A Natural History of Dragons

As usual, a full review can be found at SFF Book Review.

You will easily understand that it was the cover that first got me interested in this book. I mean, look at it. The gorgeous cover art by Todd Lockwood doesn't stop there, though. We are treated to illustrations by him throughout the book that made the reading experience even better.

But let's be good book reviewers here and talk about the actual writing. I loved Marie Brennan's style. Lady Trent, now old, writes down her memoirs and relates how she became the famous dragon scientist she is today. We first get to know here when, in an attempt to find out why all birds have a wishbone, she takes apart a dead pigeon she found with a pocket knife. Who could not like a seven-year-old girl like that instantly?

As she grows up, we follow her through society and its implications (finding a husband, mostly) and then on a journey to the Vystrani mountains to research dragons. What she disocvers there has more to do with the humans populating the region and less with dragons. This was also the one little point that bothered me. I adore reading about scientists, their method to learn how the world works, the crazy expeditions to dangerous places and all of that. In this charming and whimsical tale, we get very little of that. It didn't ruin the book for me but if we spend so much time talking about people and their relationships as well as politics between certain countries, I could have used more world building to illustrate these relations.

I recommend this book to people who like reading about (pseudo-)Victorian times and dragons, of course.

Rating: 7/10

I loved the way this was written, the story and the scientific explanations of the dragons. The research really was a big focus and that was really great. Isabella was a great character and I liked how it described what role she has in society. I usually dislike books where they really focus on the fact that women are not valued as much but here I didn't mind it so much. I will definitely be reading the next one. 

An interesting setting for a fantasy such as this with its upper-class, old school faux-British background. The book is full of fun British-esque location names which I enjoyed for some reason such as Scirland & Gostershire.

Isabella herself is clearly the standout of the book. Her constant state of enthusiasm about all things dragon is really endearing to follow. The way she will explain how she feels in terms of dragons just creates a contagious level of passion to learn alongside her.

There is quite a slow start and the book does take a rather long time to get going but once they start the expedition in Vystrani, I was definitely invested in the journey and just as excited to learn more about these creatures and solve the mysteries they came across.

The final act of the book surprisingly turns into somewhat of a whodunnit as all of the pieces start coming together that while I still enjoyed it a lot, was not what I was expecting and would have maybe liked more focus on the dragons themself rather than humans.

Maybe the strongest thing I can say is that the world had me so invested that each time Isabella would bring up a research paper or book she had read, I just wished it actually existed and could read it myself which I think marks a very strong connection to the book.

Interesting premise, good narrative, slow pacing. It is exactly what you think it is, and if after reading a few minutes you expect it to get “faster”, it won't. It is a fantasy biography, it reads as “dull” as a real biography of someone fascinated with biology.

The story of a woman interested in dragons, written by her older self as a memoir of her life. Since a very young age, she was always fascinated by the anatomy of animals, first dissecting them and then reading about them.

As she grew older, she had the opportunity to study dragons.

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