Serafina and the Black Cloak

Serafina #1

by Robert Beatty

“Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul.”

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. There’s plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity... before all of the children vanish one by one.

Serafina’s hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic, one that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens

293 pages, Hardcover

First published July 14, 2015

About the author

Robert Beatty is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Serafina Series, the Willa Series, and Sylvia Doe — all published by Disney-Hyperion. Loved by both young readers and adults alike, his books are being taught in over a thousand classrooms nationwide and have been translated into over twenty languages across the world. Over ONE MILLION of his books have been sold.

The award-winning Serafina Series is a spooky mystery-thriller about a brave and unusual cat-like girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate, surrounded by the opulence of the Gilded Age and the rugged beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Serafina and the Black Cloak, the first book in the series, won the Southern Book Prize in 2016. All four books in the series became #1 New York Times bestsellers.

Mr. Beatty's second project was the #1 New York Times best-selling Willa of the Wood Series, the story of a young forest girl with ancient magical powers who struggles for survival and understanding in the Great Smoky Mountains. The Willa books are in the early stages of being developed into a live action television series by Lionsgate.

His latest book, Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood, is the tale of a lonely 13-year-old girl and a powerful, magical storm that forever changes her life. The award-winning author Kwame Alexander called it, "Magical realism at its best." Both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly awarded Sylvia Doe with a prestigious STARRED REVIEW.

Robert Beatty lives in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and three daughters, who help create and refine his stories. He loves to explore the historic Biltmore Estate and the Blue Ridge Mountains where his novels take place. He writes full-time now, but in his past lives, Mr. Beatty was one of the early pioneers of cloud computing, the founder/CEO of Plex Systems, the co-founder of Beatty Robotics, and the chairman/CTO of Narrative Magazine. In 2007, he was named an Entrepreneur of the Year.

When asked about the inspiration for his writing, Robert said, “My books are inspired by my desire to write about heroic young girls for my three daughters."

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent middle grade fairytale/mystery. Adults may find it a bit boring 😴 But I think 10-12 year olds would enjoy it.

I had no idea that this was based on a real historical site... thank you Angie for the additional information. For those of you who are interested here's what she shared: "I bought my copy when we visited the Biltmore Estate where this book is set. I would say having seen the grounds and building, which were accurately described in this book, really enhanced my enjoyment of the story. I read it with my 10 year old and we both loved it. In addition to classifying this as fairytale/mystery I would say it's also a nice way to introduce kids to historical fiction."

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Neil Franz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I can say I am lucky in terms of middle grade novel these days since I liked every middle grade novel I've read lately. Or maybe, just maybe, these books tug the child in me so a part of me liked the books eventually. Serafina and the Black Cloak is not an exemption.

This precious little book is a middle grade novel about Serafina (obviously) and her adventure together with her friend Braeden in unraveling the true identity of the Black Cloak Man. And also, her peculiarity and finding her self, her true self, literally.

It displayed a true sense of friendship, family love and the appreciation of individuality. It has an enough amount of action, drama, humor and dread. Even the middle part is quite boring, I really enjoyed it as a whole. Actually, I was flying through the pages after that 'slow part', since the book had gone edgy, exciting and thrilling. I was so compelled to find out what will happen next even part of me knows what I will get. The anticipation is real, I swear. And in no time, I finished this book, feeling contented with the ending. It's a bit cliché but it warms my heart, nonetheless.

I liked this book. And I will read its sequel.

[Rachel L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A very odd little book, but very compelling. I can definitely see myself recommending it to kids at the library in the future.

[Claudia {SparrowHawk} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serafina and the Black Cloak was a one-of-a-kind mystery thriller, peppered with an old fashioned ambiance and ominous tone. I was entranced from the very beginning - it's the kind of story that grants you an escape from reality and an entirety of reading enjoyment.

Thus, if you are looking for a story that captivities through a blend of character-driven story surrounded by an unsettling, chilling, beautiful and haunting setting, then be sure to pick up this one up! It is unquestionably, a middle-grade lover’s delight, and I cannot recommend it enough.


WHAT I LIKED:
+ I was thoroughly impressed by the captivating simplicity of the plot in Serafina and the Black Cloak; including, the haunting atmosphere that loomed over everything from beginning to end ― it was ominous, enchanting, mysterious, spellbinding, eerie and hair-raising all together! I have to say however, that the main aspect that anchored this story, was the dark presence of the sinister Man in the Black Cloak ― and to be frank, this was such an original concept and the driving force of the mystery that steered the slow and uncomfortable ride of the main conflict

+ The very last sequence of events were unforeseen and utterly fantastic! More so, because all the obscure and ambiguous points were clarified ― which ultimately, made the story all the more meaningful

+ Truly, Robert Beatty has established himself as an accomplished author – his writing is a masterpiece! To so greatly capture all the elements that make for a superb mystery-thriller and to hold my attention, is proof that Beatty is easily one of the most brilliant and entertaining storytellers presently out there

+ Each character in Serafina and the Black Cloak is uniformly sensational. Be that as it may, Serafina was by far my favorite. Her captivating charm of curiosity and conversation succeeded in entertaining me. By some means, her internal solitude and the many burning questions she posed within the narrative is what genuinely helped convey the deep issues surrounding her plights and further made the story moving, eerie, and beautiful:

Did evil creatures think of themselves as evil? Or did they think they were doing what was right? Was evil something that was in your heart or was it how people viewed you?

