There are certain books that make it ALL the way around my book club. It can seriously take months for the owner to get their copy of the book back simply because everyone wants to read it. That's kind of what has happened with this book, Daughter of Smoke & Bone. This book came out last September and entered our book rotation shortly thereafter...and I think I might be the last person in my book club to read it, here in August almost one whole year later.
Everyone I know that has read this book has said that it is such a different idea and that they've never read anything like it before. A refreshingly original young adult read. Here's the gist, Karou is a teenage girl who is a fantastic artist attending a Prague high school. She has no parents and, unbeknownst to everyday citizens, she has been raised by chimaera. Specifically, three that live in a "shop" that is labeled Elsewhere. This magical "shop" is where certain people show up to sell teeth. Yes, teeth. Karou does not know why and you will not know why until about halfway through this book. From time to time Brimstone, one of the chimaera who is also a father figure to Karou, will send her out on "errands" to round up teeth from sellers who have been banned from the shop for various reasons.
While out on one of her "errands" Karou runs into Akiva, an angel who opens Karou's eyes to a war that is being waged...and who happens to be on the opposite side of Brimstone and the rest of the chimaera. The latter half of this book is Karou beginning to find out what's so special about her and what her role will be in this "war," as well as what her developing relationship with Akiva can become. Because of course, there's a romantic inclination there. You knew there had to be, right?
What did I think of this book? I really hate it when I'm near the last of a group reading a specific book. Because throughout the months of others reviewing it, the book gets built up and up and up...and then inevitably doesn't live up to unrealistic expectations. I really did enjoy this book, but I think I had my bar set way up here ::holding my hand above my head:: when I should have just gone into it with no real expectations. I will say that I hate it when books wait until the last 50 pages to tell you what's really going on...and this book definitely did that. Also, it leaves you with a pretty big cliff hanger, but this book is the intro to a series (what young adult book isn't anymore?) and will probably be a trilogy. Hence the cliff hanger. And I will admit that I'm definitely curious to find out what happens. Luckily, the second book comes out soon! November 6th as a matter of fact!
Sounds like you should be one of the first of us to read the next one....that way you can set the bar for the rest of us ;D
ReplyDeleteBut I definitely know what you are saying about being one of the last and it just not meeting the expectation.