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doodeedoda's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Slavery, Rape, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
michelles_book_nook's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
⚠️ TW: war, execution, misogyny, rape, torture ⚠️ If you're looking for a beautifully written and mesmerising fantasy series that will have you instantly obsessed then you need to read this! This book follows Karou who has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On one hand she is a 17 year old art student in Prague and on the other she is an errand girl for a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work of buying teeth from hunters and murderers nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole. When one day the portal doors to elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a nearly destroyed world that may hold the answers she has always sought. This book was everything you could possibly want from a fantasy book and I can't believe it has been sat on my tbr for so long! From the gripping storyline to the vivid characters to the impeccable world building. It left me speechless when I finished it because it was just so good and I dove straight into the second book. Overall, if you are into fantasy then you need to read this book/series because if the other two books are half as great as this one then it is incredibly underrated and needs all of the love!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, descriptions of blood, war, slavery, torture, self-harm mention, suicide, rape
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is book one in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. This was an interesting twist on the angels and demons story and lore with plenty of romance.
We follow Karou, a blue haired girl going to art school in Prague. Karou has a secret: she was raised by and runs errands for chimera in a different world. But she constantly feels lonely and feels like something about her is missing, that it's something she can't remember. Then black handprints are appearing on portal doors around the world and Karou is dragged into an ancient war between Angels and Chimera. One problem: Akiva the angel seems inexplicably linked to her. We get POVs from Karou and Akiva. Their romance is very sweet.
I really liked the angel and Chimera lore in this and that it wasn't connected to religion. Karou has to learn that magic comes at a price and no one is innocent. Hope was a major theme in the book and how it can be its own kind of magic. Taylor also reminds us of the importance of perspective. To the Angels, chimera are beasts and killers that need to be ruled over. To chimera, angels are cruel and brutal slavers. But the best part is that you can make a new way of life.
I look forward to the rest of the series!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is book one in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. This was an interesting twist on the angels and demons story and lore with plenty of romance.
We follow Karou, a blue haired girl going to art school in Prague. Karou has a secret: she was raised by and runs errands for chimera in a different world. But she constantly feels lonely and feels like something about her is missing, that it's something she can't remember. Then black handprints are appearing on portal doors around the world and Karou is dragged into an ancient war between Angels and Chimera. One problem: Akiva the angel seems inexplicably linked to her. We get POVs from Karou and Akiva. Their romance is very sweet.
I really liked the angel and Chimera lore in this and that it wasn't connected to religion. Karou has to learn that magic comes at a price and no one is innocent. Hope was a major theme in the book and how it can be its own kind of magic. Taylor also reminds us of the importance of perspective. To the Angels, chimera are beasts and killers that need to be ruled over. To chimera, angels are cruel and brutal slavers. But the best part is that you can make a new way of life.
I look forward to the rest of the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Suicide, and Rape
Moderate: Blood and Slavery
Minor: Self harm
_tamara_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Colonisation, War, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, and Genocide
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Blood, Torture, Toxic relationship, Rape, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, and Murder
navibo's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? No
4.0
Not the best one I’ve ever read, but def worth your time<3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Slavery
thecourtofreading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, and Pedophilia
Minor: Animal death, Torture, and Rape
nickoliver's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is a hard book for me to review, because on the one hand, I found it very beautifully written and enjoyed the story itself and the plot twists it had to offer; but on the other hand, I just severely disliked Akiva and the romance from beginning to end. Which didn't really make me enjoy the book anymore. It was a struggle at times, tbh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Slavery, and Torture
Minor: Rape
aseel_reads's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
2023: 3.75 stars.
Past me was such a little sap 🤣 this is still a fun time but I'm mostly obsessed with Prague, art school, and Zuzana, not so much about the romantic relationship, but still a fun time. Super easy to read but definitely has some dated word choices.
2017: 5 stars
I love this so much 😭😭😭😍 Taylor is one of the most amazing writers ever. I thought I couldn't love anything more than strange the dreamer but this was perfection
Her writing style and descriptions are literal magic. The plots are so amazing and everything is just perfect
I'm so thankful I have the next book with me 😂
Past me was such a little sap 🤣 this is still a fun time but I'm mostly obsessed with Prague, art school, and Zuzana, not so much about the romantic relationship, but still a fun time. Super easy to read but definitely has some dated word choices.
2017: 5 stars
I love this so much 😭😭😭😍 Taylor is one of the most amazing writers ever. I thought I couldn't love anything more than strange the dreamer but this was perfection
Her writing style and descriptions are literal magic. The plots are so amazing and everything is just perfect
I'm so thankful I have the next book with me 😂
Content Warnings
Minor: Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Torture, Rape, Violence, War, Colonisation, Slavery, and Sexual harassment
bi_n_large's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The worldbuilding for this book is brilliant and the payoffs are phenomenal.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Torture and Rape
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