Review: Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty (Serafina, Book 1)

Synopsis: A brave and unusual girl named Serafina lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate amidst the splendor of the Gilded Age. Serafina's pa, the estate's maintenance man, has warned her to keep herself hidden from the fancy folk who live on the floors above, but when children at the estate start disappearing, Serafina and her friend Braeden Vanderbilt must work together to solve a dark and dangerous mystery.

Review: Feral Serafina spends her days sleeping in the sunshine and her nights roaming Biltmore Estate, catching rats and exploring the world of shadows and darkness. It is there that she sees something evil – a man in a black cloak….

Sadly, I figured out the mystery with the Black Cloak almost immediately, which made the first part of the book a bit slow for me.  But as the adventure picked up, the mystery wasn’t as important as seeing how the characters would evade the Black Cloak. It was the mystery of who Serafina was that kept me intrigued. That portion of the story turned out to be my favorite.

In the end, this is an excellent middle grade novel. With depth, humor, and though-provoking ideas, it’s an excellent book for young minds. But it has enough depth that adults will enjoy the story too. 

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-148470901-6
Year Published: 2015
Date Finished: 11-2-2018
Pages: 293