A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent

Honestly this was one of the most breathtaking books I've read in a long time. The author is amazing at pulling you into the story and holding you within the action and storytelling. I'm not sure if it's the perfect pacing, the detailed descriptions, or whatever else this author uses, but they pull you into the world super effectively! Every time I picked up this book again I was drawn deep enough into the world I felt I could've actually seen it. Speaking about the world, the way dragons were set up and integrated throughout the story was super well done! I am a biology nerd, I always have been. And I LOVE this book's attention to detail about the taxonomy and biology of dragons! I always found it kind of ridiculous when fantasy worlds would have one or two large species of dragon, and then nothing else. No close taxonomic relatives, no nearly-dragons, no ancient relatives, most of the time not even with workable biology or other 6-limbed creatures! I loved how this book both worked into the story why they have so little information on ancient dragons, since they decay almost entirely within just a day or two, and the current different taxonomic branches the dragons have under their tree. Of course you have the large 6-limbed dragons you're used to, but they also added in half-drakes like the Wolfdrake that only have vestigial wings and can't fly, and wyverns which evolved no need for their front legs. I loved those a lot more than I probably should've. I also really liked that the dragons were just being treated like animals in this novel. As amazing and beautiful as they are, they are still animals at the end of the day. The biology itself was a huge draw for the book, and I wasn't disappointed! The book emphasizes small details like how the digits in the wing fit together and move, how the scales are textured, in things like the Wolfdrake what parts are vestigial and what the dragon actively uses to survive, and even things as simple as how the scale-shape helps the dragon fly! So much detail was put into making the dragons have realistic biology and I loved it so much! Another thing I loved, as I'm sure I've said before, is the writing style. It's written in such an enthralling way I was always drawn into the book from the moment I picked it up to the moment I set it back down. The pacing was perfect! It never felt like a scene dragged on for too long, I was never bored at any point in the story, and no scene was moved through too quickly for me. I do wish more of the book was dedicated to researching the dragons, but the smaller portions of the book that were dedicated to the dragons were good enough I didn't mind the additional mystery plot being added in. Speaking of the additional plot, this book is also making me consider picking up a mystery book at some point. Although there were some... questionable things put into the book. Thankfully they were exclusively within the beginning of the book, but having the characters think about how their language is "more sophisticated" than the native languages of the region was a very questionable choice. Thankfully it was just 2-3 offhand lines here or there, but it was still something that really should've been edited out.

I enjoyed reading this book and found the writing style and story to be engaging and pleasant. The characters are likeable, and the world is interesting and seemed to tread some new ground. I was impressed by the broadness of the world. The author does a good job of convincing the reader that the world is deep and multifaceted by dropping in details liberally and sometimes without explanation, giving the impression that any references I didn't follow are the result of my own ignorance of common knowledge as opposed to her lack of explanation (this is actually done to excess in the sequel). I read this at a very busy time in my life, and I appreciated the lightness of the narrative. It had enough plot twists to keep me guessing, but it didn't require too much mental attention or deep thought when I only had a few minutes to sit down and read. I read a few reviews before ordering the book and found that many people gave warnings that the story is very Victorian and that buyers should beware if they're hoping for a good dragon-focused tale like Eragon. Those warnings were a selling point for me since I am an avid fan of both the fantasy genre and the Victorian era of literature. What could be better than combining Charlotte Bronte and dragons? In my opinion, however, the story falls solidly in the alternate history category and doesn't really feel Victorian at all. While the author worked hard to avoid triteness in her plot, she fell into the common modern habit of presenting a female character who is too strong for her time and doesn't fit into her oppressive culture. Yes, that can make for a good novel (and has in many instances), it doesn't make a novel that feels Victorian. The glory of Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Eyre is that they were startlingly witty, strong, and intelligent in the context of their own cultures. Lady Trent's blunt tone and jarring social errors grow her into the character the author intended, but they rob the whole novel of any true feeling of a Victorian context. Perhaps I'm the only person who would find that departure disappointing, but I would warn buyers not to have too high expectations for the promise of a Victorian novel.

