What’s on my Shelf: In the Labyrinth of Drakes

I have to break from my normal “routine” of things to talk about a book I just finished because it is definitely that good.

The book in question is Marie Brennan’s In the Labyrinth of Drakes, book four of her Memoirs of Lady Trent series. As you know from my monthly “What’s on my Shelf” posts, I’ve been steadily trekking through this series. However, after book three, Voyage of the Basilisk, I quickly started and finished book four. Why?

Well, before I can tell you the specifics of this book, let me tell you a little about the series. You could read my descriptions from previous posts, but I’d rather delve deeper than those. Thus, beware! Spoilers are coming.

We begin in The Natural History of Dragons (book one), with meeting a young 10-11 year-old girl of a high society, noble (ish) family. She lives in a country much like England in an era I’m guessing to be the early nineteenth century, something like the early years leading up to Queen Victoria’s reign.

This young girl, Isabella, is the only daughter of the family with (if I remember correctly) six-seven sons. She’s bookish, eccentric, non-conformist, and entirely obsessed with dragons. Out of her curiosity for all things winged, she steals a pocket knife from her older brother to dissect a pigeon much to the dismay of her fashionable mother. (If that’s not a gripping first introduction to your main character, then I question your standards.)

As such, she succeeds in landing herself in a good deal of trouble for her passions, and it’s only until she meets and weds Jacob Camherst a few years later she is slowly given the freedom to embrace that side of her she’s long tried to suppress for the sake of eligibility.

After a fateful meeting one evening with a Lord Hilford, Isabella and Jacob find themselves bound for the country of Vystrana to study dragons. There, she not only helps with the observation of these creatures she is so fascinated with, but she stumbles upon a groundbreaking discovery which will change the shape of the known world forever. Unfortunately, this expedition comes at great cost: the life of her beloved Jacob.

Upon returning to her home of Scirling, she gives birth to her son, Jake, and after her time of mourning, begins preparations for her next adventure to Eriga. After a few years delay, mostly due to the growing tempestuous political climate in Eriga, Isabella sets out to study the swamp wyrms of the Green Hell of Mouleen (The Tropic of Serpents, book two).

Whilst there, she not only learns more about these different species of dragons and their breeding habits, but she is also accused of treason to the Crown of Scirling, attempts “flying” like the creatures she adores, and uncovers an ancient ruin which could unlock secrets lost to time.

She returns to Scirling in scandal due to the false accusations of treason against her, but truly as a hero to the two peoples of Eriga with which she consorted. Unfortunately, due a recent investment, she finds her late husband’s fortune running dry, and in need of a way to financially support herself. Thus, she sets sail on the Basilisk to tour the world and learn about its sea serpents (Voyage of the Basilisk, book three).

On her journey across the world, she uncovers more ancient ruins which could answer her riddles about dragons and their history, rides a sea-serpent into battle, rescues the Princess of Scirling, who later becomes queen, and meets the man she inevitably falls in love with, though she doesn’t immediately admit it.

After her return, the articles she wrote during her voyage, and the rumors of her political actions, have made her quite the popular cultural figure in society. Although, it simultaneously continues adding to the mar of her seemingly scandalous life. While this initially overshadows her scientific observations and discoveries, she and Thomas Wilker, her business partner since Vystrana, are chosen as the naturalists who will oversee a breeding experiment in the country of Akhia, which brings us to the book I initially wanted to discuss, In the Labyrinth of Drakes.

Though, I’ll give you contents first now that you have context. Then I’ll gush. If I gush first, you might get more lost than intended.

Isabella and Tom leave for Akhia en route for the desert city of Qurrat where the Royal Scirling Army has been attempting to breed dragons in captivity, albeit unsuccessfully. Unbeknownst to them, Isabella is harbouring a clue she discovered in book three which could help with learning how to breed the dragons. This clue is proof the ancient civilization of Draconean possibly bred dragons. However, how was lost when this empire fell.

Their research and experiments take them into the Jefi Desert where they live for a time amongst the Bedouins. While there, Isabella and Tom are kidnapped by an enemy tribe who has been hired to thwart their attempts by Scirling’s political enemy, Yelang.

Additionally, in the back of her mind, Isabella is hoping to come across Suhail, the archeologist she met on her voyage who joined her expedition and sequentially accompanied her throughout her adventures. This man is an Akhia native, and at the end of Voyage of the Basilisk, he abruptly leaves for his homeland. It has been several years since they have spoken, but her blossoming feelings for her friend have not withered.

As luck would have it, the sheikh partnering with the army for this programme is the elder brother of Suhail. The crossing of their paths at first seems to be unfruitful as Suhail is distant and cold, but Isabella knows he is keeping up appearances due to the nature of their supposed relationship rumored from book three. However, propriety, scandal, and familial expectations be forsook, they eventually wed.

Thus, now united in marriage, Isabella, Suhail, Tom, and her brother, Andrew, leave again for the desert of Jefi to search out the mysterious Labyrinth of Drakes wherein lays Draconean ruins and the nesting grounds of the desert drakes of Akhia. There, they come upon the discovery of a lifetime: an untouched Draconean temple and breeding chamber. This propels the newlyweds to scientific and archeological fame as the book ends.

The reasons why I enjoyed this book more than the others, though I have enjoyed them all, is purely arbitrary.

First, while I have an affinity for all things history and archeology, my love initially was birthed from Egyptology, more specifically the story of Howard Carter discovering the tomb of King Tutankhamun. I also have a partiality to Near Eastern ancient civilizations, Israel, of course, being chief among them, and I have also toured several archeological sites throughout Israel as part of my degree curriculum, including a night at a Bedouin encampment.

That said, this book hits a little closer to home than all the others.

Within the descriptions of Brennan’s world, as she brings her readers into this new country, are nuances many may not contentiously understand. Of course, any average reader will know that the land of Akhia is likened to the Middle East, but whether or not they pick up on Qurrat being like Jerusalem under rule of the Ottoman Empire is unknown to me. Thus, there are personal, minute cultural distinctions and elements which put me in the midst of that blessed, beloved city whose streets I desperately miss.

Then during the chapters the characters spend on their first trek to the desert and their stay at the Bedouin camp are reminiscent of epic tales like Lawrence of Arabia and others. Also, the way she eludes to hummus, pita, dates, coffee and other culturally specific food made me miss Israel all the more because their food really is the best (I mean, tell me about something better than falafel and Turkish coffee. Try.)

Furthermore, the book’s climax as her characters stumble upon the untouched Draconean ruin reminded me of what first introduced me to archeology, and I felt like I was reading a firsthand account of Carter discovering Tut’s tomb. I was ecstatic in those final moments.

Of course how could I forget the romance between Isabella and Suhail? It isn’t the central focus of the book, but the elements are there which make the story all the more enthralling as you pine for them to be together.

Overall it touched a special place within my soul, and I loved every moment of reading this book. However, I did end wanting to know more about where their discoveries will take them as was eluded to in those final pages. Thus, I’m eagerly waiting to read book five, Within the Sanctuary of Wings, which I’ll shortly be going to the library to pick it up on my lunch break.

I can’t wait to see what happens next!