Title: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Book: 3
Rating: ★★★★★
Blurb from Goodreads:
By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.
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. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.
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 theater 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?
My Rating/Thoughts:
“Once upon a time,an angel and a devil pressed their hands to their hearts
and started the apocalypse.”
I am going to start by saying this book was a monster! 613 pages of glorious writing that made my heart shrivel up from heartbreak and expand 20 sizes bigger because AVIKA AND KAROU♥♥♥♥♥
Seriously, it was that fantastic. It did take me a while to get into because for a while I just felt like nothing was really going on. There was a lot of building up and I just had to force myself to read. I think the problem I usually have is when authors will introduce new characters and give their perspectives and it takes me a while to get used to them. I don't know this person. I don't know their story and I don't care about them right now.
But let's talk about the plot first (because I could write my own novel about the characters alone). The plot of this story was pretty good. I looovvvvveeedddd that the seraphim and chimaera finally came together to defeat Jael! YAAASSSSS! However. I didn't like how this whole "plan" kept getting hinted at and it really wasn't anything too special. Avika just burned a handprint into Jael and threatened to ignite it unless he left Earth with no weapons? Okay. That's a little anticlimatic. I was waiting for this huge brawl to finally take down Jael and his army, but I guess I was still satisfied. I also enjoyed that we saw more of the Stelians and the origin of sirithar. That was actually a little surprising (Poor Akiva).
"It was not a happy ending, but a happy middle-- at last, after so many fraught beginnings."
Overall, this story was satisfying and I am beyond joyed that I got my happily ever after for Akiva and Karou! Seriously guys, their love is awesome sauce! They have the kind of love that everyone should strive for. I was in love with Avika. I was in love with Karou just reading Akiva's perspective. I felt it! I wanted it just as badly. Their glances! Their longing! GAH IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL! *cries*
“But let's not be casual about this body, okay?" She nuzzled him back. "It may be your soul that I love, but I'm pretty keen on its vessel, too."
And what I really, really, really liked about this book was how love was based on your soul. Karou fell in love with Akiva's soul, and vice versa. It doesn't matter what you look like, love only cares for your soul and who you are. The fact that Liraz could fall in love with Ziri despite the fact that he was chimaera was beautiful. I love this message and it makes me all giddy!
Now as for the characters, Laini Taylor really knows how to make you fall in love with every single character she writes about. Except Thiago because seriously who needs him? But I loved them all! Karou, Akiva, Zuzanna, Mik, Ziri!!!, Even tough-exterior-Liraz, Issa, Hazael. Everyone!
“You are a conniving, deceitful hussy. I stand in awe."
"You're sitting."
"I sit in awe.”
I loved Karou and Zuzanna's friendship so much. I loved that she wanted to help Karou and it actually tore her apart because she couldn't stay and help her friend. Their exchanges were just so beautiful that I would tear up here and there because they are amazing.
Even Zuzanna and Mik had a beautiful relationship. I loved how geeky and brave Mik was. And romantic! This guy! Let me tell you. The fact that he would not propose to Zuzanna unless he performed 3 heroic acts was so heartwarming. They joked around with each other so much that it was so cute and then when Mic would act on those jokes to make Zuzanna happy? Awwww! (:
I am currently now in a book hangover because I just loved this world so much. I love Laini Taylor for writing just a great fantasy trilogy that was so unlike anything I've read before. I loved the world she built with their legends. Now I will forever be looking up to the sky looking for my own portal to Eretz (:
