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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
📱
While I wasn't the biggest fan of this book or this series, I do think it wrapped up the series well. There were a lot of things that I wanted to like in this series. For me, I struggled with the writing style and their relationships pacing the most. I found the characters annoying and whiny at times, and I struggled to understand some of the relationships.
While I wasn't the biggest fan of this book or this series, I do think it wrapped up the series well. There were a lot of things that I wanted to like in this series. For me, I struggled with the writing style and their relationships pacing the most. I found the characters annoying and whiny at times, and I struggled to understand some of the relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, War
Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Medical trauma
Minor: Body horror, Rape, Suicidal thoughts
I stumbled across Seraphina by Rachel Hartman while perusing YA reviews on Goodreads, and I am ever so glad that I did. It has fantastic, detailed world building, a smart, capable heroine, and a love story that doesn’t feel recycled and cliche. It ends with the perfect balance of closure while still leaving the door open for a continuation of the story. A few years have passed and Rachel Hartman has gifted us with Shadow Scale, book two of Seraphina’s story!
For the most part Shadow Scale delivers on the promise of its predecessor. We get to see the world Hartman created in Seraphina on a larger scale as Seraphina travels outside of her homeland to find her fellow half dragons. Each of the places she visits has its own language, culture, and customs. This novel also delves deeper into the mythology surrounding half dragons. There is a good balance of detail in order to build a complex world, without drifting into info dumping. Seraphina herself is still strong and witty, and though she makes quite a few mistakes on her journey she remains likeable. The villain in this story is pretty terrifying. I cannot say much more without giving too much away, but it definitely has you on the edge of your seat near the climax.
One of my favorite parts of this novel, as well as Seraphina, is the way it deals with the romance. It isn’t insta-love, it takes awhile for the relationship to form and it is based on mutual admiration and respect. Seraphina also doesn’t give up on her family or goals to be with this love interest. Most importantly the “rival” isn’t depicted as a villain, in fact she is an admirable, likeable character. The ultimate resolution of this love story is unique, unexpected, and refreshing. In a genre where many of the love stories can feel unimaginative and trite, Shadow Scale offers something different, and it works.
I also have to note that the romance is not even the most powerful relationship in this novel. It is the relationship between Seraphina and her Uncle Orma which stays with the reader long after the book closes. Their relationship is written with such detail and love, and this novel shows the reader another, unexpected side of Orma.
The only complaint I have is that parts of the story felt rushed. Specifically the journey near the beginning of the novel and the final showdown near the end. This may just be that I wanted more time in this world and with these characters. However, the book is fairly long as it is and if more time was spent with these moments perhaps it would have felt overlong, but I wouldn’t have complained.
Overall, Shadow Scale was a fun, sweet read and a good followup to Seraphina. If you loved Seraphina, you’ll enjoy reading the conclusion of her journey.
For the most part Shadow Scale delivers on the promise of its predecessor. We get to see the world Hartman created in Seraphina on a larger scale as Seraphina travels outside of her homeland to find her fellow half dragons. Each of the places she visits has its own language, culture, and customs. This novel also delves deeper into the mythology surrounding half dragons. There is a good balance of detail in order to build a complex world, without drifting into info dumping. Seraphina herself is still strong and witty, and though she makes quite a few mistakes on her journey she remains likeable. The villain in this story is pretty terrifying. I cannot say much more without giving too much away, but it definitely has you on the edge of your seat near the climax.
One of my favorite parts of this novel, as well as Seraphina, is the way it deals with the romance. It isn’t insta-love, it takes awhile for the relationship to form and it is based on mutual admiration and respect. Seraphina also doesn’t give up on her family or goals to be with this love interest. Most importantly the “rival” isn’t depicted as a villain, in fact she is an admirable, likeable character. The ultimate resolution of this love story is unique, unexpected, and refreshing. In a genre where many of the love stories can feel unimaginative and trite, Shadow Scale offers something different, and it works.
I also have to note that the romance is not even the most powerful relationship in this novel. It is the relationship between Seraphina and her Uncle Orma which stays with the reader long after the book closes. Their relationship is written with such detail and love, and this novel shows the reader another, unexpected side of Orma.
The only complaint I have is that parts of the story felt rushed. Specifically the journey near the beginning of the novel and the final showdown near the end. This may just be that I wanted more time in this world and with these characters. However, the book is fairly long as it is and if more time was spent with these moments perhaps it would have felt overlong, but I wouldn’t have complained.
Overall, Shadow Scale was a fun, sweet read and a good followup to Seraphina. If you loved Seraphina, you’ll enjoy reading the conclusion of her journey.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a tough read. I absolutely loved Seraphina and was expecting to love this just as much, but right from the beginning the pacing was set to a crawl and the story itself felt pretty unsubstantial. This falls back into a bad habit of the fantasy genre and spends most of the time traveling to different places, and while they meet various people and learn new things it overall just feels so samey that I got bored really fast.
Really, Shadow Scale felt like typical second book of a trilogy that muddles about not sure what to do with itself, except in this case it's the second book of a duology so that's it. Hartman comments on the book being a "beast to write" in her acknowledgements and, for me, that really carried through to the experience as a reader. Such a shame.
Really, Shadow Scale felt like typical second book of a trilogy that muddles about not sure what to do with itself, except in this case it's the second book of a duology so that's it. Hartman comments on the book being a "beast to write" in her acknowledgements and, for me, that really carried through to the experience as a reader. Such a shame.
It was a fun followup to the first book. While the first book had a lot of depth to it, Seraphina undergoing a lot of personal growth and dealing with personal demons, this one seemed to lack as much depth. Certainly she’s battling one personal demon- literally her grotesque Jannoula who she’d sealed away from her mind, but that’s about it. Beyond that they’re traveling around dealing with different crises, it’s more of an adventure story this time.
I wouldn’t mind a sequel from Blanche or Camba’s perspectives, a lot of great side characters in this book.
I wouldn’t mind a sequel from Blanche or Camba’s perspectives, a lot of great side characters in this book.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So good! I really hope there is going to be another book, but most likely there will not. Full review to come.
Uggggggggh.
I liked the first book a lot, but in this one, Seraphina is an idiot who wanders all over the place accomplishing nothing because her brains DON'T WORK.
Spoilery
Even Seraphina's hero moment at the end is interrupted by a big deus ex machina swooping in to save her from actually doing anything!
And the epilogue made me so mad -- I was finally actually interested in what's going on, and then the book just ended. 600 pages of boring, endless Seraphina failfailfail and then the book just cuts out on the actual interesting emotional bit! bleah!
I liked the first book a lot, but in this one, Seraphina is an idiot who wanders all over the place accomplishing nothing because her brains DON'T WORK.
Spoilery
Even Seraphina's hero moment at the end is interrupted by a big deus ex machina swooping in to save her from actually doing anything!
And the epilogue made me so mad -- I was finally actually interested in what's going on, and then the book just ended. 600 pages of boring, endless Seraphina failfailfail and then the book just cuts out on the actual interesting emotional bit! bleah!
esta segunda parte tuvo sus cuestiones más que nada en el final que no me convencieron mucho PERO igual me gustó