

searchResults (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=63ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_discussion_by_id.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT book_number, post_id, topic_id, blurb, username, topic_title
					FROM DiscourseSearchResults
					
        WHERE 		book_number = ? 
                    AND topic_id IS NOT NULL
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_varchar) = p12070

ya_check (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=4ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_books_by_briefs_category.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
select ezine_preview_reading_level 
from ezine_previews 
where ezine_preview_number = ?
and ezine_preview_reading_level = 2
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 12070

get_books_by_brief (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=6ms, Records=20) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_books_by_briefs_category.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
select 			top 20
				a.ezine_preview_reading_level,
				b.category_name,
				c.category_number, 
				d.book_number, d.book_title,
				f.author_number, f.author_first_name, author_middle_initial, author_last_name
				
from 			ezine_previews a 
inner join		categories b on b.ezine_preview_category_number = a.ezine_preview_category_number
inner join		category_book_mapping c on c.category_number = b.category_number
inner join		books d on d.book_number = c.book_number
inner join		book_author_mapping e on e.book_number = d.book_number
inner join		authors f on f.author_number = e.author_number

where			a.ezine_preview_number = ? 

order by 		d.book_number DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 12070

get_author_bookcount (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=6ms, Records=4) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_author_bookcount.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
select		b.book_title as "title", 1 as "bb_flag", b.book_number as "number"
        from		book_author_mapping a
		inner join	books b on b.book_number = a.book_number
        where		a.author_number = ?
union
    	select		c.ezine_preview_title as "title", 0 as "bb_flag", c.ezine_preview_number as "number"
        from		ezine_previews c
        where		c.ezine_preview_bb_author_link = ?
        and			c.ezine_preview_bb_link = 0
		
order by title DESC
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 3136
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 3136

get_obc_number (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=2ms, Records=1) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_obc_number.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
select a.arc_forumidfk
    from arcs a
    
    	where a.ezine_preview_number = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(cf_sql_numeric) = 12070.0

get_arcs_for_ad (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=11ms, Records=0) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_arcs_for_ad.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT 	top 10 a.arc_number,arc_promo_text,
		b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, 
		(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
				(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
				 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
				 ELSE 0
				 END)
 			from arc_allocator	where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating

FROM arcs a
INNER JOIN ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number

WHERE arc_closed_flag = 1
AND arc_obc_flag = 0
AND getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
AND (select count(*) from arc_allocator d where d.arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) > 1
and getdate() <= dateadd(day,1,a.arc_off_ad_dt)

ORDER BY NEWID()
get_arcs_for_ad (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=19ms, Records=3) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_arcs_for_ad.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT 	top 3 a.arc_number,arc_promo_text,
			b.ezine_preview_number, b.ezine_preview_title, b.ezine_preview_subtitle, b.ezine_preview_jacket_image, b.ezine_preview_author, b.ezine_preview_publish_dt, 
			(select (CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,0))) AS numeric(12,0)))+
					(CASE WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 25 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 50 THEN 0.5
					 WHEN right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) > 50 AND right(CAST(AVG(CAST(arc_allocator_review_rating AS numeric(12,2))) AS numeric(12,2)),2) < 75 THEN -0.5
					 ELSE 0
					 END)
				from arc_allocator	where arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) AS arcrating

	FROM arcs a
	INNER JOIN ezine_previews b ON b.ezine_preview_number = a.ezine_preview_number

	WHERE arc_closed_flag = 1
	AND arc_obc_flag = 0
	AND getdate() >= arc_on_ad_dt
	AND (select count(*) from arc_allocator d where d.arc_number = a.arc_number and arc_allocator_review_approved_flag = 1) > 1

	ORDER BY a.arc_off_ad_dt DESC
get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=21ms, Records=0) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT		a.adid,	adweight
	FROM		adsystem a
	INNER JOIN 	ad_category_mapping b ON b.adid = a.adid
	WHERE		a.section = ?
	AND			a.active  = 1
	AND 		a.start_date <= GETDATE()
	
	AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
            

	AND     (b.category_number IN (	SELECT	category_number
									FROM	category_book_mapping
									WHERE	book_number = ?)
      		OR 	b.category_number = ?)
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = adzone6
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0
Parameter #3(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0

get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=3ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT	a.adid,	adweight
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.section = ? 
        AND 	a.active  = 1 
        AND		a.start_date <= GETDATE()	
        
        AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
        AND (select count(*) from ad_category_mapping where datalength(category_number) >= 1 and adid = a.adid) = 0
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = adzone6

get_type (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=9ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT	a.start_date, a.adid, a.end_date, a.camp_views, a.image_name, a.alt_text, a.views, a.code, a.adsize
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.adid = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1112

get_quotes (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=24ms, Records=1) in /root/website/site/blocks/dsp_book_giveaway.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
select top 1 ezine_number, ezine_quote, ezine_quote_title
	    from ezines
	    where len(ezine_quote_title) > 1
	    order by newid()
get_free_newsletters (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=0ms, Records=4, Cached Query) in /root/website/queries/qry_get_free_newsletters.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT 	*
    FROM 	free_newsletters
get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=13ms, Records=0) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT		a.adid,	adweight
	FROM		adsystem a
	INNER JOIN 	ad_category_mapping b ON b.adid = a.adid
	WHERE		a.section = ?
	AND			a.active  = 1
	AND 		a.start_date <= GETDATE()
		 	AND a.adid NOT IN (?) 
	AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
            

