Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Review: The Daughter of Smoke and Bone

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
Laini Taylor
Paranormal Young Adult
432 pages
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Available TODAY
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY
Most people think Karou is just the funky girl with blue hair and the crazy imagination. They gather around her sketchbook in their art class in Prague, fawning over her realistic drawings of monstrous creatures and listen riveted as she tells them stories of those creatures' lives. They all think she's just being Karou, but what they don't know is that every word she tells them, and every drawing she shows them, is very true and very real.

Karou knows her life working for Brimstone–the horned creature who raised her and loved her as his own–is unusual, one that has her collecting teeth on his behalf from all over the world for reasons he will never tell her. Her strange world begins to become even more interesting when black hand prints begin to appear on Brimstone's portals all over the world, seared into the metal and wood as a brand.

Accompanying the hand prints are rumors of beautiful and terrifying winged beings seen leaving the scene of each marking. When Karou finds herself face to face with one such being, she feels something she never knew she was missing click into place despite the stunning young man's determination to see her dead. Soon, the reason for the markings on the doors becomes apparent, and Karou finds herself alone with no one to help her figure out what's happened save for the angel Akiva, the young man and possible enemy with the key to her past, her future, and her heart.

MY THOUGHTS
Dark and dazzling, The Daughter of Smoke and Bone reaches out and yanks us into its world from page one as we glory in the refreshing beauty of such an unique tale. Ms. Taylor has a way of writing that resonates on a soul-deep level, so that even should the feeling being described be foreign to us it still seeps beneath our skin with the comforting familiarity of an old friend recently returned and sorely missed. Her descriptions are vivid but never is she overly verbose or flowery, instead reading her words is like having lived our entire lives as a blind person only to suddenly find an individual capable of describing color to us in such lush detail that they at long last grant us the ability to truly see beyond mere imaginings. Her world is incandescent light and smoldering dark, reality and fantasy, and epic love and tragic loss all wrapped up in a story not soon forgotten.

Karou is a quirky protagonist who instantly earns our loyalty and solidarity as she humorously deals with her cheating ex-boyfriend, Ms. Taylor beautifully introducing us to her world with very human emotions before whisking us into its more whimsically sinister side. Like Karou, we don’t fully understand her relationship to surrogate father Brimstone and his team of unique misfits, and so we slowly get to learn and question the realities of her existence along with her, thus making our investment in her life all the deeper. She and best friend Zuzana have us in stitches with their antics, but the bitter tang of all we don’t know is a prominent taste we can’t swallow away–nor do we wish to–as bits and pieces of past, present, and future begin to fall around us in a torrent of possibility, just waiting for us to pluck them from the ferocious downpour and fit them together in our minds.

The way events unfold is truly brilliant, Ms. Taylor baiting us with little clues that allow us to unravel minor mysteries ourselves before expertly weaving the individual threads together to create a pattern so stunningly complex and yet gloriously simple that we sit in shocked silence at the end. To a star-crossed romance so much more is added, elevating Karou and Akiva’s story to one that cannot be accurately categorized, the richness of it too great to dilute with easily understood definitions. Their love is theirs alone, comparable to no other and haunting in its unusualness, and we are left at the last page with a gaping hole in our hearts we wish a happy ending would fill. We take comfort in the knowledge that this story is just beginning though, and while the existing hole is sure to get wider before it's repaired, we still hold out hope for the love that rivals many of the most famous fictional romances to come before it.

Rating: 5/5

43 comments:

  1. Lovelovelovelove. Absolutely gorgeous review, Jenny! I completely agree with everything you mentioned! This book was just full to the brim of amazing stuff. <3

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  2. Wow! I love your description of her writing. It's best when it's not overly verbose but still comes alive with description. I can't wait to read this.

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  3. Oh my freaking goodness! I sooo loved this book, so sooo much! actually, it was one of the first books I've read after coming home from BEA.. and I'm still mad at myself that I didn't mad it to her signing!

    Wonderful review my friend!

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  4. I loved loved loved this book as well and the way you describe Laini's writing is spot on. I wish I was able to convey my thoughts in such an eloquent manner as you, Jenny :)

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  5. This is a wonderful review and I want this book now! It sounds so different and fresh, I can't wait to get my hands on it. When I got to the part where you said that our hearts would be left with a gaping hole for the lack of an HEA, I panicked a bit. I'm so glad to see this is a series.

