Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Alethea Allarey
Written by Laini Taylor
Published by Little, Brown, 2011
2014-2015 Nominee - Young Adult
Synopsis
This richly imagined story is about destiny, self-discovery, and the importance of family. Like the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet or of Paris and Helen of Troy, Karou and Akiva come from families that are enemies; however, Akiva is an angel while Karou has been raised by chimera and demons.
The story begins in Prague, where Karou is an art student with electric blue hair and a flair for languages. She manages to maintain a delicate balance between her life as a student and her job as a teeth collector for Brimstone, the horned monster with golden crocodile eyes who has raised her with the love and discipline of a father. As Brimstone sends Karou on an increasing number of errands to collect teeth, blackened handprints are appearing on doors around the world, burned into the wood by winged creatures that have crept through a slit in the sky.
The reason behind these handprints will change Karou’s life forever, as she must decide between the family that has raised her or the warrior angel who mesmerizes her.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the first in the trilogy, followed by Days of Blood and Starlight and completed by Dreams of Gods and Monsters.
Meet the Author
Laini Taylor is a California girl who currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and young daughter. She received an English degree from UC Berkeley and was a National Book Award finalist for her novel Lips Touch: Three Times. In addition to being a writer, she is a self-described daydreamer, artist, and nerd. She is passionate about life and loves books and bookstores, mangoes and chocolate, and old houses and cake stands. On any given day, you might find her making cupcakes or dolls, playing games with her husband and daughter, or embarking on a wonderful travel adventure.
Hooks
- Have you ever loved someone whom your parents disapproved of? Was your attraction increased because of your parent’s disapproval? How did the relationship end?
- If someone in your family could grant wishes, what would you wish for? How many wishes would you need to be satisfied?
- When is war justified? Is it more important to fight for a cause you believe in or to fight for your family and their beliefs?
- What is a monster? Does it depend on outward appearance or individual actions? What is an angel? Are wings necessary? Are good deeds essential?
- How does outward appearance affect how others see us?
Connections
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Press, 2008.
Condie, Allie. Matched. Penguin Group, 2010.
Fisher, Catherine. Incarceron. Hodder Children’s Books, 2007.
Lu, Marie. Legend. Penguin Books, 2011.
Meyer, Marissa, Cinder. Macmillan Publishers, 2012.
Meyer, Stephenie. Twilight. Little, Brown and Company, 2005.
Porter, Sarah. The Twice Lost. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, 2013.
Oliver, Lauren. Delirium. HarperCollins Publishers, 2011.
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. HarperCollins Publishers, 2011.
Trussoni, Danielle. Angelology. Penguin Books, 2010.
Wecker, Helene. The Golem and the Jinni. Harper Perennial, 2013.
Westerfield, Scott. The Uglies. Simon and Schuster, 2005.
For more information, please check the 2014-2015 Resource Guide - Young Adult.