Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

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.

(Summary Source: Goodreads)

Review:  It’s hard to find a book that balances good world-building, well-developed characters, and  an interesting plot. Seraphina is one of them.

To start off, it’s not much of a spoiler to talk about Seraphina’s “secret,” which is revealed to the reader fairly quickly. She is half-dragon, which leaves her with a number of abilities and traits that she struggles to conceal, considering that her society considers the idea of dragon-human hybrids an abomination. In this universe, dragons have the ability to take on human form, and even after years of peace and interaction with dragons, the humans are still very wary of them.

Seraphina tries to keep a low profile in her job managing the court musicians, but the prince’s mysterious death draws her into a web of intrigue as she helps Captain Lucian Kiggs investigate the murder. What makes Seraphina stand out is that it’s not a typical swords-and-dragons high fantasy book. It’s a good old court intrigue drama in a setting that feels vaguely like 16th-17th century Western Europe. All of the many characters (don’t worry – there is a glossary in the back) are fascinating, from the goofy musicians to the royal family to  a group of exiled knights. Seraphina’s agony over acceptance and her dual heritage also rings very true.

In particular, Hartman creates a really interesting mentality and culture for the dragons. To make a Star Trek comparison, their logical, brilliant minds and rejection of emotions reminded me of Vulcans. Besides Seraphina, my favorite character in the novel definitely has to be her Spock-like dragon uncle, Orma. Early on, my brain decided to picture Benedict Cumberbatch portraying him, and that stuck with me the whole book. Weird and unintentionally funny as he is, he’s Seraphina’s only friend and confidant and therefore plays a very important role in her life.

Two final things I loved about Seraphina? It’s clearly the first of a series, yet the first book wraps things up enough that I was reasonably satisfied while still wanting to know what happened next. Finally a first book that is not just setup for the rest of the series. Sweet relief!

Second, there is romance, and it is appropriately agonizing, yet Hartman avoids the hair-pulling-in-frustration pitfalls common to so many other young adult series. The characters are flawed humans* yet they are also smart humans who do not do stupid contrived things to stretch out the plot.

Final note: This is the kind of YA book that adults would also very much enjoy. On that note, I will add that some of the content (references, though. Nothing too racy.) does mean that the target age for this book is older teens.

In short: Seraphina is a unique, excellently-crafted novel that is sure to entertain anyone looking for something a little different than your average dragon book.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: I’m not going to bring up Paolini’s work because I still haven’t gotten over how disappointing the last book was. Honestly, if you were anything like me in middle school, you’ve probably already read a ton of those dragon-centered fantasy books. At times Seraphina did remind me of Robin McKinley’s Pegasus. However, Seraphina is much more interesting in my opinion (though I still do love Robin McKinley).

Cover & Title: The name “Seraphina” means “fiery.” And the wood-cut-engraving-style cover couldn’t be more perfect. (However, I did just realize that the smudgy red ink/blood is actually part of the cover, and not from some previous library patron carelessly staining the cover of the copy I checked out. Wow.)

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

*humans, dragons, human-dragon hybrids. To bring up Trek again, “Everybody’s human.”

Can you tell I’m behind on reviews? Two in one day, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey review coming soon (hopefully).

Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary: “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

(Summary Source: Goodreads)

Review: 

Basically, Blue finds out that when she kisses her true love, he’ll die. Which is depressing especially because the next thing she knows, she’s hanging out with four interesting guys.

But this book had less romance than the summary may lead you to believe, which wasn’t a bad thing at all in my opinion. The plot centers around the search for the burial place of Glendower, a Welsh nobleman who may not be as dead as everyone thinks. It isn’t long before Blue’s supernatural connection to Gansey gets her involved in the search.

