This week's second Friday Reads is a book that's in two of my challenges for this year, the 2014 series challenge on Read Sleep Repeat and the 2014 TBR pile challenge on Bookish, and for that one it's also the Read-Along book for January!
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An absolutely amazing book! I have let this book settle in my mind for a while in the hope that time would allow me to write a more coherent review for this book, but I'm quite afraid that won't be as easy...
I loved this book, I really really loved this book, and read in January it's and will be one of my absolute favourite books of the whole year. I had been postponing reading it and now I feel like kicking myself for it, except that when I think the final book of this trilogy comes out this year, I think the wait was worth to save me long waits between books!
The first thing about this book that grabbed me from the first page was the writing. It is absolutely beautiful and can be lyrical and creepy and so vivid that you feel like you're walking the pages with the characters.
When I went into the book I wasn't very sure what the book was about, I had read a gorgeous novella "Night of Cake and Puppets" on the same world, but I didn't have a clue about what the plot was about, only that Karou could use a sort of magic & wishes. And wow... that is just but a grain of sand compared to what the book really packs! At some point I feared all would end up into a very trite Angels vs Demons rehash, but I should not have doubted Laini Taylor in the least because what she did was simply fantastic.
You really don't know what to expect page after page, and even though you get hints here and there, I must confess though I suspected quite a bit, I wasn't entirely sure I was right and some of the revelations did really manage to surprise me.
The book has two very distinct halves, one where we are introduced to the world, to Karou and her life and we get little glimpses of another world beyond ours, with the wishes, and Karou's blue hair and how she tries to be an art student in Prague and do the errands in search for teeth all over the world. Then winged Akiva appears and the game changes. We start getting some more flashbacks and the final part of the story is Karou trying to find what was really going on and finding out who or what she really is.
The character development was fantastic, I already was madly in love with Zuzana, the rabid fairy and Mik, the violing boy, but properly meeting Karou and going on this journey with her was fantastic and heartbreaking. Akiva was perfect kind of intriguing, dangerous, brooding and conflicted kind of character that Karou needed to push her along.
I just cannot say anymore without risking some spoilers and I don't wanna do that at all, this book is one that is going to be brilliant either way, but I feel that discovering every little nuance of it as it comes up will make it even better!
Now I must go and read the next book, even if it means I'll have the long 3 month wait till the final book comes out!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a fantastic book, one that I can't recommend enough and that deserves 5 stars (and a few more added to it!).
View all my reviews
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini TaylorMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
An absolutely amazing book! I have let this book settle in my mind for a while in the hope that time would allow me to write a more coherent review for this book, but I'm quite afraid that won't be as easy...
I loved this book, I really really loved this book, and read in January it's and will be one of my absolute favourite books of the whole year. I had been postponing reading it and now I feel like kicking myself for it, except that when I think the final book of this trilogy comes out this year, I think the wait was worth to save me long waits between books!
The first thing about this book that grabbed me from the first page was the writing. It is absolutely beautiful and can be lyrical and creepy and so vivid that you feel like you're walking the pages with the characters.
When I went into the book I wasn't very sure what the book was about, I had read a gorgeous novella "Night of Cake and Puppets" on the same world, but I didn't have a clue about what the plot was about, only that Karou could use a sort of magic & wishes. And wow... that is just but a grain of sand compared to what the book really packs! At some point I feared all would end up into a very trite Angels vs Demons rehash, but I should not have doubted Laini Taylor in the least because what she did was simply fantastic.
You really don't know what to expect page after page, and even though you get hints here and there, I must confess though I suspected quite a bit, I wasn't entirely sure I was right and some of the revelations did really manage to surprise me.
The book has two very distinct halves, one where we are introduced to the world, to Karou and her life and we get little glimpses of another world beyond ours, with the wishes, and Karou's blue hair and how she tries to be an art student in Prague and do the errands in search for teeth all over the world. Then winged Akiva appears and the game changes. We start getting some more flashbacks and the final part of the story is Karou trying to find what was really going on and finding out who or what she really is.
The character development was fantastic, I already was madly in love with Zuzana, the rabid fairy and Mik, the violing boy, but properly meeting Karou and going on this journey with her was fantastic and heartbreaking. Akiva was perfect kind of intriguing, dangerous, brooding and conflicted kind of character that Karou needed to push her along.
I just cannot say anymore without risking some spoilers and I don't wanna do that at all, this book is one that is going to be brilliant either way, but I feel that discovering every little nuance of it as it comes up will make it even better!
Now I must go and read the next book, even if it means I'll have the long 3 month wait till the final book comes out!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a fantastic book, one that I can't recommend enough and that deserves 5 stars (and a few more added to it!).
View all my reviews
I started reading it at one point when it first came out but didn't really give it a chance, so I think I'm going to have to try it again (I mean, I think I gave up on it within the first chapter, because of the mood I was in). I keep hearing amazing things about it, as of what you just said, so I'm hoping I'll end up loving it too. Glad you enjoyed it! :)
ReplyDeleteKirtsy, I think you really to give it a chance, it is a brilliant book!!
DeleteYou're totally lucky that you only have a few months until the last book! I loved this book, thought the writing was brilliant and plot was WAY out there which is awesome. I didn't know that Night of Cake of Puppets was out, I'll have to check it out! Glad you've joined the Karou fan club Pili. Will you be reading the next book soon? I haven't read it yet.
ReplyDeleteJeann @ Happy Indulgence
YAY for joining the Karou fan club! *high fives*
DeleteI've already read both Days of Blood And Starlight and Night of Cake and Puppets! Absolutely adored them both!! You really need to read them ASAP! Now I'm totally dying for Dreams of Gods and Monsters!!
AHHH LOVE THIS SERIES SO FREAKING MUCHHHH
ReplyDeleteYep, freaking awesome!!
DeleteHooray! I absolutely loved this one and I love that you loved it, too! You need to read the sequel ASAP! It's...darker, but oh so amazing! :D
ReplyDeleteYep, it was a brilliant and fantastic bloody brilliant book! And I've already read the sequel and I agree it's darker but equally amazing if not even more!
DeleteI loved this book as well. The sequel is sitting on my TBR shelf. I plan to use it for my Prequel and Sequel challenge and then when the 3rd one comes out, that as well! Great review! I have the e-novella that you talked about, but haven't read it yet.
ReplyDeleteThe novella was an absolute treat, you need to read it, Lisa!
DeleteSuch a great book! Loved the second one too. I need to read the novella :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics
You really need to read the novella, Jen! It was the same amazing writing, the same creepiness and it's Zuzanna and her violin boy!
DeleteYay! So glad you read this, Pili! This book made me want to dye my hair blue and go to Prague. I still hope to visit Prague one day, but I think I'll keep my hair as is. :)
ReplyDeleteDays of Blood and Starlight is every bit as good, so you're in for a treat!
Stephanie @ Inspiring Insomnia
Same here!! I cannot dye my hair since it's too delicate for that, but I am sooooo gonna be visiting Prague as soon as I can!
DeleteI LOVED this book to pieces! And I loved the sequel even more. Laini's writing is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you loved it! (and yay for the last book coming soon!)
Happy reading Pili!
Lis @ The reader lines
Agreed, Lis!! This book was fantastic!! I already feel like re-reading it again!
DeleteThank you!