I love this book so whole-heartily that I came to buy it's sequel (A Tropic of Serpents) and stopped by to leave a review because I just want more people to enjoy the wonder of this book. First off let me tell you, Lady Trent is one of the greatest narrators I have ever had the pleasure of spending an entire book with. I love her. She is a well-developed and lovable woman with real fears, concerns, and desires. She understands her limitations, she just refuses to let them hold her back. Now on to the real review. First the cons: Honestly, I can't really think of anything I didn't like about this book. It was just that good, I literally loved every part of it. Now the pros: 1. Lady Trent is a realistic strong woman, she doesn't pretend to be a man. She knows that she isn't. She is a woman and she has a woman's concerns and limitations. She doesn't put down other woman because they haven't achieved what she has and although she does find her friend Manda Lewis's obsession with sensation novels a bit frivolous, I never did get the feeling she actually hated Manda or really held it against her. 2. This book is about dragons. Dragons man. And they don't disappoint, there are some amazing illustrations in the book of these majestic and awe-inspiring creatures supposedly drawn by Lady Trent herself. They really enhance the mood and help you to understand Lady Trent's desperate obsession with figuring out how they work. 3. Jacob, Lady Trent's husband, is a humorous and likable secondary character. I loved him and well I won't say much more. You'll just have to read it. 4. Dragma and Lady Trent's relationship is hilarious and develops quite nicely over the course of the book. 5. The book is an easy and quick read and has a steady pace. It will suck you in and it will be hard to put down. But if you must you can and will you pick it up again it will be easy to get back into the world and the conflict of the story. Buy this book, you won't regret it! It will be one of the best purchase you will make this year. I promise!

The reading was done very well by the voice actress - my issue lies in that about 3/4 of thew way through the story appeared to lose focus on being "a natural history of dragons" and veer off into a fantasy "whodunnit". While it (mildly) redeemed itself at the end, do not expect this to be solely focused on the exploration and natural history of dragons.

The premise of this book is pretty unique in my reading. The book is written, as the title will clue you in, as if it's the memoir of a female natural historian of what is essentially alternate Victorian England. It's a lot to take in but it works surprisingly well. Our memoirist, the eponymous Lady Trent, starts off the "memoir" introducing the reader to herself as a child and relating her early and lasting fascination with dragons and the research of dragons. From the asides and tone of the book you learn that Lady Trent is now an older lady who has become famous during her lifetime for her discoveries, which let her get away with a lot of things that a less-famous and younger lady would not be able to pull off. I did like that there were some original ideas in this iteration of dragons - it's always great to see something new brought to the table. With the scientific approach to dragons there was an emphasis on some things that usually get glossed over, like the physics of flight and commercial uses of things relating to dragons (trying to avoid getting adding spoilers). I also liked the quirk of dragon remains being extremely difficult to preserve and this presenting a real challenge for science. This book really appeals to a lot of things I like - fantasy, dragons, Victorian/Regency mannerisms (fantasy of manners), and a fun adventure. Although there are definitely conflicts and some violence in the book, because of it being told at a bit of a remove because of the "memoir" format it never feels very immediate, which for me worked well with the Victorian/Regency style feel. While this is not my new favorite book it was definitely an enjoyable read. This was the first book in a series and I'd be more than happy to read the sequels!

FOR SCIENCE! …I find is a very apt summary of this book. The story is told as a narrative of now-famous dragon naturalist Isabella Trent as she recounts her childhood and her first expedition at 19-years old, attempting to pursue passions considered unthinkable for women of her era. Unlike many of the reviews I’ve read, I actually preferred the scientific discovery half of the book to the mystery plot that was introduced halfway. Frankly, I thought the mystery plot was somewhat dry and forgetful. I barely knew the names of the characters that weren’t Isabella & Co. + her maid. When the story began switching from dragon science to mystery, I found myself thinking ‘get back to the dragons damn it’ more often than I would have liked, which made me knock down one star. However, the climax of the mystery plot had me close to tears, redeeming the story half a star. Overall, there was less dragon science in this book than I would have preferred, but hopefully, that will change with the rest of the series. One of the strong points of this book was Lady Trent herself. Older and more experienced, she adds insight and snark to her narration that really makes the story enjoyable. There’s a feeling of ‘I’m old and famous now, I say what I want’ that really comes out whenever she criticizes the ridiculousness of the pseudo-Victorian expectations of women and how they conflict with her activities in the field. Her actions as a 19-year-old given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to study dragons (DRAGONS!) up close in the field are believable and relatable. Her enthusiasm and determinance to be found useful by her male compatriots get her into some crazy situations and I found myself admiring her bravery. I also loved her husband Jacob. Thinking in context of the time period, it was already applaudable that he would even let her join the expedition. Beyond his actions, I loved the relationship that developed between him and Isabella. In her narration, Lady Trent makes it very clear they did not marry out of love, but convenience (her for his library, him for a decent conversation partner). Yet they develop a close friendship even before the expedition starts and their private interactions are so, so cute. Even as they hide in a rocky outcrop to sight dragons, they trade intimate reassurances. It was clear that at some point, they did fall in love with each other. Finally, as a woman in engineering, I found this book incredibly relatable. While I don’t have to endure nearly as strong a stigma as Isabella does, there were moments in the book that hit a little too close to home. When Wilker goes on his tirades against Isabella, I could feel myself cringing because I’d experience something similar. In the concluding scene with Lord Hilford, I almost cried. Barely two weeks prior to reading this, I’d parted ways with a professor I’d worked for over the summer, and this scene reminded me so much of that moment. All in all, this book was a quick and highly enjoyable read and I rate it a 4.5/5. It was refreshing to see science used as a central plot point of a book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