+ Serafina takes us through the hallways, guest rooms, every nook and cranny of the Biltmore Estate – plus, the woods among other things, and each setting came to life through picturesque woodlands, abandoned cemeteries and old-fashioned corridors ― all these elements and features were gathered and perfectly blended to create a delightfully suspenseful and atmospheric setting; it’s a world to feast on to say the least


WHAT I DIDN’T LIKED:
– The only quibble I had with Serafina and the Black Cloak was with how overly reckless and impulsive Serafina was of her own safety! More often than not, I found myself more frightened and dismayed for her protection and well-being than rooting for her ha! But in the end, I came to resolve that this is simply her given nature for one glaring reason that will kept me guessing the whole way through



AFTERTHOUGHTS:
In light of my recent letdown with the middle grade genre, Serafina and the Black Cloak has revived my overly enthusiastic craze for middle-grade literature and I am so incredibly grateful that it did!

Full review @ My Soul Called Life | Sparrow's Reading Corner

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the book trailer for this and thought, "Hmmm. Fascinating. I want to read this."
Turns out, that trailer is pretty much the abridged version of the entire story.

I'd 2.5 this puppy. It's not bad but I've come to expect better from Disney-Hyperion. I had some problems as a grown-up reader.

The first thing that bothered me: speech patterns are all over the place, especially for Serafina who hops between uneducated vernacular (she calls horses “hoof-stompers” as if she had to make up her own word for them because she didn’t know what they were despite the fact she’s well-read and she apparently spies on people all the time, including the people around the stables) to contemporary sarcasm (“Oh great. If I can’t see, I’m gonna get lost for sure…” p. 133) to new-age envisioning (“The wolf doesn’t know I'm here. I’m one with the forest. I’m camouflaged and silent”) Other characters display some of this, as well, but not to the same extent as Serafina.

And then there was the problem of stereotyping female behavior.

p. 166-171 = huge problem:
“I’m going to ask you a question,” she said.
“All right,” he said softly, sitting up in his bed.
“When you look at me, what do you see?”
Braeden went quiet and did not answer. The question seemed to scare him. “What do you mean?”
“When you look at me, do you see...do you see...a normal girl?”
“Clara Brahms is different than Anastasia Tostonova, and you are different than both of them,” he said. “We’re all different in our own way.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but am I…” She faltered. She didn’t know how to ask it. “Am I strange looking? Do I act strange? Am I some sort of weird creature or something?”
It stunned her when he did not reply right away, when he did not immediately deny it. He didn’t say anything at all. He hesitated. For a long time. Every second that went by was like a dagger in her heart because she knew it was true.
…
Serafina looked at Braeden, and she spoke very softly, not sure she wanted to know the answer to the question she was about to ask. “Was it like that when you met me?”
“I don’t...I…”
“Would you just as soon I go?” she said quietly, trying to understand.
“No, it’s...it’s hard to explain…”
“Try,” she said, praying that he wasn’t just abut to tell her that he felt nothing for her and just wanted to be alone.
“When I met you, it wasdifferent,” he said. “I wanted to know who you were. When you ran down the stairs and disappeared, I was frantic to find you again. I searched all over, every floor. I checked every closet and looked under every bed. Everyone else was looking for Clara Brahms, may God be with her, but I was looking for you, Serafina. When my aunt and uncle decided to send me away to the Vances', I pitched a fit of temper like they’d never seen before. You should’ve seen the look on their faces. They had no idea what had gotten into me.”
Serafina smiled, “You really didn’t want to leave Biltmore that bad?” Still smiling, she took a few steps forward and sat on the edge of the bed beside him.
“You have no idea how my heart leapt when I saw stupid old Crankshod shaking the daylights out of you in the porte cochere,” he said. “I thought: There she is! There she is! I can save her!”
…
“Yes, you are different, Serafina...very different...maybe even strange, like you say...I don’t know...but…” His words faded, and he did not continue.
“But maybe that’s all right with you,” she said tentatively, thinking she understood him.
“Yes, I think it’s what I like about you,” he said, and there was a long pause between them.
“So, we’re friends,” she said finally, her heart beating as she waited for his answer.

