Daughter of Smoke and Bone Read-A-Long - 2nd Discussion Post

Hi guys! Welcome to the 2nd discussion post for our January Read-a-Long: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor! Huge thank you to everyone who joined us and read the book with us in order to swoon over it together! 

Now, I don't know about you guys but I was completely blown-away by Laini Taylor's imagination and writing skills. The first read-a-long pick couldn't have been more perfect, honestly! I LOVED every single page of this book. It did have its slower moments, yes, but I completely didn't mind, as I was too busy enjoying Laini's beautiful writing style!! Ooooh! Can't wait to read the next book now!!! 

About the book:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Hardcover, US, 418 pages
Published September 27th 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hairactually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Discussion Questions:

1) Share your favorite quote or most memorable passage from the book - tell us why you like it so much!

2) Using only 5 words, describe the way you feel about this story.

3) What do you think about the relationship between Karou and Akiva? Are they starcrossed lovers destined to forever suffer or is their love powerful enough to change the world around them and bring about peace?

4) What part of the book surprised you the most? Was there anything that took you by surprise?

5) Who is your favorite supporting character and why?

6) Do you think Karou and Akiva change a lot throughout the course of the book? Would you say they're dynamic characters?

7) Trust and willingness to believe one another seem to play a big role in the story. What do you think would change if the characters trusted each other more? Or, in some cases, if they didn't put their trust in wrong places?

8) The novel closes with Kaoru and Akiva being yet again separated - what do you think will happen to them in the next book??

Please leave your answers in the comment section below! You can put them all in one comment or break them up into one question per comment! :)

Our favorite quotes:

Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.

It is a condition of monsters that they do not perceive themselves as such. The dragon, you know, hunkered in the village devouring maidens, heard the townsfolk cry 'Monster!' and looked behind him.

Love is a luxury."
"No. Love is an element."
An element. Like air to breathe, earth to stand on.

Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is accord. Harmony.

For the way loneliness is worse when you return to it after a reprieve—like the soul’s version of putting on a wet bathing suit, clammy and miserable.

She had been innocent once, a little girl playing with feathers on the floor of a devil's lair. She wasn't innocent now, but she didn't know what to do about it. This was her life: magic and shame and secrets and teeth and a deep, nagging hollow at the center of herself where something was most certainly missing.

She had a sadness that was so deep, but it still could turn to light in a second,and when I saw her smile I wondered what it would be like to make her smile. I thought...I thought it would be like the discovery of smiling.

“You were true to her, even if she was not to you. Never repent of your own goodness, child. To stay true in the face of evil is a feat of great strength.”

“Strength,” she said with a little laugh. “I gave her strength, and look what she did with it.” 

Never too late to join!

We are already preparing the next read-a-long for you guys!!! :) Today is the last day to vote on your pick, so head over to this post and cast your vote!!!! 

And remember, it's never to late to sign up for 2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge and/or join our monthly read-a-longs, so spread the word and invite your friends to join the fun!

Giveaway:

Everyone who takes part in our January TBR Pile Read-a-long is going to get 10 extra entries into our January Wrap-up giveaway for the TBR Pile Reading Challenge! The Wrap up is up on Bookish and you can find it HERE!!!

And don't forget to stop by tomorrow for the wrap-up post where you'll be able to link up your reviews / thoughts about Daughter of Smoke & Bone!!!