⭐️4/5 stars
📖 Length: 448 pages
📱 Format: Paperback
⏳ Read Time: 6 days in total (started Nov 02, finished Dec 04)
Synopsis
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.
What I thought
This was the second book we read as part of our Paper + Word book club, and it ended up being a really strong pick. I really enjoyed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, so much so that I’d already bought the second book in the series before even writing this review.
It did, however, take me a really long time to finish. Partly due to illness at the time, but once I was fully into it, I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
From the start, the characters feel vivid and memorable. Karou’s voice is sharp, curious, and uniquely her own, and even the supporting characters felt fully realised. I could picture everyone so clearly while reading, which made it incredibly easy to stay immersed in the story.
The world-building is rich and imaginative. Prague felt atmospheric and grounded, while the fantasy elements were dark, strange, and beautifully unsettling. There’s a sense of ancient magic and long-running conflict beneath the surface, and as the story unfolds it becomes far more emotional and tragic than I initially expected.
The romance isn’t too intense, and flows quite naturally. It’s rooted in memory, loss, and consequence rather than feeling rushed or superficial, which I liked. It added emotional weight without overpowering Karou’s journey.
The pacing does take a little time to settle though. The beginning leans heavily into mood and mystery, but once everything starts to fall into place, the payoff is absolutely worth it. Especially once you put all the pieces together and get a full understanding of Karou’s life prior to this moment.
Overall
Daughter of Smoke & Bone is lyrical, imaginative, and emotionally rich. With vivid characters, stunning world-building, and a story that balances beauty with darkness. I can’t wait to continue the series!
You can grab your copy of Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor from trusted retailers:
On Amazon – here
Bookshop.Org – here
Until next time… 🖤
Leave a Reply