Sunday, October 02, 2011

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Laini Taylor
Published September 27th, 2011
by Little, Brown & Company

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages–not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers–beautiful, haunted Akiva–fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Woooeey. If you need a vacation from reality, this is the book that will haul you inside its pages and make you live inside its story! Laini Taylor created a world like you’ve never imagined. Seriously, I would love to get a glimpse inside this woman’s mind. How she came up with this stuff is beyond me. It’s incredible. I loved it!

This is among one of the best written books I’ve read this year, if not ever. The creative aspect is beyond amazing. I was enthralled by every detail. The wonderful surrounding with extraordinary characters all come to life before your eyes and it’s so… ugh… I can’t even put it in words. So let’s just say that it’s outstanding!

I’ll be totally honest and say that I picked this up because of the hype alone. I had read the blurb, but that only gave me a very vague idea what the book was about – basically that it was strange and it involved monsters. So I had no idea what to expect, plot-wise. My thoughts now: it was brilliant. It has this gothic/fantasy feel with a sweet romance and yes, monsters. The politics of the world can get a little complicated; some passages I had to re-read because there are several worlds, species, and myths to take in, but I got the gist of it and even if you don’t catch it all, it’ll make sense once you get passed a certain point.

The mystery behind Karou and Brimstone is really interesting. I would have never guessed what he used the teeth for and who Karou is. I couldn’t even come up with any theories that made any sort of sense. So I didn’t bother trying and just let the story unfold and overcome me. The romance plays a good part in this novel as well. It’s very sweet and tragic. I loved Akiva’s devotion and Karou’s stubbornness.

So yeah… get this book! It deserve each and every 5 star rating that it has been getting. You haven’t read anything quite like this before, I can promise you that!

And since everyone is adding it to their review and I don’t want to be an outcast .
Once upon a time,
an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well. 
5/5 hot espressos
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Giselle

Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

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20 Responses to “Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor”

  2. Melissa (Books and Things)

    Oh no… the pressure of a 5 star rating… 🙂

    I’m about to be pressured… it’s coming up on my tbr review pile! It does look like I’m going to enjoy this one. Even the parts that didn’t quite capture you with sense seemed to not make much of a difference. Sounds good to me! But then I rarely make sense. 😉

  3. Giselle

    Haha Melissa! It’s not that it didn’t make sense. It was just a lot to take in. Lots of different specie names and lords etc. It can get a bit confusing but it isn’t so bad once you keep reading.

  5. Fireflywishes

    Love your review! I’m going to have to take a closer look at this and maybe pick it up.. the blurb didn’t really sound that enticing, but your review makes me think there is much more to it than the blurb gives it credit for!

    April @ My Shelf Confessions

  6. Alwyn

    Oh man,It was the same with me! I knew nothing plotwise. “Once upon a time an angel and Devil fell in love. It did not end well.” Was quite literally the full extent of what I knew about this book when I started it. Within a few pages I was beginning to suspect it might be pure awesome and a few pages after that I was shouting at my flatmate about inessential Penises. Love love loved this basically! So glad it got 5 hot espressos! 🙂

  7. Giselle

    Oh April I suggest you give it a try. Borrow it if you must. I wasn’t that enchanted by the blurb either but it’s amazing!

    And that’s for all the lovely comments!

  9. Book Sake

    Woohoo – one of the best of the year. I knew there was a reason I’ve been dying to read this one. I’m in it for the gothic fantasy & monsters! And the blue hair.

  10. Rachel

    You know….I had this is my hand the other week at the book shop and then decided not to get it. Even though I’m dying to read it and heard such great things (trying to save some money) and now you review makes me really wish I had bought it!

  12. Cristina

    This is my favorite book this year… possibly ever. She’s deinitely my favorite author.. I just adore her stories, and her writing… sigh.. she’s awesome!

  15. NoraBell

    Fantastic review! I got this book recently from the publisher and I haven’t had a chance to read it… This review sounds amazing! I may just have to get reading! 😛

    Thanks for stopping by my blog! Have a great week!

    Nora, The Bookery

  19. hmb1223

    I have been wanting to read this book for awhile now. I just haven’t came around to it yet. Reading your review has pushed it up on my must reads list.

  20. Kelly

    Great review. I agree with every word. I’ve been in an Akiva-filled daze since I read this in January and have finally picked it up for a re-read before Days Of Blood And Starlight.

    Laini Taylor has hypnotized me with her writing and killed me with her cliffhanger-tastic ending.