Series
Publication
Speak (2016), 432 p.
Original publication date
2015-05-12
Collections
Awards
Nevada Young Readers' Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2019)
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2018)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2018)
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2017)
Arkansas Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2017)
NCSLMA Battle of the Books (High School — 2019)
Westchester Fiction Award (Winner — 2016)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2016)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2018)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2016)
Great Reads from Great Places (North Carolina — 2016)
New York Public Library Best Books: For Teens (Fiction — 2015)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2015)
Description
Romanc Historical Fictio Young Adult Fictio Young Adult Literatur HTML:#1 New York Times Bestseller A sumptuous and epically told love story inspired by A Thousand and One Nights Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi�??s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she�??s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all. *The book is a Rough Cut Edition (pages are deliberately not the same le… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member amandacb
The Wrath and the Dawn has a wonderful premise -- a re-telling of an old story for a young adult audience. The execution, though, is lacking; I found myself quite bored and gave up halfway through. There is no mystery, and oftentimes no real reason behind some of the events that occur -- very much
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a usage of deus ex machina. Show Less
LibraryThing member anyaejo
Sigh, this book. I listened to it on audio and the narrator wasn't the best, so I had a hard time figuring out which character was speaking during dialogue which definitely didn't help me connect to the characters. I never really expected to love the romance, but I had hope, but it didn't pan out.
Show More
I didn't mind it particularly, just not swooning and it felt rather rushed and shallow. There are bits of magic that are cool, but they aren't the focus. There also isn't much storytelling given this is a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights and she didn't freaking finish the main story! Now I feel like I'm being tricked into reading the next book to hear the end ;-). Show Less
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Ahdieh took her inspiration from A Thousand and One Arabian Nights. The Caliph of Khorasan, Khalid, takes a new bride each night and then has her strangled with a silken cord in the morning. Sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to be next after her best friend falls victim to the Caliph's cruel
I was somewhat disappointed that the stories ended so soon in this retelling, and instead the novel focused on the "secret" that Khalid held which resulted in his killing his brides each night. I didn't believe in the love story either. These two seemed best matched in that they were quick to anger and were constantly misinterpreting what the other’s actions / words / looks meant. Of course, they are only teenagers, and this is a YA novel, after all.
Like the original Scheherazade, Ahdieh ends this story with a cliffhanger, hoping to ensure that the reader will return for the next installment.
Well, it was a relatively fast read and I can see why it's been so popular for the YA audience. But my reaction was decidedly 'meh.'
Show More
policy; but she intends to avenge her friend’s death. She must use her wits to keep him from killing her, and so she begins to weave fantastic stories, ending each evening with a cliffhanger so that he will want to come back the next night to see what happens. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with him.I was somewhat disappointed that the stories ended so soon in this retelling, and instead the novel focused on the "secret" that Khalid held which resulted in his killing his brides each night. I didn't believe in the love story either. These two seemed best matched in that they were quick to anger and were constantly misinterpreting what the other’s actions / words / looks meant. Of course, they are only teenagers, and this is a YA novel, after all.
Like the original Scheherazade, Ahdieh ends this story with a cliffhanger, hoping to ensure that the reader will return for the next installment.
Well, it was a relatively fast read and I can see why it's been so popular for the YA audience. But my reaction was decidedly 'meh.'
Show Less
LibraryThing member dkgarner95
I can see why this book is getting mixed reviews because, when it comes down to it, I had a really hard time deciding how to rate it myself.
On the one hand, the concept is amazing and the writing is really good. The descriptions of everything from the scenery to the clothes the characters were
On the other hand, there's Shazi. It's particularly difficult to enjoy a book when you can't stand the main character. #sorrynotsorry
I'm pretty sure she's supposed to come off as bold and strong willed, and possibly even free spirited. . .but. To me she was just arrogant, entitled, and petulant, and I have NO IDEA what Khalid even saw in her. Or maybe I do---well, at least I think I know what he's supposed to see, but it just didn't translate that way to me.
Speaking of Khalid *SWOONS*. Leave it
to me to play favorites with the monster of the story. Again, #sorrynotsorry ;)
The overall pace of the book felt a bit slow to me and, honestly, I found myself on the verge of boredom at one point, but I kept dutifully turning the pages anyway. Why? Well, because I wanted to know WHY? Why is the caliph killing his brides? Why did he spare Shazi? Why are there not MORE scenes with Khalid in them?????
In the end, I had issues with some things and I totally loved others. Thanks in large part to the last 65 pages or so (which really kicked things up a notch), I will definitely be seeking out the next book when it arrives---if for no other reason than to spend a little quality time with a certain tiger-eyed King of Kings ;)
On the one hand, the concept is amazing and the writing is really good. The descriptions of everything from the scenery to the clothes the characters were
Show More
wearing, and even the food were lush and vivid and popped right off the page (with the exception of one kind of major scene, but I can't really complain about it because, spoiler). The dialogue was a little weak at times, but the morality tales that Shazi told were fantastic.On the other hand, there's Shazi. It's particularly difficult to enjoy a book when you can't stand the main character. #sorrynotsorry
I'm pretty sure she's supposed to come off as bold and strong willed, and possibly even free spirited. . .but. To me she was just arrogant, entitled, and petulant, and I have NO IDEA what Khalid even saw in her. Or maybe I do---well, at least I think I know what he's supposed to see, but it just didn't translate that way to me.
Speaking of Khalid *SWOONS*. Leave it
to me to play favorites with the monster of the story. Again, #sorrynotsorry ;)
The overall pace of the book felt a bit slow to me and, honestly, I found myself on the verge of boredom at one point, but I kept dutifully turning the pages anyway. Why? Well, because I wanted to know WHY? Why is the caliph killing his brides? Why did he spare Shazi? Why are there not MORE scenes with Khalid in them?????
In the end, I had issues with some things and I totally loved others. Thanks in large part to the last 65 pages or so (which really kicked things up a notch), I will definitely be seeking out the next book when it arrives---if for no other reason than to spend a little quality time with a certain tiger-eyed King of Kings ;)
Show Less
LibraryThing member dkgarner95
I can see why this book is getting mixed reviews because, when it comes down to it, I had a really hard time deciding how to rate it myself.
