Reviews

The Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan

ember14's review against another edition

adventurous reflective

4.0

First off, I'd like to say that Isabelle is a flawed individual. She is progressive in ideologies despite being influenced by the Victorian-esque world she grew up in. She retains societal preconcepts and racism towards other peoples and cultures that was prevalent during this time. Despite this, she is an interesting and mostly loveable character to follow.

In the Tropic of Serpents we follow her to an Amazon-like marshland to continue her study of dragons. In the first book, it felt dragons were few and far between, to it's detriment. The same goes for this one, minus the feeling of disappointment, seeing as I knew what I was getting into. 

tilly_and_the_books's review

adventurous funny

4.0

backsong's review against another edition

adventurous informative tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

gorejoyous's review

adventurous funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

saraha_10's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

daumari's review against another edition

4.0

Also a fairly quick read- 331 pages flew by fast! What I find most fascinating about series like these (historical fantasy) is that they have to walk a fine line between being true to their assumed period (Victorian? Philosophical societies! Institutional sexism and imperialism!) and having our modern sensibilities (treating people like people regardless of class/religion/race/sex!). The Memoirs of Lady Trent capably keep their balance- other reviews indicate they think

In the second of her memoirs, Lady Isabella heads to not!Africa to see what kind of scaly beasts live here (and of course, if her team's method of preserving dragonbone on other draconian species) Non-Anthiopian (not!Europe) cultures are fully fleshed out, and although this is ostensibly a fantasy natural history series, it is primarily Lady Trent's memoirs. As much as we'd like to keep science unconnected to politics, it cannot exist in a vacuum. Likewise, her trip and actions in Eriga have international consequences.

But if I may squee a bit on natural history? REALLY liked the

Spoiler

sexual dimorphism of swamp-wyrms and presumably metamorphic life cycle. That the young dragons were right in front of us considerably earlier is masterful.

bibliophilicwitch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

mooshake's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious medium-paced

3.5

i want to preface by saying that this is not a bad series in the slightest! its world is well thought out and its characters are interesting and complex. i just don't vibe with what it is trying to do.

maybe it's unfair of me to do so, but i can't help comparing the memoirs of lady trent to emily wilde (which i love very much). in emily wilde the story is always centred around the fae-here it's whatever political conflict lady trent finds herself caught in the middle of, with a peppering of dragons. it gets to a point where it feels like a massive tease, every time the story diverts itself from the study of dragons to fictional foreign affairs i feel my brain yelling at me lol.

i almost want to continue the story purely because of lady trent, she's so interesting and i appreciate writing a character that

is resentful of motherhood

. but i don't think it would be fair on me or the author to do so. ah well 🥲

monovev's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted

4.0

The parts where Isabelle had to travel through the swamp and live with the Moulish people where some of my favorite parts of the book. Which is saying something as I never found swamps appealing in any capacity lol.

dorkira's review

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75