	AND     (b.category_number IN (	SELECT	category_number
									FROM	category_book_mapping
									WHERE	book_number = ?)
      		OR 	b.category_number = ?)
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = showcase_track
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1112
Parameter #3(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0
Parameter #4(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = 0

get_ads (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=10ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT	a.adid,	adweight
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.section = ? 
        AND 	a.active  = 1 
        AND		a.start_date <= GETDATE()	
        		AND a.adid NOT IN (?) 
        AND (a.viewby LIKE '%n%' OR a.viewby = 'all')
        AND (select count(*) from ad_category_mapping where datalength(category_number) >= 1 and adid = a.adid) = 0
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_VARCHAR) = showcase_track
Parameter #2(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 1112

get_type (Datasource=bookbrowse_com_new, Time=7ms, Records=1) in /root/website/adsystem/adsystem_mod.cfm @ 21:32:21.021
SELECT	a.start_date, a.adid, a.end_date, a.camp_views, a.image_name, a.alt_text, a.views, a.code, a.adsize
        FROM	adsystem a
        WHERE	a.adid = ?
Query Parameter Value(s) -
Parameter #1(CF_SQL_INTEGER) = 594


Scope Variables

CGI Variables:
AUTH_PASSWORD=
AUTH_TYPE=
AUTH_USER=
CERT_COOKIE=
CERT_FLAGS=
CERT_ISSUER=
CERT_KEYSIZE=
CERT_SECRETKEYSIZE=
CERT_SERIALNUMBER=
CERT_SERVER_ISSUER=
CERT_SERVER_SUBJECT=
CERT_SUBJECT=
CF_TEMPLATE_PATH=/root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
CONTENT_LENGTH=
CONTENT_TYPE=
CONTEXT_PATH=
GATEWAY_INTERFACE=
HTTPS=
HTTPS_KEYSIZE=
HTTPS_SECRETKEYSIZE=
HTTPS_SERVER_ISSUER=
HTTPS_SERVER_SUBJECT=
HTTP_ACCEPT=*/*
HTTP_ACCEPT_ENCODING=gzip, br, zstd, deflate
HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE=
HTTP_CONNECTION=upgrade
HTTP_COOKIE=CFID=4074717; CFCLIENT_BOOKBROWSE=order%3Dp%23member%5Fnumber%3D0%23member%5Factive%5Fflag%3D0%23member%5Flogged%5Fin%5Fflag%3D0%23library%5Fuser%5Fflag%3D0%23view%3Dbooks%23; CFGLOBALS=urltoken%3DCFID%23%3D4074718%26CFTOKEN%23%3D725e81f78d2c78af%2DFF853C05%2DEDBD%2DD99E%2D72F743695B6E6EB9%23lastvisit%3D%7Bts%20%272026%2D05%2D31%2021%3A32%3A20%27%7D%23hitcount%3D5%23timecreated%3D%7Bts%20%272026%2D05%2D31%2021%3A32%3A19%27%7D%23cftoken%3D725e81f78d2c78af%2DFF853C05%2DEDBD%2DD99E%2D72F743695B6E6EB9%23cfid%3D4074718%23; CFTOKEN=bf9c35841eebb9a8-FF853B33-AFA5-800A-16DA2D7448E381AC
HTTP_HOST=dev.bookbrowse.com
HTTP_REFERER=http://dev.bookbrowse.com/arc/arc_reviews/detail/?arc_number=668
HTTP_URL=
HTTP_USER_AGENT=Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
LOCAL_ADDR=127.0.0.1
PATH_INFO=
PATH_TRANSLATED=/root/website/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
QUERY_STRING=arc_number=668
REMOTE_ADDR=127.0.0.1
REMOTE_HOST=127.0.0.1
REMOTE_USER=
REQUEST_METHOD=GET
SCRIPT_NAME=/arc/arc_reviews/detail/index.cfm
SERVER_NAME=dev.bookbrowse.com
SERVER_PORT=8500
SERVER_PORT_SECURE=0
SERVER_PROTOCOL=HTTP/1.1
SERVER_SOFTWARE=
WEB_SERVER_API=
Client Variables:
cfid=4074717
cftoken=bf9c35841eebb9a8-FF853B33-AFA5-800A-16DA2D7448E381AC
hitcount=3
lastvisit={ts '2026-05-31 21:32:21'}
library_user_flag=0
member_active_flag=0
member_logged_in_flag=0
member_number=0
order=p
timecreated={ts '2026-05-31 21:32:19'}
urltoken=CFID=4074717&CFTOKEN=bf9c35841eebb9a8-FF853B33-AFA5-800A-16DA2D7448E381AC
view=books
Cookie Variables:
CFCLIENT_BOOKBROWSE=order=p#member_number=0#member_active_flag=0#member_logged_in_flag=0#library_user_flag=0#view=books#
CFGLOBALS=urltoken=CFID#=4074718&CFTOKEN#=725e81f78d2c78af-FF853C05-EDBD-D99E-72F743695B6E6EB9#lastvisit={ts '2026-05-31 21:32:20'}#hitcount=5#timecreated={ts '2026-05-31 21:32:19'}#cftoken=725e81f78d2c78af-FF853C05-EDBD-D99E-72F743695B6E6EB9#cfid=4074718#
CFID=4074717
CFTOKEN=bf9c35841eebb9a8-FF853B33-AFA5-800A-16DA2D7448E381AC
Session Variables:
cfid=4074717
cftoken=bf9c35841eebb9a8-FF853B33-AFA5-800A-16DA2D7448E381AC
sessionid=BOOKBROWSE_4074717_bf9c35841eebb9a8-FF853B33-AFA5-800A-16DA2D7448E381AC
urltoken=CFID=4074717&CFTOKEN=bf9c35841eebb9a8-FF853B33-AFA5-800A-16DA2D7448E381AC
URL Parameters:
arc_number=668
Debug Rendering Time: 20 ms