Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
Length 12 hours 31 minutes Khristine Hvam
“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well.”
This fantasy trilogy is far and away one of my favourites. It has a highly detailed fantasy world, gorgeous imagery and a gentle sense of humour. It is a book series I will read over and over again. Listening to it on audio gave me a chance to approach it in a different way and notice different things about the writing.
Story Karou is an unusual girl. Though currently attending art school in Prague, she grew up with monsters. Brimstone, though a monster is kind of a father figure for her, and she aids him by going all over the world collecting teeth for him to use in magic. He pays for them in wishes. Everything changes when Akiva, appears. She doesn’t know him but seems to recognise her. His appearance, though, heralds destruction.
The story winds through humans, angels and monsters, through the real world and magic ones. This story will break your heart and put it back together again…more than once.
Narrator Khristine Hvam has done voice work for an Iron Man video game and for the Pokemon series. She has a soft American accent for the bulk of the narration but inserts a variety of accents and voices for the dialogue which brings the book to life. I could close my eyes and sink into her portrayal of Brimstone and I loved Zuzana’s heavily accented English.
Pacing of the narration was perfect, slow enough to make a dramatic impression but not so slow that you get bored or feel the need to crank it up.
The only criticism I would have, is a small but irritating word mispronunciation. I am channeling my inner Hermione Granger as I say this. It’s not staLAGmites, it’s STALagmites!!
If you are looking for a new fantasy world in which to immerse yourself, then these are the books you want.
9/10
