Book Review- Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Title: Seraphina

 Author: Rachel Hartman

Series:  Seraphina #1

Published:  10 July 2012 by Random House

Length: 367 pages

Source: publisher
Other info: There's a prequel short, The Audition. Book Two, Drachomachia, should come February next year. 

Summary : 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.

Review: It’s been 40 years since the treaty ws signed, bringing peace between humans and dragons, in the medieval fantasy land of Goredd. Seraphina is a sixteen year old musician at the palace, hiding a secret. One day,Prince Rufus is murdered, in a method that points highly to dragons. The tension between humans and dragons rises, Seraphina gets dragged into this, and discovers that this may be just the beginning of the end of peace. Oh, and she also has to deal with the people in her head, visions of her mother’s memories and keeping her secret secret.

DRAGONS!! The mythology in this is amazing. The dragons are intelligent, have their own civilisation, and are able to fold themselves down into human form.

Seraphina is really well fleshed out, like all of the characters. You learn a lot about all of them, with little hints being dropped in steadily throughout.

The people in Seraphina’s head! I loved that element. The interactions are always informative, and a bit of comic relief. The supporting characters brought their own things to the story, especially Glisselda and Lucien. My favourite character was either Seraphina herself, or Orma, her mentor/dragon/guardian/teacher/cool person.

I’ve said about the mythology of Seraphina, but then there’s also the society. It’s a very easy to belive in medieval fantasy society, with segregation by species and a  full court.

The romance between Lucien and Seraphina was really sweet, and happily didn’t detract from the rest of the novel.

The writing is excellent. Really descriptive, with fitting language, and generally beautiful. There’s also some inworld expressions that really add to the culture and the atmosphere to this. I am so thankful for the glossary and the dramatis personae at the back.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to a beautiful medieval fantasy. Highly looking forwards to book 2.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Author website | 

The Top Ten Covers of 2012

This has been a year of epic covers! This post most certainly hasn't caught them all, but they're the first I could think of!

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter. The dress! And I really like the border, the way it has little Alice in Wonderland references like the card suits and general prettyness.

The American  cover of  Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin. I like the UK one for its simplicity, but this one has a beautiful dress and setting with the clouds and umbrella and text.

Cinder by Marrissa Meyer. The shoe is the recognisable bit of the Cinderella, and the metal skeleton in the leg is a little creepy, but subtly sets the tone for the premise of the book-cyborg Cinderella.

Harbinger by Sarah Wilson Ettienne. The red moon is interesting, the background is good, but the red ties it all together.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows. I love the use of the lighting and the way they work together. And the butterfly mask is gorgeous.

Pure by Jennifer L Armentrout. Actually, all of the Covenent series (which I need to get reading some time!) I love the way the flowers seem to be made of light and smoke at the same time, apart from Elixir, which is water. So pretty!

A Million Suns by Beth Revis. The space/stars/nebula/whatever the technical term for it is. And the colours. I'm also guessing that the girl and boy in the spacehship are important too.

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang. For a book that's about two girls in one body, this is infinitely clever-the two girls in one shape.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. I don't know why, but it's strangely nice to look at.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. The detail in that picture! And the dragon!


There was also a big thing about racism on YA covers. I've noticed this with a couple of books, but never really thought about it. There is a very well worded piece on this that can be found here though!

Once again-what would be on your list of favourite covers this year?