Friday, January 3, 2014

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, 418 pages


Daughter of Smoke and Bone begins with a stereotype of the special girl in young adult lit, that is, Karou is not like the "other girls". She is mysterious and independent, denoted by her bright blue hair and plethora of tattoos. She spurns the advances of good-looking men that pine after her. And then a mysterious and beautiful creature can't help but be held captive by her otherness, despite the fact that she is a 16 year old girl and he older and powerful. Like I haven't read this story a hundred times. But Taylor turns that story on its head a little over halfway into the book and develops a positively entrapping world of fantasy, angels and demons. The world Taylor creates is engrossing and very well portrayed with vivid descriptions or the wonders of both Elsewhere and our world. The romance at the beginning that feels forced and unlikely develops into a beautiful story of fateful and tragic love. Though getting through the first half might be a struggle, it is worth the ending, and the journey into Taylor's Elsewhere. Hopefully, the second book Days of Blood and Starlight, already released delves more into that world. The conclusion of this trilogy, Dreams of Gods and Monsters will arrive in April 2014.

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