On the one hand, the concept is amazing and the writing is really good. The descriptions of everything from the scenery to the clothes the characters were
On the other hand, there's Shazi. It's particularly difficult to enjoy a book when you can't stand the main character. #sorrynotsorry
I'm pretty sure she's supposed to come off as bold and strong willed, and possibly even free spirited. . .but. To me she was just arrogant, entitled, and petulant, and I have NO IDEA what Khalid even saw in her. Or maybe I do---well, at least I think I know what he's supposed to see, but it just didn't translate that way to me.
Speaking of Khalid *SWOONS*. Leave it
to me to play favorites with the monster of the story. Again, #sorrynotsorry ;)
The overall pace of the book felt a bit slow to me and, honestly, I found myself on the verge of boredom at one point, but I kept dutifully turning the pages anyway. Why? Well, because I wanted to know WHY? Why is the caliph killing his brides? Why did he spare Shazi? Why are there not MORE scenes with Khalid in them?????
In the end, I had issues with some things and I totally loved others. Thanks in large part to the last 65 pages or so (which really kicked things up a notch), I will definitely be seeking out the next book when it arrives---if for no other reason than to spend a little quality time with a certain tiger-eyed King of Kings ;)
On the one hand, the concept is amazing and the writing is really good. The descriptions of everything from the scenery to the clothes the characters were
Show More
wearing, and even the food were lush and vivid and popped right off the page (with the exception of one kind of major scene, but I can't really complain about it because, spoiler). The dialogue was a little weak at times, but the morality tales that Shazi told were fantastic.On the other hand, there's Shazi. It's particularly difficult to enjoy a book when you can't stand the main character. #sorrynotsorry
I'm pretty sure she's supposed to come off as bold and strong willed, and possibly even free spirited. . .but. To me she was just arrogant, entitled, and petulant, and I have NO IDEA what Khalid even saw in her. Or maybe I do---well, at least I think I know what he's supposed to see, but it just didn't translate that way to me.
Speaking of Khalid *SWOONS*. Leave it
to me to play favorites with the monster of the story. Again, #sorrynotsorry ;)
The overall pace of the book felt a bit slow to me and, honestly, I found myself on the verge of boredom at one point, but I kept dutifully turning the pages anyway. Why? Well, because I wanted to know WHY? Why is the caliph killing his brides? Why did he spare Shazi? Why are there not MORE scenes with Khalid in them?????
In the end, I had issues with some things and I totally loved others. Thanks in large part to the last 65 pages or so (which really kicked things up a notch), I will definitely be seeking out the next book when it arrives---if for no other reason than to spend a little quality time with a certain tiger-eyed King of Kings ;)
Show Less
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A gorgeous high fantasy that will leave you begging for the next book. With its steamy romance, engaging characters, and suspenseful plot, it is sure to be a huge hit with all young adult fans!
Opening Sentence: It would not be a welcome dawn.
The
Sixteen-year-old Shahrzad has just volunteered to go to her death. Khalid is the Caliph of Khorasan and he takes a new bride every night. In the morning the girl is then executed. This has been going on for months and many young girls have died. One of his murdered brides was Shiva, Shazi’s best friend. To revenge her friend Shazi, she has devised a plan to bring down the murderous king, and it starts with her volunteering to be his next wife. Remarkably, her plan seems to be working. She survives not only the first night, but many after that as well. As she gets to know the Caliph she soon realizes that he is not the monster she thought, and she finds herself falling in love with him. Shazi is determined to figure out the reason behind the deaths of all the girls that came before her, and hopefully she can stop it from happening to anyone else!
I have always been drawn to strong female characters in books. The ones that know how to take care of themselves, and don’t take crap from anyone. Shazi definitely fits into this mold. She is a feisty girl that has tons of wit and intelligence. It is obvious she will go to great lengths for the people she cares about, she is putting her life in grave danger to avenge her best friend. She has so many amazing qualities, but she also has her faults as well. She tends to like things done her way, and at times she makes some really rash decisions that lead to serious consequences. But she takes everything in stride and never gives up no matter how difficult her situation becomes. I honestly adore her character and can’t wait to read more of her story.
Khalid is a very interesting character. He is extremely mysterious and at first he comes across as a cold-hearted man that cares for no one. But as the story progresses and you learn about his sad past, it’s hard not to fall head over heels for him. It turns out he is a very caring person and he has this charm about him that is hard to resist. His relationship with Shazi is explosive, sexy, and tender. I loved watching them fall in love and try to figure each other out. Khalid is a great dynamic character and I am really intrigued to see what happens with him next.
As you can tell I loved Khalid, but I will admit that I am torn when it comes to the two boys. Tariq and Shazi grew up together and they have a lot of history. I have always been a sucker for best friend romances and theirs is pretty adorable. Tariq is so loyal to Shazi and would do anything to keep her safe. That kind of commitment is hard to come by and the fact that he is gorgeous, charming, and has a great body doesn’t hurt either. He just seems like the full package and that has made it really hard for me to pick a team. So as of right now I am going to call a truce between the two and hopefully I will be persuaded to pick one or the other in the sequel.
The Wrath and the Dawn is a gorgeous mystical retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. The beginning did start a little slow for me, but once things picked up I was hooked. I adored the Arabian setting and it seems to be a theme this year in YA. So far this is the only one I have read, but trust me when I say it is a book you need to read. The characters are very interesting and easy to connect with. The plot was very intriguing and keeps you guessing until the very end. The romance was done beautifully and developed perfectly. It had some moments that will pull at your heart strings, but there was also great humor that helped to lighten the mood. If you can’t tell I really enjoyed this story. It was so well rounded and contained all of the things that make a book wonderful. Yes, there were a few times the story seemed to drag and I got frustrated with the characters sometimes, but in the end this was an amazing read. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for an engrossing young adult fantasy filled with epic romance, loveable characters, and a suspenseful plot!
Notable Scene:
A guard reached for her arm. When his hand closed around her wrist, Shahrzad saw the caliph’s features tighten. She yanked her arm from the guard’s grasp, as though it were a flame held too near her flesh.
