Daughter of Smoke and Bone review

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)

Author: Laini Taylor

Published: September 29th 2011

Rating: 


What it's about:

Once upon a time,

an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well.

Ever since seventeen-year-old art student Karou can remember, her family has been the monstrous creatures of the 'Elsewhere'. She's always been able to balance her two lives -- her human one, and the one with her foster father, Brimstone, doing his dirty work: trading wishes for teeth with murderers and hunters -- by travelling through portals scattered across the world.

When the portals close, Karou is trapped in the human world, and all alone. But when she meets Akiva, an angel who once tried to kill her, she finally starts getting the answers she has so desperately been searching for. The answers aren't really what she had been expecting ... they're a lot worse. And now Karou needs to make a decision, which has the power to change everything ...

My thoughts:

I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone in a day, I loved it that much.

The main character Karou, is an interesting one. She's got bright blue hair, many tattoos, and is an art student with a cult following of her drawings around her school. She comes across as strong and sassy, and is known for her vivid imagination, although as you get to know her better, she seems incredibly lonely. She feels empty inside, as though something is missing, and that hollow is only filled when she's with her 'family'. But when the portals close, she's all alone, and that empty feeling overwhelms her. As you read, you get the feeling that you don't know exactly who Karou is, and that she herself doesn't even know. That mystery kept me hooked.

The novel is set in Prague, adding to the eeriness. With its cobblestone streets and macabre pubs, Prague is a perfect setting for a story with forbidden magic and so many dark secrets.

The demonic creatures -- the chimaera -- are very different from the human look-alikes so popular right now. These creatures seem almost like ancient Egyptian gods: human body with the head of a bird, for example. They're creepy and intriguing, and I loved reading about them.

Laini Taylor makes it clear that despite the fact the chimaera are called monsters by others, nothing is black and white. Karou feels love and loyalty toward her chimaera family, although betrayal and heartbreak plagues them, causing Karou to have to make the most challenging decision she has ever made.

Taylor perfectly balances action and mystery with wit, passion and romance. Her storytelling seeps into the soul, at times haunting and even tragic. This fast-paced story bridges many different worlds, cultures and generations, but always returns to one girl. When the truth of her forgotten past is revealed, readers won't know what hit them.


Get the book:

From:
Booktopia
Dymocks
Abbey's
Barnes & Noble
Fishpond

Get the Kindle edition

Laini Taylor's website