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Title: Seraphina
Author: Rachel Hartman
Genre: Fantasy
Format/Length: ebook, 530 pages
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books, 2012
My Rating: ★★★★
A book featuring dragons that can take the form
of the human body. Dragons that are logical, brilliant, and talented. A strong,
independent, female protagonist with an awesome name. A world were humans and
dragons live side by side, albeit not without prejudice. A monarchy in which
the sovereignty is passed from one daughter to the next. Featuring political
intrigue, a plot to disrupt peace and discredit a treaty. The power of music,
love, memories. Secrets and lies. These are some of the wonderful, fantastical,
enjoyable details within the pages of Rachel Hartman’s novel, Seraphina.
This book was a very fun read. The world
building was interesting, immersive. I wanted to live in Goredd, walk the
cobbled streets (I pictured it cobbled and Medieval). I wanted to hear
Seraphina’s music. I wanted to study with dragons, live amongst them,
understand them. I wanted this story keep going.
The plot is fascinating and moves at a decent
pace without sacrificing detail, characterization, or the development of relationships.
I also loved Seraphina’s voice. She is smart and
interesting. She is strong, determined, loving. I enjoyed seeing the world
through her eyes. The rest of the cast of the characters is also fun. From
Orma, Seraphina’s teacher, Princess Glisselda, and her fiance Prince Lucian.
Told in Seraphina’s voice, the reader starts the
story knowing Seraphina’s birth began with the unraveling of her mother’s
secret; she is a dragon. Therefore Seraphina, unfortunately almost immediately
motherless, is a half dragon. Her father, a prominent lawyer, quickly and
carefully builds a false origin for his daughter. Fraternizing with dragons is
prohibited and Seraphina's birth is not a blessing for their family, least of
all for Seraphina herself.
And so she grows up hiding the truth. She gets
used to lying and living an extremely private life. She is as solitary as it
would be acceptable to do so for someone who lives and works at a Royal Court.
Soon Seraphina’s carefully tended life is
disrupted by events at Court; the suspicious death of a Royal Prince and a
brewing political upheaval.
As Seraphina gets involved in the investigation
of these mysteries, she learns to trust others, to rely on their strengths, and
to slowly but surely be more open to everything.
The constant theme throughout this book is
identity. Seraphina is a young woman trying to figure out who she is, all the
while hiding a part of her heritage. She is also trying to create something
separate from her secret; which she views as hideous and shameful. Seraphina is
trying to find her place in the world. She longs to find a place to belong.
And I think Hartman was very successful in
demonstrating this theme as well as that of longing and love.
Despite the adjectives I’ve heaped onto the
review of this book, I need to say that the last scene was a bit of a letdown.
In fact, I found it annoying. Of all the fun and enjoyment to be had in this
book, the romantic aspect was my least favorite. Even though I like the
characterization of Prince Lucian. Even though I want Seraphina to be happy, I
just didn’t care whether or not they end up together.
I think this is about personal taste and not at
all indicative of whether or not Hartman wrote a believable love story. In
fact, she did. I just didn’t care whichever way it concluded.