“Don’t touch me!” she yelled.
When another guard seized her shoulder, she slapped his hand out of the way.
“Are you deaf? How dare you touch me? Do you know who I am?” A note of panic entered her voice.
Not knowing what else to do, she locked upon her enemy.
The tiger-eyes were … torn.
Wary.
And then?
Calm.
“General al-Khoury?”
“Yes, sayyidi.”
“I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant.”
The shahrban stared back and forth between the caliph and Shahrzad.
“But, sayyidi … I don’t understand. You cannot—“
The caliph swiveled to face the shahrban. “You’re right, General. You do not understand. And you may never understand. Regardless, I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant …”
The caliph glanced back at Shahrzad, a ghost of a smile playing across his lips.
“My queen.”
FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of The Wrath and the Dawn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A gorgeous high fantasy that will leave you begging for the next book. With its steamy romance, engaging characters, and suspenseful plot, it is sure to be a huge hit with all young adult fans!
Opening Sentence: It would not be a welcome dawn.
The
Show More
Review:Sixteen-year-old Shahrzad has just volunteered to go to her death. Khalid is the Caliph of Khorasan and he takes a new bride every night. In the morning the girl is then executed. This has been going on for months and many young girls have died. One of his murdered brides was Shiva, Shazi’s best friend. To revenge her friend Shazi, she has devised a plan to bring down the murderous king, and it starts with her volunteering to be his next wife. Remarkably, her plan seems to be working. She survives not only the first night, but many after that as well. As she gets to know the Caliph she soon realizes that he is not the monster she thought, and she finds herself falling in love with him. Shazi is determined to figure out the reason behind the deaths of all the girls that came before her, and hopefully she can stop it from happening to anyone else!
I have always been drawn to strong female characters in books. The ones that know how to take care of themselves, and don’t take crap from anyone. Shazi definitely fits into this mold. She is a feisty girl that has tons of wit and intelligence. It is obvious she will go to great lengths for the people she cares about, she is putting her life in grave danger to avenge her best friend. She has so many amazing qualities, but she also has her faults as well. She tends to like things done her way, and at times she makes some really rash decisions that lead to serious consequences. But she takes everything in stride and never gives up no matter how difficult her situation becomes. I honestly adore her character and can’t wait to read more of her story.
Khalid is a very interesting character. He is extremely mysterious and at first he comes across as a cold-hearted man that cares for no one. But as the story progresses and you learn about his sad past, it’s hard not to fall head over heels for him. It turns out he is a very caring person and he has this charm about him that is hard to resist. His relationship with Shazi is explosive, sexy, and tender. I loved watching them fall in love and try to figure each other out. Khalid is a great dynamic character and I am really intrigued to see what happens with him next.
As you can tell I loved Khalid, but I will admit that I am torn when it comes to the two boys. Tariq and Shazi grew up together and they have a lot of history. I have always been a sucker for best friend romances and theirs is pretty adorable. Tariq is so loyal to Shazi and would do anything to keep her safe. That kind of commitment is hard to come by and the fact that he is gorgeous, charming, and has a great body doesn’t hurt either. He just seems like the full package and that has made it really hard for me to pick a team. So as of right now I am going to call a truce between the two and hopefully I will be persuaded to pick one or the other in the sequel.
The Wrath and the Dawn is a gorgeous mystical retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. The beginning did start a little slow for me, but once things picked up I was hooked. I adored the Arabian setting and it seems to be a theme this year in YA. So far this is the only one I have read, but trust me when I say it is a book you need to read. The characters are very interesting and easy to connect with. The plot was very intriguing and keeps you guessing until the very end. The romance was done beautifully and developed perfectly. It had some moments that will pull at your heart strings, but there was also great humor that helped to lighten the mood. If you can’t tell I really enjoyed this story. It was so well rounded and contained all of the things that make a book wonderful. Yes, there were a few times the story seemed to drag and I got frustrated with the characters sometimes, but in the end this was an amazing read. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for an engrossing young adult fantasy filled with epic romance, loveable characters, and a suspenseful plot!
Notable Scene:
A guard reached for her arm. When his hand closed around her wrist, Shahrzad saw the caliph’s features tighten. She yanked her arm from the guard’s grasp, as though it were a flame held too near her flesh.
“Don’t touch me!” she yelled.
When another guard seized her shoulder, she slapped his hand out of the way.
“Are you deaf? How dare you touch me? Do you know who I am?” A note of panic entered her voice.
Not knowing what else to do, she locked upon her enemy.
The tiger-eyes were … torn.
Wary.
And then?
Calm.
“General al-Khoury?”
“Yes, sayyidi.”
“I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant.”
The shahrban stared back and forth between the caliph and Shahrzad.
“But, sayyidi … I don’t understand. You cannot—“
The caliph swiveled to face the shahrban. “You’re right, General. You do not understand. And you may never understand. Regardless, I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant …”
The caliph glanced back at Shahrzad, a ghost of a smile playing across his lips.
“My queen.”
FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of The Wrath and the Dawn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A gorgeous high fantasy that will leave you begging for the next book. With its steamy romance, engaging characters, and suspenseful plot, it is sure to be a huge hit with all young adult fans!
Opening Sentence: It would not be a welcome dawn.
The
Sixteen-year-old Shahrzad has just volunteered to go to her death. Khalid is the Caliph of Khorasan and he takes a new bride every night. In the morning the girl is then executed. This has been going on for months and many young girls have died. One of his murdered brides was Shiva, Shazi’s best friend. To revenge her friend Shazi, she has devised a plan to bring down the murderous king, and it starts with her volunteering to be his next wife. Remarkably, her plan seems to be working. She survives not only the first night, but many after that as well. As she gets to know the Caliph she soon realizes that he is not the monster she thought, and she finds herself falling in love with him. Shazi is determined to figure out the reason behind the deaths of all the girls that came before her, and hopefully she can stop it from happening to anyone else!
I have always been drawn to strong female characters in books. The ones that know how to take care of themselves, and don’t take crap from anyone. Shazi definitely fits into this mold. She is a feisty girl that has tons of wit and intelligence. It is obvious she will go to great lengths for the people she cares about, she is putting her life in grave danger to avenge her best friend. She has so many amazing qualities, but she also has her faults as well. She tends to like things done her way, and at times she makes some really rash decisions that lead to serious consequences. But she takes everything in stride and never gives up no matter how difficult her situation becomes. I honestly adore her character and can’t wait to read more of her story.
Khalid is a very interesting character. He is extremely mysterious and at first he comes across as a cold-hearted man that cares for no one. But as the story progresses and you learn about his sad past, it’s hard not to fall head over heels for him. It turns out he is a very caring person and he has this charm about him that is hard to resist. His relationship with Shazi is explosive, sexy, and tender. I loved watching them fall in love and try to figure each other out. Khalid is a great dynamic character and I am really intrigued to see what happens with him next.
As you can tell I loved Khalid, but I will admit that I am torn when it comes to the two boys. Tariq and Shazi grew up together and they have a lot of history. I have always been a sucker for best friend romances and theirs is pretty adorable. Tariq is so loyal to Shazi and would do anything to keep her safe. That kind of commitment is hard to come by and the fact that he is gorgeous, charming, and has a great body doesn’t hurt either. He just seems like the full package and that has made it really hard for me to pick a team. So as of right now I am going to call a truce between the two and hopefully I will be persuaded to pick one or the other in the sequel.
The Wrath and the Dawn is a gorgeous mystical retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. The beginning did start a little slow for me, but once things picked up I was hooked. I adored the Arabian setting and it seems to be a theme this year in YA. So far this is the only one I have read, but trust me when I say it is a book you need to read. The characters are very interesting and easy to connect with. The plot was very intriguing and keeps you guessing until the very end. The romance was done beautifully and developed perfectly. It had some moments that will pull at your heart strings, but there was also great humor that helped to lighten the mood. If you can’t tell I really enjoyed this story. It was so well rounded and contained all of the things that make a book wonderful. Yes, there were a few times the story seemed to drag and I got frustrated with the characters sometimes, but in the end this was an amazing read. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for an engrossing young adult fantasy filled with epic romance, loveable characters, and a suspenseful plot!
Notable Scene:
A guard reached for her arm. When his hand closed around her wrist, Shahrzad saw the caliph’s features tighten. She yanked her arm from the guard’s grasp, as though it were a flame held too near her flesh.
“Don’t touch me!” she yelled.
When another guard seized her shoulder, she slapped his hand out of the way.
“Are you deaf? How dare you touch me? Do you know who I am?” A note of panic entered her voice.
Not knowing what else to do, she locked upon her enemy.
The tiger-eyes were … torn.
Wary.
And then?
Calm.
“General al-Khoury?”
“Yes, sayyidi.”
“I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant.”
The shahrban stared back and forth between the caliph and Shahrzad.
“But, sayyidi … I don’t understand. You cannot—“
The caliph swiveled to face the shahrban. “You’re right, General. You do not understand. And you may never understand. Regardless, I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant …”
The caliph glanced back at Shahrzad, a ghost of a smile playing across his lips.
“My queen.”
FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of The Wrath and the Dawn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A gorgeous high fantasy that will leave you begging for the next book. With its steamy romance, engaging characters, and suspenseful plot, it is sure to be a huge hit with all young adult fans!
Opening Sentence: It would not be a welcome dawn.
The
Show More
Review:Sixteen-year-old Shahrzad has just volunteered to go to her death. Khalid is the Caliph of Khorasan and he takes a new bride every night. In the morning the girl is then executed. This has been going on for months and many young girls have died. One of his murdered brides was Shiva, Shazi’s best friend. To revenge her friend Shazi, she has devised a plan to bring down the murderous king, and it starts with her volunteering to be his next wife. Remarkably, her plan seems to be working. She survives not only the first night, but many after that as well. As she gets to know the Caliph she soon realizes that he is not the monster she thought, and she finds herself falling in love with him. Shazi is determined to figure out the reason behind the deaths of all the girls that came before her, and hopefully she can stop it from happening to anyone else!
I have always been drawn to strong female characters in books. The ones that know how to take care of themselves, and don’t take crap from anyone. Shazi definitely fits into this mold. She is a feisty girl that has tons of wit and intelligence. It is obvious she will go to great lengths for the people she cares about, she is putting her life in grave danger to avenge her best friend. She has so many amazing qualities, but she also has her faults as well. She tends to like things done her way, and at times she makes some really rash decisions that lead to serious consequences. But she takes everything in stride and never gives up no matter how difficult her situation becomes. I honestly adore her character and can’t wait to read more of her story.
Khalid is a very interesting character. He is extremely mysterious and at first he comes across as a cold-hearted man that cares for no one. But as the story progresses and you learn about his sad past, it’s hard not to fall head over heels for him. It turns out he is a very caring person and he has this charm about him that is hard to resist. His relationship with Shazi is explosive, sexy, and tender. I loved watching them fall in love and try to figure each other out. Khalid is a great dynamic character and I am really intrigued to see what happens with him next.
As you can tell I loved Khalid, but I will admit that I am torn when it comes to the two boys. Tariq and Shazi grew up together and they have a lot of history. I have always been a sucker for best friend romances and theirs is pretty adorable. Tariq is so loyal to Shazi and would do anything to keep her safe. That kind of commitment is hard to come by and the fact that he is gorgeous, charming, and has a great body doesn’t hurt either. He just seems like the full package and that has made it really hard for me to pick a team. So as of right now I am going to call a truce between the two and hopefully I will be persuaded to pick one or the other in the sequel.
The Wrath and the Dawn is a gorgeous mystical retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. The beginning did start a little slow for me, but once things picked up I was hooked. I adored the Arabian setting and it seems to be a theme this year in YA. So far this is the only one I have read, but trust me when I say it is a book you need to read. The characters are very interesting and easy to connect with. The plot was very intriguing and keeps you guessing until the very end. The romance was done beautifully and developed perfectly. It had some moments that will pull at your heart strings, but there was also great humor that helped to lighten the mood. If you can’t tell I really enjoyed this story. It was so well rounded and contained all of the things that make a book wonderful. Yes, there were a few times the story seemed to drag and I got frustrated with the characters sometimes, but in the end this was an amazing read. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for an engrossing young adult fantasy filled with epic romance, loveable characters, and a suspenseful plot!
