Tämä sivusto käyttää evästeitä palvelujen toimittamiseen, toiminnan parantamiseen, analytiikkaan ja (jos et ole kirjautunut sisään) mainostamiseen. Käyttämällä LibraryThingiä ilmaiset, että olet lukenut ja ymmärtänyt käyttöehdot ja yksityisyydensuojakäytännöt. Sivujen ja palveluiden käytön tulee olla näiden ehtojen ja käytäntöjen mukaista.
In a world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce and dragons can assume human form, Seraphina, whose mother died giving birth to her, grapples with her own identity amid magical secrets and royal scandals, while she struggles to accept and develop her extraordinary musical talents.
Wow, this was good. Completely original, intelligent read. I have no idea how to categorize this--I really need a general fantasy category. I recommend this to EVERYONE who enjoys fantasy--I added this to my auto-buy list. ( )
I really enjoyed this fun dragon book. The spunky female lead was cranky and smart, without feeling like it was overdone. The male romantic interest was also smart, funny, courageous, and honest. It seems like in these fantasy romantic adventure books, the fellow is underwhelming, but i found this gentleman worth falling for. There is plenty of mystery and secrets. The dragons can take human form and the description of them describes some people on the autism spectrum, is is just me or do characters with asbergers keep popping increasing, or do I just have a name for these personalty traits now? ( )
Wow, I really liked this book! The main character, Seraphina, is a very nice heroine, very likable, smart and brave. I particularly like the ability she somehow got from her mixed heritage: the ability to reach out to other half-dragons. I also enjoyed the side characters: the buoyant princess Glisselda, the inquisitive prince Kiggs, the cantankerous music master Viridius, and of course the 'rational' Orma, who turns out to have a less rational side as well. I liked the dragons in general, particularly their inability to understand human emotions and manners. The story had many sides to it: the murder of prince Rufus, Seraphina's struggle to keep her secret secret, while at the same time discovering her own abilities, the relationship between Seraphina and Glisselda and Kiggs. I don't always like too many storylines, but in this case, it worked. And last but not least, this book was simply easy to read. I almost had to kick myself to bed, instead of keeping on reading, and it read like a train. I hope part 2 is out already, I'm going to check right after finishing this review! ( )
Reasons I personally loved this book: -Seraphina is a wonderful protagonist. -Rachel Hartman's obvious love of music. -The portrayal of dragons in general. --Orma, more specifically. -Glisselda's character development. -Lucian Kiggs in his more desperate moments. --Everyone in their more desperate moments. --Lucian Kiggs' name. -The entire plot. Rachel Hartman has plot twists down to an art: surprising but not out of thin air. I imagine the book has great reread value. -The humans are compassionate and passionate, and it balances the dragons' calculating nature beautifully. Infact the entire novelis built on compassion. (I might be biased. I do love emotional fantasy.)
What I disliked: -The open ending. It makes sense and there's nothing necessarily wrong with it, but I'm worried about the sequel. All the conflicts I was truly invested in have been resolved and I'm worried about finding the sequel trivial. Of course, I might also be fantastically surprised. -Trivial, but bothersome: why is there not a map? This is definitely a mappish book. ( )
I really don't know why, but I just could not get into this story. It didn't speak to me, or whatever, but for whatever reason, it wasn't compelling enough for me to finish after a hundred pages or so. So, I've given it up in favor of more interesting fare. Your mileage may vary. :) ( )
Tiedot englanninkielisestä Yhteisestä tiedosta.Muokkaa kotoistaaksesi se omalle kielellesi.
In memoriam: Michael McMechan. Dragon, teacher, friend.
Ensimmäiset sanat
Tiedot englanninkielisestä Yhteisestä tiedosta.Muokkaa kotoistaaksesi se omalle kielellesi.
I remember being born.
Sitaatit
Tiedot englanninkielisestä Yhteisestä tiedosta.Muokkaa kotoistaaksesi se omalle kielellesi.