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  6. Love the sound of the complex mix of light and dark, past and present, and love and loss. And when authors give all those little clues, it's so much fun! Can't wait to get my hands on this one. Fabulous review Jenny!

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  7. I recently ordered this one and cannot wit for it to arrive so I can read for myself what everyone else who has read seems to already know... what a fantastic read it is. Love dark and dazzling books.

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  8. Oh my gosh, I'm SO excited to get my hands on this book! I thought I was before, but your review just amped up my excitement factor even more! It sounds dazzling and complex and magical and dark. Everyone keeps talking about how amazing it is and I just can't wait to read it! :)

    Awesome review, Jenny!

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  9. This is definitely one that I hope lives up to the hype for me! When I first heard of the book I wasn't sure if it would be for me (not a fan of fantasy) but I've been reading all these amazing reviews so I'm just going to have to check it out. It's next up on my TBR so I guess I'll find out soon.

    Great review - glad you enjoyed this one so much! Hope I do too! :)

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  10. "Dark and dazzling"-perfect words to describe this book!

    I thought the same thing about her descriptions!

    Awesome review Jenny! :) I need book #2 NOW!

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  11. WOWZA!! I have only seen great reviews for this...I loved her short story novel Lips Touch Three Times......

    Girls with Blue hair are awesome...:)

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  12. Lauren - I couldn't get enough of this book, I need more! SO GOOD:)

    Alison - Her way of writing was just beautiful, I'm not one to highlight favorite quotes but found myself itching to write down several:)

    Danny - ME TOO! I wasn't sure about this book when I picked it up at BEA but I could kick myself for not picking it up as soon as I got home.

    Mari - Thank you! Glad you loved this one too:)

    Jennifer - It is really different, that's what's so interesting about it. I thought I knew where things were going and sometimes I was right and then other times I was way, way wrong:)

    Alyssa - This one had a lot going on, but somehow never felt busy or confusing, it just worked so well:)

    Jan - YAY! Can't wait for your review of it:)

    Mimi - I just adored it:) Now that it's gotten a fair amount of hype I'm sure some will be disappointed, but it's just a really unique read I think:)

    Leanna - I hope so too! I don't read much fantasy either, but she kind of snares you with the characters first, making you fall in love with them and then she slowly introduces all the fantasy elements.

    Jacinda - Loved her descriptions, they just made me happy:) I need book 2 immediately too.

    Tina - I need to read more by her now, I just loved this story so much! And Karou rocks the blue hair:)

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  13. Jenny, I am so happy that you like this book. For some reason I could not get into it. :(

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  14. Karou is such an amazing character! I really love the strong heroines, they are the best! This writing in this book was definitely beautiful. I can't wait to read the next book. I hope it's just as awesome!

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  15. I'm never good at putting any of the clues together, but I like being surprised.

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  16. Savy - No book is for everyone! So much for me depends on what I've read before it and what kind of mood I'm in and this one just got to me:)

    Christy - I loved Karou, she was relatable and funny and just interesting to read about:)

    Rebs - Glad you did!

    Brandi - There's lots of surprises. Some little things I was able to put together and then other things I was like WHAT?

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  17. Your review is probably the third positively glowing review that I've read about this book. If it weren't already on my wishlist, I'd be adding it now.

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  18. I SO want this book now! Goregous review, Jenny. I love how Taylor takes the trope of the paranormal and infuses it with so much more depth. I discovered her brilliant writing a little late with her short story collection "Lips Touch Three Times" which I also really enjoyed and would highly recommend it.

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  19. I have not read one bad review for this book. So glad it's finally the release day so I can finally grab it for myself. I love the idea of the star crossed lovers who are so different from ones I usually encounter.

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  20. Love your review! The Daughter of Smoke and Bone was never a book that I felt like I really really wanted to read but now I actually do.

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  21. It seems like everyone is super excited about this book! I really enjoy the cover---it is very unique.

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  22. Ahhh! 5 out of 5? I am SO regretting not picking up a copy of this book. I had it in my hand last week at B&N and was going to get it for my classroom. I should have! I need to get a copy now, especially after reading your glowing review.

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  23. Gah!!! I've had an ARC of this forever... I'm a horrible person for not having read it! Especially now that I've seen how much YOU. And apparently EVERY other person on Earth loves it!!!

