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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
This book was SOOOO GOOD! My favorite character was DEFINITELY Orma, and I really want to read the sequel!
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
OH. My. Goodness. I would give this 10 stars if I could! I think this may end up being one of my favorite books, period. Review closer to release date...
Rachel Hartman's Seraphina is nothing short of exquisite. It is beautiful - breathtakingly so - and I find myself wanting to reread it again and again. This is how it starts:
I simply could not help myself; I fell in love with Seraphina's voice right there.
When I think about the idea of 'world-building' I often actually visualize little houses in my head - spaces that have been constructed piece by piece. There are houses that are done quickly, with little care, and they look sloppy at first glance. There are houses that look pretty good when taken as a whole, but upon closer inspection you see the slightly misaligned window trim, the irregular gaps between the wood-flooring, or the spots of cabinet paint on the edge of the wall. Then you have houses like what Rachel Hartman has built: they look nice up front. Then, you get a little closer and you start to see details. That isn't just a nice wooden mantel - it's hand-carved with intricate details. The walls aren't expertly painted with paint bought off the shelf - every color in the house has been custom tinted to compliment each other. You get the idea. Goredd doesn't feel 'built' at all - Hartman has made it so effortlessly stunning that it is impossible not to believe in it. All the little details of culture and tradition have received the same level of attention as her big ideas - everything from blasphemous interjections stemming from a complex and lush religious tradition to the details of variations in regional style and dialect. The characters, whether dragon, saar, quigutl, or human, were equally complex and vital.
My favorite thing about Seraphina, though, is the way Hartman interweaves science, logic, art and music. So often people who are scientific or logical are thought of or portrayed as being cold and passionless. In contrast, artists and musicians are thought to be moody and mercurial. But that isn't really the case at all. Anyone who has ever watched Feynman talk about, well, anything, can see his passion for science; and the methodical precision required to master the most passionate of musical masterpieces requires determined discipline. And Math. Math is at the core of everything. There is no music without math. There is no logic without math. The scientific method is defined by its ability to produce measurable results, and there is no measurement without math. They are all interconnected. The very idea of separate areas of study is just our human brain trying to analyze and compartmentalize reality. The real world, and the way our human mind approaches it, is much more complex than than that; and I think Hartman would agree. The book itself is a testament to this idea - it is lyrical even at its most analytical. At moments of highest emotion for Seraphina, she invokes mathematics and logic. For example:
Hartman allows her characters to be passionately logical and coolly romantic, and that impresses me to no end.
I will admit that I found the romance a little lacking in spark or chemistry at times. However, I am not sure if that is because it was actually lacking, or because I was uncomfortable with it happening. ( I was thinking of Selda.) That is really the only complaint I can find, and (considering the romance is really low on the hierarchy of importance in the story) it isn't even a very big one. I can't imagine not rereading Seraphina time and again. I can't wait to give it to my daughter for the first time with a, "this is what complex, vital, talented, vibrant, brave, strong, intelligent heroines can be like!" And I will be recommending it to everyone who will listen to me (and probably those who won't as well.)
Rachel Hartman's Seraphina is nothing short of exquisite. It is beautiful - breathtakingly so - and I find myself wanting to reread it again and again. This is how it starts:
I remember being born.
In fact, I remember a time before that. There was no light, but there was music: joints creaking, blood rushing, the heart's staccato lullaby, a rich symphony of indigestion. Sound enfolded me, and I was safe.
Then my world split open, and I was thrust into a cold and silent brightness. I tried to fill the emptiness with my screams, but the space was too vast. I raged, but there was no going back.
I simply could not help myself; I fell in love with Seraphina's voice right there.
