-
“Seraphina is strong,
complex, talented—she makes mistakes and struggles to trust, with good reason,
and she fights to survive in a world that would tear her apart. I love this
book!”
— Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of the Beka Cooper series
-
“A wonderful mix of thrilling story, fascinating characters,
and unique dragonlore. I loved being in Seraphina’s world!”
— Alison Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of Eon and Eona
-
“Just when you thought there was nothing new to say about
dragons, it turns out there is, and plenty! Rachel Hartman’s rich invention
never fails to impress--and to convince. It’s smart and funny and original, and
has characters I will follow to the ends of the earth.”
— Ellen Kushner, award-winning author of Thomas the Rhymer
-
“An outstanding debut
from author-to-watch Hartman.”
— Horn Book Magazine (starred review)
-
Beautifully written, well-rounded characters, and some of the most interesting dragons I've read in fantasy for a long while. An impressive debut novel; I can't wait to see what Rachel Hartman writes next."
—
-
Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of the Temeraire series:
—
-
A book worth hoarding, as glittering and silver-bright as dragon scales, with a heroine who insists on carving herself a place in your mind."
—
-
Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of Eragon:
—
-
A YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee
—
-
Winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award
—
-
An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Books
—
-
An ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book
—
-
A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author
—
-
Winner of the Cybil Award for Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction
—
-
Nominated for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction
—
-
An ABC New Voices Pick
—
-
An ABA Top 10 Kids' Indie Next List Selection
—
-
A School Library Journal Best Book of the YearA Library Journal Best Young Adult Literature for Adults SelectionA Booklist Editors' Choice
—
-
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
—
-
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
—
-
An Amazon Top 20 Teen Book of the Year
—
-
A New York Times BestsellerAn Indie Bestseller
—
-
“[Hartman’s] world-building is so detailed and
well-integrated, one wonders if they truly exist somewhere. An engaging and
innovative fantasy that uses the plights of dragons and humans as an allegory
for the real prejudices we all must face.”
— Bookpage
-
“Splendid prose…Dragon books are common enough, but this one
is head and talons above the rest.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
-
“Hartman proves dragons are still fascinating in this
impressive high fantasy. Equal parts political thriller, murder mystery,
bittersweet romance, and coming-of-age story, this is an uncommonly good
fantasy... An exciting new series to watch.”
— Booklist (starred review)
-
Reading this novel is like falling into Alice's rabbit hole and never wanting to come out. Fans of fantasy will devour this book, and with a little pushing, this novel could appeal to just about anyone who appreciates a fantastic read."
—
-
Starred Review, School Library Journal, August 1, 2012:“Hartman creates a rich story layered with intriguing characters and descriptive settings. This unique novel will surely appeal to fans of Christopher Paolini's "Eragon" books and wherever readers enjoy fantasies.”
—
-
Bookpage
—
-
[Hartman's] world-building is so detailed and well-integrated, one wonders if they truly exist somewhere. An engaging and innovative fantasy that uses the plights of dragons and humans as an allegory for the real prejudices we all must face.”
—
-
“In this first of two planned books, Hartman creates a world
simultaneously strange and familiar. Her dragons are as magnetic as her human
characters. Teens will readily identify with Seraphina’s conflicting desires:
to please her family or to make her own future.”
— Shelf Awareness (starred review)
-
“Hartman creates a
rich story layered with intriguing characters and descriptive settings. This
unique novel will surely appeal to fans of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon books
and wherever readers enjoy fantasies.”
— School Library Journal (starred review)
-
“Reading this novel is like falling into Alice’s rabbit hole
and never wanting to come out. Fans of fantasy will devour this book, and with
a little pushing, this novel could appeal to just about anyone who appreciates
a fantastic read.”
— VOYA Magazine (starred review)
-
“A complex, intrigue-laden fantasy…There’s a lot to enjoy in
Hartman’s debut.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
-
“A beautifully-written fantasy debut about a young girl’s
journey to gain acceptance of herself.”
— SheKnows.com
-
“Seraphina makes dragons fascinating once again.”
— io9.com
-
Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of the Beka Cooper series:
—
-
Seraphina is strong, complex, talented--she makes mistakes and struggles to trust, with good reason, and she fights to survive in a world that would tear her apart. I love this book!"
—
-
Alison Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of Eon and Eona:
—
-
A wonderful mix of thrilling story, fascinating characters, and unique dragonlore. I loved being in Seraphina's world!"
—
-
Ellen Kushner, World Fantasy Award-winning author:
—
-
Just when you thought there was nothing new to say about dragons, it turns out there is, and plenty! Rachel Hartman's rich invention never fails to impress--and to convince. It's smart and funny and original, and has characters I will follow to the ends of the earth.
— The Washington Post, July 3, 2012:“Full of grace and gravitas. Readers loath to turn the last page of this lush, intricately plotted fantasy will rejoice in the knowledge of next summer’s as-yet-untitled sequel.
