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A review by jamieleepilk
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
5.0
*** THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ***
This book was nothing that I expected it to be. But to be honest I don't really know what I was expecting to read. All I knew about it before reading was that it had Angels in and that was pretty much it.
I'm making this review have sections to make thing easier and clearer.
Simple Summary.
Karou, brought up since babyhood by Brimstone a chimera in a shop full of teeth. She lives in human Prague and is an Art student. Brimstone sends her on errands to collect teeth from his "dealers". To get to these different dealers Karou uses a portal that takes her to other countries. One day these Black handprints appear on the portal doors, burnt into the wood. And then a lot of stuff goes down...
Characters.
The first and female protagonist we meet is the feisty blue haired Karou. Who I personally like straight away. She is the kind of character you wish you had as a personal friend and for the duration of the book that is what Karou feels like a personal friend and when Karou is upset you just want to go to her and be like "Hey, fancy coming Poison?" just to cheer her up. Maybe I felt more of a connection with Karou as she was an art student which also happens to be what I am, but that I am afraid is as far as our similarities go as sadly I am not sassy, confident and worse of all I don't not have blonde hair.
Zuzanna (sorry if that is the wrong spelling) is Karou's best friend and is described as a small fairy like girl who makes up for her size with attitude.
Kaz is the over cocky ex boyfriend of Karou, this character isn't really around that much but when he was he was kind of a comic relief when we first see him. One word, Itch. Need I say more?
Now, Akiva. Akiva. Akiva. AKIVA! *Fans face* At first we meet him and he I was like "Why are you being so mean?" and "Why are you burning hand prints into portal doors?" but as the story continues you find what he has been through and why he is doing this and all the things he has been through concerning his parent issues and also the whole Madrigal situation. But I think Akiva is possibly my favorite character from this book, just because of the dialogue was fantastic and also just the way he acts and is portrayed and grows throughout the book.
O and I also love Issa, I have no idea why. I just do!
Setting.
Everything in this book is so beautifully described and in no way of the top like some book tend to go over the top when describing settings. When Laini was describing Prague I was like "Man, I want to go to Prague!" And then I can back to reality and realized I am a student with no money and I also have no wishes nor portals to get to Prague. Boohoo.
The Story itself.
Like I said, I had no idea what so ever what this story was when I bought the book. I just knew loads of people liked it and and Angels where involved. You had me at Angels. Anyway, I really really like the story, I feel it was very original and new as I personally have never read anything like this before. All the way through you are left wondering what is going on but you are fine with being out of the loop for a while while everything nicely slots in place until BAM Everything connects and twists around and I was left like jaw on the floor catching flies. The whole wishbone thing left me a little confused at first but when it clicked it clicked and I loved it. All the way through Akiva mad connections between Karou and his presumed dead chimera lover Madrigal.
When snapping "Brimestones" wish bone necklace Karou has these kind of dream flashback thing and it is very beautifully revealed that Karou is actually Madrigal reincarnated. When you think it's all happy and Karou/Madrigal and Akiva can be all happy, Akiva (silly Akiva) reveals that Brimestone and Karou/Madrigal's chimera family are in fact dead. Boohoo.
My Favorite part.
When Karou and Akiva are on the bridge and he sees that she has the wishbone that had belonged to Madrigal and he can't contain his emotions and just breaks down in front of every-one. I cried.
Least favorite part.
When Karou went through the door that she wasn't meant to go though and she saw more Chimera lay on the stone tables and when we first meet the ever so charming (sarcasm) Thiago. Thiago is a scary, creepy and strange character.
Favorite Characters.
Akiva and Issa.
Bad things.
Overall there wasn't that much I didn't like about this book. BUT, I didn't like how quickly Karou started being "ok" with Akiva, yes I know she is actually Madrigal and there souls are kind of linked because of there love for one another, but I just felt it was rushed and could have done with a scene more or two just for it to sink in a little. Because to me it felt like "BOOM I HATE YOU, YOU HAVE MADE ME LOOSE MY FAMILY!" and then suddenly it's "OH HEY YOU CAN STAY IN MY FLAT AND WE CAN MAKE OUT ON MY BED IF YOU LIKE." But other than that I can't really fault this book.
I will be reading the next book in the series as I really need to know what happens next. Well, I will be buying it once I get money to be able to purchase it.
Hopes for the next book in short points -
1. Thiago dies.
2. Brimstone, Issa, Yasri and other nice Chimera are not dead.
3. Karou carries on being bad ass.
4. MORE AKIVA.
5. More flashbacks of Madrigal and Akiva back when Madrigal was Madrigal and not Karou.
Thanks for reading this! Leave in the comments what you thought :)
Have a nice day lovelies!
