A Natural History of Dragons is a beloved favourite of mine, and I've been tempted to reread it for a while. When I realised it'd been at least three years, well, it seemed like a good time to listen to the urge -- and so it proved, since I read it in less than a day, with an eagerness and focus I've found difficult of late.

Despite being one of my favourite series, I didn't love this first book the first time. I couldn't tell you why anymore, but I do feel like my enjoyment is heightened by knowing Isabella already, and seeing the hints of what's to come in the following books. Which kinda makes sense to me: it's written as a memoir of a very famous scientist, after all -- if it were real, you would know Isabella.

I love Isabella's drive toward science, her deep curiosity. She's far from a perfect person (she does manipulate her husband somewhat, and her attitudes toward Mr Wilker and Dagmira -- which evolve throughout the book and continue to evolve later in the series -- are kneejerk prejudices), but that makes her all the more real.