Notable Scene:
A guard reached for her arm. When his hand closed around her wrist, Shahrzad saw the caliph’s features tighten. She yanked her arm from the guard’s grasp, as though it were a flame held too near her flesh.
“Don’t touch me!” she yelled.
When another guard seized her shoulder, she slapped his hand out of the way.
“Are you deaf? How dare you touch me? Do you know who I am?” A note of panic entered her voice.
Not knowing what else to do, she locked upon her enemy.
The tiger-eyes were … torn.
Wary.
And then?
Calm.
“General al-Khoury?”
“Yes, sayyidi.”
“I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant.”
The shahrban stared back and forth between the caliph and Shahrzad.
“But, sayyidi … I don’t understand. You cannot—“
The caliph swiveled to face the shahrban. “You’re right, General. You do not understand. And you may never understand. Regardless, I’d like to introduce you to the Mountain of Adamant …”
The caliph glanced back at Shahrzad, a ghost of a smile playing across his lips.
“My queen.”
FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of The Wrath and the Dawn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member JRlibrary
The Arabian tale of One Thousand and One Nights is retold for young adults in this book, The Wrath and the Dawn.
Khalid is the eighteen year old boy-king or Caliph of Khorasan and, true to the original tale, he marries a new bride each night and then has her put to death each dawn. There is great
I will definitely be lining up to get book two.
Khalid is the eighteen year old boy-king or Caliph of Khorasan and, true to the original tale, he marries a new bride each night and then has her put to death each dawn. There is great
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mystery behind why he is doing this, and as the reader, I really needed to know why he kept having the girls executed. One of the executed brides was Shahrzad’s friend and so Shazi is determined to seek revenge and volunteers to marry the Caliph with the intention of killing him. Shazi is just the kind of character I love to read about in books; strong physically, intelligent and resilient even though she has no idea whether her plan is going to work or not. She believes that Khalid is a heartless monster but she soon finds out that all is not what it seems. She is very strong-willed and that is what almost gets her killed because Khalid is determined to keep his secrets and she is determined to find them out. I especially enjoyed that their relationship was a complex one that took a while to grow. It would have felt wrong if they just fell in love instantly one evening.I will definitely be lining up to get book two.
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LibraryThing member LaPhenix
I really loved this book up to a point. Several areas fell short for me, particularly the very first scene--which I never reconciled and definitely came with STDs--the very last scene, and the portrayal of genders. The lead character undoubtedly has some strong points, but overall, she felt weak,
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always seeking the strength and reassurance of other. Cultural bits felt untrue as well: the suggestion that all men see women as nothing more than sex objects--though the main male characters seemed to contradict this, and the relationship of two side character. That said, I really did like the characters and the story was exciting and definitely kept me guessing. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I decided that I had to read this after seeing one of the most amazing pieces of fanart on tumblr for it. I'm so glad I did; the story, the characters and the details are amazing. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I decided that I had to read this after seeing one of the most amazing pieces of fanart on tumblr for it. I'm so glad I did; the story, the characters and the details are amazing. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I decided that I had to read this after seeing one of the most amazing pieces of fanart on tumblr for it. I'm so glad I did; the story, the characters and the details are amazing. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I decided that I had to read this after seeing one of the most amazing pieces of fanart on tumblr for it. I'm so glad I did; the story, the characters and the details are amazing. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
LibraryThing member Beammey
A solid 4/5 stars. I thought the writing was compelling and it was a good retelling. I will end up reading the sequel, I'm sure, now that I'm invested in these characters xD. My only complaint is that it got a bit drawn out around the quarter mark, but I kept reading and I'm glad I did. It was very
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good. Would recommend this. Show Less
LibraryThing member AzureStrawberry
3.5* It's good...I was skeptical I must admit...instead I liked it. There are obviously some issues, some things that are not quite right, but on the whole it is a good start.
LibraryThing member dom76
Beautiful book. The story, the setting. Not a lot of action but it's mostly a romance YA novel. Fast read, wish it was longer but the sequel is coming soon.
LibraryThing member CherieReads
The Wrath and the Dawn is a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights. Khalid, the Caliph (or king) marries a new bride each night and then has her put to death each dawn. One of these unfortunate brides is Shahrzad’s friend and so she volunteers herself as a bride with the intention of killing
Shazi (Shahrzad) is a strong-willed and impetuous and goes in with a pretty flimsy plan, in my opinion. She hopes to stay her execution by telling the caliph a story but leaving it unfinished so that he will want to come back the following night to continue it. She assumes that the caliph is a heartless monster who just enjoys using girls and then killing them. She spares no thought for why he might be doing these awful things, or if there might be some larger explanation. Her single-minded plan turned me off a little bit and I had a hard time connecting with her at the start. Shazi soon starts to realize that things are not just black and white, they are much more complicated than they first seem.
Khalid was also hard to connect with at the start and I think that parallels how Shazi felt about him. He’s built these walls around himself to protect the outside from the monster he believes himself to be. He holds everyone at arms length and keeps his secrets close, making it hard for Shazi, or anyone really, to develop any kind of a relationship with him. I really loved how Khalid’s personality is more quiet. He’s powerful but he doesn’t flaunt his power and he’s a man of few words. He communicates as much with his eyes and body language as he does with his words and I loved that. It’s nice to have a male protagonist that isn’t in your face with their ego, over the top with their professions of love, or a clone of every other male in the book.
As the story continues, Shazi and Khalid find themselves growing closer despite their situations. Their relationship felt very organic to me. There’s no insta-love and there’s nothing easy about the relationship. Shazi feels a huge amount of guilt about her growing feelings for Khalid. She’s betraying her original purpose for marrying Khalid and in turn betraying the memory of her murdered friend and her family. Khalid, on the other hand, feels like he’s betraying his people by falling for Shazi and is torn between his duty to his people as their king, and his own wants and needs. Their relationship is complex and understated and beautifully written. There are some swoon-worthy moments, but they are not over the top. The romance is very well done. Eventually, all secrets are revealed and that’s where things really got good. I was so happy that the author didn’t draw things out just for the sake of drama.