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  24. Amanda - Yay! I think it's truly deserving of its hype:)

    Rummanah - You're the second person to mention Lips Touch Three Times, I'm going to have to pick that one up!

    Missie - I hope you enjoy it, the hype has set the bar pretty high:) It was just a beautiful story I thought.

    Jenny - I was the same way. The cover was interesting as was the blurb but I wasn't dying to read it. Then I picked up and fell in love with it:)

    Felicia - It's just a really different story, I liked the world, the characters and the romance, so it was an all around win for me:)

    Christina - I've been on a fabulous book streak lately, they've all been 4.5 or 5's which is super rare for me. Love it:)

    Ashley - GET ON IT. Seriously:) I hope you'll like it if you give it a try!

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  25. SWEET! I have this begging for me to read it and I keep assuring it that I'm getting to it quite soon! I can't wait! It sounds like my kind of book and I'm so glad you reviewed it!

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  26. Another spectacular review of this book! Your description of her writing - "reading her words is like having lived our entire lives as a blind person only to suddenly find an individual capable of describing color to us in such lush detail that they at long last grant us the ability to truly see beyond mere imaginings" - made my jaw drop. I am incredibly curious now!

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  27. I think this must be your best review ever! I have had this for a couple of weeks but haven't had the chance to dive in. Now I'm torn between it and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Either way, I know I'm absolutely going to love this book! Thanks for the great review!

    Heather

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  28. Let's see what you think *reads the review*
    Another really positive review of this book. Everyone is loving it

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  29. Gah, your description of her writing is just too perfect! Not to mention your description of Karou and her relationship with Akiva. Just too good to be true almost... can't wait to read it!!!! Stupid book buying ban... I'll just have to make an exception for this one.

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  30. Melissa - Hope you give it a try, it's one of my favorites for the year:)

    Ash - Thank you! Her writing was beautiful, I couldn't get enough of it:)

    Heather - Thanks so much, I had a hard time writing it because I couldn't quite get what I wanted across. I adored Mara Dyer too, so you can't go wrong with either one.

    Blodeuedd - It's wonderful:)

    Aylee - Thank you! I suck hugely at imposing a book buying ban on myself. I always start one and then fold after like 12 hours. Go Jenny.

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  31. Girl, your writing is as beautiful as hers! You're right, I love how she plays the light and dark against each other, feeds you little bits of information to draw you into Karou's world. It's absolutely amazing what she does.

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  32. I love the way you reviewed this one, Jenny! Taylor's world sounds brilliant and I like that even though you can solve the minor mysteries, the overall picture is something that you don't put together as easily. I also really like the sound of the romance since you make it sound different from the ones you typically find in YA.

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  33. Do you know how many times I've passed this book by on Lisa's shelf? OMG! I have to read this book like right NOW! Eeee! Sounds so super interesting, thanks for the awesome review. :)

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  34. WOW! This book looks so amazing!! Karou and Akiva's relationship sounds so romantic! I am going to definitely read this one next!! =D Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jenny!

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  35. And you say I know how to review? Good Lord, Jenny. Your review rivals the book, itself. Colour me jealous of your abilities!

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  36. Beautiful review, I have read other reviews on this book and have not been tempted to pick it up but now I really want to!

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  37. I love the way those clues sound (your final paragraph). But, but I'm going to be left with a gaping hole in my heart?!?! Noooo! Maybe that's for the best. Then I can wait until the next book comes out first. I wanted to wait a while before I read it anyway because I am totally scared of the hype :P

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  38. I have this, haven't read it yet. I'm so glad you gave it high praise so I'll be more apt to start reading it.

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  39. Such a gorgeous review! I simply cannot WAIT to read this one. All my favourite bloggers whose opinions I trust have adored it, so I have a feeling I will enjoy it as well.

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  40. I got this book last week. I was so exited to see it on display at B&N. I can't wait to read it. It's so nice to hear that it's fresh and dazzling...which seems to be so needed in YA fiction at the moment. great review..as usual!

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  41. 5 out of 5?! "truly brilliant"?!

    Just moved this to the top of my TBR... might even start it tonight...

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  42. I adored the book, but also this review is incredible. Your first paragraph is so descriptive, wow. You were clearly overcome by her writing like I was. I love Karou, and I love her relationship with Zuzana, and her art, and Akiva, and the big twist, and the mythological aspect. I'm getting carried away but yeah. Reading it was definitely a magical experience.

    Fabulous review!

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