Amazing, amazing, amazing. This is one of my favorite books of the year. An absolutely clever and unique story line, beautiful writing and captivating characters. Taylor did not limit her world, story or characters but really stretched them to their rich, full development. I really love that in a book. She also showed no homage to story formulas nor fell prey to predictable romance plots. My surprise at one point of the book caused me to audibly gasp, stirring a pained feeling inside of me that I feel to this moment when I think about what happened.
"Brimstone's arms and massive torso were the only human parts of him, though the tough flesh that covered them was more hide than skin. His square pectorals were riven with ancient scar tissue, one nipple entirely obliterated by it, and his shoulders and back were etched in more scars: a network of puckered white cross-hatchings. Below the waist he became elsething. His haunches, covered in faded, off-gold fur, rippled with leonine muscle, but instead of the padded paws of a lion, they tapered to wicked, clawed feet that could have been either raptor or lizard - or perhaps, Karou fancied, dragon.
And then there was his head. Roughly that of a ram, it wasn't furred, but fleshed in the same tough brown hide as the rest of him. It gave way to scales around his flat ovine nose and reptilian eyes, and giant, yellowed ram horns spiraled on either side of his face." Pg 39
"Karou was plagued by the notion that she wasn't whole. She didn't know what this meant, but it was a lifelong feeling, a sensation akin to having forgotten something." Pg 44
"Karou had never been so happy to see him. 'Brimstone. . . ' she choked out, and then stopped. Her relief faltered. His crocodile pupils closed to black slashes, as they always did when he was angry, but if Karou thought she had seen him angry before, this was to be an education in rage." Pg 125
"Revenants - as the resurrected were called - didn't have to tithe pain for power; it was already done. The hamsas were a magical weapon paid for with the pain of their last death." Pg 334
"A high, sweet thrill sang through Madrigal as if she were a lute string." Pg 377
"After she had cried, she felt at once hollow and . . . better, as if the salt of all her unshed tears had been poisoning her, and now she was cleansed." Pg 403
Brimstone speaking to Madrigal: "Never repent of your own goodness, child. To stay true in the face of evil is a feat of strength." Pg 408
Book 84
No comments:
Post a Comment