“For nothing, not the sun, not the rain, not even the brightest star in the darkest night could ever begin to compare to the wonder of you.”
Hi everyone! This month I picked up The Wrath & The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh and I absolutely adored it and I hope I can pick up the sequel soon.
In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all. Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?
The writing and the world-building of this novel was captivating and was the first thing that made me fall in love with the book. The whole world was so vivid, and the beautiful descriptive writing made it all seem so real. I also loved the romance of Khalid and Shahrzad, and it’s complexity, and how it was just so different from many of the other romances I’ve read about. Their relationship evolves throughout the book and their dialogue and interactions feel genuine, just like the pacing of their relationship. The stories within the story of the novel were beautiful and powerful, were so crucial to Shahrzad and Khalid, as well as serving as a metaphor for the other plot points taking place. Shahrzad and Khalid both also were wonderfully written characters, neither of them perfect, and all of the side characters were equally as important and well written. This novel kept me guessing the entire way up to the last few pages about the secrets of Khorasan and all of the buildup was incredible when it all came together in the end. The Wrath and the Dawn is inspired by A Thousand and One Nights and it will sweep you off your feet and leave your imagination on fire.
Look forward to another great book review next week of another great TBF book!
-Claire
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