Scan barcode
A review by lumie
In the Labyrinth of Drakes by Marie Brennan
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm just going to repeat what I said on the review of book #3 which is that this book is just as good as the last one, which is just as good as the second, which is just as good as the first one. (Yeah we'll keep doing this until the end - I hope). And that many things I said in previous reviews apply to this one, great characterisation, great plots, great mystery, fantastic descriptions of cultures and places. Just amazing.
This is the book where you see Isabella become THE Lady Trent. And what a journey it was. There's a lot of science in it which I loved, a lot of the hypotheses postulated and experiments developed are really rooted in the scientific method and comparisons with real animals like birds and reptiles, up to a point where it's very easy to suspend your disbelief and completely accept dragons as another family of (real) animals who just so happen to spit fire or something. I think it's really fascinating how all of this is so well integrated into the exciting plot that they become equally if not more exciting. I mean we are talking about specificities of dragon mating and tests to obtain the optimal conditions for hatching. Yet, I did not skip a single line of this book. It was all fascinating. And sure, I've always enjoyed this sort of thing, but it's not dry at all, even for people who aren't into it as much. Brennan can really weave a fascinating mystery with subtle and not so subtle hints from the older Lady Trent and just makes you want to know more and more, regardless if it's about the dragons, the ancient civilisations or the political intrigue.
This was also the book where a certain relationship that have been hinted at in the last book finally develops and it was surprisingly sweet and enjoyable. The ending, yet again, was a blast. I read this book in a few days partially because I was on vacation but also because I did not wanted to put it down. Can't wait for next one, though a bit sad it will be the last.
This is the book where you see Isabella become THE Lady Trent. And what a journey it was. There's a lot of science in it which I loved, a lot of the hypotheses postulated and experiments developed are really rooted in the scientific method and comparisons with real animals like birds and reptiles, up to a point where it's very easy to suspend your disbelief and completely accept dragons as another family of (real) animals who just so happen to spit fire or something. I think it's really fascinating how all of this is so well integrated into the exciting plot that they become equally if not more exciting. I mean we are talking about specificities of dragon mating and tests to obtain the optimal conditions for hatching. Yet, I did not skip a single line of this book. It was all fascinating. And sure, I've always enjoyed this sort of thing, but it's not dry at all, even for people who aren't into it as much. Brennan can really weave a fascinating mystery with subtle and not so subtle hints from the older Lady Trent and just makes you want to know more and more, regardless if it's about the dragons, the ancient civilisations or the political intrigue.
This was also the book where a certain relationship that have been hinted at in the last book finally develops and it was surprisingly sweet and enjoyable. The ending, yet again, was a blast. I read this book in a few days partially because I was on vacation but also because I did not wanted to put it down. Can't wait for next one, though a bit sad it will be the last.