A review by madwomaninanattic
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
4.0
3.5/4 stars
Well...I was slightly disappointed with the lack of any significant and/or engaging events. It felt a lot of the time a lot like a prologue, as if it was building up to the real story that never really comes. As another note I will also say that it took me three days as I was never 100% bouncing off the walls excited to get back to reading... whilst a book this size would generally take me a day and a half if the story had me hooked.
I enjoyed it to an extent where I was interested to read the history of each characters in particular Karou and Madrigal as well as Brimstone and his dark magic. Nevertheless, this whole book felt very drawn out and offered little excitement with the exception of a handful of short lived action and romance scenes.
I’ll admit it offered a very unique and gorgeously composed universe and an intriguing overarching conflict but I still remain disappointed at the way this book ended before anything truly thrilling occurred! It was practically a back and forth between the past (of the growing war that is still occurring to the day, the history of it’s politics and chronicles of different characters childhoods) and present (this frustratingly prolonged, quite mystical, relationship that develops between two characters drawn to each other on the barest of spiritual and physical attraction)
I quite quickly put together one of the main mysteries while other things surprised me. I’d say this was a good and bad thing. It it wasn’t a difficult book to follow or understand which I like (helps me avoid the confusion and flipping back and forth between pages to help recount that I have experienced many times). However, it meant that there was this constant feeling as if something was missing or it was making its way to being too contrived for my liking if I was able to put almost the entire story together before I made it even 70% into the book.
I really wanted to love this book but as I had to wait to the very last few chapters to feel like I may possibly invest myself into the story, wherein it unfortunately comes to an end, I have a feeling that the next two books (based on their size and the fact that the only way to go from rock bottom is up) will provide a sense of catharsis as to what I had originally wished from this book.
This entire review is in no way a diss towards the author as I have absolute respect for every individual who has put their work out. When I plucked this book off the shelf with a smile on my face it wasn’t because it had a ‘nice’ cover it was because the story that was being proposed spoke out louder than the others.. The story sounded magical and although I didn’t find it life changing, it was still as much a pleasure to read. Notably, it was a book I allowed keep me up late into the night and that says something as I do not let that happen unless I find the book worthy. I also felt like I needed the take the time to write this review. It felt important.
I would recommend this to the readers who take to an easy read, with the addition of some beautiful and creatively, yet absurdly built, characters. It was written with a universal voice that makes for welcomed evening company.
Well...I was slightly disappointed with the lack of any significant and/or engaging events. It felt a lot of the time a lot like a prologue, as if it was building up to the real story that never really comes. As another note I will also say that it took me three days as I was never 100% bouncing off the walls excited to get back to reading... whilst a book this size would generally take me a day and a half if the story had me hooked.
I enjoyed it to an extent where I was interested to read the history of each characters in particular Karou and Madrigal as well as Brimstone and his dark magic. Nevertheless, this whole book felt very drawn out and offered little excitement with the exception of a handful of short lived action and romance scenes.
I’ll admit it offered a very unique and gorgeously composed universe and an intriguing overarching conflict but I still remain disappointed at the way this book ended before anything truly thrilling occurred! It was practically a back and forth between the past (of the growing war that is still occurring to the day, the history of it’s politics and chronicles of different characters childhoods) and present (this frustratingly prolonged, quite mystical, relationship that develops between two characters drawn to each other on the barest of spiritual and physical attraction)
I quite quickly put together one of the main mysteries while other things surprised me. I’d say this was a good and bad thing. It it wasn’t a difficult book to follow or understand which I like (helps me avoid the confusion and flipping back and forth between pages to help recount that I have experienced many times). However, it meant that there was this constant feeling as if something was missing or it was making its way to being too contrived for my liking if I was able to put almost the entire story together before I made it even 70% into the book.
I really wanted to love this book but as I had to wait to the very last few chapters to feel like I may possibly invest myself into the story, wherein it unfortunately comes to an end, I have a feeling that the next two books (based on their size and the fact that the only way to go from rock bottom is up) will provide a sense of catharsis as to what I had originally wished from this book.
This entire review is in no way a diss towards the author as I have absolute respect for every individual who has put their work out. When I plucked this book off the shelf with a smile on my face it wasn’t because it had a ‘nice’ cover it was because the story that was being proposed spoke out louder than the others.. The story sounded magical and although I didn’t find it life changing, it was still as much a pleasure to read. Notably, it was a book I allowed keep me up late into the night and that says something as I do not let that happen unless I find the book worthy. I also felt like I needed the take the time to write this review. It felt important.
I would recommend this to the readers who take to an easy read, with the addition of some beautiful and creatively, yet absurdly built, characters. It was written with a universal voice that makes for welcomed evening company.