The writing is really beautiful and flows nicely – as you would expect of a story about a story. The descriptions and world-building are wonderful. The descriptions of the clothing, the architecture, the climate, the room decor – it all makes this book very atmospheric and brings the reader there.
Overall, I loved this debut and can’t wait for the second book in the series. Despite a somewhat slow start, the great romance, strong characters, a great supporting cast, beautiful writing and detailed world-building make for a fantastic start to this series.
Note: I received this book for free from Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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the caliph and avenging her murdered friend. I found this book a little bit hard to connect with at first but after a few chapters I was hooked and it just kept getting better.Shazi (Shahrzad) is a strong-willed and impetuous and goes in with a pretty flimsy plan, in my opinion. She hopes to stay her execution by telling the caliph a story but leaving it unfinished so that he will want to come back the following night to continue it. She assumes that the caliph is a heartless monster who just enjoys using girls and then killing them. She spares no thought for why he might be doing these awful things, or if there might be some larger explanation. Her single-minded plan turned me off a little bit and I had a hard time connecting with her at the start. Shazi soon starts to realize that things are not just black and white, they are much more complicated than they first seem.
Khalid was also hard to connect with at the start and I think that parallels how Shazi felt about him. He’s built these walls around himself to protect the outside from the monster he believes himself to be. He holds everyone at arms length and keeps his secrets close, making it hard for Shazi, or anyone really, to develop any kind of a relationship with him. I really loved how Khalid’s personality is more quiet. He’s powerful but he doesn’t flaunt his power and he’s a man of few words. He communicates as much with his eyes and body language as he does with his words and I loved that. It’s nice to have a male protagonist that isn’t in your face with their ego, over the top with their professions of love, or a clone of every other male in the book.
As the story continues, Shazi and Khalid find themselves growing closer despite their situations. Their relationship felt very organic to me. There’s no insta-love and there’s nothing easy about the relationship. Shazi feels a huge amount of guilt about her growing feelings for Khalid. She’s betraying her original purpose for marrying Khalid and in turn betraying the memory of her murdered friend and her family. Khalid, on the other hand, feels like he’s betraying his people by falling for Shazi and is torn between his duty to his people as their king, and his own wants and needs. Their relationship is complex and understated and beautifully written. There are some swoon-worthy moments, but they are not over the top. The romance is very well done. Eventually, all secrets are revealed and that’s where things really got good. I was so happy that the author didn’t draw things out just for the sake of drama.
The writing is really beautiful and flows nicely – as you would expect of a story about a story. The descriptions and world-building are wonderful. The descriptions of the clothing, the architecture, the climate, the room decor – it all makes this book very atmospheric and brings the reader there.
Overall, I loved this debut and can’t wait for the second book in the series. Despite a somewhat slow start, the great romance, strong characters, a great supporting cast, beautiful writing and detailed world-building make for a fantastic start to this series.
Note: I received this book for free from Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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LibraryThing member Beammey
A solid 4/5 stars. I thought the writing was compelling and it was a good retelling. I will end up reading the sequel, I'm sure, now that I'm invested in these characters xD. My only complaint is that it got a bit drawn out around the quarter mark, but I kept reading and I'm glad I did. It was very
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good. Would recommend this. Show Less
LibraryThing member BillieBook
I changed my rating on this one because it's one of those books that I enjoyed while I was reading it, but, the more I thought about it, the more problems I had with it. Mostly it comes down to the book not really having a male character that I could support as a love interest. There is the
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murderous boy king who has killed dozens of young women already, including Sharazad's best friend. Shazi submits to sex with him, though it never really feels like she consents, so it felt to me, the reader, so close to rape as to bear little difference. And, yet, somehow, she falls in love with him? The more I thought about it, the more it seemed a case of Stockholm Syndrome, rather than real love. And, then, there's her best friend from childhood, the boy she thought she was in love with. Now, I'm not saying that staying with the murdering king was in her best interest, or even that she knew what her own best interests were by the end of the book, but this boy who supposedly loves her doesn't listen to her and basically abducts her against her will. It's possible that he'll be able to redeem himself in later books, but he was such a jerky alpha in this one that he's going to have to do something really amazing to make this reader like him. Oh, and there's Shazi's father, who thinks the best way to help his daughter is to become a blood sorcerer. There are a couple of decent guys in supporting roles, but even the best of them have moments that are less-than-shining. I'm all for a heroine who doesn't need a guy to rescue her or make her complete, and maybe Sharazad will become that heroine, but at the end of this book, she was really just an example of consistent poor decision making where it comes to romantic entanglements. Show Less
LibraryThing member mamzel
Wonderful retelling of the Sheherazade story.
Sharhrzad volunteers to marry Khalid, the Caliph of Korasan who marries a new girl every day and then kills her the next morning. After he killed her best friend she vowed to get even. She just has to manage to survive the first day and she can put her
This book had some of the most delicious kissing I have read about in a long time. Sure to be a hit with teen girls.
Sharhrzad volunteers to marry Khalid, the Caliph of Korasan who marries a new girl every day and then kills her the next morning. After he killed her best friend she vowed to get even. She just has to manage to survive the first day and she can put her
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plan in action. But things do not go her way and she finds herself falling for the young Caliph.This book had some of the most delicious kissing I have read about in a long time. Sure to be a hit with teen girls.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This is Book One of a re-imagining of One Thousand and One Nights (also called The Arabian Nights), a collection of stories compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age, tied together by a very clever narrative conceit involving the ruler Shahryār. In The Arabian Nights, Shahryār discovers
The retelling by Ahdieh adds a lot of appeal for today’s young adults. The handsome 18-year-old king Khalid is not at all what spunky sixteen-year-old Shahrzad (known as “Shazi”) expected. Khalid's brides are being killed the next morning, and Shazi thinks Khalid must be the epitome of evil. Nevertheless, she actually volunteers to be a bride, with the intent of getting revenge for the death of a previous bride who was her best friend. But she discovers that Khalid, rather than being a one-note villain who is easy to hate, is not without charm and humor. He also seems to feel a great deal of inner pain and suffering, the reasons for which he keeps secret. Shazi never dreamed she would find hidden depths in Khalid, and eventually she learns the reasons for all that he has done. Before long, she is questioning everything she thought she knew.
