Book Rant: Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy
It's that time again! I have finished a trilogy and have a need to talk about it. As always, if you have not read the entire Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, do not read this. Everything is a spoiler from this point out.
Note: I used images/gifs in this book rant. I own absolutely none of them.
So I was completely lost at the beginning of this book. I started the audio book while cleaning my classroom on a teacher work day, and I just remember lowering the volume as I began to hear about nude model ex boyfriends, itchy wishes, and "necessary penises". It's kind of hilarious now, to think about where this story started. I though Kaz was going to be so important... I had almost forgotten she get him name tattoo'd on her, then wished it gone. Ha!
I loved the poetry of Karou's silly wishes, especially after the flashbacks of Madrigal pretending to make these SAME silly wishes previously (blue hair?), but realizing she needed to save her wish for something bigger. It just shows the difference between their knowledge. Madrigal grew up in a world of war and resurrection. It is quite different from the world of actor boyfriends and art classes that Karou knew.
So Karou meets this Akiva angel guy and is immediately drawn to him because he's fiery and gorgeous and a freaking angel. And then he figures out that's she's really madrigal and is all "She's going to hate me when she learns the truth" and then they snap the wishbone (after he tells her his soul will love her soul in any form). And the memories between them are all sweet and wonderful and there's nothing that could possibly make her mad at him. What could he possibly have been talking about? Her saving him? Him finding her? A month spent together? Being tortured? Screaming for her at her execution? What's to hate? And then... and then... ugh it hurt so much.
Book two starts with Akiva and Karou separated and Karou is pretending not to love him, though she so clearly does. Not to mention living right above the stupid wolf, who KILLED HER. And now he's telling stories about regretting it and being so happy when he found out Brimstone had gleaned her soul. Yet in that same conversation, he throws and "you left me no choice" and is obviously trying to make her feel guilty. HER. FOR FALLING IN LOVE. And then we find out that while he was claiming to be trying to get the rest to trust Karou, he was actually telling them not to talk to her because they couldn't trust her. AND he was planning to having her teach Ten her trade, so they could kill her AGAIN. But then AKIVA (I think his name will be in caps for the rest of this rant) saves ZIRI (his, too) and he comes home and sets everything straight, and brings Issa home with him and OMG EVERYTHING IS SO MUCH BETTER. Except Karou is still pretending not to care about AKIVA. And AKIVA watching Karou in bed with ZIRI hurt so much, but he was just so happy she was alive.
And Ziri. ZIRI. I loved him so much, but I hated loving him because he loved Karou/Madrigal, so loving him felt like hurting AKIVA but I could just love him as Karou's friend, right? But he cared so much about her in the "I just want her to be happy" kind of way. And when he came back... wait... I will come back to that in a moment. But first, he was basically sent away to die because he was friends with her. That damn wolf.
That scene. You'll know which one I'm talking about. I am not sure a book has ever put me in such physical pain as that scene. Thank that godstars Karou had that knife hidden in her boot, because that was terrifying even from the safety of my locked apartment. And then when Akiva shows up again and the wolf walks in behind him. I freaked out. SHE BROUGHT HIM BACK?! I thought ISSA was fake after her encounter with Ten, and I was so lost. But then. BUT THEN. The truth. Ziri returned and killed himself so Karou could replace the wolf's body and they could lead the people in a better direction. Though I still don't understand why she didn't tell AKIVA the truth right away.
And I realize I'm mostly sticking to one side of the story, because jumping around confuses me when it comes to this. But I need priorities because HELLO, RANT. But the magic was awesome and confusing and HAZAEL. OMG Why did I not talk about Hazael? I loved him the same way I loved Ziri and his death hurt so much. I wanted Karou to fix him. I wanted her to fix him so badly. But in a book about war, we need sacrifices and Hazael was the perfect candidate: loved by both readers and characters, but not essential to the plot. So goodbye, I love you.
So I read Goodread's description of book 3, and it made me very nervous. I really wanted to like this mysterious queen that felt AKIVA's powers at the end of book 2 and knew what it was. But the summary made it seem like she was evil and was going to come ruin everything. So when we're hanging out in the caves with the gang (I want to see those baths!), I could just feel the pain building. AKIVA and Karou are still pretending not to care about each other (even with Issa constantly telling Karou to give into her heart) and finally FINALLY she realizes that her heart was right and ANYONE WHO DOESN'T LIKE IT CAN SUCK IT. And poor Ziri constantly fighting his need to be good with his need to pull off this secret.
And then there's the moment when you think everything is finally great and AKIVA and Karou are going to be together and wonderful and Ziri is kinda hurt watching them leave, but then Liraz gets attacked by FAKE TEN. But then there's that moment of Ziri saving Liraz and bringing her to THE BATH and HE TELLS HER EVERYTHING AND I IMMEDIATELY HAD A NEW SHIP AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. Though I had been kinda liking the asexuality of Liraz up to that point.
