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Seraphina

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Seraphina

By: Rachel Hartman
Narrated by: Mandy Williams, Justine Eyre
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About this listen

 Lyrical, imaginative, and wholly original, this New York Times bestseller with 8 starred reviews is not to be missed. Rachel Hartman’s award-winning debut will have you looking at dragons as you’ve never imagined them before…

In the kingdom of Goredd, dragons and humans live and work side by side – while below the surface, tensions and hostility simmer.

The newest member of the royal court, a uniquely gifted musician named Seraphina, holds a deep secret of her own. One that she guards with all of her being.

When a member of the royal family is brutally murdered, Seraphina is drawn into the investigation alongside the dangerously perceptive—and dashing—Prince Lucien. But as the two uncover a sinister plot to destroy the wavering peace of the kingdom, Seraphina’s struggle to protect her secret becomes increasingly difficult… while its discovery could mean her very life.

"Will appeal to both fans of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series and Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown." —Entertainment Weekly

“[A] lush, intricately plotted fantasy.” —The Washington Post

"Beautifully written. Some of the most interesting dragons I've read."
—Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of Eragon Fantasy Fiction Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Royalty Science Fiction & Fantasy Dragons Paranormal Romance Middle Ages

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All stars
Most relevant
After first few chapters into this book, I was unsure whether to proceed to the end. It was slow, with very little description of the world in which the heroine lives. It didn't help either that the narrator's voice seemed so bland. However, I am glad that I decided to stick with it!! I soon learnt the reasons for the narrator's often seemingly bland, slow voice - there are numerous characters (dragons in human forms and, beings half human and half dragon) who by their nature, we are made to understand, neither understand, possess nor express human emotions in the way humans do - hence the bland tone attributed to their conversation. With regard to the humans voices, the narrator picks up quite well on the appropriate tone and speed. She narrates in such a way as to help readers distinguish between our heroine's mother's memories, passed onto and beheld by our heroine, and the heroine's own thoughts and speech.

The story does seem to start to come together and get more intricate and gripping midway through the book and really builds up from there; and the sci-fi reader begins to truly appreciate the book in its last 10 or so chapters . This said, I can totally appreciate why other readers have posited the book as one written with confusion or disorganisation, and therefore hard to follow.

Most sci-fi readers look to be transported and escape to a different world when reading a sci-fi book; and this relies on the author delivering an enargia, enabling the reader to mentally visualise and emotionally connect to the world and the characters. I do not think Hartman achieved this convincingly in this book. I do however think that for her first book, 'Seraphina' is enjoyable and shows a promising potential in Rachel Hartman as a sci-fi author.

Slow but Intense and Gripping

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Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I think I would have enjoyed this a great deal more if the narrator had more dramatic range in her voice. Each sentence seemed to end on a (literal) upbeat - spoiling dramatic tension. I hate to criticise but the girlish breathiness just didn't do the story justice. The dragon conceit was interesting and world-building probably better than average.....but Seraphina's voice needs an impassioned dramatic resonance. Let's it down, sorry to say.

Nice story, relentlessly upbeat narrator.

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Dithered about spending a credit on this as I wasn't captured by the audio snippet on preview. Very glad I picked it up-- it's a really superior fantasy novel. Not so much in the plot, which will be familiar verging on the retread to fans of Robin Hobb or Anne McAffrey; it's more in the writing, which is much better than you usually find in this sort of story. Literary prose meets genre plot, with a great sense of place, an interesting 'world', and an appealing protagonist, makes for a very pleasant listen. The reader seemed a little dull at first but she grew on me, a bit like the book! Recommended.

Superior fantasy

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A fascinating story of dragons interacting with people. Some beautiful writing and beautifully read.
Wasn't at all sure about this book, but found myself listening late into the night as the story unfolded

Dragons with a difference

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What a truly magical book, where two world's collide in more ways then one
Absolutely stunning

Love this book and reader

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