NOVEMBER 2012 - AudioFile
This novel doesn't merely extend the narrative of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, it expands it. Khristine Hvam’s narration continues seamlessly. The once confident blue-haired girl, Karou, wades through guilt as the story unfolds from several additional perspectives. In the midst of love and war, Hvam delivers her emotional distress with subtle relish, easing the pace and dropping her voice to a gravelly level. Hvam shifts easily between the formalities of seraphim soldiers and the banter of human teens. Curiously, there aren't many accents among the tribal chimera rebels. The story’s core is still Karou’s love for Akiva, a love she tries to atone for in an attempt to save what’s left of her people. A.M.P. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
Chelsey Philpot
Any book that opens with "Once upon a time" is inviting high expectations. It's a phrase that inevitably evokes fairy tales and leather-bound classics about epic adventures, setting up the anticipation that readers will discover worlds filled with magic…In this case, the story that follows…is a breath-catching romantic fantasy about destiny, hope and the search for one's true self that doesn't let readers down. Taylor has taken elements of mythology, religion and her own imagination and pasted them into a believably fantastical collage.
—The New York Times Book Review
From the Publisher
A Top Ten Amazon Best Book of the Year for Teens
New York Times Bestseller
A Junior Library Guild Selection of the Year
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* "Taylor continues to build an irresistible fantasy world in this grim sequel to her masterful Daughter of Smoke & Bone.... Taylor's dazzling writing and skill at creating suspense are strong as ever; fantasy lovers will gobble up this book with satisfaction."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "The future of Karou, her ill-fated romance with Akiva, and the survival of both of their races await readers in the concluding volume; it promises to be a doozy."—The Horn Book, starred review
"Emotionally intense...memorable characters and turns of phrase."—Kirkus
* "Taylor manages to make a five-hundred-page epic read at a breakneck speed that will have readers struggling to finish in one sitting. This sequel to Daughter of Smoke & Bone will paradoxically satisfy readers' desire for more of Karou's story while leaving them begging for the third installment."—VOYA, starred review
* "The impossible choices each character faces compel readers to consider the fission when ethics slam into power, creating a chain reaction of pain and grim, uncertain outcomes that must be worked through even if chances for hope on the other side are slim. Of course, [readers will be left] in breathless anticipation for the next installment, but the intensity of this middle piece is a satisfying feast all on its own."—BCCB, starred review
"The next Next Big Thing."—Wired
"It is written masterfully and filled with poetic lyricism that tricks you into believing you are reading a classic. The book is melancholy and the pain of the characters is so etched into the pages that after you put the book down you find yourself hovering in dark corners, muttering to yourself about the cruelty of the world. But don't let that put you off from reading what will become a classic in literature in the decades to come, for sure. I am eagerly awaiting book three. Mrs Taylor! Bring it on!"—Fantasy Book Review
Fantasy Book Review
"It is written masterfully and filled with poetic lyricism that tricks you into believing you are reading a classic. The book is melancholy and the pain of the characters is so etched into the pages that after you put the book down you find yourself hovering in dark corners, muttering to yourself about the cruelty of the world. But don't let that put you off from reading what will become a classic in literature in the decades to come, for sure. I am eagerly awaiting book three. Mrs Taylor! Bring it on!"
School Library Journal - Audio
Gr 9 Up—For centuries, the Chimera and the Seraphim have fought, unquestioningly, on opposite sides of the same war. Meanwhile, in a dusty shop suspended between worlds, a strange creature dutifully collects teeth for a mysterious purpose. This lyrical and beautifully atmospheric story centers around the forbidden love that develops between Karou, a human girl lovingly raised by four Chimera, and Akiva, a Seraphim soldier brought up knowing only battle and blood. A deeper message warns that deadly wars are often fought over nothing more than ancient prejudices. Hoping to end the war, the Seraphim burn the portals linking Elsewhere and Earth, and Karou finds herself brutally shut out of her family's world. Still reeling from the pain of a long-lost love, Akiva begins doubting everything he has been taught to fight for—and against. Fearing for her family's safety, Karou enlists Akiva to take her on a perilous journey to find them. The pair discover love, heal old wounds, and share a tragic story of soul mates who should have been sworn enemies. Karou will finally unlock the greatest mystery of all: the truth of her identity. But a confession from Akiva could destroy everything. Interwoven with this deliciously romantic tale of loss and hope are the gorgeous imageries of ancient cities, mythical creatures, and mysterious other worlds. Laini Taylor's storytelling is masterful and her character development is outstanding. Brought to brilliant life by narrator Khristine Hvam, this fabulous story will enthrall listeners—and the cliffhanger ending will leave them clamoring for the sequel.—Alissa LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MI
