A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent
Lady Trent Memoirs #1
by Marie Brennan
Adventure
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Review #1
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
Growing up in a Victorian-esque era, Isabella Hendemore has a problem. She likes dragons—, no, she loves dragons. However, this is not very ladylike. And, when an incident with a dragon who is most definitely not dead leaves Isabella with several scars across her shoulder, she settles down into her “grey years” and vows to be the proper lady that her family desires her to be.
Then, it is time to go and find a husband. Isabella is given a list by her father, one with names that would be eligible matches should she and her mother (mainly her mother) be able to catch them. The catch with these names? Each of the potential gentlemen possesses a library on natural history, some of them with the very book that very nearly got Isabella in trouble (Edgewood’s book about dragons). While Isabella’s mother’s idea of courting is trotting in the park to show off her prowess in riding, a sickness means that Isabella is left to the chaperoning of her rather irresponsible brother, Andrew. While at the king’s menagerie, Isabella happens to make the acquaintance of a Jacob Cameherst (an eligible match as well as one who has a shared love of history).
Long story short, Isabella Hendemore becomes Isabella Cameherst.
A little after a year of marriage, Isabella finally convinces her husband to go on a trip to Vystrana to see real dragons: what’s more, she convinces Jacob to bring her along. She is finally going to see real dragons.
Their trip gets off to a rather inconspicuous start. First, there’s the dragon who decides to attack them when they arrive. Then there’s the problem that their supposed guide and host eventually shows up missing. Also, the locals don’t appear to favour Isabella’s group’s presence too much. Especially after the one time when Isabella visits a ruined temple and the footprints start happening. Large, burned footprints. Isabella isn’t exactly the one to sit around when there are real dragons to see. Also, she and Thomas Wilker (one of the male scientists) don’t get along. And then hostility from the villagers grows. Also, there’s the small matter of when Isabella decides to follow a random person she sees in the village, consequentially gets kidnapped, and then works herself out of the kidnapping (in the process getting help to find the locations of the dragons and finding out that her marriage to Jacob might be more than just a working partnership).
Finally, after several months, they are called to the local ruler’s palace. It doesn’t seem like the friendliest of invitations.
This was a wonderful way of crafting victorian-themed settings along with fantasy. I enjoyed the story fully, especially with the character development. Also, dragons. This book has a little bit of everything for avid readers: adventure, romance, and fantasy. Published for adults, but older teens (high school) may enjoy.