When I think about the idea of 'world-building' I often actually visualize little houses in my head - spaces that have been constructed piece by piece. There are houses that are done quickly, with little care, and they look sloppy at first glance. There are houses that look pretty good when taken as a whole, but upon closer inspection you see the slightly misaligned window trim, the irregular gaps between the wood-flooring, or the spots of cabinet paint on the edge of the wall. Then you have houses like what Rachel Hartman has built: they look nice up front. Then, you get a little closer and you start to see details. That isn't just a nice wooden mantel - it's hand-carved with intricate details. The walls aren't expertly painted with paint bought off the shelf - every color in the house has been custom tinted to compliment each other. You get the idea. Goredd doesn't feel 'built' at all - Hartman has made it so effortlessly stunning that it is impossible not to believe in it. All the little details of culture and tradition have received the same level of attention as her big ideas - everything from blasphemous interjections stemming from a complex and lush religious tradition to the details of variations in regional style and dialect. The characters, whether dragon, saar, quigutl, or human, were equally complex and vital.
My favorite thing about Seraphina, though, is the way Hartman interweaves science, logic, art and music. So often people who are scientific or logical are thought of or portrayed as being cold and passionless. In contrast, artists and musicians are thought to be moody and mercurial. But that isn't really the case at all. Anyone who has ever watched Feynman talk about, well, anything, can see his passion for science; and the methodical precision required to master the most passionate of musical masterpieces requires determined discipline. And Math. Math is at the core of everything. There is no music without math. There is no logic without math. The scientific method is defined by its ability to produce measurable results, and there is no measurement without math. They are all interconnected. The very idea of separate areas of study is just our human brain trying to analyze and compartmentalize reality. The real world, and the way our human mind approaches it, is much more complex than than that; and I think Hartman would agree. The book itself is a testament to this idea - it is lyrical even at its most analytical. At moments of highest emotion for Seraphina, she invokes mathematics and logic. For example:
I couldn't fill that space with Linn. That name meant nothing to me; it was a placeholder, like zero.
Hartman allows her characters to be passionately logical and coolly romantic, and that impresses me to no end.
I will admit that I found the romance a little lacking in spark or chemistry at times. However, I am not sure if that is because it was actually lacking, or because I was uncomfortable with it happening. ( I was thinking of Selda.) That is really the only complaint I can find, and (considering the romance is really low on the hierarchy of importance in the story) it isn't even a very big one. I can't imagine not rereading Seraphina time and again. I can't wait to give it to my daughter for the first time with a, "this is what complex, vital, talented, vibrant, brave, strong, intelligent heroines can be like!" And I will be recommending it to everyone who will listen to me (and probably those who won't as well.)
I read this all in one go on a rainy Friday night. It was absolutely charming. It touches neatly on some of the most important things young adults go through- hating themselves for being different and then learning that their uniqueness makes them valuable (and lovable). I'll definitely read this again.
How do I not see this talked about more?? This was such a good dragon story! The world building was subtle but really effective, the writing was gorgeous without being overly flowery and I really loved the unique take on dragons. The plot was engaging with some really clever twists and the protagonist was also a breath of fresh air in terms of ya protagonists. She was smart and headstrong and capable, but without feeling immature or too reckless. I really loved her growth throughout the story.I also liked how the romance was written (Red liked a romance?? I know), it was really sweet and well built up. There was such a great balance between mystery, politics, romance and fantastical elements. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel!
*3.5 stars
I had a fun time with this one, a unique take on dragons, lots of political intrigue and secrets. It's a bit slow in places, though, and I felt like I wanted more from the prose, and more tension somehow. I am interested enough to want to read book 2 to see where it goes though.
I had a fun time with this one, a unique take on dragons, lots of political intrigue and secrets. It's a bit slow in places, though, and I felt like I wanted more from the prose, and more tension somehow. I am interested enough to want to read book 2 to see where it goes though.
It has unique and merited world building but felt it drags a portion of the time.
Seraphina was one of the books I was most looking forward to reading this year. In addition to having nearly universal positive reviews from all of my friends, being a New York Times bestseller, and having an interesting premise, I also really enjoy Rachel Hartman's reviews, comments, and blogposts. After finishing this book, I can understand why it has earned so much praise, but in the end it just didn't resonate with me.
Seraphina has an intellectual quality to it that isn't often found in young adult literature. The world is well-realized, the book tackles serious issues such as prejudice and self-mutilation, and the protagonist is very introspective and reflective. I really appreciated how richly developed the world was in terms of history, culture, and religion, which is a prominent part of society instead of an afterthought. The dragon mythology is unique, and it presented some interesting questions about reason and emotion.
