Scan barcode
sophieamreacher's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed the first half more than the second half. Fun premise and sad storytelling, imaginative. Pacing was a bit strange towards the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
kiwij96's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was a super easy read: well-paced chapters and full of plot points that all eventually come full circle at the end. Engaging plot in that sense, especially when the twists come in.
Not super in love with the idea that Karou was potentially being groomed by Kaz as it mentions in the beginning that they had been a couple for a while before their break-up and he is now 20 while she is 17. I also felt super uncomfortable with the Akiva and Karou romance plot too given the age gap there too.I was also worried at one point that he was her dad. However, the plot all comes together at the end and boy did it.
My only other gripe is Chapter 22. It felt massively out of place and I had to reread the chapters either side of it to figure out how it fitted in with it all. Felt like an afterthought but misplaced in the sequencing.
Not super in love with the idea that Karou was potentially being groomed by Kaz as it mentions in the beginning that they had been a couple for a while before their break-up and he is now 20 while she is 17. I also felt super uncomfortable with the Akiva and Karou romance plot too given the age gap there too.
My only other gripe is Chapter 22. It felt massively out of place and I had to reread the chapters either side of it to figure out how it fitted in with it all. Felt like an afterthought but misplaced in the sequencing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Slavery, and Grief
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
businesswife's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
A twisty fantasy romp that I can't believe I've waited this long to read. Glad the whole series is out so I can read it all now. I like the writting style a lot and the characters. Also this romance trope is a FAV won't say which cuz it's a spoiler!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Stalking
There is a lot of convo about taking teeth out of dead people and some out of people that are still alive.lisa_m's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've wanted to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone for such a long time now, but when I wanted to start reading it, I was surprised to see that I didn't actually own a copy of the book?
So I got the eBook and started reading it before going to bed. I just wanted to read a few chapters, but I couldn't put it down. I read one and on for multiple hours straight and I only got myself to stop after about 250 pages, because I was so invested in the story. And the only reason I did stop, was because I had to go to uni early the next day.
I finished the book today and it was amazing. The ending hurt me but I'm so excited to see what's coming next! I absolutely hate Thago and I assume we're going to see more of him in the next book, but I really don't want to.
All the twists and reveals where pretty good (at least to me). I mean, I guess I could have assumed some things, but I didn't have the time to think about it, because I was so mentally caught up in the story.
I prefered the chapters in the currently time over the ones in the past though. I feel like the backstory was all just bulked together and even though it was interesting to learn about, I just wanted to go back to the current time because we left off in such a crucial place.
I loved the setting of Prague, the art school and all the weird and amazing 'human' people (Zuzana). Karou was a very likeable protagonist in my opinion, even though she could be quite rash and stupid at times. But even though I was sometimes a bit annoyed by her and felt like she was doing things for absolutely no reason besides to further the plot (like going through the forbidden door.. ), I still liked her in the end. She is relatable in a way and also so far removed from anything at all relatable to normal humans.
Also the relationship between Karou and Akiva reminded me so so much of Hunt and Bryce? Like the whole soldier angel thing.. idk I constantly thought of them. Might be why I liked them so much even though we didn't get a lot of explanation and it was pretty instalovey (which is not normally my favourite..)
Also I really liked all the discussions of the war and perspectives of the different sides. I am very interested to see how the story continues and what more I'll get to learn about this world and its truths.
All in all I would highly recommend this book. I wish I had read it when I was a bit younger though, because I feel like that would have made me enjoy it even more. In my head I just imagine the protagonist being my age (19) instead of 17.
Laini Taylor is an author I kind of always expected to really enjoy reading from, but I never did. I really like the blurbs of her books but tbh I just didn't like the covers so that might have put me off a bit. I did really like her writing style though. It's so immersive! And the worldbuilding felt so real and thorough.
This is just a really good fantasy book and exactly what I wanted to read right now, so I guess it's also a 'right book - right time' kind of thing. :)
So I got the eBook and started reading it before going to bed. I just wanted to read a few chapters, but I couldn't put it down. I read one and on for multiple hours straight and I only got myself to stop after about 250 pages, because I was so invested in the story. And the only reason I did stop, was because I had to go to uni early the next day.
I finished the book today and it was amazing. The ending hurt me but I'm so excited to see what's coming next! I absolutely hate Thago and I assume we're going to see more of him in the next book, but I really don't want to.
All the twists and reveals where pretty good (at least to me). I mean, I guess I could have assumed some things, but I didn't have the time to think about it, because I was so mentally caught up in the story.
I prefered the chapters in the currently time over the ones in the past though. I feel like the backstory was all just bulked together and even though it was interesting to learn about, I just wanted to go back to the current time because we left off in such a crucial place.
I loved the setting of Prague, the art school and all the weird and amazing 'human' people (Zuzana). Karou was a very likeable protagonist in my opinion, even though she could be quite rash and stupid at times. But even though I was sometimes a bit annoyed by her and felt like she was doing things for absolutely no reason besides to further the plot (like going through the forbidden door.. ), I still liked her in the end. She is relatable in a way and also so far removed from anything at all relatable to normal humans.
Also the relationship between Karou and Akiva reminded me so so much of Hunt and Bryce? Like the whole soldier angel thing.. idk I constantly thought of them. Might be why I liked them so much even though we didn't get a lot of explanation and it was pretty instalovey (which is not normally my favourite..)
Also I really liked all the discussions of the war and perspectives of the different sides. I am very interested to see how the story continues and what more I'll get to learn about this world and its truths.
All in all I would highly recommend this book. I wish I had read it when I was a bit younger though, because I feel like that would have made me enjoy it even more. In my head I just imagine the protagonist being my age (19) instead of 17.
Laini Taylor is an author I kind of always expected to really enjoy reading from, but I never did. I really like the blurbs of her books but tbh I just didn't like the covers so that might have put me off a bit. I did really like her writing style though. It's so immersive! And the worldbuilding felt so real and thorough.
This is just a really good fantasy book and exactly what I wanted to read right now, so I guess it's also a 'right book - right time' kind of thing. :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War
sarahsxbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and War
bookspaperink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Slavery, Blood, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
aseel_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
2023: 3.75 stars.
Past me was such a little sap 🤣 this is still a fun time but I'm mostly obsessed with Prague, art school, and Zuzana, not so much about the romantic relationship, but still a fun time. Super easy to read but definitely has some dated word choices.
2017: 5 stars
I love this so much 😭😭😭😍 Taylor is one of the most amazing writers ever. I thought I couldn't love anything more than strange the dreamer but this was perfection
Her writing style and descriptions are literal magic. The plots are so amazing and everything is just perfect
I'm so thankful I have the next book with me 😂
Past me was such a little sap 🤣 this is still a fun time but I'm mostly obsessed with Prague, art school, and Zuzana, not so much about the romantic relationship, but still a fun time. Super easy to read but definitely has some dated word choices.
2017: 5 stars
I love this so much 😭😭😭😍 Taylor is one of the most amazing writers ever. I thought I couldn't love anything more than strange the dreamer but this was perfection
Her writing style and descriptions are literal magic. The plots are so amazing and everything is just perfect
I'm so thankful I have the next book with me 😂
Content Warnings
Minor: Genocide, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail