Seraphina

(Book one for Once Upon A Time)

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman.

Hardcover: 512 pages
Publisher: First Edition edition (July 10, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0375866566

Book Description

In her New York Times bestselling and Morris Award-winning debut, Rachel Hartman introduces mathematical dragons in an alternative-medieval world to fantasy and science-fiction readers of all ages.

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

I wasn’t 100% sure about this book.  I do love dragons… that’s a given.  But would I like dragons that took the shape of humans?

For me, the book began a little slow. I was unsure if I was envisioning these characters as they were meant to be.  I knew they were appearing human but small things (including wearing a bell) told others who the dragons were and were not.

Seraphina did not wear a bell.  Nor did her father. Her mother was dead.

The book is more than just Seraphina’s life story.  There are lessons to be learned about how we perceive others without really knowing them.  RE: the way one looks or dresses.  And some what of a love story.

Rachel Hartman, eventually tells us all of Seraphina’s story and so we get to know her quite well.  There were other characters that I thought quite original and enjoyed them also.

Amazon gives a good review of the book so I don’t want to go much further or give too much away.  It may have begun slow for me but the deeper into the book I went them more I wanted to find out and so things picked up until the last few chapters when it all comes to a fitting finish.

This is a YA book with some life lessons in it that are good reminds of how we should treat others.  I found it very enjoyable.