It took me a little while to warm up to Blue and the group of boys, but they all grew on me over time. I liked Blue once I got to know her a bit better, though some of her “quirks” like her “creative” clothing choices seemed a little like cliche afterthoughts to me. Gansey could be annoyingly pretentious, but this is tempered by the fact that he himself is aware of his own flaws. Ronan had me rolling my eyes, and you could almost forget that Noah is there, but that’s the way his dynamic works in the group. Though Adam came across as bland at first, he became my favorite character by the end of the book. He’s a classic nice guy, even if he falls squarely into “woobie” territory. Part of the fun of the book stemmed from watching the developing friendships and general horsing around.

As always, Stiefvater’s writing is lovely, and she deftly combines interesting everyday details with the supernatural, giving the characters an interesting world to roam around in. The town of Henrietta, Virginia mountains, and mysterious forests are all part of the backdrop.

For some reason, the book did feel lukewarm compared to Stiefvater’s other efforts. Like The Scorpio Races, it unfolds at a leisurely pace, yet The Raven Boys does seem like mere setup for the next three novels, and ended a little abruptly.

In short: While its characters take some getting used to, The Raven Boys is a beautifully-written opening to what will likely be a very enjoyable quartet.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Cover & Title: The title works, and the painted look of the cover is fantastic. Something about the white background makes it really stand out. The crossed lines under the title are also significant…

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

Review: The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl, Book 8) by Eoin Colfer

Summary: Evil pixie genius Opal Koboi strikes again, planning to cause the fairy world a lot of mayhem and end the human world, period. Teen genius Artemis Fowl and his motley band of friends pursue her to Fowl Manor, where Opal resurrects ancient fairy warriors to help her carry out her plots. It’ll take all the brains (and unfortunately, athletic coordination) that Artemis possesses to stop her in time.

Review: It’s been nearly 10 years since I first opened the shimmery gold cover of the first Artemis Fowl book. I’ve appreciated Colfer’s unique wit more and more as I’ve gotten older, so this series is not just one for the kids. I never hesitated to buy the next book in the series whenever it was released, eager to follow the further adventures of a  boy genius, a compassionate LEPrecon, a man mountain, a kleptomatic dwarf, and a paranoid centaur.

Nevertheless, it is high-time for the series to end. The last few books, while entertaining, have felt slightly stale in comparison to the first half of the series. Thankfully, while The Last Guardian is by no means the best Artemis adventure, it is a pretty satisfying ending.

Our boy wonder has developed from a nightmare child to a young man with a big heart, and the final book takes some time to reflect on this change. In fact, Colfer draws some nice parallels to the first book (for instance, most of the action once again takes place at Fowl Manor), and brings the whole series full circle. There’s a tang of bittersweetness, but that always occurs when fictional friends are left behind.

The action begins almost immediately and barely ceases, as the characters scarcely have time to catch a breath while trying to foil Opal’s most destructive plot yet. Saving the world is nothing new for Artemis and company, but for the grand finale Colfer sets up a scenario that’s darker than his usual Opal schemes. Perhaps it is for this reason that some of the humor seems more forced than usual, and occasionally feels poorly timed. Mulch, a character who is funny or cringe-worthy by turns, unfortunately leans towards the latter in this installment. Still, there is fun to be had. Butler gets delightfully sassy, and Foaly has some hilarious dealings with his own technology.

After three different books with Opal as the criminal mastermind, it was really time for Colfer to move on to a new villain. A fun yet totally despicable character in the past, by this point she was wearing thin on me. She finally receives the end she deserved long ago.

In short: While lacking the verve of the first few books, this series finale still provides enough thrills, laughs, and closure to satisfy most Artemis Fowl fans.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: Artemis Fowl is unique enough that I’m hard-pressed to recommend something similar…just go back and re-read the first books in the series, okay? Or Colfer’s funny yet very dark Airman.

Cover & Title: As someone who’s collected all the previous books, it’s frustrating that the cover design suddenly changed with the last few books. But the newer American covers are interesting, so I won’t complain too much. And it seems to be a thing for last books in a series to have “last” or “final” in the title

Where I got the book: Ordered off of Amazon.com

Review: Destined (Wings, Book Four) by Aprilynne Pike

Summary: The final battle begins as Klea prepares to strike with trolls, Yuki the Winter faerie, and her  own twisted brand of dark magic. Laurel, Tamani, David, and Chelsea must keep their wits about them if they even have a chance of defending the faerie world.

