Tags: YA, fantasy, angels, demons, love, war
Review
…And here, my interest in this series comes to an end. Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a heart-pounding whirlwind of an introduction into a magically complex double-world and a fascinating protagonist. DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT took all that and beat it into the ground until it turned into dust. All. At. A. Very. Slow. Pace.
I think my interest started waning upon Karou and Akiva breaking the wishbone in Book 1. Since then, the narrative has drowned in a pathetic ocean of romantic angst. I don’t mind moping so long as there are other things going on in the story, but there’s nothing—repeat, nothing—to alleviate the patheticness that continues to emanate from Karou and Akiva. Karou spends the whole of Book 2 basically a prisoner in an isolated “castle” in the deserts of Morocco, helping Thiago exact his brutal plan of revenge against the angels. And yet I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for her. I probably could have if it seemed like there was more to her than just her apocalyptic feelings regarding Akiva’s betrayal. But I didn’t see it.
Taylor’s writing tries to take on this objective “observer” tone to allow readers to feel their own horror at the scenes of warfare that unfold. It only sort of works. A heart-wrenching chapter or two in the midst of more plot, more action would have been great. It would have been the literary equivalent of poignant silence in the midst of a Hollywood warfare movie. Instead, DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT chooses to string several dozen of these chapters together to make up the majority of the book—with the result that its attempt to move readers into lingering contemplation over the horrors of the war gets drowned.
Poignant chapters, great love, and musings over war are all great, and necessary, but they need to be done in moderation. DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT did not do any with moderation. And as a result it made what should have been an enjoyable, moving, and tear-jerking read into a slog.
Similar Authors
Holly Black
Cassandra Clare
Cover discussion: It makes for a cool movie-esque poster, but I don't really associate these titles with the books without those titles written in such a large font.
Little, Brown / Nov. 6, 2012 / Hardcover / 528pp. / $18.99
e-book received for review from publisher and NetGalley.
I couldn't agree more. I stopped reading because I just couldn't do it. The first book was AMAZING. This one really let me down.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear about the movie news? I'm excited but not for the second movie....
Well, fortunately--in a dark kind of way--it seems like many books-to-movies that were supposed to be franchises (His Dark Materials, maybe now Beautiful Creatures) don't make it to their second movie, on account of not doing well. I think I'd like the first one to be good enough, but not good enough to make a second, heh.
DeleteThis clinches it; I won't bother with this one. I wasn't all that thrilled with book 1 to be honest, but I enjoyed it well enough to consider continuing until I started hearing the bad reviews. Thanks for reading it so I didn't have to. :)
ReplyDeleteI think you'll be just fine without reading the second one! :)
DeleteThat's too bad. I haven't yet read the first one, but have been excited about it. I guess I know better than to bother with the second now. This sort of thing has killed a number of series for me.
ReplyDeleteI loved the first book! I haven't read the second book yet, but maybe I won't. I'd much rather leave a book with good thoughts instead of being disappointed by the second. Thanks for your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI seem to be in the minority when it comes to Days of Blood and Starlight, so I dunno, maybe you'd like it? I don't want to discourage people from reading books with my reviews, but maybe just to help you curtail your expectations! :)
DeleteOh, no! It is super disheartening to read negative reviews of the second book in a series where I loved the first book. I can definitely understand why the combination of those aspects did not work for you, but I'm kind of hoping that it'll be different for me, especially since I went out and bought the second book. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Sorry this didn't work out for you, Steph! (Maybe Taylor will make a comeback in the third book?)
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but I don't think I'll stick around for the conclusion. I appreciate Taylor's writing, but I haven't been a fan of her *story*. However, I hope it works for you, and you love it as much as you did the first book!
DeleteI totally agree with this! I liked the first book and was excited for the second book. I finally got it and was so disappointed. The book is so. very. slow. I gave up reading it and started flipping the pages.
ReplyDeleteIt's a relief to know I'm not the only one, haha. I'm just not as enamored by her books/writing as most people seem to be...
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