-
Seraphina makes dragons fascinating once again."
—
-
SheKnows.com, June 19, 2012:"A beautifully-written fantasy debut about a young girl's journey to gain acceptance of herself.
— Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2012:
-
In Hartman’s splendid prose debut, humans and dragons—who can take human form but not human feeling—have lived in uneasy peace for 40 years.
—
-
Hartman proves dragons are still fascinating in this impressive high fantasy. Equal parts political thriller, murder mystery, bittersweet romance, and coming-of-age story, this is an uncommonly good fantasy... An exciting new series to watch."
—
-
Starred Review, The Horn Book Magazine, July/August 2012:“To the innovative concept and high action, add Seraphina’s tentative romance with Kiggs, rich language lively with humor and sprinkled with an entire psaltery of saints and an orchestra’s worth of medieval instruments, and a political conspiracy aimed at breaking the dragon-human truce, and what you have is an outstanding debut from author-to-watch Hartman.”
—
-
The dragons could destroy the humans, but they are too fascinated by them. As musician Seraphina describes it, attempting to educate the princess, humans are like cockroaches to dragons, but interesting. As the anniversary of the treaty approaches, things fall apart: The crown prince has been murdered, anti-dragon sentiment is rising, and in the midst of it all, an awkward, gifted, observant girl unexpectedly becomes central to everything. Hartman has remixed her not-so-uncommon story and pseudo-Renaissance setting into something unexpected, in large part through Seraphina’s voice. By turns pedantic, lonely, scared, drily funny and fierce, Seraphina brings readers into her world and imparts details from the vast (a religion of saints, one of whom is heretical) to the minute (her music, in beautifully rendered detail). The wealth of detail never overwhelms, relayed as it is amid Seraphina’s personal journey; half-human and half-dragon, she is anathema to all and lives in fear. But her growing friendship with the princess and the princess’ betrothed, plus her unusual understanding of both humans and dragons, all lead to a poignant and powerful acceptance of herself.
—
-
Dragon books are common enough, but this one is head and talons above the rest.
— Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, June 6, 2012:"In this complex, intrigue-laden fantasy, which establishes Hartman as an exciting new talent, readers are introduced to a world in which dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce, with dragons taking human form, dwelling among their former enemies, and abiding by a strict set of protocols. Sixteen-year-old Seraphina, assistant to the court composer, hides a secret that could have her ostracized or even killed: she’s half-dragon, against all rules and social codes. Along with the distinctive scales she keeps hidden, she has a mind filled with misshapen personalities whose nature she doesn’t quite grasp. As Seraphina navigates the complicated politics of a court where human-dragon relations are growing ever more fragile following a royal murder, she has to come to terms with her true nature and powers, the long-dormant memories her mother hid within her, and her growing affection for charming prince Lucian. There’s a lot to enjoy in Hartman’s debut, from the admirably resourceful heroine and intriguing spin on dragons to the intricately described medievalesque setting and emphasis on music and family.
-
In medieval Lavondaville, an uneasy truce exists between dragons and humans. Narrator Seraphina is the product of a dragon mother and a human father. Dragons can disguise themselves as humans, so everyone believes Seraphina to be entirely human. Only when Seraphina's mother died in childbirth did Seraphina's father learn her true nature. Her mother left Seraphina a gift of "mind-pearls," memories triggered by specific events, and also her talent for music. Dragons are known for their technical skill, and that, together with the empathy Seraphina gained from her human father, makes her one of the finest musicians in the land. She has won a coveted position assisting the court composer.
—
-
After the death of Prince Rufus, in a manner suspiciously like a dragon's preferred means (decapitation), tensions run high between humans and dragons. Seraphina's position at court exposes her to aspects of both dragon and human societies. When she decides to trust Prince Lucian with her suspicions about Prince Rufus's killer, they embark on a journey that tests her loyalties and strength, and also awakens Seraphina's feelings for him.
—
-
In this first of two planned books, Hartman creates a world simultaneously strange and familiar. Her dragons are as magnetic as her human characters. Teens will readily identify with Seraphina's conflicting desires: to please her family or to make her own future.
— Starred Review, Booklist, May 15, 2012:
-
Starred Review, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2012:"The medieval-esque world, filled with saints and dragons, is as deftly crafted as the characters themselves; Goredd has a distinct history, fraught with struggle and survival, and its residents reflect the conflicting ideologies and traditions that inform their world. Seraphina’s voice--passionate, wry, and wise--easily conveys her internal battle as a half-breed: the nonchalance of her self-loathing makes her struggle for identity even more heartbreaking. Secondary characters are given just as much nuance, and the romance between Seraphina and a bastard prince proceeds with believable hesitation and wariness, given the complications it will bring to both their lives... Readers will want to plan to return to this richly developed world to see where this intricate fantasy goes next."
—
-
Starred Review, Voice of Youth Advocates:
—