Laini Taylor

Imaginative young adult fantasy literature often relies on atmospheric world-building and complex mythological frameworks. Author Laini Taylor established her reputation in the genre through works that blend folklore, dark fantasy, and moral conflict, most notably in her acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy.

Career & Background

Born on December 11, 1971, in Chico, California, Taylor earned her degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Originally working as an artist, she attended her first Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference in 2001 alongside her husband, illustrator Jim Di Bartolo. Taylor debuted as an author with the Dreamdark series, publishing Blackbringer in 2007 and following it with Silksinger. In 2009, she published the young adult short-story collection Lips Touch: Three Times, which earned recognition as a finalist for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature and won a Cybils Award. Taylor currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and their daughter, Clementine.

Writing Style & Themes

Taylor's writing is distinguished by intricate multi-layered setting design, romantic intrigue, and highly descriptive prose. Her narratives frequently explore themes of identity, humanity, ancient conflict, and redemption. She has noted that reading works like Harry Potter revived her love for speculative storytelling, inspiring her to construct elaborate worlds where mythical beings, chimaera, and angels cross paths with contemporary human life.

Major Works

• Daughter of Smoke & Bone — The initial volume of a fantasy trilogy centered on Karou, an art student in Prague tied to a hidden world of chimaera. The novel was selected as a 2012 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults title and was followed by Days of Blood & Starlight, Dreams of Gods & Monsters, and the companion novella Night of Cake & Puppets.
• Strange the Dreamer — A Michael L. Printz Honor Book following an orphan librarian named Lazlo Strange who searches for a legendary lost city. The narrative concludes in the sequel Muse of Nightmares.
• Lips Touch: Three Times — A 2009 collection of three fantasy novellas centered on supernatural deals and folklore. It was named a finalist for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature and a YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults selection.
• Blackbringer — The 2007 debut novel that launched the Dreamdark series, continuing in the second book, Silksinger.