This is the opening volume of the Memoirs of Lady Trent fantasy series. The story is told -- most entertainingly -- by Lady Trent, looking back on her youth before she was famous. The story opens in a setting that closely resembles Victorian England, except that dragons exist. Isabella (the future Lady Trent) has no wish for romance or a good marriage. Instead, she yearns to study dragons. During the course of the book (spoilers ahead) she finds dragons and adventure and the start of her life's work as a dragon naturalist. I liked Lady Trent. I liked the style of the narration. I liked the dragons. Most of all, I liked the emphasis on science, a rarity in a fantasy novel. The science in question is invented, being the study of dragons, but all the more fun for that. There's a great deal about this to like, and, indeed, I enjoyed it each time I picked it up. But, for reasons unclear to me, I didn't itch to return to it in between reading sessions. Four out of five sparkling stars. About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).

Let me preface my review by stating that I borrowed this book from a friend who had received it as a present and had never read it after I helped her move and the cover caught my eye. I was not quite sure what to make of it from the jacket, honestly, and was not sure I would enjoy it. I'm a terribly picky reader. I have trouble enjoying a great many books these days in an industry polluted with one-dimensional characters, love triangles, helpless, female characters, high school drama, and anything that could possibly be considered harlequin-esc. That said, I've never really been one who enjoyed many non-fiction books such as autobiographies, which is part of the reason I was not entirely sure I would enjoy this book as it is written sort of like an autobiography, just fantastical. I read the first few pages of this book and I was in love. I wish I was joking when I say that I hopped on Amazon to purchase the hardback edition of the entire series before I even finished the first chapter of the book and spent a good hour looking up information of the author's other books while I was online. I was hooked. I just finished the first book and returned it to my friend who has not yet invested in the rest of the series herself, but she certainly will after laughing at my review to her. The book has a strong, smart female protagonist who develops over the duration of the story. The author writes this very well does not, in an attempt to make her "strong", make her masculine or emotionless, something I have grown quite frustrated with in my recent years of reading. It also has well-developed, complex male characters, even though the author is of the opposite gender, which is something I've discovered a lot of authors struggle with. Dragons, of course, are always a bonus. It is set in sort of an industrial revolution-esc period of time where gender roles are limiting to women so the protagonist has struggles to face. There are dragons. The main romance is not obnoxious and does not pollute the story, instead adds to the story in its own way. Dragons! It displays realism even within a fantasy setting, something a lot of authors forget to do. Your character is bleeding and weaker, they're not going to be able to perform crazy stunts and you can easily balance magic and science. Dragons are a major plus. Action and adventure and, of course, dragons. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to receiving the rest in the mail to keep reading.

This is an absolute delight, and I warmly recommend it. The core concept of struggle against Victorian gender bias works well as a framework (and makes Lady Trent an immediately attractive character), and then we're treated to an elegant play of anthropology, archaeology and language in a world that maps quite closely to ours (oh, apart from the dragons...;-)). The way in which the journeys of discovery echo Victorian journeys of discovery is particularly enjoyable, and (a rare thing in a fantasy series) the story arc is designed over the whole 5 books. Instead of an initial concept being re-cooked in subsequent books, Lady Trent (oh, sorry, I mean Marie Brennan) gives us our own journey of discovery, with very effective distractions that make the final 'big reveal' deeply unexpected. It's written with a light but certain touch which makes the willing suspension of disbelief quite easy, and although I'm not normally drawn to the subject matter of the author's other series, I'm going to give them a go - because the work she's put in here leads me to believe they might well also contain unexpected joys.

I have never before read a book like this and I loved it. It was like an actual autobiography, but about dragons. I am absolutely reading the next book. I can’t wait to see where her journey continues. I would have loved to see more of her romance with Jacob, but this fits her personality far better.

Look, it's simple: I loved this book. I haven't read a book this fast in recent times nor have I found myself longing to keep reading like I have with A Natural History of Dragons. It had its weaknesses, like any book, but it was charming and refreshing and it had a great voice! A rec from me

Esperava que o livro fosse maior, mas mesmo sendo menor do que estou acostumada ele é muito bonito

Jag har inte läst boken eftersom den var en present. Men den var bara nedstoppad i ett kuvert (visserligen kraftigt) tillsammans med två hårda plastförpackningar med häftklamrar. Fanns inte tid för retur så jag fick försöka släta till skyddsomslaget. Har tidigare ombeställt en annan bok tre gånger innan jag gav upp, låg också i ett kuvert och var riktigt skadad varje gång.