Daughter of Smoke and Bone Book Review

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

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So I generally don't like angel/demon books much. They're just not my thing. But so many people raved about this book that I knew I'd have to read it eventually. Besides (funny story) the first cover reveal I ever saw when I started blogging last May was the one for Days of Blood and Starlight. I thought it was beautiful and unique (which it is) and that I should read the series sometime (which I now have. Yea!)

Okay, so the story starts off with Karou, who has a complicated life with a complicated ex, and is trying to get over him and put herself through school. But it's more than that: much of the complication in her life arises from the fact that she has a double one. She's been raised by a magical creature who could only be described as a devil--a stern but loving one--who tells her nothing of his work or why he often needs her to run errands for him. Collecting teeth, no less.

Things get interesting when Karou has a run in with an extremely exotic-looking angel, who's got some kind of evil (or righteous?) master plan for all the devils in the world, and he thinks he may know her from somewhere. Karou knows nothing of her own past, so she can't really sympathize. Soon her world is turned upside down and she's on a journey to find out who she really is.

So, for not liking this subject matter very much, I really liked this story. It kept me riveted and I read it quickly, hungry for more. There wasn't much of the weirdness I often find in angel/demon stories, but more of a paranormal/supernatural element, which I didn't mind in the least. 

That said, I wasn't a huge fan of the second half of the book. In order for the reader to understand who Karou is, there's a lot of flashback, which was actually done pretty well, but if felt like a whole other story intruding on the first one. I don't know that, given the plot, it could have been done any differently than it was, but it was still distracting to me. And, I'm still not a huge fan of the subject matter. Awesome as this book was, I'm not converted to an angel/demon-story-lover. While I enjoyed this story--and yes, will probably read the second one--I was still reading about the world of chimera thinking that I just wasn't very into it. It was weird. But that's me.

I really have nothing but good things to say about the book overall. It was well written, the characters compelling, and the kind of book that is, in a way, almost a setup for the rest of the series, which I am curious to read. It's a book that got me, someone who doesn't like this subject matter, to like it, which says a lot. A fun read I would recommend if you're into this kind of thing. You won't be able to stop turning pages. :D

Has anyone else read this? What did you think?

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