Audio Review ~ Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Publication Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Hatchette Audio
Source: Purchased Audiobook

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In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy."

My Review:

“A dream dirty and bruised is better than no dream at all.”

Audio:
Again, the narration by Khristine Hvam, was absolutely excellent.  Her inflection and character voices are absolutely amazing.  I have zero negative comments when it comes to the audio portion of this book.


Story:
I had been apprehensive to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone but ended up truly loving it and was excited to continue on with the series.  However, as much as I hate to say this...Days of Blood and Starlight did not live up to book one.

The writing is still beautiful and poetic, Taylor writes with a style so rarely found.  It's musical and mesmerizing.  I can't fault the writing style for my unease over this book.

It was the story itself that fell flat for me.  It is not a short book by any stretch and there is an enormous amount of detail written in. Yet, the story did not progress as much as I had hoped for. 

Karou falls into a huge responsibility.  She is the only one with the knowledge of resurrection and it falls on her shoulders to re-create a Chimera army.  She is a constant state of fear, longing, confusion and pain.  She has no one to trust or confide in and wakes in torment over dreams of Akiva.

Akiva, on the other hand, has direction and purpose. He's determined to find a way to bolster the dreams he once shared with Madrigal and found an army and life of his own. Though he too is tortured by the thoughts, memories and beliefs he has of Karou. 

“I am one of billions. I am stardust gathered fleetingly into form. I will be ungathered. The stardust will go on to be other things someday and I will be free.”

The story bounces from place to place and person to person, some of who I still don't fully understand their placement in the story.  There was just too much extraneous content and that is where my issue lies.  

I love the world that Taylor has created and the characters within it.  They are both truly masterful, but I think she always seems to take the longest road to get to the point.  It isn't always a bad thing, sometimes the long journey is gorgeous and a place you want to spend time in.  Other times, you just can't get to your destination quick enough.

Also, the level of despair in this book is almost too much.  Of course, I knew going into it that it wasn't going to be a light, fluffy and happy story.  There was no way it could be, but Daughter of Smoke and Bone had so much fun and playfulness in it and it was missed here. Almost completely.

I will still be continuing on with the series, I absolutely have to know where it goes and how it ends.  I just wish this installment had bit more of what the first book had and hope it comes back in the next book.