A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
Release Date:
February 5th, 2013
Publisher:
Tor
Type: Adult
Fantasy
Pages: 334
Series:The Memoirs of Lady Trent #1
Summary:
Everyone knows Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world's preeminent
dragon naturalist. Here, at last, in her own words, is the story of a
pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, prospects, and her life
to satisfy scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love despite
her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the
mountains of Vystrana, where she made discoveries that would change
the world.
My
Review:
I
adored this book. I love it so much! Isabella is an amazing,
strong-willed, intelligent woman who is like the Jane Goodall of
dragons. She lives in a place that parallels our own 18th
Century World that believes that women have no business in the field
of science. Isabella was the curious kind of girl who instead of
loving fashion trends she dissected a dove to see how it worked.
After a misadventure, her days of unladylike curiosity are stiffed so
that she may find a husband.
Luckily
for Isabella she met a man who would, against society and often times
his better judgment, let her follow her dragon-mad passions. Thus led
Isabella and Jacob on an expedition to Vystrana. The expedition is
what makes me love A Natural History of Dragons because
it is like reading the beginning of zoology. This World knows next to
nothing about dragons because they haven't been studied, much like
our animal world wasn't. I am fascinated with how we learned about
our natural world and reading this “memoir” gave me a glimpse
into that. I liked reading about how the expedition crew dealt with
hardships and with foreign languages and customs. I enjoyed the cast
of characters in the town the crew settles in.
Another
fantastic addition to this book is the art work by Todd Lockwood. In
the story Isabella is allowed on the expedition to sketch the dragons
they will study and Lockwood's drawings enhance the memoir so much so
that at times I forget that the memoir isn't real. Besides being a
parallel to Victorian age, the worldbuilding Marie Brennan does is
quite extraordinary when it comes with they types of dragons, where
they live, and their differences. She created a new set of ancients
to explain a world with dragons, complete with curses and ruins.
Brennan has forgotten nothing and it shows in her work. I cannot
recommend this book enough and I look forward to reading more of Lady
Trent's memoirs!
~Laura!
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