Daughter of Smoke and Bone

We've seen enemies to lovers but we've not seen angels fall for devils. With its emphasis on prejudice amongst a superior race and it's consequences, it's Beautifully paced with a unique magic system.

The chimaera being part human part animal is kind of unsettling to me and I have to imagine that there not like that because it makes me uncomfortable 😣

And then the whole Madrigal Akiva story is so insta lovey like I can wrap my head around Akiva being interested in the girl who saved his life but her why does she like him

And I don’t understand why he likes her either it’s like he a boy and she’s a girl and they are both attractive so why not and she compares him to Thiago a lot like oh he does these bare minimum nice things that Thiago doesn’t do (he also treats her like an object which just makes akiva seem even better) and she’s like he’s perfect like girl that’s nice and all but it’s literally the bare minimum

AND THEN not even mentioning the fact that he and Madrigal moved WAY TO FAST like how do go from meeting a stranger who is your enemy saving his life not seeing him for TWO YEARS CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG and then dancing and chatting with him a little to kissing and doing the devils tango LIKE WHAT

THE PACING OF THIS RELATIONSHIP IS NON-EXISTENT AND DOESNT MAKE A TINY BIT OF SENSE 😩

I enjoy his relationship with Karou much more I don’t know why I just feel more of a connection and it doesn’t seem to me (at least not at the moment of writing this and also not having finished the book) that they are “in love” more like intrigued by the other feeling some kind of connection which I can buy into

NEVERMIND after Karou got her memory back it was like they were in love which makes sense but since I don’t buy into the fact that Madrigal and Akiva are in love it just falls flat like just don’t buy it and I was never rooting for their relationship like I am with Karou

But BRIMSTONE we love him and he is the best dad even though he can be mean sometimes he means well 🥺

I could tell from almost the beginning that Karou was more than likely a reincarnated madrigal and I was really proud of myself I mean it wasn’t 100% obvious in the beginning I could see it going two ways

ANYWAYS the funny thing about this book is that I had recently finished watching Encanto when I started reading this book and of course, the songs were stuck in my head and I was trying to figure out how to pronounce their last name and BOOM right on the page of this book I see madrigal and I just thought that was funny

Also in the back of the book I love how the author shares the way she comes up with book ideas

Just to wrap up my final thoughts

I wonder what Akiva and Karou’s relationship will be like in the next book because to me I can tell she’s upset but I can’t tell how upset

Is he going to come with her to the other world?

Idk but what I do know is that some of the reveals fell flat like the whole Madrigal and Akiva thing

But the reveal of what brimstone does with the teeth was interesting

Overall a pretty good experience

4 stars ⭐️

Really bloody good. Epic fantasy told through a love story. Do not be too hasty to dismiss this book based on the silly blurb. There is magic in Laini Taylor's prose. Her evocative imagery and empathetic characters are something to behold in an otherwise crippled genre.

This book started off really strong and promising. I enjoyed the settings of Prague and Morocco and thought the author really brought these places to life. I also liked the main YA female protagonist. Karou was strong, smart, and talented. An art-student who did not know a lot about her past and was living between two worlds. The mythology and world-building was good and interesting and different from others YA books I have read, with religious undertones. Then... the cliched Romeo-and-Juliet star-crossed insta-forbidden-lovers thing started and it just dragged on and on and

on. The plot completely stalled and it just took way too long to get the point. I didn't care anymore.

Also, this author has a super annoying and immature trend to

randomly italicize every

other word. Stop it!

The insta love

3.5/5

"Daughter of Smoke & Bone" by Laini Taylor invites readers into a world where angels and demons are not mere archetypes but complex beings with intricate cultures and histories. At its heart, the story revolves around Karou, a 17-year-old art student in Prague who juggles the mundane aspects of life with a secret existence steeped in magic and mystery.

From the very first lines, Taylor sets the stage for an unconventional tale of forbidden love: "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well." This sets the tone for a narrative that defies clichés and expectations at every turn.

What sets this book apart is Taylor's unparalleled imagination and her skillful world-building. Readers are not just treated to the typical portrayal of angels and demons but are instead immersed in their richly imagined world, complete with centuries-long wars, intricate cultures, and forbidden romances that challenge societal norms.

One of the book's strengths lies in its ability to weave together elements of fantasy and romance without falling into predictable tropes. The love story between Karou and the angelic Akiva is both captivating and complex, adding depth to the narrative without overshadowing its larger themes.

Moreover, Taylor's prose is nothing short of enchanting, drawing readers into a vividly depicted world filled with stunning imagery and evocative language. The novel's structure is equally compelling, with twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Despite being categorized as young adult fantasy, "Daughter of Smoke & Bone" transcends its genre, offering a reading experience that will captivate audiences of all ages. Nearly a decade after its publication, it remains a standout in the world of fantasy literature, cementing Laini Taylor's place as a master storyteller.