Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Great read

I enjoyed reading this book. couldn't put it down.

8 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

Absolutely perfect

This is a rich, imaginative tale of magic and monsters, war and heartbreak. The world-building in this novel is breathtaking, the backstory a tapestry woven with strands of legend and otherworldly secrets. Laini Taylor's style is beautiful and intelligent, bewitching in its elegant flair. The pacing is perfect with never a dull moment, whether the intensity comes from the heat of battle, the awe of discovery or the mystery of Taylor's monsters.

Taylor's imagination knows no bounds. This is the most creative, original story I have ever read. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a book that cannot be easily defined. It is a long history of war and senseless hate, otherworldly races and ancient magic. It is a fantasy and a tragedy and a romance. It is all these things and more. The descriptions are lush and vivid, the characters terrifying and oddly compelling, the lines between good and evil hopelessly blurred. It is a tale of self-discovery and irrepressible love, a coming-of-age story like no other.

Karou is such a compelling heroine, the kind of girl that shouldn't be crossed. She is quirky and mysterious -- from her naturally blue hair to her bullet-scarred belly -- a complex character who is alive and engaging from page one. Her mental life runs deep as she struggles with a lifelong sense of emptiness, and the constant frustration of vague answers from the only family she's ever known. Karou is smart and skilled, and she knows there's more to the story than she's been told. She is fearless when she needs to be, but vulnerable at heart. It's impossible not to fall in love with this one-of-a-kind heroine.

Her relationship with the chimaera who comprise her family is a complicated one -- full of loyalty and love, but also the betrayal and pain that plagues every family. Yet their deep-rooted bond is one of the most heart-warming aspects of the book, and is crucial to the impossible decisions Karou must make. Though they are repeatedly called "monsters" or "devils", Taylor takes care to show that nothing is so black and white. Karou's unconventional family fiercely loves her, and even when it's not always clear, they're acting with her best interest at heart.

A major part of what makes this tale so engrossing is the setting. Prague is a beautiful, enchanted place with cobblestone streets and macabre pubs -- anyone who reads this book will want to hop on a plane immediately. Taylor brings the scene alive for readers, making them feel the majesty of the city's beauty and the sting of the wind's sharp bite. Prague is timeless, full of hidden nooks and dusty secrets, the perfect setting for a tale of star-crossed love and forbidden magic.

Taylor perfectly balances drama and action with wit and passion, the kind of read that tickles the imagination and seeps into the soul. Readers will delight in the mystery of the devil's teeth, the brutal war between worlds and the truth of Karou's identity, never knowing where this colorful saga will take them next. Taylor's storytelling is stark and exquisite and lyrical, but also haunting, dark and sometimes tragic. When the many strands come together to reveal a stunning and heartbreaking truth, readers will never know what hit them. This is a fast-paced and high-soaring adventure that spans continents and worlds, generations and families -- but ultimately it all comes down to one girl, one special, strange girl with a secret sadness and a forgotten past.

~Review from the

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

You will become obsessed until it ends

This book is honestly one of the best I've ever read. It leads you to be intrigued with Karou the minute you begin reading. A mysterious and beautiful blue haired girl who feels entirely empty and alone. And on the opposite spectrum, an angel whose soul is broken beyond repair. POSSIBLE SPOILER...sort of......although the story does end up mostly being a romance, it doesn't i any way take away from the amazing imagery and fantasy elements that drive the story. the main characters are both complex and realistic. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone really. From young adult to adult. I cried while reading it and also laughed. This book will take you on a journey through all emotions on the spectrum and leave you gasping for breathe at the end wanting more. An absolute must-read.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Interesting, but incredibly "out there"

This book was poetically written and had me hooked for about the first 75 pages, but then the story grew increasingly bestial and weird. A good read for anyone who is into hardcore fantasy, but anyone who prefers more realistic and humanized forms of paranormal (aka. Twilight fans) might find the characters difficult to connect with. Definitely more powerful than Hush Hush, Fallen, and Personal Demons, but too "other worldly" and "out there" to really be considered a portrait of the human soul.

3 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

Breathtaking and Heartbreaking

I'm at a lost to describe this book. Is it a fairy tale? A twist to the old Romeo and Juliet story? A tale of war? A tale of prejudice? It's all of these things and more.

Karou is an artist whose imagination creates the wonderful hybrid creatures on the pages of her art-book - which is popular among the other art students at her school in Prague. The creatures are so realistic and Karou even has stories about them, telling it all with the wry smile that hides the fact that her imaginative creations and fantastic stories are real.

I was transported.

Laini's descriptive writing style printed such an impressive image of Prague in my head that I'm ready to call a travel agent and book my flight. If only Brimstone's shop could be reached via plane.

I was enthralled.

Karou, Zuzana, Issa, Twiga, Yasri, Brimstone and the rest, leaped out of the pages. Laini's characters are so well developed that I can picture them, right now, almost as if they are crowding my room, vying for my attention. The story was constantly moving, shifting, twisting; but never overwhelming or dull. I practically devoured it.

I was mystified.

One of the best parts of this story was the reveal in the end. In the back of my mind I knew what was happening, I knew where the story was going - because of the clues that were hidden along the way - but it wasn't until the reveal that everything became clear. I love when authors can achieve that balance, giving just enough for you to think you've got it, but leaving just enough out for you to be surprised in the end. This was the case with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It was a perfect blend of romance, adventure, and suspense. I cannot wait to read more from Laini!

