Review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Book 2

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.

Review: Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor

Tags: YA, paranormal, magic, romance

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary

LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES consists of three short stories involving the supernatural and—what else?—a kiss that starts or ends it all. In “Goblin Fruit,” Kizzy’s excruciating desire to fit in makes her the perfect prey for a mysterious and gorgeous boy, who seems to be able to give her everything she wants. In “Spicy Little Curses,” a demon’s deadly curse forces a girl to remain mute, until the love of her life shows up and she must decide what she’s willing to risk for him. And in “Hatchling,” readers are introduced to a world of the Druj, soulless demonic creatures that keep humans as pets as the only way of experiencing life as they cannot.

Review

It is my experience that there are far more novels in YA literature than short stories, but Laini Taylor makes you wish there were more stories as exotic, rich, and romantic as hers. LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES is an astonishing blend of the magical and the universal, told in elegant prose and accentuated by breathtaking illustrations.

In a genre that one may argue is overpopulated by the supernatural and paranormal, Laini’s worlds stand out because of their complexity. On the surface, things are romantically lush: exotic locales, unique predicaments, beautiful dress and decorations. All described in prose that may not be as jaw-dropping and powerful as Francesca Lia Block’s, but is still beautiful nonetheless, and perhaps more approachably so. Laini’s stories, however, are also deep: they are full of ambiguous gray areas that may cause you to think beyond the stories just being nice to read.

Jim DiBartolo's full-page illustrations are a jaw-dropping addition to this already beautiful, dual-colored book. His drawings precede each each story and tell a story all on their own, and add a sort of mysticism to these already whimsical stories.

Pick up this collection of Laini Taylor’s stories if you want to forget about the real world for a few hours and be swept away to enchanted lands full of mystery and magic.

Similar Authors
Francesca Lia Block
Holly Black

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3 out of 5 - Lovely and unique, though it may be a bit off-putting to some readers.

Scholastic / Oct. 2009 / Hardcover / $17.99

Thank you, Sheila Marie, for sending me a copy for review!