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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Also by this author: Strange the Dreamer , Muse of Nightmares
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1
Published by Hodder & Stoughton on 29th September 2011
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, YA Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: 12 hours and 32 minutes
Format: Audible
Source: I bought it
Goodreads
Amazon Kindle, Audible
"Errand requiring immediate attention. Come."
The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things. When Brimstone called, she always came.
In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a 17-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to 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 - 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.
Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.
This book has been on my TBR pile for a while but I read this book because Illumicrate were doing a special edition and I wanted to decide if I should order it or not. I read the Strange the Dreamer series back in 2018 so I had an idea of Laini’s style which is very unique.
The beginning of the story is quite slow as there is quite a bit of worldbuilding. The action begins in Prague which is somewhere I really want to visit so I was interested in this location but other than that it is a little bit of a drag. Laini has a very vivid imagination. Her worlds are very well thought out and are unlike anything else I have read.
I liked the main character Karou. She is quirky and mischievous. She doesn’t take any prisoners and will fight for those that she loves. She’s also a risk-taker which can get her into a bit of trouble.
Weaved into this magical world is a truly heartbreaking love story. I won’t say any more on that but it is one that will get you deep.
I do think I need to read this book rather than listen to it or listen a second time. There’s a lot going on and I’m not sure if I took it all in 100%. Before I continue with the series I think I will do a re-read.
About Laini Taylor
Hi! I write fantasy books. My latest is STRANGE THE DREAMER, about a young librarian, a mythic lost city, and the half-human children of murdered gods. Check it out 🙂 Before that I wrote the DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE trilogy, which has been translated into 32 languages. It’s about a blue-haired art student raised by monsters, a broken angel, and a war that has raged for 1000 years in another world. I also wrote LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES, which was a National Book Award finalist, and the DREAMDARK books. As well as various short stories and novellas.
Thanks for reading!!
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