Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By: Laini Taylor

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

"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 17-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.

©2011 Laini Taylor (P)2011 Hachette Audio

Original story idea, not enough chemistry

I really liked the premise for this book. The mystery of the teeth and why Karous is running the mysterious errands is enough to keep you hooked but ultimately I didn't....



SPOILER



... buy into the chemistry between Karou and Akiva. There just wasn't enough to it and I found that I didn't care enough about their relationship. I would also have loved to hear more about Karou's other family but there just wasn't enough details on this either.

I really liked Karou as a character, she was interesting and brave but otherwise I don't know if I will bother with the next book. This book just didn't draw me in enough.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

One of my favorite series

I first read this book just before it was released and was immediately captivated by it. having read the whole series now it was really interesting to listen to the audio book version of it. The lyrical magic of the writing fits beautifully in an audio book. I love it.

Can we just...

Totally lived up to the hype! The story and writing was beautiful and absolutely fantastic, the narrator was surprisingly great (I love the accents especially!) and the ending was completely heartbreaking...

What a different and awesome book!

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

Eastern fantasy mystique

What did you like best about this story?

It is so unusual in style and story line. I loved every minute and hungry for the next!

What about Khristine Hvam’s performance did you like?

The accents and interpretation of lines brings the book to life brilliantly. She makes the story fly!

Any additional comments?

Buy it now!

Keep Going!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

When I first started reading this story I got really bored and ended up putting it down, but it had come highly recommended by a trusted source so I turned back to it several months later and pushed on through. I'm so glad I did.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters in this story are really captivating and whilst they seem to start out ambling aimlessly through the pages without very much excitement at all, that soon changes and you find yourself willing them forward.

What about Khristine Hvam’s performance did you like?

I've given the performance four stars; it could have been five since Khristine Hvam performs this audiobook brilliantly capturing all of the individual characters with one voice. The only slip ups which dropped the star for me were several mispronunciations of words like gibbet (which appeared a lot in the text and so it got distracting), which you can forgive the reader for if they don't know the word, but what was unforgivable and very annoying was the complete change of pronunciation of the character's name Liraz, which she ended up changing to Leeeraz, towards the end of the series.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

What I loved most was the intertwining of plot: how so much that happened was dependant on events previous with cause and effect being wielded like a master. It had wonderful continuity and fluidity, and you found yourself willing Karou and Akiva to achieve their goals.

Any additional comments?

It is a slow start, but don't let that stop you. Loved it.

This story rocks!

I loved this story and the sequel. Laini Taylor is one of the best contemporary fantasy writers.

Innovative and well-written

Would you listen to Daughter of Smoke and Bone again? Why?

I almost never listen to an audiobook twice unless it is part of a series and the next book in the series has come out and I can't remember the previous book. So, I guess I will listen to this book again when the sequel comes out.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that it is innovative and deals with a completely new concept in the YA-world.

Which scene was your favorite?

Ah, it is hard to pick a favourite scene since I enjpyde the whole concept so very much. I like that the author has managed to create an entire new world and that it is logical in it's own way.

A magical fantasy world

I've chosen this book on a whim and was very happy I did so. It is a magical story, somewhat different from the typical fantasy set-up: you won't find the was of angels and chimerae in many books. I was starting to feel a bit bored when getting to the middle of the book, but then it was as if the whole new world has suddenly opened before me and I became totally engrossed again.

I am pretty sure, it is mostly meant for teenagers, but still it was refreshing to find a fantasy book without mountains of gore and pages of love-making.

It is also very well narrated.

Story starts well

Sadly it quickly becomes tedious. Too much drama and too many stunningly beautiful people. The story gets lost in the endless descriptions. The narrator did her best with what she had.

Loved it

What did you love best about Daughter of Smoke and Bone?

The story line, the way it gripped you and them as you read the more revealed of what things were and why.. found it all very fascinating and gripping

What was one of the most memorable moments of Daughter of Smoke and Bone?

the betryal

Have you listened to any of Khristine Hvam’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

nope

If you could take any character from Daughter of Smoke and Bone out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Brimstone - as he is a contradiction of sorts and a strong grounded character

ASTONISHING

I listened to this on audiobook courtesy of my beautiful monthly membership to Audible. It was astonishingly good. The prose was colourful, imaginative and sophisticated. There were moments when I found my brain chewing over a dazzlingly brilliant metaphor or simile that just left me reeling in a post-literary glow. I don't even care how dodgy that sounds.
I am in love not only with Taylor (who has very pink hair, by the way), but with her wonderful protagonist, the tattooed, blue-haired Karou. She was a girl who lived between worlds and who knew just how to sharpen the pointy-end of a witty one liner. I am in love with all of Taylor's characters. Akiva (a swoon-worthy Seraph) was a fairly typical male interest who was rather predictable. Nonetheless, he was a literary hottie. Karou's best buddy, a tiny Czech girl by the name of Zusana kept me giggling throughout.
The characters were beautifully drawn, the setting made me want to hop on the next plane to Prague and Taylor's writing made me want to keep chipping away at the dense old block that is my skill at crafting words. I don;t want to write too much about the plot here as I wouldn't want to give the game away. I will, however, say that the structure of Taylor's narrative was, if not a breath of fresh air, then a good old spritz of Fabreeze to the somewhat stale and tattily-woven fabric of some YA reads.
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A rare 5 stars for this and a whole lot of bated breath for the sequel!Lx