Discussion: In some ways this book follows a very familiar pattern: sassy, independent girl meets brooding bad boy, a boy the girl wants very much to hate. But she sees through cracks in his forbidding facade, and she starts falling for him.
What makes this book exceptional? It has an exotic setting, a mystery, a bit of magic, very likable characters, and a hot romance. The writing is fine. It ends with questions about the fate of everyone involved, but not so much that you feel cheated if you only want to read this one book of the series.
In addition, as the relationship between the two deepens, readers will appreciate that there is plenty of “swoony” dialogue:
"What are you doing to me, you plague of a girl?” he whispered.
“If I’m a plague, then you should keep your distance, unless you plan on being destroyed.”
“No.” His hands dropped to her waist. “Destroy me.”
. . .
"She was drowning in sandalwood and sunlight. Time ceased to be more than a notion. Her lips were hers one moment. And then they were his. The taste of him on her tongue was like sun-warmed honey. Like cool water sliding down her parched throat. Like the promise of all her tomorrows in a single sigh. When she wound her fingers in his hair to draw her body against his, he stilled for breath, and she knew, as he knew, that they were lost. Lost forever.
In this kiss.
This kiss that would change everything."
Evaluation: This love story with an “Arabian Nights” flavor to lend it an exotic spiciness has a great deal of appeal. I can't wait to read the next installment.
Note: Some of the recognition for this book includes:
An Amazon Best Book of the Year for 2015 – Young Adult
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens for 2015
A Seventeen Magazine Best Book of 2015
A YALSA 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
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that both his brother’s wife and his own have been unfaithful, and resolves next to marry a succession of virgins, and kill each one the next morning before she can betray him. Alas, before long there is only one available virgin left, and it is Scheherazade, who is much smarter than her predecessors. On the night of her marriage, she begins a story, but does not end it. The king is curious, and postpones her execution. The next night, she starts yet another compelling tale, again leaving the king hanging. This goes on for 1,001 nights, and the king, intrigued over how each story ends, cannot resist having these cliffhangers resolved and so sparing his wife. Finally, the king gives his wife a pardon.The retelling by Ahdieh adds a lot of appeal for today’s young adults. The handsome 18-year-old king Khalid is not at all what spunky sixteen-year-old Shahrzad (known as “Shazi”) expected. Khalid's brides are being killed the next morning, and Shazi thinks Khalid must be the epitome of evil. Nevertheless, she actually volunteers to be a bride, with the intent of getting revenge for the death of a previous bride who was her best friend. But she discovers that Khalid, rather than being a one-note villain who is easy to hate, is not without charm and humor. He also seems to feel a great deal of inner pain and suffering, the reasons for which he keeps secret. Shazi never dreamed she would find hidden depths in Khalid, and eventually she learns the reasons for all that he has done. Before long, she is questioning everything she thought she knew.
Discussion: In some ways this book follows a very familiar pattern: sassy, independent girl meets brooding bad boy, a boy the girl wants very much to hate. But she sees through cracks in his forbidding facade, and she starts falling for him.
What makes this book exceptional? It has an exotic setting, a mystery, a bit of magic, very likable characters, and a hot romance. The writing is fine. It ends with questions about the fate of everyone involved, but not so much that you feel cheated if you only want to read this one book of the series.
In addition, as the relationship between the two deepens, readers will appreciate that there is plenty of “swoony” dialogue:
"What are you doing to me, you plague of a girl?” he whispered.
“If I’m a plague, then you should keep your distance, unless you plan on being destroyed.”
“No.” His hands dropped to her waist. “Destroy me.”
. . .
"She was drowning in sandalwood and sunlight. Time ceased to be more than a notion. Her lips were hers one moment. And then they were his. The taste of him on her tongue was like sun-warmed honey. Like cool water sliding down her parched throat. Like the promise of all her tomorrows in a single sigh. When she wound her fingers in his hair to draw her body against his, he stilled for breath, and she knew, as he knew, that they were lost. Lost forever.
In this kiss.
This kiss that would change everything."
Evaluation: This love story with an “Arabian Nights” flavor to lend it an exotic spiciness has a great deal of appeal. I can't wait to read the next installment.
Note: Some of the recognition for this book includes:
An Amazon Best Book of the Year for 2015 – Young Adult
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens for 2015
A Seventeen Magazine Best Book of 2015
A YALSA 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
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LibraryThing member Jessika.C
Good god this is such a good story. I don’t even know where to begin. The drama, the tears, the wit, the cunningness of our main hero Shahrzad; I don’t what what I love more. I can tell you that I didn’t love the love, the unfleshed reasoning behind her ‘volunteering as tribute’, the
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET OVER THE FACT THAT SHAHRZAD BASICALLY STARTS LUSTING OVER KHALID AFTER SEEING HIM SHIRTLESS IN THE SUN. FOR F$%# SAKE SHE SLEPT WITH HIM BEFORE THAT LUSTROUS MOMENT IN THE SWORD TOURNAMENT. HAD SHE STARTED TO FEEL THAT TINGLY FEELING IN HER LADY PARTS after SHE FOUND OUT HE WAS CONDITIONED TO BE A MONSTER AFTER SEEING HIS MOTHER’S THROAT SLIT IN FRONT OF HIM IN PUNISHMENT FOR HAVING AN AFFAIR I MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE FORGIVING BUT IM CLEARLY NOT. Bad order of sequences in my opinion. Shahrzad is so headstrong and fearless which is a big part of the reason I liked this book. Her reason of volunteering herself to be the next wife was honorable but I don’t care about her friend Shiva and there’s no background to help me see why she would risk her life for one that was already sacrificed. Did Shavi introduce her to Tariq and Rahim? Did Shiva have a family symbolically adopt Shazi after her mom died? Did Shiva magically cure her sister Irani’s cancer? WHO KNOWS! Speaking of underdeveloped it’s probably why I can’t even scratch the surface of Khalid’s character. He never says anything of substance until it’s too late for me to care like 88% into the book too late.