Now, the overly-dramatic writing irked me but that's because I'm old and bitter. Writing aside, here's what I question after moments like the one above: Serafina is a partially feral, basement-dwelling child who is well-read but stays hidden during the day and catches rats in the Biltmore Estate at night. We know there's something different about her, we just don't know what. She's only been exposed to culture via books and has gleaned whatever social knowledge she has from spying on people around the estate. Given all that, why is she acting like a coquette around Braeden, fishing for compliments on her looks and wanting to be reassured that she's not weird? Why does she differentiate between male and female roles? Does this all come from the books she's read? She's learned nothing but patriarchy and emotional manipulation? Why did it have to go this way?

At the end = reinforcing the problem
“I can’t say I understand everything that happened, but I do know a hero when I see one.”
“You mean heroine,” Mrs. Vanderbilt said.

Because only men can be heroes, you see. Females have their own term and it’s meant to convey less amounts of heroism because we all know that when you add -ine to feminize a word, you've just cut its potency in half.

Now remember, these reactions are coming from a place of being sick of girls getting short-shrifted for doing what would be considered awesome if a boy did it. This is not the reaction pre- and early-teens are going to have when reading this story.

As a book for kids, it is fun, suspenseful, a little scary, a little romantic, and fully adventurous. I've been recommending this to the 8-15 crowd all summer long, my cousins, especially, after they visited the Biltmore Estate.

It's not a bad book, even though I didn't like the writing. It's appropriate for its audience and I think it will be well-received. It's just that...maybe expect to have a talk about equality afterward?

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 2 out of 5]

Closer to a 1.5. I *really* didn't like this book.

I'm a firm believer that kids need creepy. There's a reason Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark have persevered over time, and Serafina and the Black Cloak tries pretty hard to be in that same vein, but ends up wildly missing the mark.

Serafina is a girl who was found in the woods, battered and broken. Taken in by a man and kept secret for the first decade or so of her life, she is witness to a strange disappearance that she feels uniquely qualified to get to the bottom of, and so begins our tale of Serafina exploring and uncovering a dark, weird secret.

The first bit of the book, the parts that establish who Serafina is and what she's really up to? Pretty great. The moment we get to the meat of the plot, however, the story screeches almost to a halt, with a few interesting scenes scattered amongst a tale that plods toward a conclusion - a conclusion, by the way, that is a very pat, firm, almost Disney-style ending that nearly betrays the entire tale. It's a frustrating read because all the parts are there for a truly great read with some really interesting elements, but basically only a third of the story is really truly worth the time or effort, leading to a supremely disappointing story.

Of course, as is typical, I appear to be in the stark minority on this. People seem to overwhelmingly love this book, from the setting to the characters to the tale itself. As for me, while Serafina is an engaging enough heroine, she deserves a much better story than this, and middle grade readers who are looking for a creepy story to keep them up at nights deserve something that's much more substantial. I don't know if I missed something significant here or what, but this didn't do it for me at all.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kind of disappointing. I don't know what I was expecting but this book was very slow. While I was learning about Seraphina and her life at the start it was interesting but then the story almost completely halted. It was just description after description and I was getting bored. The characters were one-dimensional and didn't seem very authentic. The story was quite predictable but it wasn't a horrible story. I might read the next one as I'm willing to give it a chance but I'll see.

[Tiffany PSquared · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There are many mysteries in the world, both dark and bright."

Serafina lives in the basement of the magnificent Biltmore mansion, the home of the wealthy and influential Vanderbilt family. She's lived there all of her life with her Pa taking care of her, but the Vanderbilts have no idea that she's even alive.

And they probably never would have, that is until one of the Vanderbilt's young guests mysteriously disappears and Serafina, herself, witnesses what happens to her: something dark and unexplainable. She knows it's up to her to get to the bottom of that and other recent disappearances around the mansion in order to get the little girl back where she belongs.

Serafina and the Black Cloak is the first in a series about the adventures of a headstrong, independent girl, who is so much more than she seems on the surface. The writing is well-paced and nicely descriptive. I lived in Asheville for a while and have many fond memories of the Biltmore estate and the gorgeous mansion on its grounds. The house is huge and beautiful during the day, but I can easily imagine how it could appear dark and gloomy at night - the perfect setting for this spooky story!

The book is listed as a late elementary to middle-grade paranormal mystery, but I found it to be a very dark thriller (maybe even horror) in places. My 10-year old can still be frightened by dark themes, so I believe that I will wait a while before letting her read this series (I removed it from my read-along shelf). I'm not even exaggerating, the Black Cloak is very scary and violent - even for some adults.

But it had great themes about self-discovery and finding inner strength. Serafina, as a 12-year-old girl, challenges the sheltered life she's known, asks hard questions, and takes daring chances to find the answers. It's a touching story about connections and the power of acceptance. Four strong stars with a serious caution for younger readers.

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC (about an hour north of me), this middle-grade novel has everything! An independent female protagonist with unique abilities, a mystery, some fantastical elements, historical setting, and gorgeous rooms and clothing.

