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shadowlee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sam_hartwig's review against another edition
5.0
What can I say that hasn't already been said? This is so beautifully written, I read it in about 3 sittings which could've been less but unfortunately I had to sleep and work. Laini Taylor has given a whole different take on the old fashioned feud between good and evil - Angels & demons.
Karou was such an interesting character, how can you not love someone with blue hair and able to kick anyone's butt with her mad fighting skills. She is a girl with lots of secrets, but there are also a lot of secrets going on that she doesn't know about. There's a lot of mystery shrouding Karou's birth and where she comes from. It was written really well and kept me guessing until everything was revealed.
I LOVED the backdrop of Prague - I felt like I have travelled there by the amazing way Taylor described all the different places. Anyone who has been there before may feel like they are reliving some of their moments there (sadly I've never been).
There's a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, so I have already reserved the next book at the library, The third book comes out in April next year (2014) so I won't have to wait too long to finish the trilogy - thankfully! I'm glad I finally got round to reading this because it has lived up to all my expectations, maybe even surpassed my expectations.
Also on my blog
Karou was such an interesting character, how can you not love someone with blue hair and able to kick anyone's butt with her mad fighting skills. She is a girl with lots of secrets, but there are also a lot of secrets going on that she doesn't know about. There's a lot of mystery shrouding Karou's birth and where she comes from. It was written really well and kept me guessing until everything was revealed.
I LOVED the backdrop of Prague - I felt like I have travelled there by the amazing way Taylor described all the different places. Anyone who has been there before may feel like they are reliving some of their moments there (sadly I've never been).
There's a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, so I have already reserved the next book at the library, The third book comes out in April next year (2014) so I won't have to wait too long to finish the trilogy - thankfully! I'm glad I finally got round to reading this because it has lived up to all my expectations, maybe even surpassed my expectations.
Also on my blog
laurasauras's review against another edition
4.0
Typical teenage fantasy/ sci fi but really well done. Very quick read and will definitely read the sequels.
erikafickessenhill's review against another edition
3.0
I really like this book; however, I have to admit that it took me awhile to become invested in the characters and the story as a whole. I picked it up for the first time in March, got over 100 pages in and then put it down. I was bored. This rarely ever happens to me, as I usually have this compulsive need to complete a book before I move on to something else. After sitting on my shelf for another 5 months, I finally decided that I had to finish it. I am very happy that I gave it another chance because the last 150 pages hooked me. I can only hope that the rest of the series follows the same pace as the last part of the novel because I feel like it would be ridiculous to not love a series that is set in such an amazingly mystical world.
tencutepuppies's review against another edition
3.0
(3) I’m so sad this book wasn’t as good as the hype said it was. Honestly, I should have known, seeing as I was sold on it by other people and not the synopsis at all.
I can see how it appeals to some people. The whole starcrossed lovers thing and all. But it was a whole lot of starcrossed and not a lot of lovers, seeing as it was very insta-lovey from the start. And although there is a reason, it was not good enough to sell it for me.
The other con was the fact that the ending went in a completely bizarre direction for the last 200 or so pages. And it was all things we already could have gathered. I’m not super sure which editor thought it would be a great idea to intricately and painstakingly flesh out the backstory we already have the basics on. I would have been okay with it had it not also been extremely insta-lovey. Like we’re supposed to be okay with the first case of insta-love because...they fell in love at their first interaction in the past?
Akiva was bland. Karou was mildly enjoyable. Brimstone and Karou’s found family were hardly showed at all, which was a shame because they were the most interesting.
The best thing about the story was the way the world worked. That’s so general, but my feelings about it are rather general too. For example, the way that wishes come from different teeth and that there’s a black market for them. And Karou’s descriptions of Prague made it seem so whimsical and gorgeous.
But again. A general good aspect does not a great story make.
I can see how it appeals to some people. The whole starcrossed lovers thing and all. But it was a whole lot of starcrossed and not a lot of lovers, seeing as it was very insta-lovey from the start. And although there is a reason, it was not good enough to sell it for me.
