Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

This is book has got to be one of my favorites of the year and quite possibly of all time. It's setting and characters are so unique that I've found myself dreaming of worlds where angels and chimaera live.

Karou seems like an ordinary seventeen year old living in Prague... aside from the blue hair and the tattooed eyes on her palms. She has no clue who she is or where she came from and the only family she's ever known are the chimaeras- creatures that possesses features from multiple animals, that have raised her since she was a baby.

She's able to make wishes that come true- her blue hair was one and learning multiple languages so that she's able to travel and run errands for the father-like Brimstone or even petty wishes like making her naked ex itch like crazy in his privates... in public.

On one of her errands she encounters an angel, Akiva, who tires to kill her. She has no idea why and after a sudden altercation with Brimstone, Karou's father-like chimaera who deals with teeth and wishes, is left alone.

Even with a continuing war between angels and chimaera, Akiva can't help but be curious about Karou- this girl with the hamsas on her palms and the connection to the chimaeras. Karou finds that she is also drawn to Akiva... even if he did try to kill her.

The story flowed nicely and though I took me a lot longer to read this than I usually would have, it is no indication how I feel about it for it left me breathless and late for work.

I loved how Laini Taylor intertwined two worlds and her choice to have it set in Prague was brilliant! Such a beautiful old city that matches the darkness and romance of the story so wonderfully. Prague has now been bumped up on my "must travel to" list.

The mystery of Karou is one that I hardly saw coming, but welcomed it and it captivated me even further into this fantastical world. A world where wishes do come true and what you look like does not define you. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a bittersweet fairy tale that leaves you wanting to believe that there's hope not only in this world, but others.

Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5