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    Serafina and the Black Cloak
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    Serafina and the Black Cloak
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    Serafina and the Black Cloak
    Audiobook8 hours

    Serafina and the Black Cloak

    Written by Robert Beatty

    Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    "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 Biltmore Estate. There's plenty to explore in her grand home, but 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 lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember. She has learned to sneak and hide.

    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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJul 14, 2015
    ISBN9781101917107
    Unavailable
    Serafina and the Black Cloak
    Author

    Robert Beatty

    Robert Beatty is the debut and New York Times bestselling author of the magical and mystery thriller Serafina and the Black Cloak. He lives in the forested Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with his wife and three daughters (and four cats, four dogs and four horses). The Beattys love to explore the beautiful Biltmore Estate, the darkened forest trails, and the creepy old graveyards where his Serafina novel takes place.

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    Reviews for Serafina and the Black Cloak

    4/5

    259 ratings38 reviews

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    • 5/5
      ..........SPOILERS..........Serafina and the Black Cloak is the first book in the Serafina trilogy. Serafina is determined to rescue the children taken by the man in a black cloak. Plot 5/5: A good mystery that kept me guessing.Characters 5/5: Interesting characters who I grew to love, and others I disliked quite a bit.World building 5/5: This story is set in the Biltmore Estate and the surrounding areas. I had never heard of this place, but after reading this story, I would love to visit.Pacing 5/5: The pacing was fairly quick, with slower parts here and there.Writing 5/5: The author's writing is very good, and the story telling kept me entertained.Overall 5/5: I really loved this story. It's a mystery, but also a story of acceptance and finding out who you are, where you're from, and where you fit in. Favorite Quote:"Our character isn't defined by the battles we win or lose, but by the battles we dare to fight." - a grave marker in a cemetery.Favorite characters: Serafina, Braeden, Gidean, and Waysa.
    • 3/5
      Serafina lives in the basement of The Biltmore mansion with her Pa. He is a maintenance man and is mainly in charge of keeping the electricity working. The Vanderbilt family is unaware that Serafina and her Pa are living in the basement, so Serafina keeps out of sight, but she longs to have a friend. While the Vanderbilts are entertaining guests, children begin disappearing. One night, Serafina sees what is happening. Nobody believes her, so she determines to solve the mystery herself.
    • 5/5
      Awesome mystery/suspense novel set on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC! Although I loved the plot, setting, and characters, I thought some parts were a tad too intense for the age group that it's geared towards, which is Grades 5-7 (10-12 years). I am excited to read the second book in the series, which I am starting very shortly!
    • 3/5
      Serafina hides and scurries and watches from the dark recesses of Biltmore house. As the C.R.C (Chief Rat Catcher) of the estate she she stalks and destroys the mangy beasts from the deepest corners of the basement that she calls home. It was on one of those evening rat chases that she comes across something completely different -something evil lurking in her domain. A man wearing a black cloak attacking a young girl in a yellow dress. Serafina tries to save this girl, fighting desperately to help her escape - when the girl simply disappears in the folds of the cloak and the dark, putrid smelling cloaked man turns his attentions on Serafina. She narrowly escapes with her life.This encounter changes Serafina and her connections to her Pa and to the only home she has known. She begins to question her Pa's wisdom of staying hidden in the darkness. She longs to figure things out and that draws her upstairs into the edges and shadows of the rooms where the beautiful people live. Here a chance encounter with Braeden Vanderbilt changes her entire future.This book follows a girl's self-discovery journey. There were things I really liked about this book and things I didn't. I thought Serafina's inner dialogue was a bit stilted - not really the words of a young frightened girl. And there were moments bogged down with description of the behind the scenes workings of a huge estate. I felt at times that this Disney published book was trying to jump on the Downton Abby craze with American's own aristocracy. But - it's an interesting story with twists that I didn't quite expect. That makes it fun to read. I did care about Serafina and her quest to figure out who or what she is and what is happening to the disappearing children.
    • 3/5
      I received a free e-copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

      There were lots of great things going on with the book. I thought the setting--Biltmore Estate and the surrounding environs--was used excellently, and I enjoyed getting a bit of a history lesson in with my suspense and magic. However, I felt the pacing was a bit off, and even though there was a lot going on early on in the book (and perhaps because of that), I felt it took awhile to really build up steam and pull me in. There just seemed to be too many things going on at once--Serafina's mysterious past, the Man in the Black Cloak, Seraphina's burgeoning friendship with Braeden--and while everything was nicely concluded at the end, it definitely left me wanting just a bit more.