And since Disney is the publisher, they were able to get the actual location to film their book trailer.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange and gothic tale set at the very real Biltmore Mansion. Serafina is an uncanny child, with many secrets, but she's not the only one. I was a little freaked out by some of the secrets, to be honest, but it was definitely an exciting and very unusual book!

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Δείτε επίσης και στο Chill and read

Η Σεραφίνα είναι ένα κορίτσι που κατοικεί κρυφά στο υπόγειο της έπαυλης Μπίλτμορ, μαζί με τον πατέρα της. Εκείνος επιδιορθώνει τις μηχανές κι εκείνη φροντίζει να μένει κρυμμένη και να περνάει απαρατήρητη, καθώς κανείς δεν γνωρίζει την ύπαρξή της. Τα βράδια, όταν η έπαυλη κοιμάται, η Σεραφίνα κυνηγά αρουραίους, αφού αυτή είναι η δουλειά της. Ο τίτλος που της έχει δώσει ο μπαμπάς της είναι Α.Κ.Α, δηλαδή Αρχηγός Κυνηγός Αρουραίων. Αν και δεν είναι σίγουρη ότι υπάρχει αυτός ο τίτλος. Είναι όμως απολύτως σίγουρη ότι είναι διαφορετική από τα υπόλοιπα παιδιά της ηλικίας της. Κάποια χαρακτηριστικά της την κάνουν να ξεχωρίζει, ή έτσι πιστεύει η ίδια, όπως για παράδειγμα το γεγονός ότι έχει τέσσερα δάχτυλα σε κάθε πόδι αντί για πέντε, ή ότι βλέπει στο σκοτάδι όπως κανένας άλλος.

Παρόλο που κυνηγάει τους αρουραίους στο υπόγειο, αποφεύγει να απομακρύνεται πολύ και να κατεβαίνει στα πιο βαθιά του επίπεδα. Ένα βράδυ όμως αναγκάζεται να το κάνει καθώς βλέπει τον Άνδρα με τον Μαύρο Μανδύα να κυνηγά ένα κοριτσάκι με κίτρινο φόρεμα ακριβώς εκεί. Η Σεραφίνα πρέπει να το βοηθήσει, όμως δεν μπορεί καν να διανοηθεί το κακό που κρύβεται πίσω από τον Άνδρα με τον Μαύρο Μανδύα.

Το βιβλίο ξεκινάει δυναμικά με τη Σεραφίνα να κυνηγάει αρουραίους και έτσι μαθαίνουμε για τον επίσημο τίτλο της αλλά και για τον μπαμπά της. Και σύντομα έχουμε την πρώτη της συνάντηση με τον Άνδρα με τον Μαύρο Μανδύα. Μέχρι εκείνη τη συνάντηση έχουμε ήδη μάθει αρκετά για τη μικρή ηρωίδα και καταλαβαίνουμε πόσο σκοτεινή είναι αυτή η συνάντηση. Γρήγορα βλέπουμε τον προβληματισμό της για τη διαφορετικότητα που νιώθει ότι την κάνει να ξεχωρίζει αλλά και τη μοναξιά στην οποία την έχει οδηγήσει τόσο η διαφορετικότητα όσο και η κρυφή ζωή στο υπόγειο της έπαυλης Μπίλτμορ. Σίγουρα πολύ μικροί αναγνώστες που νιώθουν διαφορετικοί, ή που νιώθουν ότι δεν ταιριάζουν στο περιβάλλον τους, θα ταυτιστούν μαζί της. Όπως η Σεραφίνα, έτσι και τα παιδιά αυτά δεν έχουν φίλους ή έστω δεν έχουν πραγματικούς φίλους και αναγνωρίζουν το ένα το άλλο. Αργότερα θα μάθουν πως μπορούν να ταιριάξουν με άλλα παιδιά που αισθάνονται το ίδιο διαφορετικά με εκείνα. Αν ενώσουν τις μοναξιές τους όπως έκανε η Σεραφίνα με τον Μπρέινταν, θα αποκτήσουν και τα ίδια ένα καλό φίλο.

Το άλλο στοιχείο που δίνει ζωή στην αφήγηση και κρατάει το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη είναι το μυστήριο που καλούνται να λύσουν τα παιδιά. Αυτό του Άνδρα με τον Μαύρο Μανδύα. Στην αρχή όλοι είναι ύποπτοι για τη Σεραφίνα. Τουλάχιστον όλοι όσοι έχουν παπούτσια που κάνουν τον ίδιο ήχο με αυτόν που είχε ακούσει το κορίτσι στο υπόγειο. Έπειτα, σιγά σιγά συλλέγοντας στοιχεία θα αρχίσει να αποκλείει κάποιους και να υποπτεύεται κάποιους άλλους και μαζί της το ίδιο θα κάνει και ο αναγνώστης. Η τόλμη της και η αψηφισιά που δείχνει για τον κίνδυνο, θα κάνει τον αναγνώστη να τη θαυμάσει. Όμως θα πρέπει να προσέξει γιατί η Σεραφίνα παίρνει πολύ μεγάλα ρίσκα, όμως έχει και ικανότητες που τα συνηθισμένα παιδιά δεν έχουν.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a creepy, spooky tale. I love it. Set at the real Biltmore estate near Asheville, North Carolina, this is a historical fiction adventure with some supernatural elements.



