The Tropic of Serpents: A Memoir by Lady Trent (The Lady Trent Memoirs, 2)

Three years after her first adventures in the study of dragons, Isabella, Lady Trent is at it again - this time heading to the war-torn continent of Eriga, where new and exotic dragons await her. But the voyage is anything but easy as she must navigate scandal, politics, different social mores and, most difficult of all, the swampland of the Green Hell, home of the swamp-wyrms…. I’m quite enjoying catching up to this series, especially the ways in which Isabella challenges the Victorian-era social system in which she was raised, and which considers her to be somewhat shocking, and certainly unladylike! For example, she dares to bring up the subject of (gasp!) menstruation, in a way that is necessary to the story; it made me think about how infrequently that completely natural bodily function is mentioned in novels, even in feminist novels. Good for her! Isabella’s relationships are also a scandal to her society, particularly her lack of maternal feeling toward her small son. But most of all, her willingness to charge into dangerous situations and, especially, her ability to survive and even thrive in them, is the most scandalous behaviour of all! Recommended.

Without shame I have posted the same review for each of the three books in this series because you really can't read just one. The irresistible heroine combines Jane Goodall, Margaret Mead and Shirley Temple. Set in a Victorian-like era wen women wore long skirts and aspired for no more than a good marriage, this adventurer overturned social mores by wearing slacks and venturing on horseback or sailing ship to remote jungles and islands. When cultural scrapes, political intrigue or the occasional battle threatens the quest, the heroine's sensitivity, diplomacy and sharp whit rescue the expedition. Though dragons make an exotic subject, Lady Trent puts the scales under microscope, takes casts of bones, dissects specimens and observes behavior with the no-fuss objectivity of a entomologist studying a fly. Back in her day, well before the advent of evolutionary theory, much less conservation, Lady Trent had the foresight to realize that the species was rare and probably in danger. Her race against time to learn seems poignant now that we know dragons are extinct, gone the way of other exploited creatures. For fantasy, these books are content heavy. The characters have three dimensional personalities and complex psychological motivations. The settings, though fictional, sing with historic realism and the cultures are anthropological tapestries. If anything the exhaustive detail, descriptions of people, places, scientific method and events, overshadows the adventure, but according to Lady Trent, the adventures are secondary to gathering knowledge and the lessons are the point of the story.

This series is very enjoyable. There is a mix between steam punk, our modern world and urban fantasy. Tropic of Serpents is the second book in the series. In this story, Isabella is once again defiant of the cultural norm and embarks on a field study. She is ridiculed and harassed by her family and society as a whole for not conforming to the societal norm.The trip takes her to a remote land that is very tropical and has several conflicts in progress. Her group is immediately brought to the local kings palace and over time he requests that the price for their admission to the swamp area (where the focus on the dragons will take place) is to bring back an egg for the palace.Once in the jungle she suffers tremendous hardship and wins a nominal status among the indigent tribe. Her team gets up close and personal with the dragons of the region and along the way becomes involved in the conflict. In the end, she gets more attention from the higher ups than she was bargaining for but achieves her goal of studying the dragons.The story and characters are really well developed and the read is wonderful.

I received this book as a gift, and found it surprisingly delightful. It's written from the point of view of the protagonist, Isabella Camherst, a woman living in a universe that appears to be much like that of late 19th century Europe. From childhood, she has a fascination with dragons, which exist in this alternate world in a variety of forms, from tiny "sparklings" that are mistaken for insects, to large, predatory reptiles with toxic breath living in remote corners of the world. Unfortunately the constraints of her gender and class at first appear to prevent her from following her passion in the way that is available to male adventurers and explorers, but like the legendary Isabella Bird in our own universe, Isabella Camherst finds a way around them and begins a lifetime of adventure looking for dragons and studying their habits and morphology. Her voice is humorous in a late-nineteenth-century way; she creates a persona who is appealing and sympathetic. The book has numerous illustrations allegedly taken from her field journals that also fit the steampunk style of this novel. It draws readers in; I recommend it.

This was an enjoyable book. Basically set in pseduo Victorian England, following a young woman who is stifled by the strictures society has placed on her gender. She has a strong desire to be an academic, specifically regarding dragons, however that is viewed as un-lady like. Through a series of events she finds herself on an expedition which involves various hi-jinks and adventures (and of course dragons). Good characterization, however so far read 3 of the series and can apply the above description to all 3 so it's a bit samey

A fab adventure story, with good character growth, observations and atmosphere (you almost feel you’re there with them!)

This is the second book in the series and it manages to maintain its pace through its witty and descriptive narrative. The world in which the story is set is explored in greater detail, both geographically and politically, creating an intriguing backdrop for the dragons and Mrs Trent. The pencil drawing sketches are very apt for the style in which this book was written as they supplement the descriptions in the text. It is obvious that the author has done their homework regarding the different cultures represented in the book to form a fluid and believable society.I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I will eagerly delve into the next in the series.

I enjoyed this book. It's a fun read written in the style of the great Victorian explorers and adventurers. I like the semi scientific way of it as Isabella finds out more about the various dragon sub groups and possible related species. It won't be everybody's cup of tea but I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something a bit different.

You could almost believe that dragon's existed, a tale set in an alternate Victorian time, dealing with society's attitude to women explorers. The alternative words for times and places was a little confusing though.