      Still, as a middle grades fantasy novel, I think it would be an enjoyable read for its intended audience, and I would recommend this book to young patrons, especially fans of horror and the supernatural.
    • 5/5
      If I could give this book a 10 I would. An amazing read and I felt like I was 12 years old again reading and exploring new lives through books for the first time. I wouldn't change a word or event in this book. It was perfect and I highly recommend it for young or old.
    • 4/5
      I read this book to my grand-daughter [9] over the summer months. We both loved it. Although there were some longish gaps between reads she retained the story really well and each time we resumed she very quickly got caught up in the story again. She was intrigued by the fact that it is set is an real place and I showed her photographs of the Biltmore Estate. Now that I know the author lives nearby I can understand how the place inspired him. I think Beatty is a real story teller, sucking you into his world, by great descriptions, lovely writing and intriguing characters. We loved it so much that I had to buy book 2 so that we could move onto it seamlessly.
    • 4/5
      This is one of those MG books that genuinely got to me. There was some super creepy imagery in there in a few places, and when I put it down I was anxious to get back to it. I don't know if it was the setting being so close to me (I've spent many an evening at Biltmore with school and previous jobs) or the character. She's very fairy like, mythical in nature, and I love those types of characters. She is also very motivated, does what she wants and has a lot of agency. Like I said, I really enjoyed the setting. I felt like it was captured beautifully and really embraced the sweeping feeling of the house. I've always wondered about the secret passages and just how many there are and who would have dwelt there. It's so fun to see that used and used so well! Outside the house was captured just as well, really seeming to latch onto the spookiness that can come in the woods in these areas. It was very well done. I really recommend this one, it's local to me and I really enjoyed it!
    • 4/5
      I picked up Serafina and the Black Cloak because I visited the Biltmore Estate when on vacation in Asheville, North Carolina. When I found out that a young adult novel used the Biltmore Estate as it's setting, I had to have it. Little did I know that it was also a fantasy novel. Could this book be more up my alley?You certainly don't have to visit Biltmore to read Serafina, but throughout the entire novel I was able to vividly picture every scene. Having visited Biltmore really added to my reading experience. My mom wants to read it as well just because of the setting.As for the storyline, I really enjoyed it. I found aspects of the story to be rather original ideas. I had never heard of a catamount before, and it made for an interesting premise. I also thought the magic behind the cloak was a very clever idea.It was a good fantasy novel and I can't wait to see what Serafina does in the next book. She is such a unique character, far from perfect, but that's part of what makes her so likable.
    • 4/5
      It's definitely a very entertaining book. Something that you can't put down until you finished it. I'm hoping this would be a Disney movie pretty soon. I love the plot twist and the flow of the story. I have requested to borrow this book from my local library and it took two months. But it's worth the wait.

