Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: YA Urban fantasy
Pages: Hardback, 513
Publisher: Little, Brown Books (November 6, 2012)
ISBN: 978-0-316-13397-5
Opening Lines: "Prague, early May. The sky weighed gray over fairy-tale rooftops, and all the world was watching."
Rating
"Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answer she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. but with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She Loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.
"In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.
"While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sport of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.
"But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dreams?"
~Jacket copy
After reading The Daughter of Smoke & Bone, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, I finished it last summer, and the new book wasn't expected out until November. Sadly, waiting was the hardest part. And then, I just kind of forgot it was sitting on my shelves :(
Following the events of the last book, both Akiva and Karou must decide what is truly important to them: continuing with the cause or trying to follow their dreams. However, both are pulled in different directions by their loyalties. But all of that will change when Karou learns startling truths, and Akiva finds hope in the Kirin caves.
Wow! I'm not sure what else can be said about this book without giving everything away. And, even if I did have the words, it wouldn't come close to doing it justice. As with the first book, this one is simple prose poetry. With her words alone, Taylor is able to paint an amazing picture of the chimaera, seraphs, and the world they live in. Once the book is opened, the reader is sucked into this world, and it is hard to disentangled oneself. And, in all honesty, why would you want to?
The heartbreaking ending of the previous book left my gasping for breath, and I wasn't sure how Taylor would follow it up. However, this book takes the gritty, heartbreaking, and reaching-for-the-tissues to a new level. This book brings you up to highs and then drops you to lows. Whenever Karou and Akiva came face-to-face, I felt tears prick the back of my eyes, and I desperately wanted to reach out to them.
This book has left me speechless . . .
Since my family is in town and I have been vainly trying to finish making a wedding present, reading this book was been severely put on hold. However, Taylor's writing style and captivating story had me reaching for the book long after I should have been asleep, wishing I had just one minute to spare, and bargaining with myself to find more time. It was nothing short of chasing the dragon and trying to find my next hit. Even though the time was elusive, I was able to forestall the conclusion of the book and make the magic last. But, like a drug, this book gets into your veins and stays with you long after it's done.
Current Pages: 8482
Current Progress:
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