A Natural History of Dragons

SPOILERS

A Natural History of Dragons is the story of Isabella (or Lady Trent, who functions as the story's narrator in her later years). A curious and tomboyish girl who grows up to be fascinated by the Dragon species. This book is different from most traditional takes on the dragon theme, since it's really more like an alternate history story that just happens to feature dragons in it, as opposed to something more high fantasy.

I read a few complaints in the S&L forums that since the narrator exists, there are no high stakes (she must have lived through the trials and tribulations of the story, since she's alive to tell it), but this is not the case. People close to her die, and she shares that grief with the reader in a very forthright way.

This is a mystery tied up in a tale of discovery. It's a book more about Isabella than about dragons. Let's call them the scaly icing on the cake!