There is a lot of adventure and suspense and spookiness in the book. The characters good, and there are lots of mysteries and near-escapes and lots of fun things like that. I wish I could have read it as a child. I think this is the closest book I’ve found to matching the genre of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence: People attacked by animals; spooky being attacks people
Harm to Animals: Dog injured but all right; spooked horses
Harm to Children: Children and others disappear when enveloped by the black cloak and ... MAJOR SPOILER come back all right at the end.
Other (Triggers): creepy graveyard

[Kayla Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastical thriller that takes place in the early days of the gorgeous Biltmore Estate? Count me in! When I found out about the existence of this book, I was elated. Biltmore has always been one of my favorite places to visit; it fascinates me. The way real details of the house and estate have been woven into this remarkable story about Serafina and her pursuit of the Black Cloak is inspired. Having been there myself, it was easy to imagine our heroine prowling through the halls at night. And let's not forget the spunky Serafina! She is so easy to love - I found myself wanting to jump into the story and be her best friend. Her road to self-discovery is not an easy one, but I very much enjoyed the privilege of riding it with her. I love that this book can appeal to so many audiences - fans of historical fiction, thrillers, mysteries, ghost stories, fantasy, the supernatural, friendship stories, tales of growing up, and even those who are just interested in Biltmore. I personally will be buying this for my school's library the second my funds for the new year come in!


I enjoyed this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lonna | FLYLēF · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original Post: Serafina and the Black Cloak at FLYLēF (www.flylef.com)

“NEVER GO INTO the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul.”

Step into the wonderfully whimsical world of Serafina and the Black Cloak, by Robert Beatty, and chances are, you'll be completely enchanted by its magical setting, valiant young heroes, and dark mysteries.

Mr. Beatty deftly builds a unique world full of beautiful details that effortlessly drew me in. Nestled in a forested valley by the French Broad River in Asheville, North Carolina, is Biltmore Estate (there really is such a place). Within the basement of this vast mansion, Serafina, the Chief Rat Catcher (C.R.C.), and her father, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived down there for as long as she can remember.

With the entire estate to roam, she must take care never to be seen by the rich folks upstairs, and never to leave the estate grounds to venture into the forbidden forest nearby. But, when the children of the estate begin to vanish, only Serafina knows the truth. Her life is thrown into turmoil on the night that she witnessed the Man in the Black Cloak vaporized a child into thin air. And now, he wants her. With the help of Braeden Vanderbilt, the young master of Biltmore Estate, they must stop him before he strikes again. Serafina’s hunt leads her into the very forest she is taught to fear. There, she discovers a forgotten magic that is tied to her mysterious identity.

Brave and young characters have always held a special place in my heart. Personally, I believe children should nap and eat cookies, not fight the evils of the world. So, I absolutely love Serafina and Braeden. Serafina is unique—eccentric even. But more than that, she possesses a sweet and kind nature with an adorable spunky and fiery personality to match. In contrast, Braeden, is quiet and highly revered. Even born into privilege, he is the pillar of compassion and understanding. I admire how Mr. Beatty explores the uniqueness of individuals like Serafina and Braeden, reminds us to embrace such differences, and that sometimes what makes us different is also what makes us special.

Despite being a middle grade book, there was an aura of death and darkness that was unexpected, yet alluring. I was thrown off tangent many times as to the identity of the Man in the Black Cloak. Oh you are good Mr. Beatty! I underestimated its complexity. The innuendos were just perfect where no one was obviously bad or good. Unlike Serafina, C.R.C., I could not smell the “rat.” The story moves forward with new and unexpected revelations that kept me guessing and wanting more.

I also got a kick out of the fun vocabulary. It was so amusing to come across these words: skullduggery, caterwauled, chickadees, skedaddle, and many more. The diction was quite entertaining.

I’m so glad I read this book. I’ve also purchased a copy for my Goddaughter. As a mom scouring the vast collection of books, Serafina and the Black Cloak will be a permanent collection in our library. I enjoyed it very much.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A School Librarian’s take on this book:

Who and what defines good and bad? Twelve year old Serafina tackles this question and many more in Serafina and the Black Cloak. Uniquely set in the historical, Vanderbilt Biltmore Estate and surrounding forests of North Carolina, the author has captivated the essential coming-of-age struggles we all must reconcile: What is normal? Who is a true friend and why is it so difficult to find them? Why am I different?