OK so they make this new plan and kept exactly what was happening completely secret, but AKIVA and Karou were going to be separated and it hurt but then LIRAZ. The moment she pushed him through the portal, I lost it. I was in my classroom when I read that, and I think I started jumping and screaming (it was my lunch break). And then I wondered if she had ZIRI had planned that together, because he's the reason AKIVA was even with Liraz and Karou. So I think ZIRI and Liraz collaborated to send Karou and AKIVA through the portal together and OH MY HEART. But then the pain in AKIVA when they get there.
OMG I HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT ZUZANNA AND MIK YET. But I think my reaction there is similar to how I felt about Marlee in The Selection... there's not much to say other then I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
OK this rant is getting super long (what else is new?) so I'm going to try to speed it up. I hate the "grandmother" person, obviously. Even being evil, what would the harm be of letting the others stay for a bit? I also didn't understand this Eliza person for most of the story... I knew it would be important, but it was one of those things that I just didn't care about until it was time to care about it. I will come back to my confusion there, later. But YAY MIK STOLE HER WISHES. That was wonderful.
AKIVA wins. That's all I can say of that scene with Jael. And that kiss in the sky... it's funny, when it said they moved into each other, I pictured them spinning around as they kissed. THEN it said they were spinning as they kissed. Ugh. Romance.
OK I want to jump to the confusing part. Zuzanna and Mik show up with Eliza and Karou is there because AKIVA is missing, and then she goes to find him and the truth finally comes out about his powers and this queen girl, who actually isn't evil at all. And AKIVA and Karou are going to have to separate, which is awful. But this godstars thing. I still don't get it. At all. The idea of time being an ocean and that myth not happening yet was cool but I don't get what it MEANS. And apparently even the characters don't. Does it meant they will have to come together to fight the beasts? Does it mean nobody else can join them? Does it mean they are definitely going to win? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. But whatever.
Epilogue. First seeing them apart hurt, but it made sense they they needed to be separate. I liked Karou's little internal monologue about not being able to follow him-- he was actually supposed to follow her. But then we switch to AKIVA and KAROU IS COMING FOR THE SEASON WHICH IS ACTUALLY MORE TIME THAN ALL THEY HAD SPENT TOGETHER IN THE PAST COMBINED. I think this may be the first time an ending has actually left me with legitimate happy tears. I had no complaints, which is very, very rare.
I think I may have 3-4 new fictional boyfriends from this book: AKIVA, ZIRI, Mik, Hazael. All the "good guy" men were absolutely amazing in this trilogy.
OK that wasn't TOO BAD of a rant, right? Heh.
Note: I used images/gifs in this book rant. I own absolutely none of them.
So I was completely lost at the beginning of this book. I started the audio book while cleaning my classroom on a teacher work day, and I just remember lowering the volume as I began to hear about nude model ex boyfriends, itchy wishes, and "necessary penises". It's kind of hilarious now, to think about where this story started. I though Kaz was going to be so important... I had almost forgotten she get him name tattoo'd on her, then wished it gone. Ha!
I loved the poetry of Karou's silly wishes, especially after the flashbacks of Madrigal pretending to make these SAME silly wishes previously (blue hair?), but realizing she needed to save her wish for something bigger. It just shows the difference between their knowledge. Madrigal grew up in a world of war and resurrection. It is quite different from the world of actor boyfriends and art classes that Karou knew.
So Karou meets this Akiva angel guy and is immediately drawn to him because he's fiery and gorgeous and a freaking angel. And then he figures out that's she's really madrigal and is all "She's going to hate me when she learns the truth" and then they snap the wishbone (after he tells her his soul will love her soul in any form). And the memories between them are all sweet and wonderful and there's nothing that could possibly make her mad at him. What could he possibly have been talking about? Her saving him? Him finding her? A month spent together? Being tortured? Screaming for her at her execution? What's to hate? And then... and then... ugh it hurt so much.
Book two starts with Akiva and Karou separated and Karou is pretending not to love him, though she so clearly does. Not to mention living right above the stupid wolf, who KILLED HER. And now he's telling stories about regretting it and being so happy when he found out Brimstone had gleaned her soul. Yet in that same conversation, he throws and "you left me no choice" and is obviously trying to make her feel guilty. HER. FOR FALLING IN LOVE. And then we find out that while he was claiming to be trying to get the rest to trust Karou, he was actually telling them not to talk to her because they couldn't trust her. AND he was planning to having her teach Ten her trade, so they could kill her AGAIN. But then AKIVA (I think his name will be in caps for the rest of this rant) saves ZIRI (his, too) and he comes home and sets everything straight, and brings Issa home with him and OMG EVERYTHING IS SO MUCH BETTER. Except Karou is still pretending not to care about AKIVA. And AKIVA watching Karou in bed with ZIRI hurt so much, but he was just so happy she was alive.
