By Laini Taylor
Genre YA fantasy
Rating ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis
Karou is an art student in Prague who's prone to go missing from time to time, has blue hair actually growing from her head that color and strange tattoos on her hands. Who she is, is the question she doesn't even know herself. In a war between monsters and angels everything is chaos.
First Sentence
Walking to school over the snow-muffled cobbles, Karou had no sinister premonitions about the day.
I've been waiting and waiting to read this book. Putting it off over and over. Everyone LOVED it and I really wanted to too but I was scared. You guys know me, I never like what everyone else does. I finally decided it was time.
It started out great. Karou was kickass had a fascinating life and was just plain fun to read about and then HE had to come into things. Why?! Why do these stupid boys exist? I hate them. Loathe them! And I'm so sick of their whiny (but I Wuvvv you so that excuses my freakishly annoying actions) attitudes. Suddenly the book took a strange turn.
What started off feeling more like my favorite genre, urban fantasy, turned into a full blown, traditional fantasy with a love at first sight romance and the most annoying male character to grace the pages of a book since Edward effing Cullen.
Needless to say I was left feeling cold. And not just because the ending was one of those stupid non endings. You know, stop the story mid sentence. So annoying!
Still, I liked the writing and because I have all three books (that's how much unfounded faith I had in this series) I'm going to finish them but oi!
Should you read it?
I kind of feel like everyone already has. If you haven't...um, ugh! I guess, just don't look for a decent male character love interest. You won't find him here.
I discovered that I enjoyed this series more on audio than when I tried to read the books...
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I wonder if that would make them better for me.
DeleteI really enjoyed this book the first time I read it - then, as the years went by, I slowly became more disinterested, and then I never ended up finishing the series. I agree about the writing, it's probably the best part. I'd be interested to see your thoughts on book three, as that's the one I never read!
ReplyDeleteI still plan reading them all. I've actually read book two so it's on to three now.
DeleteEdward effing Cullen, huh?! Hmmm. We can't be friends anymore.
ReplyDelete:( I hope that's not true.
DeleteI can't even remember the male love interest in this book. That's how memorable he is, lol. I do remember not really liking this book much. I think I gave it three stars, like how you did. Just wasn't feeling it a lot, but it was well-written.
ReplyDeleteVery well written. Aw well.
DeleteHa ha ha ha. You crack me up, Jenny! I've had this one on my shelf for a long time, but I have yet to pick it up. Sounds like there are some good reasons to avoid it ... :(
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only one who hadn't read them yet! I wonder what you'll think.
DeleteI totally forgot about this book, so apparently it wasn't that memorable. :) I remember being pretty lukewarm about it though, I didn't finish the series. I heard it gets better with every installment though, so maybe you'll like the next one more?
ReplyDeleteI did like the second one a bit more but not much. Now it's on to the third.
DeleteHee hee! This review was awesome! There is a lot of hype for these books. I haven't read them yet, but I still plan to. Hopefully I will enjoy them, but I'm excited about another Edward Cullen.
ReplyDeleteYou haven't read them either?! He's not like Edward Cullen I just hate them in the same way.
DeleteI didn't find this to be AMAZING like everyone else talked about. I remember liking it but I think I DNF'd the second book. Or I didn't like it at all. I'm also not a fantasy reader though so maybe that's part of it for me.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I saw that on Goodreads and was glad I wasn't the only one to be less than impressed.
DeleteYou make me laugh! I haven't read this book...but if the guy in this one makes you think of Edward Cullen I'm not sure I want to. I didn't make it through all of those books! But maybe the next books in this series are better and will redeem everything?
ReplyDeleteHaha well you didn't hate it so I'll take it! I really liked these books when I read them mainly for the beautiful writing (like you said) and the fact that Karou was very much her own person and she doesn't ever really bend to Akiva's will. I have to agree with you though: Akiva is a bit annoying in this book (and even though he gets slightly better, he still doesn't reach a high status in my book). I hope the beautiful writing will make you want to finish the series out, even if the characters are a little wonky.
ReplyDeleteLaura @BlueEyeBooks
I've always felt left out for not having read this. I don't feel so bad now. :)
ReplyDeleteI cannot lie, I loved this book, and the whole series. It was actually the first book I listened to narrated by Khristine Hvam, and she's one of my top audiobook narrators of all time now. I get that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's totally mine! ;)
ReplyDeleteI have been hearing about this book a lot again and am maybe thinking about picking it up again. I did see some of the other covers and really do like the UK cover, so maybe if I can get those covers or pick it up on audible I might try it.
ReplyDelete