Although this story is set in 1899 and is historical fiction, its timeless themes are the true nature of a classic novel and will speak to middle school and high school readers (not to mention adults) . The paranormal events surrounding Serafina’s birth—and the basis of this thrilling mystery—address the ageless battle of good versus evil and whether outside forces can (and should) shape who we are.

With its engaging mix of historical setting and magical elements, this thought provoking novel is a perfect vehicle to pique young readers’ interest in historical fiction. Middle school and high school teachers and librarians will find the well-developed characters, the Gilded Age mansion, the chilling cemetery scenes, and the mystical black cloak the perfect combination to motivate discussions and fulfill many Common Core curriculum elements of Language Arts and/or history requirements.

[Kadi P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t think it could be done, but here it is! Robert Beatty has finally disproven my theory that Disney Hyperion only publishes good books!

Serafina was an outcast of a protagonist who yearned to belong. For the entirety of the book she pined for companionship and she took the subtlest gesture to mean friendship. Her rose-tinted view of high society romanticised a class that were actually problematic and elitist, and the way she constantly licked the rich people’s boots in her desire to fit in made me feel like throwing up in my mouth a bit. She also had a “not like the other girls” complex which was semi-justified in terms of its use in the plot, but was still very annoying in how she viewed herself. The way she agonised over little details when second-guessing her own judgment was irritating, especially as she only questioned herself when it came to decisions that didn’t need questioning. She made stupidly impulsive decisions and didn’t spend a second thinking about how bad of a decision they were afterwards.

Her tentative friendship with Braeden was spelt out in such an odd way but it was the highlight of the book. Unfortunately, there wasn’t nearly enough of it and every interaction had me wondering whether there was something more romantic to their platonic relationship or if the author simply didn’t know how to write a friendship between a young boy and girl. Serafina seemed to have the raging hormonal thoughts of a sixteen year old whilst still being twelve and it was strange how the author tried to enforce that as standard friendship practice for the two loners.

In terms of the plot, it was lacking. The majority of the book felt like filler when the characters had interactions with the antagonist multiple times and wasted opportunities to unveil who the bad guy really was came every few chapters or so. Even more filler-like was the writing style. It was as though the author wrote three variations for everything he wanted to convey and then couldn’t decide which to go with and so reiterated the same ideas through multiple sentences that all said basically the same things. As such, the writing became tiredly repetitive and descriptions went on and on. The author really could’ve benefitted from the golden writing rule of ‘less is more’ because some of the good ideas included were ruined or made less impactful by such repetitiveness.

The mystery itself was little more than glorified finger-pointing featuring an absurd amount of speculation and a significant lack of clues. Serafina jumped to the wildest conclusions based on next to nothing and then struggled to understand why her new best friend didn’t agree with her baseless accusations. As if to make matters worse, she used her “specialness” as an excuse to justify her accusation as though only she could see the truth as she painted it because no one else was special like her.

The antagonist used a ripped off version of the ring of power from The Lord of the Rings and then the ending seemed to go on and on forever. The ending was ridiculously paced, it was essentially a repeat of an earlier scene but followed by bucketloads of exposition and info dumping. Even the emotion of the final heartfelt reunions couldn’t surpass my intense desire for this book to end.

[Patry Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

«No son las batallas que ganamos o perdemos las que nos definen, sino aquellas que estamos dispuestos a librar.»

Reseña completa -> http://thewordsofbooks.blogspot.com.e...

[Barbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

[Angela]

DNF at 11%

There's nothing in particular wrong with this book. The writing is fine - poetical at times - the characters are interesting. There is stuff going on...but it's happening at about a snail's pace. There's so much explaining of everything that I'm bored in between, waiting for stuff to happen.

I'm not entirely sure this is the book's fault - I think it's probably me...

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Мрачна, мистериозна и напълно невероятна история за едно малко момиче, търсещо мястото си в света.

Създанената атмосфера в книгата беше уникална и определено влезнах в тъмния сюжет! Чудесна книга както за деца, така и за възрастни!

[Melanie (TBR and Beyond) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Did evil creatures think of themselves as evil? Or did they think they were doing what was right? Was evil something that was in your heart or was it how people viewed you?”

I had very high hopes from this book, I'm not even sure why. I just thought it was going to be one of those gems you stumble onto, sadly it didn't live up to the hype I had set-up in my head.

For the most part, this book was fairly good. The writing was solid, again for the most part and the lead character was interesting enough. The plot was probably the strongest part of the book - it was intrigued and frightening and had a nice mystery to it. I actually have no idea why every time I picked up this book I couldn't really get into it. It came close to putting me into a slump. I normally blow through middle-grade novels.

I think my problem with this book is that the narrative was kind of repetitive. I get tired fast when I'm constantly being reminded of certain things throughout the story. Also, the side characters weren't that interesting and most of the time the side characters really make or break the book for me. There were times I was really invested in the story but then it would slow down again and it would lose my attention. Last thing that really bothered me was that the author didn't keep the protagonist very consistent. Her way of talking changed several times. It was like he couldn't decided if she was educated or not and it showed. It made for some really awkward exchanges.