And Ziri. ZIRI. I loved him so much, but I hated loving him because he loved Karou/Madrigal, so loving him felt like hurting AKIVA but I could just love him as Karou's friend, right? But he cared so much about her in the "I just want her to be happy" kind of way. And when he came back... wait... I will come back to that in a moment. But first, he was basically sent away to die because he was friends with her. That damn wolf.
That scene. You'll know which one I'm talking about. I am not sure a book has ever put me in such physical pain as that scene. Thank that godstars Karou had that knife hidden in her boot, because that was terrifying even from the safety of my locked apartment. And then when Akiva shows up again and the wolf walks in behind him. I freaked out. SHE BROUGHT HIM BACK?! I thought ISSA was fake after her encounter with Ten, and I was so lost. But then. BUT THEN. The truth. Ziri returned and killed himself so Karou could replace the wolf's body and they could lead the people in a better direction. Though I still don't understand why she didn't tell AKIVA the truth right away.
And I realize I'm mostly sticking to one side of the story, because jumping around confuses me when it comes to this. But I need priorities because HELLO, RANT. But the magic was awesome and confusing and HAZAEL. OMG Why did I not talk about Hazael? I loved him the same way I loved Ziri and his death hurt so much. I wanted Karou to fix him. I wanted her to fix him so badly. But in a book about war, we need sacrifices and Hazael was the perfect candidate: loved by both readers and characters, but not essential to the plot. So goodbye, I love you.
So I read Goodread's description of book 3, and it made me very nervous. I really wanted to like this mysterious queen that felt AKIVA's powers at the end of book 2 and knew what it was. But the summary made it seem like she was evil and was going to come ruin everything. So when we're hanging out in the caves with the gang (I want to see those baths!), I could just feel the pain building. AKIVA and Karou are still pretending not to care about each other (even with Issa constantly telling Karou to give into her heart) and finally FINALLY she realizes that her heart was right and ANYONE WHO DOESN'T LIKE IT CAN SUCK IT. And poor Ziri constantly fighting his need to be good with his need to pull off this secret.
And then there's the moment when you think everything is finally great and AKIVA and Karou are going to be together and wonderful and Ziri is kinda hurt watching them leave, but then Liraz gets attacked by FAKE TEN. But then there's that moment of Ziri saving Liraz and bringing her to THE BATH and HE TELLS HER EVERYTHING AND I IMMEDIATELY HAD A NEW SHIP AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. Though I had been kinda liking the asexuality of Liraz up to that point.
OK so they make this new plan and kept exactly what was happening completely secret, but AKIVA and Karou were going to be separated and it hurt but then LIRAZ. The moment she pushed him through the portal, I lost it. I was in my classroom when I read that, and I think I started jumping and screaming (it was my lunch break). And then I wondered if she had ZIRI had planned that together, because he's the reason AKIVA was even with Liraz and Karou. So I think ZIRI and Liraz collaborated to send Karou and AKIVA through the portal together and OH MY HEART. But then the pain in AKIVA when they get there.
OMG I HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT ZUZANNA AND MIK YET. But I think my reaction there is similar to how I felt about Marlee in The Selection... there's not much to say other then I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
OK this rant is getting super long (what else is new?) so I'm going to try to speed it up. I hate the "grandmother" person, obviously. Even being evil, what would the harm be of letting the others stay for a bit? I also didn't understand this Eliza person for most of the story... I knew it would be important, but it was one of those things that I just didn't care about until it was time to care about it. I will come back to my confusion there, later. But YAY MIK STOLE HER WISHES. That was wonderful.
AKIVA wins. That's all I can say of that scene with Jael. And that kiss in the sky... it's funny, when it said they moved into each other, I pictured them spinning around as they kissed. THEN it said they were spinning as they kissed. Ugh. Romance.
OK I want to jump to the confusing part. Zuzanna and Mik show up with Eliza and Karou is there because AKIVA is missing, and then she goes to find him and the truth finally comes out about his powers and this queen girl, who actually isn't evil at all. And AKIVA and Karou are going to have to separate, which is awful. But this godstars thing. I still don't get it. At all. The idea of time being an ocean and that myth not happening yet was cool but I don't get what it MEANS. And apparently even the characters don't. Does it meant they will have to come together to fight the beasts? Does it mean nobody else can join them? Does it mean they are definitely going to win? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. But whatever.
Epilogue. First seeing them apart hurt, but it made sense they they needed to be separate. I liked Karou's little internal monologue about not being able to follow him-- he was actually supposed to follow her. But then we switch to AKIVA and KAROU IS COMING FOR THE SEASON WHICH IS ACTUALLY MORE TIME THAN ALL THEY HAD SPENT TOGETHER IN THE PAST COMBINED. I think this may be the first time an ending has actually left me with legitimate happy tears. I had no complaints, which is very, very rare.
I think I may have 3-4 new fictional boyfriends from this book: AKIVA, ZIRI, Mik, Hazael. All the "good guy" men were absolutely amazing in this trilogy.
OK that wasn't TOO BAD of a rant, right? Heh.