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Location: Vero Beach, Florida, United States

My name is Pat and I live in Florida. My skin will never be smooth again and my hair will never see color. I enjoy collecting autographs and playing in Paint Shop Pro.,along with reading and writing. Sometimes, I enjoy myself by doing volunteer "work" helping celebrities at autograph shows. I love animals and at one time I did volunteer work for Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Seraphina

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(Book one for Once Upon A Time)

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman.

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

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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.

7 Comments:

Blogger Lynn said...

I'm a bit like you in that I love stories with dragons and I think that cover would definitely tempt me. It's such a lovely looking book.
I do struggle with the whole dragon turning into humans thing - I can's somehow get my head around how it's possible - probably because a dragon just seems so much larger and I have this difficulty with the whole shrinking concept! I need to get over that though. I mean if I'm reading about dragons anyway, then surely I can stretch my imagination that little bit more!
I do wonder why they'd wear a bell! It seems so meek and mile doesn't it.
Anyway, this sounds really interesting and I enjoy reading YA so I'll definitely look out for this one.
Thanks
Lynn :D

8:34 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I've been tempted by this cover, too. :) Thanks for your thoughts. Too bad it started slow...I think I still might pick it up at some point, though.

9:36 AM  
Blogger Cath said...

Having listened to you talk about this when we were Skyping, and thought about it a bit, and now read your review, I think I'll grab it from the library sometime and read it for OUaT. It sounds intriguing and I'm thinking I would probably like it.

7:40 PM  
Blogger Debi said...

It seems as if no one who has read this has been disappointed...glad that includes you! :) I definitely will get around to it one of these days, just not sure how many days away that day is. :P

7:53 PM  
Blogger Susan said...

I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Pat! I had my doubts too, but the way she writes about the dragons and humans, it's possible for them to mate. I found it fascinating. I like how you link it to how people should treat one another, similarities or differences, and judging others. I also liked the other characters, some were very well done. All in all a very good debut novel, I thought.

9:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I keep hearing good things about this one...and it does have some intriguing aspects! I might have to add it to my list. :)

10:52 AM  
Blogger Kathleen said...

I like the sound of a story where humans interact with dragons!

2:37 PM  

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