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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Seraphina has a secret: She is an abomination to both Dragon and Humankind. For she is both. And she is neither.
I picked this book up at the strong recommendation from one of my friends (So I'm a few years behind taking her up on it. Sue me). To my satisfaction, I enjoyed it a great deal more than I expected to (though I didn't ALWAYS understand what exactly I was reading). I would have adored it entirely had it not been for the half-assed love triangle this author was trying to force-feed me. But I refuse to acknowledge that any further.
Seraphina is the Music Mistress of the Royal Court and a private teacher to its Princess. Phina has a very complicated past and relationship to her father, so at the first chance she had to escape it and make her place at the palace, she took it. But now she is forced to delve even deeper into secrecy, lest someone discover her true nature.
There were many aspects of this book that were incredibly original and gave me no small amount of delight: The "Avatars" for one, and their connections to Phina in the physical and metaphysical world. I adored them as much as Phina. I'm intrigued by the roles they play in Phina's life and by the individual "talents" that they each possess. I'm eager to learn how it will all factor into the sequel book, "Shadow Scale."
In all, I believe I would recommend this to those with a passion for the past, though in a futuristic-type-setting. The story had a well-thought-out plot that carried through the entire book. The conclusion left me very eager to discover what would become of this merry band of misfits.
P.S. Don't let the unfortunate appearance of a love triangle deter from your enjoyment of this finely written story. It's worth the inconvenience.
I picked this book up at the strong recommendation from one of my friends (So I'm a few years behind taking her up on it. Sue me). To my satisfaction, I enjoyed it a great deal more than I expected to (though I didn't ALWAYS understand what exactly I was reading). I would have adored it entirely had it not been for the half-assed love triangle this author was trying to force-feed me. But I refuse to acknowledge that any further.
Seraphina is the Music Mistress of the Royal Court and a private teacher to its Princess. Phina has a very complicated past and relationship to her father, so at the first chance she had to escape it and make her place at the palace, she took it. But now she is forced to delve even deeper into secrecy, lest someone discover her true nature.
There were many aspects of this book that were incredibly original and gave me no small amount of delight: The "Avatars" for one, and their connections to Phina in the physical and metaphysical world. I adored them as much as Phina. I'm intrigued by the roles they play in Phina's life and by the individual "talents" that they each possess. I'm eager to learn how it will all factor into the sequel book, "Shadow Scale."
In all, I believe I would recommend this to those with a passion for the past, though in a futuristic-type-setting. The story had a well-thought-out plot that carried through the entire book. The conclusion left me very eager to discover what would become of this merry band of misfits.
P.S. Don't let the unfortunate appearance of a love triangle deter from your enjoyment of this finely written story. It's worth the inconvenience.
Man I really wanted to like this one, and at brief times I did, but it's a snorefest. An overwhelming amount of worldbuilding and info dumps heaped onto a glacial plot. I kept forgetting what the plot even was.
Probably for the best I wasn't too attached to this story, because from what I've read about what happens in book 2, I would've raged.
Probably for the best I wasn't too attached to this story, because from what I've read about what happens in book 2, I would've raged.
Very, very good. I liked the "prickly" heroïne, the smart writing, and the dragons' amusing struggles with human social codes.
Great world building, great and original take on dragons (that in itself would have granted it almost a 5 star rating automatically!), and great characters description and charcterisation.
I am really enthusiast about the book, and about the fact that I only have to wait a few months for the next instalment
I am really enthusiast about the book, and about the fact that I only have to wait a few months for the next instalment
A wonderful story filled with some really well written characters. I've read this book faster than I have read anything else recently and I find myself craving more - luckily, there is a sequel that I will be jumping into immediately.
A number of things I came out of this book wanting to say:
- I absolutely loved the way dragons are the logical calculated species in this universe instead of the feral and raging version fantasy books often depict.
- Seraphina surprised me. I started reading this book with full acceptance that I may dislike or wouldn't be able to stand the main character because that is what the book description felt like.
- Glisselda was also a pleasant surprise. She was not the sort of character I expected and I have never been happier to be proven wrong.
- There was a certain scene in the book where I had absolutely held my breath (this never happens!); that is how gripping the story was.
A number of things I came out of this book wanting to say:
- I absolutely loved the way dragons are the logical calculated species in this universe instead of the feral and raging version fantasy books often depict.
- Seraphina surprised me. I started reading this book with full acceptance that I may dislike or wouldn't be able to stand the main character because that is what the book description felt like.
- Glisselda was also a pleasant surprise. She was not the sort of character I expected and I have never been happier to be proven wrong.
- There was a certain scene in the book where I had absolutely held my breath (this never happens!); that is how gripping the story was.
I thought it would be stupid (half-human half-dragon? Say what now?) but it was actually very, very good.
For fantasy lovers, Seraphina is definitely going to be a beloved character.
I don't usually like the dragon genre, but I did like this one - I found Seraphina to be a wonderful heroine, not always "likeable" but always true.
Fresh concept with a lot of nice detail work, especially the mental "garden" the protagonist uses to control her demons. Besides the dragons -- who are only about as inhuman as Vulcans most of the time -- there isn't a lot of other magic to speak of and the setting is a little bit generic. The secondary characters are lovingly limned in full eccentricity and shown to be driven by the plentiful secrets they all clutch so tightly, and the plot has plenty of surprises. Even the romance element is handled in an original and thoughtful way.
Fascinating and original, looking forward to the sequel.