Review: You’ll notice the summary is pretty short. This is because the epic battle takes up the bulk of the last book, just like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two. I’ve always thought of the Wings  books as a sort of “Twilight with faeries,” except much more intelligent and with better world building. Concluding books in young adults series generally do follow a certain formula, but I appreciated that this series has a fairly thoughtful resolution. It’s dark, but doesn’t contain an excess of despair; nor does it go for the typical “fairy tale” ending (haha). Pike actually offers a sort of “optional” epilogue – before you flip the page, she leaves an author’s note describing whose fate it details (though it involves several characters) and leaving it up to you whether or not you choose to read it. I wish she’d had just included it at the end without explanation – I think it’s bittersweet and realistic.

In short: It fits well with the rest of the series and provides a satisfying ending that isn’t likely to disappoint fans of the first three books.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception by Maggie Stiefvater is an edgier take on human-faerie relations in the modern world.

Cover & Title: What’s up with one word young adult titles these days? Anyway, the white flower makes sense with the story, and it’s very pretty.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

 

Review: Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

Summary: This is a companion book of sorts to Dragon’s Keep. Although it is set a few generations after the original, you can read Dragonswood without having read Dragon’s Keep (although there will be spoilers for the first book). In 1192, seventeen-year-old Tess lives in a small village on Wilde Island. With a father who beats her regularly, her life is bad enough already, but things get even worse when a witch hunter rides into town. Tess and her two friends discover that they were previously spotted entering Dragonswood, a refuge for dragons and fairies that is forbidden to humans. Accused of witchcraft, the trio find themselves on the run. Inexplicably, Tess finds herself being called to the heart of Dragonswood. Soon enough, her own quest for safety brings her into a web of political and magical intrigue that will determine the future of the kingdom.

Review:  Dragonswood opens with miscarriages, domestic abuse, witch hunts, and torture, making it clear from the start that Lee Carey will pull no punches, and that this is a pretty dark fantasy. In fact, there were times when mentions of dragons and fairies almost felt out of place in such a gritty, realistic setting, but the world of Wilde Island is pretty well developed overall.

This was definitely a gripping read; however, the novel seemed disjointed. The author juggles such diverse concepts such as dragons, fairy life, human political schemes, villains with tragic pasts, dragon-like human children, women’s rights, family issues, romance, and not to mention Tess’ own wants and needs. These are all interesting concepts, but it all felt like just too much for this book. In fact, the novel seemed to go in so many directions that I had trouble writing a summary.

Although Dragonswood had some plot twists I didn’t predict, there was one so blindingly obvious from early on that it was frustrating to me that Tess takes the bulk of the novel to figure out the truth. Those who have read Dragon’s Keep will definitely guess the twist quickly, but I imagine the average reader who didn’t read the first book will still catch on fast. There are times when it is enjoyable to know something that the main character does not. However, this was not one of them.

Tess starts out the book so downtrodden that you can’t help but cheer her on to come into her own. That she does, but there were many times I wanted to root for her more and feel pity for her less. Yes, it’s possible to do both at the same time, yet it is hard not to cringe when a character takes repeated physical or emotional mistreatment from others. I did enjoy the progression of the romance subplot as Tess slowly realizes that all men are not as cruel and ruthless as her blacksmith father.

In short: Dragonswood is an exciting fantasy read, but I still prefer the less-jumbled prequel, Dragon’s Keep. I still look forward to future books in the series.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: For more adventures with dragons and royalty, try an old favorite of mine: The Two Princesses of Bamarre Gail Carson Levine. The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope is another novel involving fairies and a historical setting.

