Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked the concept and the writing, but it felt like not a lot happened until the last third of the book.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The two things that made Seraphina for me were the characters and musical theme that was so central to Seraphina's life. I found myself rooting for a couple specific people (including Seraphina) and loving the frequent mention of bagpipes and sackbuts. Looking forward to meeting new garden occupants and learning more about the quigs in the next installment, should Hartman grace us with such things.
First line: "I remember being born."
Age: High School
Let me start by saying Seraphina is an awesome protagonist name but the beauty of this story certainly doesn't stop there. Hartman presents an intricate world, rich with its own detailed culture that adds incredible dimension to the plot without bogging it down. The originality of the story kept me hooked and I can't wait to read the sequel to find answers for the meaning behind St. Yrtrudis and why the dragon-human hybrids have unique powers. Seraphina proves a strong, consistent female protagonist whose actions are clearly connected to her personality although I was not convinced by the romance, even though I loved the characters. The internal battle that Seraphina wages, disgusted by her dragon half, provides insight into a very real issue that people face as they are convinced by society to alienate certain aspects of their identity.
I was also confused by the lack of formality that royalty was given at court, interfering with the believability of this medieval era world. It appeared that Seraphina was incredibly candid with her opinions and had strong relationships with the highest royalty, yet she was a composer's assistant? While the plot kept me fully engaged, these details kept gnawing at me throughout the read. But as details, the fantastic story and characters far outweighed them.
Age: High School
Let me start by saying Seraphina is an awesome protagonist name but the beauty of this story certainly doesn't stop there. Hartman presents an intricate world, rich with its own detailed culture that adds incredible dimension to the plot without bogging it down. The originality of the story kept me hooked and I can't wait to read the sequel to find answers for the meaning behind St. Yrtrudis and why the dragon-human hybrids have unique powers. Seraphina proves a strong, consistent female protagonist whose actions are clearly connected to her personality although I was not convinced by the romance, even though I loved the characters. The internal battle that Seraphina wages, disgusted by her dragon half, provides insight into a very real issue that people face as they are convinced by society to alienate certain aspects of their identity.
I was also confused by the lack of formality that royalty was given at court, interfering with the believability of this medieval era world. It appeared that Seraphina was incredibly candid with her opinions and had strong relationships with the highest royalty, yet she was a composer's assistant? While the plot kept me fully engaged, these details kept gnawing at me throughout the read. But as details, the fantastic story and characters far outweighed them.
Not as strong as Tess of the Road but it carried a lot of the same quiet strength. I need to read more of these books.
I really hate not finishing a book, but I just can't anymore with this one. It's boring and I just don't care what happens. The parts that aren't boring are way too weird like the whole "mind garden" thing. I'd much rather read something else.
orma my friend from 4th grade they could NEVER make me hate your gay ass 😇
This book and I were made for each other. I completely fell in love with it. The plot, the characters, the world-building, everything! Like all books, it has it's flaws (the beginning was confusing, especially if one does not notice the glossary at the back of the book), but I don't really care. Waiting for the next book will be sheer torture...!
3.5 stars. (I wish Goodreads could give half stars.)
*MIGHT BE SOME SPOILERS*
I actually really liked the world building in this novel. I liked the different cultures though I hope some of the other human cultures get expanded on in later books. I like how quirky the dragons were, especially Orma. It's maybe just me, but I'm really drawn towards quirky characters. I love Orma. I want one of him.
That said, I didn't really like the pacing. The first 50-60% of the book was quite slow. After the 75% mark it really picked up and it was quite fun and interesting to read and I wish more of the book was like that. Then again, I'm also a big lover of action and fighting, which this book didn't have much of. Personal preference.
I'm also not really sold in the relationship between Seraphina and Kiggs. Maybe I just expect more to happen before a pair of characters fall in love. The scenes they had were cute, but they were far and few between. Even then, they spent too much time being mad at each other. Not that I don't understand it, but I like a bit more substance to my relationships.
Also, in the beginning, I had a hard time relating to Seraphina. I just don't think she is a very active protagonist. Which is fine, but I wish she seeked out answers to things instead of stumbling onto them. Near the end she started to do that, but I wish she started doing that earlier.
Overall, I do like the book and I'm weighting if I'll read the subsequent books. I certainly wouldn't rule it out.
*MIGHT BE SOME SPOILERS*
I actually really liked the world building in this novel. I liked the different cultures though I hope some of the other human cultures get expanded on in later books. I like how quirky the dragons were, especially Orma. It's maybe just me, but I'm really drawn towards quirky characters. I love Orma. I want one of him.
That said, I didn't really like the pacing. The first 50-60% of the book was quite slow. After the 75% mark it really picked up and it was quite fun and interesting to read and I wish more of the book was like that. Then again, I'm also a big lover of action and fighting, which this book didn't have much of. Personal preference.
I'm also not really sold in the relationship between Seraphina and Kiggs. Maybe I just expect more to happen before a pair of characters fall in love. The scenes they had were cute, but they were far and few between. Even then, they spent too much time being mad at each other. Not that I don't understand it, but I like a bit more substance to my relationships.
Also, in the beginning, I had a hard time relating to Seraphina. I just don't think she is a very active protagonist. Which is fine, but I wish she seeked out answers to things instead of stumbling onto them. Near the end she started to do that, but I wish she started doing that earlier.
Overall, I do like the book and I'm weighting if I'll read the subsequent books. I certainly wouldn't rule it out.