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Not My Cup of Tea

A strange race of creatures implored with a disjointed plot makes for a difficult read. I am a fan of YA but I simply could not get into this book. It was a struggle just to drudge through the plot in its entirety. Even reading up until the last sentence, this book was strange and very underwhelming.

2 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Didn't like at all

I thought the author went out of her way to make the plot line obvious. The story also reminded me too much of Lauren Kate's "Fallen" series just with new races and characters.

2 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

LOVED IT!

I was hooked from the get go on this one. It was a definite surprise,not what I was expecting. Its the kind of book that even after you have finished it, you can't stop thinking about it. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to think outside the box!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is a MUST read!!!

I have to admit that I have never been much of a fan of fantasy stories. I prefer more realistic stories like those by Jodi Picoult etc. However,this book totally got me hooked! Laini Taylor is an author full of imagination and creativity who managed to bring out human qualities in the strange creatures in this story. The war between Angels and Demons is a popular topic in many books with a fantasy genre but Laini Taylor weaved a story around it and made her's so unique. Also certain ideas like having the Chimera possess the art of "reviving" the dead using teeth is very original and interesting. It did not matter that many things were unreal cause after all it is a fantasy fiction and the character of the characters were human-like enough and easy to relate with. The different point of views in this book gave it more perspective and allows the reader to explore each character. It is definitely one of the best books I have read in the year 2011. You have to read this book!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Meh . . .

Because of all the hype this book is getting, I was expecting to be blown away!

I wasn't.

Angels and demons falling in love? Nothing new about that. The settings were unique, I'll give the author that, but after a while the description started to really bog down the plot. And then there was the ending. The author built up the whole story around these two creatures and right when it was about to get REALLY good, she throws in this huge, 60+ page flashback that I felt completely unconnected to--and then the book was over. So, overall, Meh.

And one more thing!!! A male angel with flaming wings (totally cool) that wears guyliner??? I thought the eyeliner thing was totally dorky. Do they seriously make eyeliner in heaven? I don't think so.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Unexpected Find!

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book...I decided to give it a chance after perusing goodreads. Now I can't sit still waiting for the next installment! I love the way the author writes...you can picture everything vividly in your mind's eye. I loved it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Hobbitsies Reviews: Not what I expected

I wish I could say that I, like everyone else, absolutely loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone. But I didn't, not really. It took me a while to get into. I kept having to do other things and I only read about 30 pages of it in the span of the week. But once I got into it, Daughter of Smoke and Bone got really good. I was really loving the main character, Karou and her art and Brimstone and all her friends. I got a bit swoony with her over Akiva and his fiery eyes. I was intrigued by the storyline, by the necklace wishes and teeth and angels. And the setting - it made me wish I could go back in time and go to Prague when I lived in Europe in the spring. But then Daughter of Smoke and Bone took a slightly expected twist and the rest of the book completely didn't interest me at all. And I usually love fantasy, but it just wasn't what I was really wanting to get out of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Overall, I thought Daughter of Smoke and Bone had brilliant characters. And Laini Taylor is clearly a very talented author. Her writing style and description of settings and characters is fantastic. But The book just wasn't for me. Either way, a lot of people loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and I hope you do too.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

It was OK.

The book was good in the beginning (I like Karou a lot) ,but towards the middle and end I stopped being interested in it and now I'm only reading it because I can't not finish a book. The story was funny and interesting until she actually started talking to Akiva and also started thinking about rescuing her "family". That was a lot of drama (don't get me wrong, I read drama/romance books all the time) it's just that for some reason, the drama in this book wasn't really catching to my attention. Overall, I think that the reviews made the book seem like much more than it was. I don't think that I would recommend it, but I can't say it was horrible. Like I said in the beginning, it was OK.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good book

I know I am going to be one of the very few that did not feel this book. I am so sad cause I was so excited to read it. There was so much hype and so much excitement! I had other bloggers friends who simply adored this book. At last, I did not.

My main gripe about this book is that I could not connect with the main character Karou, or any other of the characters. I had trouble finding myself in their shoes and connecting with their world. Though, I did love the world that Ms. Taylor created. It is inviting, fresh, and very unique.

I really wish that I have enjoyed this book more. I strongly suggest that you read this book. Though it may be not be for me, it might be something you will enjoy.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Can't end

This can not be the end I dout this author will get away with out making another book.

Curiously, rich, colorful and mysterious adventure of alternate worlds.

I really loved the story behind this book. All the twists and turns and surprises left me wanting to read more. The storyline is something new for me and I loved the alternate worlds and histories behind them.

cleaver and different

best read in a while cant wait for the next one. Its not a crappy cliff hanger you know is coming the whole story. It is a great story in and of itself.

Fav

This one was so good!Laini did really good on this.

teen fabtasy a friend recommended

The story of Karou (main character) is compelling and the character Karou is believeable as a teen heeroine who feels out of the ordinary.
The plot flows smoothly. In my opinion the scenes are not overly described.
I am looking forward to Ms Taylor's follow up of this work.

recommended

once i started reading i couldn't put it down, can't wait for the next one to out :)