Cover & Title: Dragonswood, of course, is a key part of the novel. The cover is pretty enough, but one does get tired of generic covers featuring semi-conscious girls in prom dresses.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

Review: Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Summary: After her mother dies in a car accident, high school senior Michele Windsor is sent to live  in New York City with grandparents she’s never met. They’re “old money” and live in mansion that’s a remnant of the Gilded Age. She gets to experience that time period for herself when a diary she finds sends her back in time. While meeting some of her colorful female ancestors, Michele also finds herself falling in love with Philip, a boy who’s appeared in her dreams throughout her whole life. Will their love be able to transcend time?

Review: Time travel romances are usually fun, yet inevitably complicated. Thankfully, Timeless didn’t hurt my brain too much, but neither was I totally captivated by this story. Monir has definitely done some research, and it was fun to imagine what New York City would have been like in the Gilded Age and the Roaring Twenties. Some of her fact-dropping, like a family casually discussing The Great Gatsby, was slightly heavy-handed however. The detailed descriptions of clothing were fun at first, but soon became repetitive.

This was a “destiny-based” romance, so it wasn’t quite as developed as I would have liked. Michele and Philip decide they are soul-mates in a very short span of time (even counting the time traveling). I did like that Michele was a lyricist and Philip was a composer. The author also has recorded the songs the characters write in the book, which is pretty cool.

I know there’s a sequel coming up, but it really is disappointing how little in the book is resolved at the end. It just…ends. While the “mini-episodes” where Michele helps her ancestors with their problems are resolved, the main plots of the book (Michele and Philip’s relationship, Michele’s parentage, how the time travel happens) are not wrapped up in a satisfactory manner.

In short: Pretty average book. I’d recommend waiting until the sequel is at hand before picking up this book.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Cover & Title: Because love is timeless, right?  The cover is really pretty, and the key Michele wears on the cover is important to the story.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.

Review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Nimira left her home country three years ago to seek her fortune across the sea in Lorinar as a singer and performer. She doesn’t expect to wind up working in seedy music hall and be labeled a “trouser girl” after the native dress of her country. Then along comes Hollin Parry, a young sorcerer who offers her a position performing with a piano-playing automaton. When Nimira accepts, she soon finds herself entangled in a whirlwind of murders, fairies, and dark magic.

What I liked: I think I savored nearly every page of this book, in part due to the fascinating setting.  The worldbuilding was really interesting. It could have been fleshed out more, but given the younger audience the story is intended for and what the story demands, it was definitely satisfactory. Plus, I get the sense that Ms. Dolamore will fill in more edges of the map in future books. Basically, Lorinar  (where the story is set) is a lot like 19th century England with the mentions of corsets, elevators, and electric lights. Don’t be fooled by the automaton, though – this is definitely more fantasy than steampunk. There’s much more sorcery here than mechanical tinkering.

I also liked Nimira, who narrates the story. She hails from Tiansher, equivalent to a country in Asia in our world, and as a result, she encounters a lot of sexism and racism. However, she’s strong enough to stand up for herself, brave enough to emigrate to a strange land to look for a better life, and smart enough to see some of Hollin’s hidden characteristics.

What I was not so crazy about: The book started off very strong and was quite gripping, but the plot seemed to slightly derail after the middle. Yes, some of the characters’ goals were indeed accomplished, but then things floundered up to the last chapter. Suddenly, there’s a huge sequel hook, and then the book ends. It just felt anticlimactic, like only half a book.

I think part of the problem stems from the time when magic becomes a prominent part of the story. Something about the way it worked  didn’t click for me. The author skirts a potential magical deuxs ex machina, which was appreciated….but she does borrow very heavily from Jane Eyre. It was almost a surprise when that part of the plot unfolded as it did, just because I had been waiting for Ms. Dolamore to veer away from Ms. Brontë. She doesn’t. Or at least, not enough for me!

In short: I was a bit disappointed in where the book ended up going. Nevertheless, I’ll withhold some judgment until the sequel, Magic Under Stone, is released in April.  I enjoyed this book tremendously, which is why it received:

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Cover: I’m not at all sure what the title had to do with the story…there’s magic, yes. Under glass? No. However, the cover is pretty – I like the key and the subtle clockwork designs.