A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent

Tor Books

A Natural History of Dragons:  A Memoir by Lady Trent
Marie Brennan
2013

The Summary
"All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, knows Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world's preeminent dragon naturalist.  She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science.  But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.

"Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever."

The Good
Dragons hold a special place in my heart.  Like Isabella, I've always loved them - from reading Eragon by Christopher Paolini to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien to a more recent encounter with Rachel Hartman's Seraphina - and I have a suspicion that I always will.  So, as you might expect, I absolutely adored A Natural History of Dragons.

Finely crafted and thoroughly "researched," Marie Brennan's novels is a thrilling and enjoyable beginning to a new series.  I especially loved the attention to detail in A Natural History of Dragons.  Brennan is careful to make her characters - and dragons - believable, giving them qualities and characteristics that make them almost tangible.

Take Isabella, for instance.

As a scientist, Isabella makes observations and carefully documents the facts as she knows them.  She has a thoroughness and creativity that makes it easy to become immersed in her world, whether she's living in Scirland or adventuring in Vystrana.  She has such a unique voice, alternating between a young lady first making historic discoveries and an old woman reminiscing about her past, that it actually feels like a memoir.

Although Isabella is a scientist, her narrative isn't bulky or unwieldy.  She doesn't make her readers wade through a bunch of scientific gibberish or unfortunate anecdotes, she doesn't over inform her readers; rather, she explains without inundating her readers with facts, letting you join in without getting bogged down - and her intelligence and sharp wit shines through her work.  It's really, truly enjoyable to read her account of Vystrana.

And, if we're being honest, I absolutely loved the illustrations included in Isabella's account.  It gave her "memoir" a genuine feeling, like a field book or a diary, and it gave a face to the characters - as well as the dragons - and made them that much more tangible.

The Bad
I don't know that I have any complaints.  I thoroughly enjoyed A Natural History of Dragons.

The Ugly
Dragons are predators.  As such, they are dangerous and, moreover, they are deadly - and they will certainly prove it when they are in danger.