A review by isabellarobinson7
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
4.0
Rating: 4 stars
I was initially drawn to The Memoirs of Lady Trent series due to Merphy Napier bringing it to my attention via YouTube. It sounded like something I would enjoy, so I mentally bookmarked the title and added it to my (figurative) list of books to look out for when visiting the library. But one little fact intensified my curiosity surrounding the book - this "Lady Trent" was actually named Isabella [last name redacted due to spoiler reasons]. Safe to say after I learned this, my passive interest in acquiring and reading A Natural History of Dragons well and truly sky rocketed and I started to frantically search for any way I could get my hands on this book.
But when I finally obtained a copy of the book, I kept forgetting the main character's name was the same as mine because it is told in first person. It was always "I" this "I" that, not really much "Isabella". This didn't really affect my enjoyment (why should it) but I just find it funny that half the reason I started the book was out of my mind more than it was in it while I was reading.
I made it about a quarter of the way through before I caved and got the audiobook. I mean, how could I not? It was narrated by Kate Reading, for goodness sake. It is amazing I lasted as long as I did before I gave in. The first thing that hit me was how weird it was hearing Kate Reading say my name. Like, I know she wasn't talking about me Isabella, but it felt strange all the same. It comes as no surprise to me, though, that the audio amplified my enjoyment of the book.
It did have a small feeling of colonisation. And to me, being born and currently living in a country that was a former British colony, and being descended (kind of) from such colonisers… it was a little unnerving. I suppose it was dealt with as well as it could have been, the only POV being from one of these pseudo-Europeans and all. I don't know, maybe I am hypersensitive to the issue due to the racial climate in my own country.
All in all, really good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will I be reading the sequel? Mmmm, probably. Kate Reading does all the audios, so that is kind of swaying my decision. I don't have any ebooks or physical copies for the rest of the series, so I will have to do audio only, which is not my preferred reading experience, but I can hardly complain.
I was initially drawn to The Memoirs of Lady Trent series due to Merphy Napier bringing it to my attention via YouTube. It sounded like something I would enjoy, so I mentally bookmarked the title and added it to my (figurative) list of books to look out for when visiting the library. But one little fact intensified my curiosity surrounding the book - this "Lady Trent" was actually named Isabella [last name redacted due to spoiler reasons]. Safe to say after I learned this, my passive interest in acquiring and reading A Natural History of Dragons well and truly sky rocketed and I started to frantically search for any way I could get my hands on this book.
But when I finally obtained a copy of the book, I kept forgetting the main character's name was the same as mine because it is told in first person. It was always "I" this "I" that, not really much "Isabella". This didn't really affect my enjoyment (why should it) but I just find it funny that half the reason I started the book was out of my mind more than it was in it while I was reading.
I made it about a quarter of the way through before I caved and got the audiobook. I mean, how could I not? It was narrated by Kate Reading, for goodness sake. It is amazing I lasted as long as I did before I gave in. The first thing that hit me was how weird it was hearing Kate Reading say my name. Like, I know she wasn't talking about me Isabella, but it felt strange all the same. It comes as no surprise to me, though, that the audio amplified my enjoyment of the book.
It did have a small feeling of colonisation. And to me, being born and currently living in a country that was a former British colony, and being descended (kind of) from such colonisers… it was a little unnerving. I suppose it was dealt with as well as it could have been, the only POV being from one of these pseudo-Europeans and all. I don't know, maybe I am hypersensitive to the issue due to the racial climate in my own country.
All in all, really good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will I be reading the sequel? Mmmm, probably. Kate Reading does all the audios, so that is kind of swaying my decision. I don't have any ebooks or physical copies for the rest of the series, so I will have to do audio only, which is not my preferred reading experience, but I can hardly complain.