Seraphina (Seraphina, #1) in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Feb 04, 2013 Emily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, young-adult-lit, read-in-2013

This is a very solid 4.5 star book. I absolutely loved the world building and the characters. I could see myself being friends with the main characters. The conceit of the dragons taking human form and being emotionless, logic-driven creatures was excellent and compelling. I will definitely be picking up the next installments and am absolutely thrilled that there will be more opportunities to live in this world for awhile. There is something about it that brings it a notch below 5 stars for me t ...more

Like · see review

Feb 06, 2013 Carly Thompson rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: listened-to-on-audio, fantasy, ya, reading-outside-my-comfort-zone, 2013

High fantasy YA novel. I normally don't read fantasy novels but I am trying to read outside of my favorite genres this year so I tried this award winning (and very positively reviewed) first novel from Rachel Hartman. The book started off promising for me, but eventually I stopped caring about the plot or characters. I was listening to the book on audio which had pluses and minuses. The odd names (one of the reasons I usually avoid fantasy) were easier to hear rather than read and the audio even High fantasy YA novel. I normally don't read fantasy novels but I am trying to read outside of my favorite genres this year so I tried this award winning (and very positively reviewed) first novel from Rachel Hartman. The book started off promising for me, but eventually I stopped caring about the plot or characters. I was listening to the book on audio which had pluses and minuses. The odd names (one of the reasons I usually avoid fantasy) were easier to hear rather than read and the audio even included sung passages for some of the songs Seraphina sings. Listening on audio made it easier to zone out during parts I was bored and I didn't pay as much attention as I could have.

The novel begins with Seraphina working as a court musician in a medievalesque setting. When a member of the royal family is murdered (and it appears to be the work of dragons--the head is bitten off) she investigates with Prince Lucian Kiggs, the captain of the Queen's Guard. Much of the plot comes from the interplay between humans and dragons. There had previously been a war between the two and for the past 40 years there has been peace. Both sides are still cautious and distrustful of each other. In the world of the novel, dragons are able to take the form of human beings (although they are still identifiable as dragons). Dragons are intellectual and rational - the Spock character from Star Trek is a good comparison. Seraphina's secret is that she is part human and part dragon (her mother was a dragon who died when she was born) and has her mother's dragon memories passed down to her through the blood. Seraphina must hide her identity and that of her music teacher (really her uncle and a dragon) while trying to stop another war between humans and dragons.

This was a very detailed, descriptive world. There was a lot of back story about the dragons and the religion of saints that the humans worship. Some of the typical dragon traits are present - flying, having a horde - must Hartman creates her own unique version of a dragon world. Other fantasy staples were present as well: bastards, the growth and development of a hero/heroine, other strange hybrid creatures. There was even a romance between Seraphina and Kiggs (not very interesting to me, but it will appeal to some). The diction makes the book suited for junior high and older; adults who like YA and fantasy will like this as well. Readers who enjoy dragon fantasies like Eragon are the ideal readers for Seraphina.

My main problem was that I am not a fantasy reader. The extreme detail and slow pace of a made up world does not appeal to me. (Although I will read detailed descriptions of real world settings.) I was initially pulled into the world but the slow pace and all the dragon descriptions and grotesques that Seraphina can telepathically communicate with became boring. Seraphina's emotional journey and her coming of age/growing into her powers was probably the most interesting aspect of the book for me but since I could predict that she would be successful the investment I had in the outcome was minimal.

I would recommend this book to teenagers who want a fantasy book but I personally wasn't a fan.

...more

Like · see review

Nov 16, 2012 Donna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, teen

Racial/ethnic tolerance in the guise of fantasy. Vulcan-like dragons take the shape of humans in order to study and teach in their universities and serve as ambassadors at the royal court. The title character is a half dragon/half human who must keep her monstrous heritage a secret. Her mother was a dragon who fell in love with her human father and died during childbirth. Now Seraphina is 16, and tensions rise as the 40th anniversary of a controversial peace treaty between the two species approa ...more

Like · see review

Apr 27, 2013 Shannon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: youngadult, anna, bekah, otherwordly

Seraphina is set in a world where dragons can take on human form and have been at peace with humanity for forty years, thanks to a landmark treaty. Hartman deftly uses the humanity/dragon treaty to discuss prejudice in a way that reminded me of Gregor the Overlander. Hartman does this in part by asking, "What does it take for people to set aside fear and really get to know each other?"

