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randi_jo 's review for:

The Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan
4.25
adventurous lighthearted reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It's been a while since I've read a sequel that lived up to the first book and maintained the set pacing and prose. Unlike the first that was more cozy mystery-esque, this one leaned into some political intrigue but not too much, which I appreciated. Dragons are still the focus and everything else is just world building to make the memoir narrative more vibrant.
Also I am in love with the fact that the swamp-wyrms take inspiration from crocodiles/alligators.