"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 seventeen-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.
"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."
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one of the most bizarre, unique novels I think I have ever come across... and it is pure awesomeness. I started to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone previously a year or so ago and I just couldn't get into it so I put it back on my shelf and put it down to not being in the mood for that book. When I got the email from audible that all 3 were now available I knew this was the perfect time to go back to the series and decided to listen to them rather than read them. It was most definitely the correct decision for me.
Karou is balancing two very different lives and has managed to balance them quite well up to now. She is a 17 year old art student studying in Prague but she is also an errand-girl to a monster that is the closest thing to family to her. When her two worlds suddenly collide Karou is pushed into what is looking like a monsterous, centuries-old war. She is stuck in the middle of two races but can she really back one when she doesn't even really know who, and what, she is?
I really fell in love with this book. Laini Taylor's storytelling skills are really superb. I seriously want to look inside this woman's head because I just can't wrap my head around the fact that she came up with this amazing, bizarre, incredible story. Her awesome writing and her creative world building grabs you in right from the start and it doesn't really let you go until you have finished the book.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is without a doubt the most unique storyline I have ever read in my life. There isn't just a range of very different characters but such a range of extremely different creatures. With having such different creatures, ones that you won't have come across in any other series it makes this one so unique and amazing.
Karou and Akiva, our two main protagonists are two characters I just love. Karou is so awesome and strong-willed. I just love how funny and fiesty she is. She's such a joy to read about. Akiva is the character everyone will fall in love with. He is swoony, sexy and romantic. Everything anyone would want in a romantic interest for our beloved heroine. I loved them both.
One of my favourite things about Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the fact that it isn't set in a typical place like the USA or UK. A lot of YA novels are set in these places so it was very refreshing to find a novel that was set somewhere a bit more exotic with a bit more history. For the most part this book is set in Prague and I found that fascinating and fantastic. I loved that it was somewhere new and while reading we got to learn a bit more about the culture there as well.
As I mentioned in the start of this review I listened to the audio edition of this book and I have to say that I may just have found my favourite narrator of all time. Khristine Hvam was utterly phenomenal. She completely drew you into the story and made it incredibly hard to stop listening. She never once let your mind waver to anything other than what she was saying. SHe put on these incredibly different voice for each of the characters and different creatures and she just brought all of these creatures to life. If this book got made into a movie I was honestly compare the actors voice for the creatures to the narrators and probably complain that they weren't as food. She was honestly amazing and really made me feel like I was truly witnessing all these different creatures. She was phenomenal. I will seriously going out of my way to find out what other books Khristine narrates as they are now on the top of my list of audiobooks to get.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a fantastic installment in what I am guessing is going to be a mind-blowingly phenomenal series. I can't wait to start listening to the second book and it will most definitely be my next listen. If you haven't read this series I strongly urge you to start it... if you listen to audios this audio is one of the best and would suggest it to anyone. This is the audiobook that I would suggest so non-listeners as I am convinced one listen to Khristine Hvam's phenomenal narrating and you'll be an audio convert.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone has everything you could have ever wanted. It had mystery and intrugue, magic and paranormal creatures, heart-stopping action and breathtaking romance. A must read!
"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."