This book was a complete cover buy. And I'll admit, I've yet to read any of Coelho's other books - this was my first. I'm impressed. The Spy is a novel about Mata Hari, written in the format of her final letter to her lawyer before execution. Her voice is quite unique, with a tendency to brag and gloss over details. So much so, that I was left wondering what part of her narrative was actual truth. The novel ends with a letter to her from her lawyer, which unveils some of her lies and glossed over details. It almost made her sound delusional. It was a nice touch for an ending, although the sudden change in tone threw me a little.

So was Mata Hari a feminist before her time, punished for living freely? It's definitely a question I want to explore a bit more, as I know quite little about her. And now I'm definitely interested in reading some more of Coelho's work.

3.5 stars.

This book is so unique - I love it. A Natural History of Dragons reads like a Victorian classic memoir of a Lady - but with dragons! This was originally a cover buy, but the story is what sold it for me.

The story is really well written and engaging, although it starts off a bit slow. And it is incredibly detailed; there are sketches of dragon anatomy, maps of the fictional world it is set in, descriptions of different countries, cultures and even languages. I wouldn't call it a light read. But the adventurous plot balances all of that detail really well.

I'll admit, I already have the rest of the series on my shelf. And I've moved them up to the top of my TBR!