Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor
Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy
Author: Laini Taylor
Overall Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Publisher: Little Brown, Books for Young Readers
Daughter of Smoke and Bone (book #1) Goodreads Synopsis:
Around the world, black hand prints 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 otherworldly 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 actually grows 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?
Review:
I actually have a review of Daughter of Smoke and Bone, so if you want to read more about my thoughts on the first book in this series instead of the trilogy as a whole, click here!
This series is perfection, you guys. The complete set of character arc, intricate yet well established world-building, a fantasy-driven plot with so much human elements in it. The connection that the author creates between chimaera, seraphim, and humans is so tangible, and the story in general is just pure ingenuity.
The first book is enigmatic and rich, with lots of new fantasy elements that you don't see very often in any other books in the genre. The second book delves deeper into all the politics and backstory of the Chimaera and Seraphim race, and then the third book.. the third book has this beautiful finality in its writing - so profound and powerful, yet gentle and poetic. Whether the book talks about politics, love, beliefs, Laini Taylor hits the mark every. single. time.
I have to say that I did have a few issues with the pacing and structure of the final book, but I just had to give it a five star rating. There were some pages in there that I've dog-eared because I often find myself just questioning how someone has the brains to weave together such intricate worlds and complex concepts. Everything about this series is fierce, poetic, and just.. magical. The written prose, the character development.. the gentleness and fierceness of the characters' motives melding together with the love they all have for each other despite their own struggles and demons.. I'm telling you guys, the friendship and family dynamic here hits differently, which makes the series so much more special. Everything about the articulation of a war, its soldiers, lovers in between, the importance of communication, humanly bonds, and even science. Everything came down to how perfectly each concept ties into one another.
I won't drag this review any longer with my repetitive points, but I just want to say that this trilogy has something in store for everyone. I think it deserves all the love and praise it gets, and that everyone should at least try picking up the first book! Laini Taylor is a goddess at storytelling, and I can guarantee that she will leave you wanting more!
If you’re interested in buying any of the books in this series, you can click here to shop the book at Book Depository. I receive a small commission if you use the link! 🙂