Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy #3)
Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: YA
Publication Date: 17th April 2014
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Stars: Four stars
Summary:
It began with DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
It continued with DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT
It ends with DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS
Common enemy, common cause.
When Jael’s brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.
And, perhaps, for themselves.
But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz … something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.
What power can bruise the sky?
From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theatre that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.
At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?
At a whopping 613 pages, this book was far from an easy read. With twists at every corner, it was an incredibly hard book to follow at times. New characters only added to the confusion. And some were unneeded, as if they had been carelessly thrown in as a page filler at the last minute to make the book as gigantic as it is.
Karou, our favourite blue-haired heroine is back, and she does not disappoint. An extremely strong and resilient heroine all the way to the climatic (and confusing) ending. There will never be another YA heroine like Karou. She is one of those rare characters that can never be compared to any other. She will never be forgotten. And since there seems to be a movie in the works, she might be resurfacing very soon! A face to the name we all know so well.
I adored Akiva in this book. Who doesn’t like Akiva? A beautifully crafted character that you cannot help but love. In this book we see Akiva and Karou’s disastrous relationship somewhat fixing itself piece by piece. After the zero-romance in Days of Blood and Starlight, I think everyone was hoping and praying we’d at long last see the couple reunite.
I admit it, I was hoping and praying for Brimstone’s return throughout the book. If Issa had survived by the skin of her teeth, I truly wondered whether Brimstone had. But… alas, no. He’s gone. *weeps*
This trilogy has long been one of my favourites, the amazing world of Eretz more than inspiring. Karou has caused me to dye my hair blue on more than one occasion. I have zero regrets!
Laini Taylor has one heck of an imagination. Seriously, can I crawl inside her head and live in there? The world building, the imagery and words… it’s like the books are exquisite poetry that flow and twist, dragging you into the book and world itself with chimaera claws hooked into you. DOGAM wasn’t as good as the first two, but still an amazing feat that not many authors could pull off.
And the cover! The US covers are beautiful, but the UK DOGAM blew me away! The blue, the birds… wow. Just wow! Whoever designed this cover -no, the covers of the entire UK hardback trilogy deserve a medal. Gorgeous covers for a gorgeous story.
The fact that there will be no more Karou and Akiva is agonizing. Thank you Laini for creating this beautiful, vibrant world and characters. It will be sorely missed by all.
