When I requested this book in NetGalley, I didn't know anything about it, didn't hear a word about it, NOOOTHING! I think I requested it because of such a frivoulous reason as the title, the heroine's name. I would never call my daughter Seraphina, but as a character's name is very, very attractive and skimming through the synopsis I caught words like dragons, medieval, fantasy... and that day at that moment I felt like reading something like that and clicked on "Request". Luckily I got accepted, otherwise and after reading such positive reviews I would have bitten my fingers waiting until July. 
 Let's go to the book: I had big troubles to get into the story at first. It took more than 20% of the book until I understood, but only partially, the whole medieval jargon, the religious system with all these saints' names (even if it's quite simple and very close to what I know), all the stuff with dragons and saarantaris and quigutl and their devices, or the story of the Southlands (I hope the paper edition has at least a map or just a sketch, but something, please). Probably because of that I felt lost for most of the book, which didn't help me to get deeper in the story. 
 I think Seraphina is a great character, one of the best I have seen in this kind of books. Her issues with acceptance were in my opinion the same any teenager in a YA book has, up to a point, so I would have had to understand her, empathize, feel her sadness, her struggles between finding friends and having to lie to them... and I kind of feel it but very, very superficially, and not with the depth I was expecting after reading the first reviews. That disappointed me, but I admit that I was part of the trouble due to my understanding problems. I really think a re-read will help me to go into Seraphina's character and all her layers. I already pre-order my copy and I'm looking forward to reading it again in July. 
 After reading this last part, someone might think: "Girl, you didn't like the book, why 4 stars?". I must point out that the only thing I am disappointed with is MYSELF (and my English, but that goes all together)... 
 The book, the story was brilliant. The plot was a bit predictable, though, intrigue is not its strength, but anyway I was so preoccupied understanding that I didn't care. I loved the mythology Rachel Hartman (Can I call you just Rachel?) created for this story. From all the Saints to the dragons and their saarantaris, Seraphina's background, her garden or the mad Porphyrian philosophers. AWESOME!!! And I'm very, very sad that I wasn't able to understand everything. 
 About the rest of characters: what to say?? 
 Orma reminded me a lot of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. His completely lack of sensitive response could be considered like a type of autism (dragons are autist, they may have souls). Orma is a dragon, but he could also pass for a certain physicist with Asperger's syndrom. I learnt to love him through Seraphina's love. That part of her was transparent to me. 
 The same happened with her feelings towards Kiggs and Glisselda. It was warm, adorable, sweet... It made me feel good, although the ending, the last conversation left me puzzled. (view spoiler)[what was Kiggs suggesting? "If I have to marry Glisselda, you will be my concubine, ok?" fO.o That will be one of the love triangles with more sense in the whole YA literature story xD (hide spoiler)]. 
 I could go on and on and on, especially if I begin to talk about Kiggs and his cuteness and his vitality or Abdo or Lars or even Viridus... 
 Really this book is worth every minute of your time!!! Even if you struggle like me :) 
 Thanks to Random House Children's Books and netGalley for providing me with a copy of this awesome book!!