      Serafina is a 12 year old girl who lives in the basement of Biltmore Estate all her life. She never had a friend and her father hide her from the world because of her uniqueness. She only comes out during the night and explore the estate when everyone is asleep. But all that change one night when she encountered the man in black cloak. It's a cute story about friendship and embracing your uniqueness. I definitely recommend this to young readers and to those who love fantasy stories regardless of their age.
    • 4/5
      I ended up liking it more than when I started it. It was slow going at first, but got better and picked up and got a little more interesting.
    • 5/5
      This seems to be a Gothic tale for YAs: it starts off "strange", then becomes fairly dark, and then much more hopeful. It's easy to see that there's something weird about the heroine, and one can figure out pretty quickly what it is--she's some form of cat--or at least she acts like a cat. But she interacts with others, as a human. It just doesn't quite fit what we know as normal, or what we expect of a werewolf fantasy. And we keep trying to understand what kind of story this is. It's a monster fantasy; and it's very well written. And for those reading it: "stay bold". At 292 pages this book takes the time to flesh out the characters and allows the plot to develop over time.
    • 3/5
      This is for younger adults.
    • 4/5
      This is a great mix of mystery and history, with a heroine who has her own battles to fight against prejudice. A great story with several lessons to be learnt.
    • 3/5
      This was a quick read with some interesting world building. I liked Serafina and Braden, though the rest of the characters lacked depth. I honestly didn't know where the plot was going. At first I thought that the book was doubly in the mystery and fantasy genres, but it broke the rules of mystery by letting the main character (and the reader) suspect the real villain before the reveal. He may not have been my only suspect, but the fact that I held him in my list of top-three suspects was somewhat disappointing to me, as I wanted to be shocked. The wrap up seemed a bit quick, and I didn't think that Serafina's father behaved quite normally when she returned at the end.
    • 3/5
      Interesting idea and plot direction. It was a tale I couldn’t have predicted at the beginning but as the story unfolded, it became pretty clear the direction it would take. I just wasn’t sure how it would reach that end. I felt it was creative but a bit repetitive in parts.
    • 4/5
      Serafina is the Chief Rat Catcher at the Biltmore Estate, residence of the Vanderbilt family. Only no one knows that she and her father live there in the basement. Serafina doesn’t have any friends, but she is very close to her father. She's never been outside and has been warned to never, ever go in the woods. Serafina spends the nights prowling. She knows the estate well from years of hiding in the shadows and creeping around. But one night, while out catching rats, she hears crying. When Serafina investigates, she sees a man in a black cloak trying to catch a young girl. He keeps saying he won’t hurt her, but she's clearly terrified, and Serafina vows to help her escape. With a swish of his cloak, the girl disappears. Serafina manages to get away. The next day, during an encounter with Braeden Vanderbilt (the owner’s nephew who lives there), she learns that other children have recently gone missing. The adults are starting to worry and search parties begin to form. Together Braeden and Serafina embark on a wild journey to see if they can uncover who is wearing the black cloak and figure out what he's doing with the children. Will they be able to piece together the clues? What does the cloak do? What happens to the children enveloped in its folds? Why isn’t Serafina supposed to go in the woods? You’ll have to check out this chilling tale to find out!

      I have had Serafina and the Black Cloak on my TBR list since I first read about it on another blog. It’s taken me a while to get to it, and I really did not know what to expect. I liked the fact that Serafina was braver than she thought. When she met Braeden they became fast friends, but it made sense based on the disappearing children and the fact that neither of them had any friends. The black cloak was crazy, and I was very curious about the person behind it. I wondered what it did and what happened to the people who were swept up in it. Thankfully all those questions were wrapped up in the end. Serafina’s father seemed to be a gentle soul and I was happy she had him in her life. After reading the book, I was curious and had to look up the real Biltmore Estate since so much of the book took place there. Wow! It's easy to see how, with a house that size, someone could live in the basement and never be discovered. This book is a nice mix of realistic fiction and fantasy for those who enjoy a little bit of spooky. I’d recommend it to anyone in fourth grade and up who likes slightly creepy reads. It looks like there are a few more books in the series, too!
    • 4/5
      A bit of a slow starter, but once it hooked me in I cheered for Serafina as she worked to find her way in the world where she is clearly different. She has an amazing skill set, mysterious origins, and a fast friend in Braeden Vanderbilt. The two team up to try to figure out the identity of the man in the black cloak who seems to be stealing children and how to stop him before he claims any additional victims.
    • 4/5
      Serafina secretly lives in the basement of the Biltmore Estate with her Pa, a maintenance worker for the Vanderbilt family. She roams at night, although she always listens to her Pa’s warning to never venture into the forest that surrounds the estate, and to never be seen by the other staff or the Vanderbilt family and their guests.

      Then one night, children start disappearing, and Serafina is the only one who has seen the culprit, a man in a black cloak. She sets out to uncover the identity of the Man in the Black Cloak, with the help of a few friends along the way.