Several of the characters were likable. Orma, Seraphina's uncle and teacher, was hilarious without meaning to be, and his descent into dragon insanity was done very well. Words cannot express how much I loved his character. I also enjoyed Princess Glisselda. For once, the female rival in a love triangle wasn't presented as an evil bitch, who hates the heroine for no discernible reason. Glisselda was a strong female character with the sort of qualities one would look for in a friend and future queen.
Unfortunately, I liked Seraphina and her love interest, Lucian Kiggs, considerably less than some of the other characters. While there was nothing overtly wrong with Seraphina in the beginning—she's intelligent, strong, and nuanced—I simply failed to connect with her, and I didn't get the appeal of Kiggs. Their romance made very little sense because there was almost no build up. The relationship also reflected badly on both their characters because Kiggs is engaged to Seraphina's friend and supporter, Glisselda. I might not have faulted the characters as much if they had felt the proper amount of guilt, but neither of them seemed all that concerned for Glisselda.
Outside of the romance, I also took issue with the pacing. The plot moves very slowly, and there wasn't very much action. Chapters would go by with very little plot development. Much of the story is devoted to Seraphina's thoughts and feelings about human prejudice towards dragons, and her struggle for self acceptance amidst this prejudice. Although Seraphina's self-hatred was well-presented, her overall journey towards self-acceptance was undermined by the fact that everyone Seraphina loves and cares about accepts her once they find out about her true nature. It made her fears over being discovered and losing her loved ones seem irrational. I also thought the story took an overly simplistic view of prejudice by making all of the evil characters be intolerant and extremely bigoted, while all of the good characters were mostly open-minded and accepting.
To end on a positive note, the writing was superb in terms of grammar, sentence structure, and word choice. Hartman's vocabulary is simply impressive, and the sentences flowed nicely. I appreciated the eloquence of the writing. I'll definitely check out Hartman's work outside of this series.
Seraphina has an intellectual quality to it that isn't often found in young adult literature. The world is well-realized, the book tackles serious issues such as prejudice and self-mutilation, and the protagonist is very introspective and reflective. I really appreciated how richly developed the world was in terms of history, culture, and religion, which is a prominent part of society instead of an afterthought. The dragon mythology is unique, and it presented some interesting questions about reason and emotion.
Several of the characters were likable. Orma, Seraphina's uncle and teacher, was hilarious without meaning to be, and his descent into dragon insanity
Spoiler
developing emotionUnfortunately, I liked Seraphina and her love interest, Lucian Kiggs, considerably less than some of the other characters. While there was nothing overtly wrong with Seraphina in the beginning—she's intelligent, strong, and nuanced—I simply failed to connect with her, and I didn't get the appeal of Kiggs. Their romance made very little sense because there was almost no build up. The relationship also reflected badly on both their characters because Kiggs is engaged to Seraphina's friend and supporter, Glisselda. I might not have faulted the characters as much if they had felt the proper amount of guilt, but neither of them seemed all that concerned for Glisselda.
Spoiler
Their conversation in the end where they agree to love each other behind Glisselda's back was particularly distasteful.Outside of the romance, I also took issue with the pacing. The plot moves very slowly, and there wasn't very much action. Chapters would go by with very little plot development. Much of the story is devoted to Seraphina's thoughts and feelings about human prejudice towards dragons, and her struggle for self acceptance amidst this prejudice. Although Seraphina's self-hatred was well-presented, her overall journey towards self-acceptance was undermined by the fact that everyone Seraphina loves and cares about accepts her once they find out about her true nature. It made her fears over being discovered and losing her loved ones seem irrational. I also thought the story took an overly simplistic view of prejudice by making all of the evil characters be intolerant and extremely bigoted, while all of the good characters were mostly open-minded and accepting.
To end on a positive note, the writing was superb in terms of grammar, sentence structure, and word choice. Hartman's vocabulary is simply impressive, and the sentences flowed nicely. I appreciated the eloquence of the writing. I'll definitely check out Hartman's work outside of this series.