I would strongly say this book is for older middle-grade readers or children who do not scare easy. There is some intense violence and graphic details. The cloaked figure has bloodied hands, steals children in the night and whispers scary things while he stalks them. That might be too intense for an eight year old. When I was little I ate up scary books so this probably would've been a good fit when I was much younger. I still love a dark middle-grade novel because I feel like the higher the stakes for the characters, the more likely you will be drawn into the story and root for the heroes.

I think this book is worth looking into if the plot interests you. It's far from a horrible book, I just couldn't fall in love with this tale. I did buy the second book at the same time I bought the first book (that is how much faith I had in this one) so I will likely give the second book a go. I'm hoping there will be less repeating and more focusing on the actual tale.

[Scott Bischke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure last week of reading an advance copy of Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty. Serafina, to be published by Disney, is a page-turner that is sure to be a hit with the younger set (as well as many adults, like me!).

Serafina and the Black Cloak is an adventure/mystery that takes place at the Vanderbilt Biltmore Estate deep in rural North Carolina. Dark, foreboding woods surround the estate. Our heroine, Serafina, has a mysterious past somehow tied to that frightening forest, but try as she might she cannot unravel her own shadowed beginnings. Instead she lives with her Pa in the bowels of the Biltmore Estate, unknown to the Vanderbilts. Her Pa works at the estate; Serafina catches rats at night with uncanny acumen. He tells her she must remain hidden, so in twelve years Serafina has never had a friend.

As Serafina struggles to understand her origin, children begin to disappear from the estate. No one knows who has taken them, nor where they have been taken. Only Serafina has secretly witnessed one of the small girls being spirited away by a man in a black cloak, but her Pa won't let her step out of the shadows to tell anyone. Risking everything, Serafina approaches 12-year old Braeden Vanderbilt and shares her secret. Together Sera and Braeden begin to tackle the mystery, each realizing it is the first time they have ever had a friend.

More and more children disappear, and finally, the tension and her own need for self-identity reaching a crescendo, Serafina strikes out into the foreboding woods, where she is determined to solve both the mystery of the missing children, and of her own origin. To do so has major consequences: not only must she face her fears of what she might find in the forest, but she also risks losing her friendship with Braeden.

It's all very spooky and intriguing, with the kind of twists and turns that will keep a reader on the edge of his or her seat. Serafina and the Black Cloak is an excellent read that should make a big splash. And with Disney in the publishing mix, don't be surprised to see a cinematic version of Serafina coming to the big screen someday soon.

[Milena Tasheva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Снощи най-после успях да я дочета. Много е гадно да знаеш края, обаче не и как героите стигат до него.
Хубава детска книга с необходимата доза мрак, за да учи на разни неща и да е искрена.

[Melina Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Resenha em breve :)

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

“…our world is filled with many mysteries, things we don’t understand. Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, both dark and bright, and they will ensnare your soul.”



Biltmore Estate is large enough to have kept a secret for over a decade: deep within its basement lives a man and his daughter, named Serafina. Serafina’s father is in charge of the buildings maintenance but he would be tossed out in a heartbeat if it were discovered he also resided there. And Serafina is a whole different matter. Curious about the world around her and of her own past, she’s no longer able to keep herself confined to the basement, especially when she witnesses the murder of a young girl. Her body was never discovered and by the following morning another child was missing. Serafina is determined to help these people find their lost children, even if it means disclosing her secret.

Beatty created a most mysterious girl with Serafina, who is described as having golden eyes and strangely enough, four toes instead of the normal five. Those differences only add to the air of mystery surrounding her and keep you wondering what it is that makes her so special. She’s a girl with a good heart and a kind soul that you can’t help but admire. Befriending the owner’s of Biltmore’s nephew, Braeden, makes this story even more charming. The two quickly hit it off, despite their obvious differences in social class, and they both team up convinced that they’re going to be able to find these children. Through her friendship, Serafina starts seeing the world through a new set of eyes, only seen before through the pages of books. She sees the good in the world but because of the man in the black cloak, she’s also uncovering the bad as well.

‘She was beginning to see how difficult it was to determine who was good and who was bad, who she could trust and who she had to watch out for. Every person was a hero in his own mind, fighting for what he thought was right, or just fighting to survive another day, but no one thought they were evil.’

Serafina possesses a definite horror, but isn’t quite as terrifying as it is charming. The unique heroine is definitely the spotlight of this tale with her most uncommon story of her life and how she came to reside in the Biltmore Estate basement. While some parts of the book did seem to creep along very slowly and some aspects weren’t left sufficiently explained, it was still ultimately a satisfying supernatural tale of mystery that will no doubt delight children and adults alike.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Yvonne (It's All About Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished reading: January 6th 2016

“Our character isn’t defined by the battles we win or lose, but by the battles we dare to fight.”

