Summary: Around the world, black hand prints 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 grows dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly 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 beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery 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?
Review: 5 stars
This is a fantasy novel seeping in originality. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before, this is a book that makes you feel like your imagination is on fire. I don’t know how Laini Taylor came up with some of the stuff , but I’m grateful that she wrote down her ideas and turned them into this incredible novel. Her descriptions are vivid, like you stepped into a world brighter and full of more color than this one.
The plot was beautifully woven. I found myself entranced in the world created in this novel. The world building is surreal and the characters are so interesting. The pacing is perfect . I ripped through this book in a day, left broken and upset when it came to a close.
It is not often that romances feel genuine to me. Young adult novels are full of installing-love and love triangles, the relationships never quite feel real. I thought it was me, that I didn’t like romance novels.But oh, was I wrong. This is how it should be done. I felt the romance between Karou and Akiva in my bones, in my heart. This is what love should look like. The buildup of the relationship is perfect.
“Love is a luxury.”“No. Love is an element.” An element. Like air to breathe, earth to stand on.”
Another fault I find in so many novels is that the big moments and climax of the stories don’t feel as intense as they should. Laini Taylor not only tackles this issue easily, but her writing also brings so much emotion and build up to the big moments. She ripped my heart into shreds with this novel after making it sing with delight.
Laini Taylor is a creative genius. I admire and idolize her as a writer, because every aspect of this book was perfect me. I wanted to read this for months and I’m so glad that it didn’t disappoint. I can’t believe that this is the first book that I have read by her, as she reminds me of Holly Black, who I love. Thank you to everyone who told me to read this, you guys were so right. This is a new favorite of mine and honestly, some of the books that I’ve given five stars to pale in comparison. This is fantasy and it’s absolute best.
Devouring Books 
This is one of the most encouraging reviews I’ve read. I can feel the passion you have for this book. 😊
LikeLike