Erika’s POV: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Author: Laini Taylor

Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance

Format: Published September 27th 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Source: Own copy; bought in Fully Booked

“Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?”

The Summary: 

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”, she speaks many languages – not all of them human – and her bright blue hair actuallygrows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts:

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well.

The title, the cover, and the synopsis got me interested in this book. It’s just filled with so much mystery that I had to know. As I began to read, I too started wondering… not WHO but WHAT is Karou? First, she draws these monsters that are weird looking and claims that they’re real. Second, she naturally has blue hair. IMPOSSIBLE. But I do wish there were hair like that cause I want my hair to be pink, purple or blue (cotton candy shade). Okay and then she speaks many languages. Of course, she can’t be human but what is she??

“Your soul sings to mine. My soul is yours, and it always will be, in any world. No matter what happens. I need you to remember that I love you.”

While Karou is doing her “job”, she meets Akiva. This angel. OH MY OH MY. He’s presence just made my heart melt and swoon at the same time. She just stared at Karou and felt something (Let me tell you that he’s not the one only one who felt something…) He was trying to kill her but he couldn’t. There was just something about her that connected with him. The whole time I was wondering. (This book made me do nothing but wonder.) Why was Akiva feeling this way?? WHY??

“Love is a luxury.”
“No. Love is an element.”
An element. Like air to breathe, earth to stand on.

Something happens that makes them stay together. UGH. I love them. Akiva is just so sweet. I swear I could stare at him forever. Moments like this makes me wish I was an artist cause I would want to do draw him… The times they were together were the best. I just wished it didn’t have to end.

“Was there any fate more bitter than to get what you long for most, when it’s too late?”

The moment I’ve been waiting for… Karou finally finds out who she is. THIS REVELATION SHOCKED THE HECK OUT OF ME. I was like. WHAT?! WHAT?! WHAT?! I couldn’t believe that that was who she was. WHAT?! I was really really stunned. It didn’t end there. I was already super shocked but Laini just had to give me a double shock. AKIVA. WHY?! I understand why you did it but it hurts my soul. I hurt for the two of you.

Elsewhere. The other world. All the “people” in Elsewhere are just incredible. Laini’s imagination is beyond amazing. I was like I can’t believe there are hybrid type of things— chimaera there. There are devils and angels but it got me thinking the whole time who really are the bad guys? Also teeth. Why teeth? Why do they collect teeth? And then I find out. SHOCKED TO MY CORE (yet again). I couldn’t believe that’s what they used the teeth for….

“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.”

This book is unique in every way. The characters, the writing, the world. I was in love. I really had to use my imagination at its highest level just to think about what chimaera’s looked like. The whole time you wonder and ask but the moment you get the answer it’s not what you expect at all. You’ve been warned. The ending of this book BROKE my heart. HUHUHUHUHU. The beginning may be kind of slow because of the world building but don’t let go. It will be worth it!!!

Happy reading!!!