First line: "I remember being born."

Age: High School

Let me start by saying Seraphina is an awesome protagonist name but the beauty of this story certainly doesn't stop there. Hartman presents an intricate world, rich with its own detailed culture that adds incredible dimension to the plot without bogging it down. The originality of the story kept me hooked and I can't wait to read the sequel to find answers for the meaning behind St. Yrtrudis and why the dragon-human hybrids have unique powers. Seraphina proves a strong, consistent female protagonist whose actions are clearly connected to her personality although I was not convinced by the romance, even though I loved the characters. The internal battle that Seraphina wages, disgusted by her dragon half, provides insight into a very real issue that people face as they are convinced by society to alienate certain aspects of their identity.

I was also confused by the lack of formality that royalty was given at court, interfering with the believability of this medieval era world. It appeared that Seraphina was incredibly candid with her opinions and had strong relationships with the highest royalty, yet she was a composer's assistant? While the plot kept me fully engaged, these details kept gnawing at me throughout the read. But as details, the fantastic story and characters far outweighed them.