The other con was the fact that the ending went in a completely bizarre direction for the last 200 or so pages. And it was all things we already could have gathered. I’m not super sure which editor thought it would be a great idea to intricately and painstakingly flesh out the backstory we already have the basics on. I would have been okay with it had it not also been extremely insta-lovey. Like we’re supposed to be okay with the first case of insta-love because...they fell in love at their first interaction in the past?
Akiva was bland. Karou was mildly enjoyable. Brimstone and Karou’s found family were hardly showed at all, which was a shame because they were the most interesting.
The best thing about the story was the way the world worked. That’s so general, but my feelings about it are rather general too. For example, the way that wishes come from different teeth and that there’s a black market for them. And Karou’s descriptions of Prague made it seem so whimsical and gorgeous.
But again. A general good aspect does not a great story make.
nyxesss's review against another edition
3.0
Characters 5
writing 5
plot 6
entertainment 4
★5
"To stay true in the face of evil is a feat of strength."
writing 5
plot 6
entertainment 4
★5
"To stay true in the face of evil is a feat of strength."
sammymus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
emperor_aj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
vicky30312's review against another edition
3.0
This book was quite the whirlwind. There were parts I really loved and parts I really could have done without. The writing style was nice however, there were quite a few times when I felt she was explaining things over and over and dragging out other parts that were not needed. I love the plot and characters a lot! I just wish the book had been put together a little bit better; it felt quite jumpy. As much as these few things bothered me, I still completed the book and am already the next one. I wasn't in love with this book but it definitely got me hooked to the story line and now I want to visit Prague! XD
maddie_orart's review against another edition
4.0
Review posted on Of Reading and Random Things
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is my first ‘re-read’ of the year, and I decided it would be a great opportunity to try out audiobooks which turned out to be a great decision 🙂
I thought Laini Taylor is such a wonderful storyteller the first time I read this book, and I still feel the same way now. The creativity and the uniqueness of the story (I certainly never thought much about teeth of all things) just pulled me in and didn’t let go. The characters are so full of life and different personalities, I enjoyed reading about every single one of them. And if this reread did one thing, it reminded me of how awesome Zuzana is and how much I want her to be my friend.
At first, I was a little unsure about listening to the audiobook, especially because my thoughts tend to drift the second I lose focus, but everything ended up fine. I did have to rewind a few times in the beginning because something I heard triggered a different train of thought, but after listening for a while and getting the hang of it, I actually enjoyed the audiobook a lot. In fact, I actually ended up appreciating Laini Taylor’s writing style even more in audiobook form. The way the sentences sounded when said out loud is really enjoyable to listen to, which gives it a different experience from just reading the words on the pages.
In the end, I still really love this book. I think it’s wonderful and I’m looking forward to listening to the sequel once I can get my hands on the audiobook 🙂
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is my first ‘re-read’ of the year, and I decided it would be a great opportunity to try out audiobooks which turned out to be a great decision 🙂
I thought Laini Taylor is such a wonderful storyteller the first time I read this book, and I still feel the same way now. The creativity and the uniqueness of the story (I certainly never thought much about teeth of all things) just pulled me in and didn’t let go. The characters are so full of life and different personalities, I enjoyed reading about every single one of them. And if this reread did one thing, it reminded me of how awesome Zuzana is and how much I want her to be my friend.
At first, I was a little unsure about listening to the audiobook, especially because my thoughts tend to drift the second I lose focus, but everything ended up fine. I did have to rewind a few times in the beginning because something I heard triggered a different train of thought, but after listening for a while and getting the hang of it, I actually enjoyed the audiobook a lot. In fact, I actually ended up appreciating Laini Taylor’s writing style even more in audiobook form. The way the sentences sounded when said out loud is really enjoyable to listen to, which gives it a different experience from just reading the words on the pages.
In the end, I still really love this book. I think it’s wonderful and I’m looking forward to listening to the sequel once I can get my hands on the audiobook 🙂