Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By: Laini Taylor

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

In a nation on the brink of war, a young art student's star-crossed love begins to bloom in the first book of the New York Times best-selling epic fantasy trilogy by award-winning author Laini Taylor.

Around the world, black handprints 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 grown 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 one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored 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?

©2011 Laini Taylor (P)2011 Hachette Audio

a favorite

I've listened to this trilogy so many times. I love everything about it and come back to it when I want something familiar and wonderful.

A new found love!

Wow, people need to re read this book from long ago! This book was fantastic and magical! The world building was top tier, the magical creatures were reimagined, clever and new to older names. The main characters were not only beautiful, fun, funny, cute and sassy but they were so much fun to read! I loved every minute of this book! I know I’m years late, but better late than never!

Twists

Love Laini’s writing and how she can pull you into a world wishing it were real. Beautiful story can’t wait to read next next in the series

Written with a delicate hand

Any additional comments?

Audio:
The narrator, Khristine Hvam, was absolutely excellent. She read beautifully and the tone of her voice was a perfect fit. All the characters were uniquely portrayed and I found nothing at all to complain about as far as the audio went.

Story:
I was a little apprehensive to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Angel reads and I don't always have the most amicable relationship. Also, a few people who's opinion I trust did not fall in love with it. I think because of that I did not let the story fully engulf me until I was about a third of the way through the book. The characters were engaging from the start and the humor aspect was fun but it was a slightly slow start. However, once the story really started to develop it completely grabbed me.

Karou is anything but a typical young woman. She was raised by Chimera, demons ~ though she does not really understand that demons are really what they are. She grew up in a Wish Monger's shop and fetches him teeth whenever he is need. Yes, teeth. Teeth of all kinds, though she knows not what the teeth are for. In exchange he grants her wishes. Minor things, like her hair growing Peacock Blue or the sudden appearance, or disappearance, of tattoos.

Karou is a vivacious art student living in Prague, making up her life as she goes. She doesn't know who her parents were or where she came from. Her life is full of secrets and mystery yet, she is full of life and fun and a hard girl not to like. Though she is also utterly lonely inside the secrets she's forced to hold.

She has a wonderful best friend that warrants mention. Zuzana is a creative character and so, so much fun. She brings an element of lightness and playful cynicism. I adored her and think I would enjoy a book with her as the protagonist.

Karou's life changes entirely when the portals to her Chimera family are closed which coincides with Akiva (angel-boy) appearing in her life...and attempting to kill her.

Akiva will reveal answers to many of Karou's questions. Together they will unravel the mystery that is Karou and it will threaten to break them both.

Taylor writes with such a delicate hand. It has a nearly lyrical flow to it and I was enraptured by it. There were some shifts in points of view that did not always work though. Several times I became almost annoyed at the shift, it felt like we were rehashing too many details and I wanted the story to pick up its pace. I'm impatient that way... There is a ton of story here but there were times when the pacing was just not quick enough for me. Though, I think that may partially be because I couldn't wait to figure out where things were going. Again, I'm impatient that way.

By the end I was fully in love with many of the characters and the story itself. I am very excited to continue the series.

SOO, when is the next one coming out?

Would you consider the audio edition of Daughter of Smoke and Bone to be better than the print version?

i always love the audible version better. i like to be told a good story

Who was your favorite character and why?

Karou. I love her name, her attitude, her sense of valor and fight.....oh, and her hair

Which character – as performed by Khristine Hvam – was your favorite?

Brimstone - i loved how the narrator made a point to make all voices unique and fun.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

it made me eager for the next volume of the story to come out....i always have to wait too long for the next episode in the series.

All around fantastic!

Any additional comments?

This book is exciting, lovely, tragic, mysterious, sad, beautiful, and more. The writing is so rich and beautiful that I could picture it all perfectly in my imagination as if I were actually there... and I wanted to be! Before discovering her past, Karou had such a unique and intriguing life that it made me want to be a part of it. The way the mysteries unfolded was so interesting and kept me wanting more. And the narrator was perfect with both male and female voices. Karou and Brimstone sounded just how I would have imagined them. I can't wait to start the next book! Oh, and I have to disagree with another reviewer about the teenage angst. I did not feel that it was angst-y. In fact, I was so relieved to find that there wasn't much angst at all, just enough to make it interesting.

A Fierce Female on a Magical Journey

LOVED IT!!! This book is about a free spirtited young woman who lives 2 lives - one as a college student with friends, an appartment, and some normalcy - the other as a mysterious errand girl for a powereful socerer. This story is full of wishes, mystery, suspense, and love. There is a sneeking feeling that the unknown is just below the surface ready to bubble up at any momement...

This story provides a differnt spin on tales of good versus evil. With exquisite character development, it takes the listener on a journey they will not soon forget. I can only hope that the author continues this story as i would certainly purchase the sequel. This book does not leave the reader hanging, but i don't want my adventures with these characters to end.

Good book! Recommending to all my friends

Imaginitive & captivating story. Great character development and plot. I can't wait for book 2

A Haunting Tale of a Young Girl

First I really like the Narrator, Khristine Hvam. She has a wond an assortment of voices, which provides a good distinction between the male and female characters.
The main character, Karou is an interesting strong young lady. She has blue hair(hey, Laini Taylor, the author has pink hair, so blue is normal too) well-traveled, speaks mulit-languages, and is an artist.
She has grown up with a surrogate demon family. Her father, collects teeth, grants wishes and sends her traveling across the world by going through a portal door.
She is enshroud with a loneliness that is exacerbated when her home is destroyed by an angle; an angle whose beauty is breathtaking and who tried to kill her.
There are many elements of this YA story that are the same old, same old. The page turner for me -- Karou's relationship with her family and the many secerts that are kept. She is always asking what are the teeth for? I turn the page for the answer only to find she is sent on an errand. Will she ever find out? How can a wish compare to hope?

If you want to read another book along the same style as this one with Hvam as the narrator try Cast in Shadows by Michelle Sagara

Best Audiobook Ever

If you could sum up Daughter of Smoke and Bone in three words, what would they be?

gripping, epic, poetic

What did you like best about this story?

character and dialogue

Which scene was your favorite?

anything with Zuzana

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

the descriptive writing was phenomenal

Any additional comments?

I can't wait for #3.