Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Setting
The Magic Kingdom The book's epigraph begins, "once upon a time," which conjures up images of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and other dark, twisted fairy tales. (Those Grimm brothers were...
Narrator Point of View
If there's one thing that Cinderella, Snow White, Goldilocks, and Karou all have in common, it's that they're all the stars of fairy tales. Most fairy tales are told from the third-person P.O.V., a...
What's Up With the Title?
It's a catchy title, isn't it? All smoky and mysterious, and the "bone" bit gives it a sinister air. But what does it mean? And who, exactly, is this daughter of smoke and bone? Well, that second q...
What's Up With the Epigraph?
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil feel in love. It did not end well.The epigraph for Daughter of Smoke and Bone is original, not from another source, as most epigraphs are. There are a few of...
What's Up With the Ending?
In a way, the whole last third of the book is an ending—it marks the end of Karou's journey of self-discovery. Because she discovers that her "self" is an entirely different person, Madrigal. And...
Tough-o-Meter
No need to wish for a larger vocabulary here, Shmoopers. Reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a leisurely affair. Like any good fairy tale, it lures you in with simple, yet poetic, language. It ma...