Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: Review

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?

So I never would have bought this book if it weren't for the glowing reviews I'd read everywhere. For one, the paperback is expensive- almost cost as much as a hardbound book! But it was worth it. Oh so worth it. 

The Unique

The names. The names were most definitely unique. And I LOVED them. Karou, Akiva, Madrigal, Issa, Brimstone, Zuzanna... They sounds so beautiful, and they were definitely a refreshing change from all those Jacks and Kates and Johns out there. They have this... lyrical tilt to them, don't you think?

The Awesome

The mythology. Angels and chimaera. Now, have you read anything like that before? No. This was a first, and not only that, it comes with a twist. Reincarnation, wishes- and teeth. 

The writing. Everywhere, I read that Laini Taylor's writing is different. That it's beautiful and lyrical. And now that I've finally read one of her books, I couldn't agree more. She has a way with words, making them flow off the page.

The plot. The plot was amazing. It was brilliant, so twsited. The author dropped bombshell after bombshell. The story literally takes place in different eras and tells about a love so great it withstands death. But it was so much more than a love story. It was way more than what I bargained for.

The Rating

5 stars. Duh. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone was the darkest fantasy I've ever read, and I loved every moment of it. Right from the start, I knew this book would be different, and it was. It whisked me off to this darkly magical yet dangerous world, and I didn't want to leave it. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone left me hanging for more, and you bet I'll read the sequel the moment it comes out!

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

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Awsome book, right? Agree or diagree?

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