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A review by nclcaitlin
Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan
2.5
This is my last attempt at trying to get into this series.
Instead of journeying to one place for one species, we follow Isabella to many different places and her perilous adventures aboard a ship.
Along for the ride is her young son Jacob; Jacob’s nanny Abigail; and Tom, Isabella’s research partner.
Good manners warred with curiosity, and lost.
Jacob’s accompaniment and presence, six years older from the last book, which demonstrates the tension between career and motherhood, expectation and personal desire that has been alluded to.
This added a more innocent and adventurous feel to their journey compared to Isabella’s more cynical approach.
One thing I did enjoy was the more nuanced discussions on gender where they visit a place where Isabella as a gender between man and woman.
"So long as my society refuses to admit of a concept of femininity that allows for such things," I said, "then one could indeed say that I stand in between.”
Whilst I previously felt compelled to keep listening due to Isabella’s voice, I found this instalment lacking.
Sadly, I don’t think this is a series I will be continuing after pushing through three.
Instead of journeying to one place for one species, we follow Isabella to many different places and her perilous adventures aboard a ship.
Along for the ride is her young son Jacob; Jacob’s nanny Abigail; and Tom, Isabella’s research partner.
Good manners warred with curiosity, and lost.
Jacob’s accompaniment and presence, six years older from the last book, which demonstrates the tension between career and motherhood, expectation and personal desire that has been alluded to.
This added a more innocent and adventurous feel to their journey compared to Isabella’s more cynical approach.
One thing I did enjoy was the more nuanced discussions on gender where they visit a place where Isabella as a gender between man and woman.
"So long as my society refuses to admit of a concept of femininity that allows for such things," I said, "then one could indeed say that I stand in between.”
Whilst I previously felt compelled to keep listening due to Isabella’s voice, I found this instalment lacking.
Sadly, I don’t think this is a series I will be continuing after pushing through three.