A mixed bag. I am undecided on whether I should buy Volume 2

As a non native speaker, albeit one who reads Victorian Literature, I might not be the best judge of this work. I find the imitation of Victorian or Edwardian language and customs rather successful. There are some instances where I would have expected a different word from an upper class lady (looking glass rather than mirror), but the author is clearly knowledgeable about this period and uses her insights to convey atmosphere very successfully. It is also obvious that she has spent a lot of time pondering over the way a young lady of yore might have thought. These are the positive elements, which should inspire other fantasy authors to do similar research.

But from a book titled „a natural history of dragons“ I expect a lot of information about, well, the natural history of dragons, as conceived by the author. Indeed, dragons and their natural history offer the incentive for most of what happens in the book. And when their natural history is discussed it is done in a manner reminiscent of older works. So far so good. But alas! It seems more like the author uses them as a backdrop or pretext to write about social life. Similarly, the action scenes are not really engaging. Though Isabella had a lot of misadventures and many a gun was fired, these never made my pulse quicken. The book gets a little more exciting toward the end and I am really undecided on whether I should buy the second volume.

Sie haben diese Rezension bewertet.

Wir haben Ihre Meldung erhalten und werden die Rezension prüfen.

4 Leute fanden das hilfreich