I probably care more about Shiva than I do him and she never had a major presence in this book. Well, to give him the benefit of the doubt it may or may not be my bias towards Tariq whom I fell in love with…But Tariq says everything while we get nothing from Khalid. He gives her nothing and fights her along the way so I don’t understand why she loves him.
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vague insinuations of Khalid King of King’s secret life as Bluebeard is not what it seems, Khalid Ibn al-Rashid in general. I just didn’t like him, I cast him as this super sexy perfect model type in my head and lusted after him whenever Shazi did but do I want her with him? NO. The following of this review will be one big spoiler explaining my dislikes. But before I delve into that I just want to say READ THIS BOOK it’s really good I promise. If you can get past a love triangle, unlikeable 1/3 of that triangle, and underdeveloped world building then read this because I still really liked it.I probably care more about Shiva than I do him and she never had a major presence in this book. Well, to give him the benefit of the doubt it may or may not be my bias towards Tariq whom I fell in love with…But Tariq says everything while we get nothing from Khalid. He gives her nothing and fights her along the way so I don’t understand why she loves him.
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LibraryThing member Silvernfire
I'd heard good things about this book, and reading it, I think it lived up to most of the praise. I liked how Ahdieh avoided doing the expected much of the time. Knowing that this was inspired by The Arabian Nights, I thought there would be much more emphasis on the stories Shahrzad told Khalid;
Still, some things jarred. Several times, I had to actively suspend disbelief. Did Shahrzad really think that telling stories would be enough to save her from a man who'd killed so many women already? (Of course, Ahdieh was stuck with that one because it comes from the original story.) Or that she could so quickly reconcile her love for Khalid with her grief over Shiva's death? The POVs were a jumble at the beginning, and it took a while to sort out who were the most important characters. And I'm torn about when Ahdieh reveals that Khalid has a reason for his murders. Ahdieh chose to show this right away, and that reassures the reader that Shahrzad isn't falling in love with a truly evil man...but the impact of revealing his secret at the end loses a lot of tension because all that's left to learn are the details.
But overall, this was a fun read. I really liked Shahrzad, as well as many of the secondary characters, the plot was enticing, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
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instead, Ahdieh tells just enough to establish Shahrzad's survival and then moves on with the plot of her story. Tariq is a young hothead, practically a staple character for a romance, but he's a perceptive young hothead and learns from his mistakes, which is a welcome change. And the book has "page-turningness"—always great to discover!Still, some things jarred. Several times, I had to actively suspend disbelief. Did Shahrzad really think that telling stories would be enough to save her from a man who'd killed so many women already? (Of course, Ahdieh was stuck with that one because it comes from the original story.) Or that she could so quickly reconcile her love for Khalid with her grief over Shiva's death? The POVs were a jumble at the beginning, and it took a while to sort out who were the most important characters. And I'm torn about when Ahdieh reveals that Khalid has a reason for his murders. Ahdieh chose to show this right away, and that reassures the reader that Shahrzad isn't falling in love with a truly evil man...but the impact of revealing his secret at the end loses a lot of tension because all that's left to learn are the details.
But overall, this was a fun read. I really liked Shahrzad, as well as many of the secondary characters, the plot was enticing, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
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LibraryThing member CatherineHsu
Actual Rating: 5.0
Oh my god.
Oh. My. God.
I am really not okay.
Are you satisfied? Are you?
I'm not. Why? Because I have to wait another month for The Rose & the Dagger.
I can't do it, okay? I need it right now .
Okay, okay okay. Now for the actual review.
The Wrath and the Dawn follows the story of
Hoping to delay her death, Shahrzad weaves a story for Khalid, the king, every night; unlike her predecessors, Shahrzad manages to live another day. And another. And another.
And yet, Shahrzad's emotions are in turmoil as she unravels the king's secrets to find herself falling for the monster she was meant to kill.
"As he placed his palm against the side of her face, Shahrzad realized something horrifying.
She wanted to kiss him.
No.
It was one thing to return his kiss; she'd been prepared forthat. But it was another thing entire to want his kiss..."
Renee Ahdieh weaves a poignant tale of the heart's betrayal in the perfect blend of fantasy and romance, as her main character engages in the endless battle between her heart and her mind.
Honestly, at first, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy The Wrath and the Dawn, simply because it was an adaptation. But I am so, so, glad I decided to read it, because it was amazingly beautiful, and I simply cannot wait to read The Rose & the Dagger.
April 26th, I anxiously await your arrival.
Oh my god.
Oh. My. God.
I am really not okay.
Are you satisfied? Are you?
I'm not. Why? Because I have to wait another month for The Rose & the Dagger.
I can't do it, okay? I need it right now .
Okay, okay okay. Now for the actual review.
The Wrath and the Dawn follows the story of
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Shahrzad, who, in order to avenge her friend's death, volunteers to marry a king who murders his wives every morning.Hoping to delay her death, Shahrzad weaves a story for Khalid, the king, every night; unlike her predecessors, Shahrzad manages to live another day. And another. And another.
And yet, Shahrzad's emotions are in turmoil as she unravels the king's secrets to find herself falling for the monster she was meant to kill.
"As he placed his palm against the side of her face, Shahrzad realized something horrifying.
She wanted to kiss him.
No.
It was one thing to return his kiss; she'd been prepared forthat. But it was another thing entire to want his kiss..."
Renee Ahdieh weaves a poignant tale of the heart's betrayal in the perfect blend of fantasy and romance, as her main character engages in the endless battle between her heart and her mind.
Honestly, at first, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy The Wrath and the Dawn, simply because it was an adaptation. But I am so, so, glad I decided to read it, because it was amazingly beautiful, and I simply cannot wait to read The Rose & the Dagger.
April 26th, I anxiously await your arrival.
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LibraryThing member waclements7
So good! The writing is wonderful, the characters are interesting and have depth, the story is great and has some unexpected twists and turns. Really enjoyable read!
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780147513854
Physical description
432 p.; 5.5 inches
Other editions
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh (Digital audiobook)
Pages
432