Stars: 4 stars!
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Amazon
Review:
My first 1001 Arabian Nights retelling and boy was it a good one! Got this rec from Ivy Book Bindings, who I almost always steers me in the right direction as far as great fantasy goes. This was a total winner, great pacing, beautifully written, and with an EPIC love story at the center of everything. I had to knock off a star though because the ending made me WANT TO SCREAM. I know there is going to be a sequel, but this installment did not resolve anything and it left all the characters in the worst way and I just wanted to keep flipping to the next page because I was sure that I missed something.
Aside from the lack of ending, this book was a home-run. It might be because I haven't read many books like this. The setting in the Arabian desert, the amazing clothing, the kings, sultans, princesses, the food, the palace etc. The whole middle-eastern fairy tale thing completely rocked my world. I wanted to dive in, curl up and take a nap on Shazi's platform bed covered in colorful pillows.
But even without all of that, I think I would have loved this book. Shahrzad is a fierce heroine. Fierce like Beyonce, but good with a bow like Katniss. She's absolutely great-- and the way that she falls in love with Khalid against her own will was just delicious. Khalid is a tortured hero, but not really in the typically angsty way. Although honestly what we know about him for most of the book really is what we DON'T know about him. Once his secret is fully revealed (which if you know the story, I guess you know going in) you realize he sort of does have the weight of the world on his shoulders and there is really no good way for him to spin it.
I'm not sure where the author is going with the next book-- I read the synopsis and thought that is seemed a bit of a departure from where she left our characters, but I'll take it. I wish it was coming out before May though!
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