      In the beginning, I was quite annoyed with Serafina’s Pa, and couldn’t understand why he treated her the way he did. His perspective and outlook on things starts to make more sense when you learn the back story of their family and why they live in the basement. I also had to put aside a pretty large dose of skepticism at the idea that Serafina could live for years in the basement of the estate and not once, even as a baby and toddler, ever be seen by other workers.

      Serafina and Braeden’s relationship forms a large part of the story, and Braeden is interesting in his own right, but it is Serafina that truly makes this story sing. She is curious and solitary, charming and awkward, eccentric for a child so young. Both her and Braeden are unique in their own way, and I am happy to see an author of children’s literature explore and honor the uniqueness of children, and how that uniqueness is what makes a person special.

      It’s a fast read, even for kids (or at least for my kid). Serafina and the Black Cloak is aimed towards 8-12 year olds, but I definitely enjoyed it as much as my 8-year-old did. M and I both loved Serafina, and I’ll leave you to guess which one of us figured out her secret first. It would make an excellent selection for a mother/daughter or parent/child book club. Having been to the Biltmore, and frequently hike the mountains and forests surrounding Asheville, I may never look at those hiking trips the same way again.
    • 5/5
      Serafina has grown up in the basements of the Biltmore Estate where her father is a maintenance man. It is a secret the Serafina and her Pa live there. Serafina has learned to live there without being spotted by any of the other people on the estate. She knows the hiding places and the secret ways. She has appointed herself the Chief Rat Catcher and she is able to use her hunting skills to find and catch them. She can see in the dark and move without sound.One night, while prowling the basements, she sees a man in a black cloak who is chasing after a girl in a yellow dress. When he catches her, he wraps her in the cloak and the girl disappears. When he spots Serafina, he chases her but she manages to escape. Soon the estate is mobilized to search for the missing girl and Serafina meets Braeden Vanderbilt who is one of the few people who notice her. She and Braeden need to work together to find the man in the black cloak and keep him from harming more children. Serafina needs to explore the woods near the estate which her father has told her are filled with dangers. In the forest, Serafina learns some secrets from her past and learns who she is.This was a scary middle grade fantasy with an intrepid main character. It would make a great read-aloud because each chapter ended an an exciting bit that almost demanded that the reader keep reading.
    • 3/5
      This novel is supposed to be considered horror, I think. It’s definitely paranormal!Serafina has been hidden her entire life in the Biltmore Estate basement, a famous estate owned by the Vanderbilts. No one knows she exists except her father. She’s also hidden because she has an unusual look. She considers herself a night person because she has excellent night vision and feels that she has an important job at the estate as the CRC--Chief Rat Catcher, which is night work. She can stay perfectly still and catch rats and mice. She takes them to the edge of the woods and throws them in. Her father’s job is to fix and maintain much of the equipment and electrical at the estate. Things turn dark when children begin to disappear. Serafina sees what happens--a man in a black cloak wraps the child in the cloak and the child disappears. He wants Serafina, but she knows all the nooks and crannies of the estate and escapes from him. She’s determined to save the nephew of the Vanderbilts who lives on the Estate. Braeden Vanderbilt has few friends; he prefers his dog and his horses. When they meet, Braeden doesn’t treat Serafina any differently even though she looks strange, dresses strangely, and has never been seen before. Together, they are determined to catch the man.This novel is definitely strange. You’ll know who the “bad guy” is fairly quickly. There aren’t a lot of surprises except Serafina’s own history. If you are looking for strange with a little bit of horror, try this book
    • 4/5
      Serafina lives with her father in the basement of the Biltmore Estate. But Serafina lives in secret as the residents of the estate know nothing of her. He tells her to stay away from the forest as evil lurks there. But one day she is chased by a man in a cloak and escapes from him. This is a novel for children filled with mystery, magic, fantasy and such. I found it to be a book that opens the wonders of a young person’s mind. Much fun. Adults reading this to think it‘s for them and giving it a bad rating just irks me.
    • 4/5
      Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty★★★★Although this novel is one for young readers , I read for two reasons: first, it was recommended by my daughter and she and I have similar tastes, and second, the story is set shortly after the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., was constructed in the late 19th century, a place I have visited several times. Serafina is the adopted daughter of one of the employees hired by the Vanderbilts to maintain the estate. Her father discovered her as a foundling in the woods. She possesses certain innate abilities, such as the ability to run fast, squeeze into tight places, and seeing acutely in the dark. Having no home in the village, her father and she hide and live in the basement after the other employees leave for the day. While her father sleeps, Serafina moves about the mansion and grounds doing her job she claimed for herself, Chief Rat Catcher. No one with the exception of her father is aware of her existence. During one night, she encounters a man in a hooded cape chasing one of the many visitor's daughter. As the man catches the girl, his cape becomes animate and envelops the girl and absorbs the girl within its folds. The next night another child is found missing. As the Chief Rat Catcher, she believes it is her responsibility to discover who the caped man is and to stop him before he takes another especially the Vanderbilt's young nephew.I found the book enjoyable and suspenseful. Although this books is rated for 9-12 year olds, some in the younger age bracket might find this book too disturbing. Some of the book's scenes were the subject of my nightmares as a imaginative child.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 2/5
      Serafina is a young girl (or is she?) who lives in the basement of the Biltmore House with her father, the home's chief repairman, in the years shortly after the magnificent house was completed. Robert Beatty seems to be writing for a movie. Action sequences are decent, but conversations and Serafina's frequent self-reflection sequences are stilted and unbelievable. The plot involves a mysterious black cloaked man who attacks children at the Biltmore house, seemingly making them vanish without a trace. The intrepid Serafina is determined to find out who he is and stop him. The answer to the mystery is rather obvious long before it is revealed, and the conclusion is both predictable and a bit corny. With a good scriptwriter and a good director, this may be one of those rare cases where the movie is better than the book.
    • 4/5
      I was provided the opportunity to read Serafina and the Black Cloak by NetGalley, and I am grateful for the chance. The book is not quite as dark as Coraline or The Graveyard Book, but middle grade readers of this genre should find the book appealing.

