Play Book Tag discussion

The Wrath & the Dawn – Renée Ahdieh
3***

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 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.'



LINK to my review