Release Date: January 1st 2011
Publisher:
Goodreads | Book Depository
My Rating 4.5/5
From Goodreads: "Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"
I have to admit that when I bought this one I didn't know what it was about. I had read so many good things about it that when I saw it at my local K-Mart for a pretty good price, so I just bought it. I didn't even read the back!! Though I had heard many great things about it, they were just vague "OMG so amazing!" statements, rather than plot info.
Karou is our main character of this fantastic story. A seemingly human girl raised by a group Chimaera, who she considers her family. Brimstone, her father figure, has raised her to be part of both the human world and his world, Elsewhere. She is a complete mystery to her friends (and sometimes even to herself). She has mastered the act of telling the truth in a way people think she is lying. But really who would take her seriously if she said that there was such thing as Angels and other fantastical creatures? Instead she has become famous among her friends for drawing and creating stories with them. Stories that actually happen, but her friends don't need to know that. Karou is a bad ass! She can knows how to look out for herself and she has been trained in martial arts. There is no messing with this chick! Though she leads an action packed and interesting life, Karou doesn't feel whole. There is something missing and she doesn't know what.
In walks (or rather flies I suppose) Akiva. The Angel sent to close all doors to Elsewhere and her family. While on earth he is pulled to follow Karou. There is something about her that almost seems familiar. For as long as anyone can remember, the Chimaera and the Angels are enemies. So a romance between the two would be completely forbidden. Which Akiva knows first hand, having fallen in love with a Chimaera, only to see her executed and him be next. Now he lives to destroy the Chimaera. His life gets thrown full circle when he comes across Karou, the human girl who for some reason has eyes marked on her hands. Generally the marks that come with the resurrection of a Chimaera.
Laini Taylor did a great job with the plot. It was such a mystery! From the beginning we were introduced to things that Karou had no answer to. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, especially when it was all revealed towards the end! I won't say anything else about the plot because I want you to have the joy of being surprised like I did!
This book left me speechless! I had to take a couple of days to write this review because I couldn't form words other than "wh-wh-WHAT?!" and "Must. Read. Next. One. ASAP." Laini Taylor did an amazing job with her writing. She gave nothing away too soon, which was great and kept me guessing the whole book. I can honestly say that I couldn't guess what was going to happen next, whether it be because I just had no idea, or because I was so engrossed in the book I couldn't think ahead. Either way, both of these are good things in my book! Not often that I come across an unpredictable story line.
Life seems so ordinary after reading a book like this! I highly recommend this one. Laini Taylor did an amazing job.
If you have read this, what did you think? I'd love to hear all your opinions!
Happy reading!
- Amy
I finished this last week and was also stunned. It was so wonderful. I was a little confused at first, but it quickly grew on me.
ReplyDeleteYAY! I also bought it and had no clue what it was about haha. But I loved it too Karou was awesome and I loved all the mystery! Great review, Amy!
ReplyDeleteGiselle
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