The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by: Laini Taylor
Goodreads Synopsis:
Around the world, black hand prints 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 grows 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?
Review:
This book took me by surprise! But
in a good way, of course. I really enjoyed the newness and uniqueness of this
book.
Karou is a blue-haired, pale-skinned
beautiful girl who has a hazy past. Living in Prague, she is an amazing artist
who draws inhabitants of another world. Brimstone, Issa, and Kishmish are all
part of the otherworld, and these chimaera’s raised Karou. Brimstone deals in
wishes, giving them out in exchange for teeth. What these teeth are used for,
Karou does not know, but she knows they are important. She runs errands for
Brimstones to retrieve these teeth, and one day, she finds a burned handmark on
the portal leading back to the otherworld. This changes her life forever.
I really like Karou. I thought
she was a loyal friend and a fierce fighter. She was funny at times, but
also curious about Brimstone’s work and the impact of it. Akiva was amazing! He
was super sweet, and Karou and him really connected. I especially liked Zuzana.
She was the comedic relief in the midst of a serious war. Brimstone is a really
interesting character. He was really mysterious, but I enjoyed him a ton! The
rest of the chimaera that helped raise Karou were motherly and loving.
I thought the instant connection between Karou and Akiva was written amazingly!
It was life-altering and ever-powerful, but it seemed completely realistic and
not overpowering. I felt really engaged in what they felt for each other, and
it was beautiful.
My only complaint with this book is the plot. There was a lot of
explanations and details, and at the beginning of the book, the plot was
fast-paced and exciting. Towards the end of the book, when usually the plot
picks up, I felt it slow down. I found it a little boring, because it was mostly
flashbacks and explanations, which were pertinent to the plot, but that I found a
bit dull.
Overall, I really loved this book, and I am definitely looking forward
to the next book, Days of Blood and Starlight. Thankfully I don’t have
to wait a long time for the next book, as it comes out November 6th!
Favorite
Swoon-worthy Quote: “Of course I’m coming with you. Karou…” His
voice was still whisper-soft. “Karou.”
He reached out and eased the hat from her head so that her hair spilled out in
a splash of blue, and he tucked an errant strand behind her ear. He took her
face in his hands and a sunburst went off in Karou’s chest. She held herself
quiet, her motionlessness belying the rushing within her. No one had ever
looked at her like Akiva was right now, his eyes held wide as if he wanted take
more of her into himself, like light through a window.
Rating: 4/5 Tar Heels!
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