The first thing that convinced me to pick up a copy of Serafina And The Black Cloak was the gorgeous cover. In fact, I didn't realize until later that this was actually a middle grade story... Although I personally like reading a middle grade book every once in a while. This story written by Robert Beatty has both an interesting setting and the perfect mix of fantasy and scary elements. It's what you call a 'light' horror read that will entertain both a ten-year-old and an adult alike. The prose is really accessible and I loved the descriptions of both the mansion, forest and magical elements in the story. The main character Serafina wins over your heart in a blink of the eye and I loved the mystery around her character. The mysterious man in the black cloak is scary enough, but not too much to give the younger ones nightmares... And I really liked the ending. In short, Serafina And The Black Cloak was a more than satisfying read that I can recommend if you are looking for a middle grade fantasy book.



Serafina never knew her mother and has been growing up living in the basement of the Biltmore estate with her father. He works as a maintenance man during the day and hides away at night; nobody knows he sleeps in the basement and they don't know that Serafina even exists. Her pa asks her only two things: she must take care to never been seen and she never has to venture too far into the forest. Serafina is not a normal child and has quite a few special skills. As silent as the night, her dad gave her the job of Chief Rat Catcher; she is able to catch rats with her bare hands... One day, children start disappearing at the estate. Nobody knows who is behind it except Serafina. Roaming around unseen that night, she saw a man in a black cloak stalking the corridors at night and taking away a young girl. She is determined to stop the man, but will she be able to even when nobody seems to believe her or can really see her in the first place?



Serafina And The Black Cloak is a very entertaining middle grade read that has the perfect mix of fantasy and creepy elements. The story is both accessible and well written, and just scary enough to not completely creep out the younger readers. The characters are very likeable and I loved the prose and descriptions. Definitely recommended!

P.S. Find more of my reviews here.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 1 out of 5]

Serafina lives in the basement of the Bilmore House, unseen by any but her pa. They've lived there secretly since the house was built, and her pa has always cautioned her never to be seen. So Serafina scuttles around the house at night, taking joy in catching any rat she comes across. (That she catches them and then throws them outside the Houses's walls is my first annoyance--it seems so anachronistic and against Serafina's true nature of were-mountain lion.) Then one night she sees a terrifying man spread his black cloak across a little girl and swallow her whole. From then on, Serafina is on a mission to discover who and what the man in the black cloak is. She's swiftly joined by the sensitive, animal-loving Vanderbilt heir, and together they solve the mystery.

I did not like this book. Part of it is that it's written for children, so the clues and allusions are too obvious and clunky for me to enjoy. But mostly my problem is that this felt like a book that was written on the fly, with the author not sure what was going on in the first chapters, and deciding on solutions and changing up details in later chapters. So Serafina, for instance, has a personality that wobbles all over the place, with her apparent age and knowledge varying by chapter. She's spent her entire life exploring Biltmore House and has never gone outside, but somehow A)goes outside in the daylight for the first time without any qualms or amazement, B)knows things like that she's allergic to poison ivy, and C)is amazed and surprised by the appearances of various Biltmore House rooms. Not only is this sloppy characterization, but it played into my feeling that this whole book was just an underhanded tourist advertisement for Biltmore House.

[Miniikaty · Rating 3 out of 5]

En realidad un 3,5.

Serafina y la capa negra es un middle-grade muy diferente, me ha sorprendido que fuera tan tenebroso y misterioso teniendo en cuenta el público al que está enfocado. Tenemos una niña distinta al resto, misteriosas desapariciones relacionadas con un hombre que lleva una capa negra, secretos, misterio y algo de fantasía, todo ello perfectamente hilado hasta culminar en un desenlace muy emocionante. Me gusta que el autor vaya dejando pistas por aquí y por allá del hombre de la capa negra para que hasta que no llegues casi al final no lo averigües; a su vez también es genial que no solo se centre en las extrañas desapariciones sino que nos va picando con el pasado y origen de Serafina, con cómo ve ella el mundo y que la familia y la amistad estén tan presentes y sean tan importantes. Todo esto le da mucho más valor a la novela y aunque no me agrado que en algunos momentos no pasara gran cosa y tuviera un ritmo un poco lento, por lo demás me ha resultado muy innovador.
Otra cosa que vais a encontrar es que el libro tiene una prosa muy elegante, con unas pinceladas de fantasía originales y una destreza con las palabras maravillosa, no cuenta con muchos diálogos sino que se centra en describir lo que ve y siente Serafina.

Reseña completa: https://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com...

[Мариана Рангелова · Rating 5 out of 5]

Любимата ми (не) детска книга


„Серафина и черния плащ” попадна съвсем неочаквано в библиотеката ми. Отдавна спрях да чета детски книги, затова и първоначално пропуснах да я включа в списъка си за четене...

цялото ревю може да прочетете в блога ми - https://the-book-tigers-diary-reviews...