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? (from the Author's Blog)
Laini Taylor is a story-telling genius. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a MUST read. Possibly one of the most beautifully written love stories I’ve read, but more importantly, it is a story about hope. I had no idea what the book was going to be about. I usually read reviews before starting a book, but I decided to keep myself in the dark for some reason on this one. I’m glad I did. It made the experience that much more enjoyable. Laini’s words weave together a fantastic tale so full of magic, I was left with both awe and heartache. Her writing is perfection and her vivid imagination allowed me to transport myself completely into her story.
The character’s in the book are so alive and full of personality they jumped out of the pages and screamed to be heard. Karou, the main character, is wonderfully well written. She is incredibly smart and capable and I was immediately taken with her strange whims and clever remarks. I found myself laughing out loud several times from her witty sense of humour, and her longing and hidden vulnerability only added to my fondness for her character. I often wished I could be there for her and help her find out who she is and to keep her from feeling alone. I also loved Karou’s “family,” the four chimaera, a race from another world. Brimstone, Karou’s father figure, is the very wise and strong character who raised Karou since she was a baby. Karou doesn’t know who her real parents are, how Brimstone came to care for her or why. These are just some of the secrets we discover with Karou as the story unfolds. I was always rooting for their relationship, as Karou was obviously reaching out for affection and acceptance from Brimstone, while he always seemed to keep himself guarded. Akiva, the love interest, was a delicious mystery I devoured with each turn of the page. I was fascinated with him as more and more of his story is revealed.
I am so in love with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Every word, every phrase held me captive, and like a hostage with stockholm syndrome, I didn’t want to be let go. In fact, it physically pained me to put the book down when I was finished with it. The ending, while bittersweet, was so filled with hope, my jaw dropped and my eyes blurred with tears. I stayed up all night just thinking about the story and how amazing it was. My heart literally hurts right now having to write this review, remembering everything I read. I cannot wait to continue Karou’s journey. Really. My heart hurts. Please make it stop.
5/5 stars - Review by Mary Munar
Author: Laini Taylor
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Pages: 432
I'm waiting for my copy to come and reading this review makes me sooo impatient! I can't wait to read it.
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