14 of 14 people found this review helpful

A well crafted piece of fantasy

First: I really enjoyed this book. I actually fell asleep listening (not 'cos it was boring but because it was late) and this gave the whole experience a definitely dreamlike quality. Re-listening awake, its still good, even for a not so young adult. Of course seen in context of the fantasy genre as a whole, this ticks all the well known boxes, another world on the the side of a door (CS Lewis, Pullman), angels (Pullman again) so the underlying ideas aren't really new. But this need not matter as it is beautifully, lyrically written and read (even if in a US accent). And it takes the ideas and adds romance, which is certainly lacking in all the other versions. So I'm on tenter hooks for the next instalment.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Brilliant

This is a wonderful book. The style is quite modern but it is beautifully written. I absolutely loved the narration as well and have been looking for more more more from the writer and narrator both. MUST get this if you love fantasy. So good.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Who, or what, is Karu?

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

This book starts in a deceptively simple way, with a girl acting as a carrier for her family. Albeit this is a rather unusual family of mixed creatures. Karu herself lives in Prague, and has a fairly normal school life, but one day she sees something she shouldnt, gets very hurt, and makes the reader start to wonder just what is behind the doors, and why is she collecting teeth?!

This is an interesting story, where you are kept guessing as to who exactly is good or bad, and it doesnt get any easier as the protagonists history is revealed. Easily one of the best of the current paranormal slew of angel based books, and one suitable for older children, but not younger ones due to some of the fights and deaths, none of which are in great detail, and well justified in the storyline.

Gave it four stars, as I hate books ending on deliberate cliff hangers, why cant they at least write a partial ending, and be a good enough read anyway for me to buy the next book? That said, a lot of ends were tied up, so wouldnt be too frustrating to read alone.

So, in 3, engaging, exciting, and immersive.

What other book might you compare Daughter of Smoke and Bone to, and why?

I would compare this to wicked lovely, another book that keeps you guessing without making too much of this as a plot device.

What about Khristine Hvam’s performance did you like?

I liked most of her voices, she makes it really easy to keep track of who is speaking.

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

Does addiction to the storyline count??

Any additional comments?

Does need a bit of concentration at times, so not the best book for driving to, but a good bedtime or sunbathing book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

First audiobook I ever stopped listening to

I'm sorry to say that this is the first audiobook I ever stopped listening to. I listened exactly halfway through and when it did not pick up I decided to just drop it and wait for my next credit.

What I should say is that this is not terrible, but also not very good. I think the mistake I made was listening to this as an adult, because I do think I would have enjoyed this as a teenager. If you like the Twilight films chances are you will love this book, and if so don't let this review put you off.

The story in itself isn't so bad and after a few hours I even thought the book did show some promise, but as is made painfully clear it turns into a love story and not a very good one. Slow, sleazy and a serious amount of words describing two people looking at each other. Again and again. Other 'side'-parts of the book, mostly when Karou, the hero, hung out with her friend Suzana made me cringe. Tried to be funny but didn't work.

I'm really making this sound worse than it is, as said before I probably would have liked this fifteen years ago. Overall, don't bother if you don't like Twilight and books/shows similar to that.

10 of 13 people found this review helpful

Enjoyable in every way

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

Loved the story. Bought the next volume in the trilogy right away and now I cannot wait until September 2014 when the next volume of trilogy is published. One of the best narrators I have listened to. Very enjoyable indeed.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Akiva and Karou, main characters. Chemistry and tragic impossibility.

What about Khristine Hvam’s performance did you like?

Loved it!!!!!! I will be searching for more books read by her.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES, definitely!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Forbidden love and fantasy.

This book feels like a teenagers romantic tradey, like an angles and demons version of Romeo and Juliet, without the poison. It's good at keeping you in, to follow a romance between two people who have been told that their love is wrong, and this is the biggest grip. Although, at times, it feels very drawn out and darts back and forth from past to present, making it feel a little tedious at parts, however it's also needed to build to the pinnacle of the story, which is brought together in the last chapters of the book (after chapter 40..). In all however, it's a great story that mixes sci-fi, adventure, woman's strength, romance and sadness. It was good enough that I look forward to delving further into the story in the following book, since I feel, and hope, book one was more of a set up for the greater adventure that I expect will continue in books 1 and 2.

Normally a big YA fan but, meh...

I love reading and listening to YA literature. Most good stories can be enjoyed by people of all ages. But this book just did t do it for me. I'm quitting before the end. The characters are childishly gruesome and the story is predictable. The narrator doesn't help. She has an overly bubbly tone and the accents are pretty terrible. Pick a better story, like The Red Queen.

beautiful story, beautiful narration

10/10... Truely beautiful story.. Loved every second of my time spend in this world. must read for every (YA)fantasy fan!

teenage soap opera

Just another teenage soap opera... too much drama for my taste. strong female main character.