      I love the setting and the time frame - rural North Carolina in the late 1800s on the site of the Biltmore Hotel. Serafina knows the back rooms and hidden passage ways of the famous hotel having grown up there. It is up to her to solve the mystery of why children have disappeared, and it seems only she can save her newfound friend from a similar fate. Fun, captivating, just dark and mysterious enough.
    • 4/5
      This was our March 2016 book for our ILEYA Reads Book group.

      I loved that this was set at the Biltmore Estate. I read this twice before our meeting and enjoyed it both times. Serafina and her father live in the basement of the Biltmore her father is the maintenance man for the Estate.

      A mysterious cloaked man appears and children visiting the Estate begin disappearing, and Serafina feels it is her obligation to make contact with someone from the upstairs to stop this mysterious visitor.

      A magical creepy thriller, fans of Lemony Snicket and Goosebumps would enjoy this book. I can't wait to see what else this author writes.
    • 3/5
      This story (for ages 8-12) is set in 1899 at the Vanderbilt Estate in Asheville, NC. A young girl gets involved in a mystery of missing children. But she is a mystery herself. From some of the things she can do, you can't tell if she is a girl or maybe part cat. She has yellow eyes and can see in the dark! And there's the evil man with the black cloak -- but which one is he and what is he doing with the children? Overall, an exciting children's book :)
    • 4/5
      Years ago, Serafina's father helped build the Biltmore mansion. The house has many secrets -- and Serafina is one of them. She sleeps most of the day and prowls the house at night, catching rats and observing the midnight life of the house. She does not, however, venture into the woods surrounding the estate, because her father has often warned her of the many dangers that lurk there. But when danger comes to Biltmore, Serafina may be the only one who can stop it -- if she is brave and daring and willing to move beyond the confines of her hidden life.This book has fascinating notes of mystery and suspense. It's definitely on the creepy side, though it has its moments of sweetness as well. The atmosphere and setting are the best parts of the book -- while the plot is also fairly good, I thought the characterization faltered in spots. But it's still an enjoyable read, one that will appeal to kids who enjoy books like The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier and Doll Bones by Holly Black.
    • 3/5
      Starts slow and pickup; plot somewhat implausible; Serenity is likable, her perception seems a bit too mature for a 12 year old