Seraphina, the titular main character, is uniquely positioned between dragonkind and humanity. She uses this pos Seraphina is set in a world where dragons can take on human form and have been at peace with humanity for forty years, thanks to a landmark treaty. Hartman deftly uses the humanity/dragon treaty to discuss prejudice in a way that reminded me of Gregor the Overlander. Hartman does this in part by asking, "What does it take for people to set aside fear and really get to know each other?"

Seraphina, the titular main character, is uniquely positioned between dragonkind and humanity. She uses this position, along with her natural talents and gifts, to help people see things differently. Seraphina reminds me in many ways of myself - she is so wrapped up in the shame she has borne since childhood that she can't see her own gifts and value accurately. So when a princess and prince befriend Seraphina and value her advice, it's interesting to see how Phina (as she is sometimes called) responds.

I enjoyed that this book focused more on Seraphina's growth as a person than on her romantic life, but if I have a complaint with the book, it's that I had a difficult time keeping people and vocabulary straight for much of the book. When I finished the book, I saw the back contained a glossary and cast of characters - I might have benefited from knowing that several hundred pages before. :-)

Hartman's characterization of dragons as eschewing emotion was also particularly striking to me since I, like the dragons in these pages, have seen emotions as something to be contained where possible or endured when necessary. I enjoyed seeing more than one character struggle to find the proper role for emotions in their life.

Finally, I liked that this book made me think about ways that we are all misfits. We each know our inner flaws better than anyone else - and so magnify them in our minds. This line from the penultimate page sums it up for me, "We were all monsters and bastards, and we were all beautiful." I just need to slowly but surely work my ways towards grasping the second half of that truth as well as I grasp the first.

If you're in the mood for a fantasy novel that is intriguing, easy to read and nearly completely free of romantic entanglements, Seraphina is a great place to go. My 13 year old and 11 year old daughters both thoroughly enjoyed this book, as did I. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Lauren rated it liked it · review of another edition

Wow... this was kind of painful to get through, but I kept at it just because it has won some awards and got pretty high ratings from my goodreads friends. It turns out that a fantasy book (or any book, for that matter) can be well conceived and well written, you need to have a marginal interest in the fictional world in order for it to work for you. I thought I could care about dragons, but I just... don't. I could only keep track of a few of the characters and the dragon terminology (I did fin ...more

Like · see review

Jan 03, 2013 Jenny rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-young-adult

A beautifully constructed fantasy set in a world where humans and dragons exist and have been living under a carefully constructed peace treaty for almost four decades. Seraphina is the daughter of famous lawyer, an expert in the law of said treaty, and a talented musician. As the story begins, she has recently taken on a position in the castle, as the assistant to the court composer, and is busy auditioning musicians and planning the musical accompaniment for the weeklong ceremony celebrating t ...more

Like · see review

Mar 24, 2013 Astrid Lim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, lovely-heroine

Wow...I didn't expect to love this book! Dragons and high fantasies are not my particular kind of books, but seraphina turned out to be really wonderful! Mostly because the author can create such a believable realm, with a charming heroine. I don't remember when was the last time I fell in love with the heroine after Katniss. Anyway, can't wait to read the sequel! ...more

Like · see review

Oct 15, 2013 Wendy E. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book

The dragons are among us...and it is good! I'm in for the sequel. ...more

Like · see review

Mar 20, 2013 Rebecca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wonderful YA fiction, just exactly what I needed last week. Engaging and innovative fantasy plotline, yet still easy to identify with the main character, Seraphina. I can't wait for the next in the series! ...more

Like · see review

Jul 03, 2013 Christian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fiction, fantasy

I thought this was a well conceived and written story. I liked that the author avoided some of the cliches of fantasy stories involving magic, dragons, etc. That, coupled with a dash of mystery as well. The narrator did a good job of telling the story and differentiating each character.

Like · see review