I usually practiced smiling while I slathered my scales with goo, figuring that if I could smile through that, I could smile through anything. Today I really didn't have the time.
We were all monsters and bastards. And we were all beautiful.
(page 90)
"My faith should not come easily; There is no Heaven without pain. My days should never flutter past Unnoted, nor my past remain Beyond its span of usefulness; Le me not hold to grief. My hope, my light, my Saint is love; In love my one belief."
(page 142-143)
The vagabond sun winks down through the trees, While lilacs, like memories, waft on the breeze, My friend, I was born for soft days such as these, To inhale perfume, And cut through the gloom, And feast like a king upon peaches and cheese! I'll travel this wide world and go where I please, Can't stop my wandering, it's like a disease. My only regret as I cross the high seas; what I leave behind, Though I hope to find, My own golden city of peaches and cheese!
(page 144)
I'll ask my true love, and I'll hope she agrees, How could she not, when I'm down on my knees? My Jill, say you will, and don't be such a tease. When it's time to eat, I say sweets to the sweet, My love, let your answer be peaches and cheese!
O Mistress Seraphina, Why won't you marry me? From first I ever seen ya, I knew you were for me! It's not just that you're sassy, It's not just that you're wise, It's that you poke Viridius In his piggy little eyes!
(pages 355-356)
My daughter, I suspect you will remember little of our conversation last night, which is just as well. I fear I babbled on foolishly. However: I owe you this, at least. Your mother had more than one flute, or I could never have borne breaking the other. I still regret that, not least for your look of betrayal. I was the monster on our household, not you. What comes, comes. I have made my peace with the past and with the future. Do what you feel you must, and do not be afraid.
All my love, for good or ill, Papa
(page 382)
A thousand regrets I've had in love, A thousand times I've longed to change the past. I know, my love, there is no going back, No undoing of our thousand burdens. We must go on despite our heavy hearts. A thousand regrets I've had in love, But I shall never regret you.
(page 420)
We the undersigned have seized the Kerama as of yesterday. We proclaim ourselves rightful rulers of the Tanamoot, all its lands and armies, until we are in turn removed by force. The traitor Comonot yet lives. He is wanted for crimes against dragonkind, including but not limited to: making treaties and alliances against the will of the Ker, detrimental to our values and way of life; indulging in excessive emotionality; fraternizing with humans; indulging deviants; seeking to alter our fundamental dragon nature and make us more human-like. We demand his immediate return to the Tanamoot. Failure to comply ill be tantamount to an act of war. Recognize, Goreddis, that you are in no position to fight. We expect you to act in accordance with your interests. You have three days.
(page 435)
Genrals of the Tanamoot: Goredd rejects the legitimacy of your claim to sovereignty over the Dragon Lands. Ardmagar Comonot yet lives; petty threats will not induce us to turn him over, nor do we recognize the validity of these trumped-up charges against him. He is our proven friend and ally, author and champion of the peace, and the legitimate ruler of the Tanamoot. If you push this toward war, do not foolishly imagine we are helpless, or that your own people will choose to fight for you rather than for continued cooperation between our species. This peace has been a true blessing upon the world, which is changed for the better; you cannot drag it back into the past.
Devoutly hoping we may settle this with words, I am, Her Highness Princess Glisselda, First Heir of Goredd, On behalf of Her Majesty Queen Lavonda the Magnificent
(page 445)
Blessed is he who passes, love, Beneath your window's eye And does not sigh. Gone my heart and gone my soul, Look on me love, look down Before I die. One glimpse, my royal pear, one smile Sufficient to sustain me, Grant me this, Or take my life and make it yours: I'd fight a hundred thousand wars For just one kiss.
Viimeiset sanat
Tiedot englanninkielisestä Yhteisestä tiedosta.Muokkaa kotoistaaksesi se omalle kielellesi.
In a world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce and dragons can assume human form, Seraphina, whose mother died giving birth to her, grapples with her own identity amid magical secrets and royal scandals, while she struggles to accept and develop her extraordinary musical talents.
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