- Jamie.
This book was nothing that I expected it to be. But to be honest I don't really know what I was expecting to read. All I knew about it before reading was that it had Angels in and that was pretty much it.
I'm making this review have sections to make thing easier and clearer.
Simple Summary.
Karou, brought up since babyhood by Brimstone a chimera in a shop full of teeth. She lives in human Prague and is an Art student. Brimstone sends her on errands to collect teeth from his "dealers". To get to these different dealers Karou uses a portal that takes her to other countries. One day these Black handprints appear on the portal doors, burnt into the wood. And then a lot of stuff goes down...
Characters.
The first and female protagonist we meet is the feisty blue haired Karou. Who I personally like straight away. She is the kind of character you wish you had as a personal friend and for the duration of the book that is what Karou feels like a personal friend and when Karou is upset you just want to go to her and be like "Hey, fancy coming Poison?" just to cheer her up. Maybe I felt more of a connection with Karou as she was an art student which also happens to be what I am, but that I am afraid is as far as our similarities go as sadly I am not sassy, confident and worse of all I don't not have blonde hair.
Zuzanna (sorry if that is the wrong spelling) is Karou's best friend and is described as a small fairy like girl who makes up for her size with attitude.
Kaz is the over cocky ex boyfriend of Karou, this character isn't really around that much but when he was he was kind of a comic relief when we first see him. One word, Itch. Need I say more?
Now, Akiva. Akiva. Akiva. AKIVA! *Fans face* At first we meet him and he I was like "Why are you being so mean?" and "Why are you burning hand prints into portal doors?" but as the story continues you find what he has been through and why he is doing this and all the things he has been through concerning his parent issues and also the whole Madrigal situation. But I think Akiva is possibly my favorite character from this book, just because of the dialogue was fantastic and also just the way he acts and is portrayed and grows throughout the book.
O and I also love Issa, I have no idea why. I just do!
Setting.
Everything in this book is so beautifully described and in no way of the top like some book tend to go over the top when describing settings. When Laini was describing Prague I was like "Man, I want to go to Prague!" And then I can back to reality and realized I am a student with no money and I also have no wishes nor portals to get to Prague. Boohoo.
The Story itself.
Like I said, I had no idea what so ever what this story was when I bought the book. I just knew loads of people liked it and and Angels where involved. You had me at Angels. Anyway, I really really like the story, I feel it was very original and new as I personally have never read anything like this before. All the way through you are left wondering what is going on but you are fine with being out of the loop for a while while everything nicely slots in place until BAM Everything connects and twists around and I was left like jaw on the floor catching flies. The whole wishbone thing left me a little confused at first but when it clicked it clicked and I loved it. All the way through Akiva mad connections between Karou and his presumed dead chimera lover Madrigal.
When snapping "Brimestones" wish bone necklace Karou has these kind of dream flashback thing and it is very beautifully revealed that Karou is actually Madrigal reincarnated. When you think it's all happy and Karou/Madrigal and Akiva can be all happy, Akiva (silly Akiva) reveals that Brimestone and Karou/Madrigal's chimera family are in fact dead. Boohoo.
My Favorite part.
When Karou and Akiva are on the bridge and he sees that she has the wishbone that had belonged to Madrigal and he can't contain his emotions and just breaks down in front of every-one. I cried.
Least favorite part.
When Karou went through the door that she wasn't meant to go though and she saw more Chimera lay on the stone tables and when we first meet the ever so charming (sarcasm) Thiago. Thiago is a scary, creepy and strange character.
Favorite Characters.
Akiva and Issa.
Bad things.
Overall there wasn't that much I didn't like about this book. BUT, I didn't like how quickly Karou started being "ok" with Akiva, yes I know she is actually Madrigal and there souls are kind of linked because of there love for one another, but I just felt it was rushed and could have done with a scene more or two just for it to sink in a little. Because to me it felt like "BOOM I HATE YOU, YOU HAVE MADE ME LOOSE MY FAMILY!" and then suddenly it's "OH HEY YOU CAN STAY IN MY FLAT AND WE CAN MAKE OUT ON MY BED IF YOU LIKE." But other than that I can't really fault this book.
I will be reading the next book in the series as I really need to know what happens next. Well, I will be buying it once I get money to be able to purchase it.
Hopes for the next book in short points -
1. Thiago dies.
2. Brimstone, Issa, Yasri and other nice Chimera are not dead.
3. Karou carries on being bad ass.
4. MORE AKIVA.
5. More flashbacks of Madrigal and Akiva back when Madrigal was Madrigal and not Karou.
Thanks for reading this! Leave in the comments what you thought :)
Have a nice day lovelies!
- Jamie.