Renee Ahdieh

The Wrath and the Dawn

Renée Ahdieh

In this reimagining of The Arabian Nights, Shahrzad plans to avenge the death of her dearest friend by volunteering to marry the murderous boy-king of Khorasan but discovers not all is as it seems within the palace.

The Wrath & the Dawn

fc ♡

Shahrzad, I’ve failed you several times. But there was one moment I failed you beyond measure. It was the day we met. The moment I took your hand and you looked up at me, with the glory of hate in your eyes. I should have sent you home to your family. But I didn’t. There was honesty in your hatred. Fearlessness in your pain. In your honesty, I saw a reflection of myself. Or rather, of the man I longed to be. So I failed you. I didn’t stay away. Then, later, I thought if I had answers, it would be enough. I would no longer care. You would no longer matter. So I continued failing you. Continued wanting more. And now I can’t find the words to say what must be said. To convey to you the least of what I owe. When I think of you, I can’t find the air to breathe. And now, though you are gone, there is no pain or fear. All I am left with is gratitude. 

Our story may have come to a close, but your story is still yet to be told. 

I failed you in one last thing. Here is my chance to rectify it. It was never because I didn’t feel it. It was because I swore I would never say it, and a man is nothing if he can’t keep his promises. 

I love you, a thousand times over. And I will never apologize for it

It was not the kind of good-bye she wanted. “Khalid?”

 He pivoted to face her. She ran to him and grabbed the front of his rida’ to pull him down for a kiss. 

He froze for a moment, then reached a hand behind her waist to pull her closer.

 The guards in the hall shuffled nervously, their swords and armor jangling together. Jalal’s soft laughter echoed from beside the double doors.

“I’d rather you be careful than glad. And return safe.” She dropped her voice. “Or you’ll be met with a platter of figs"

His eyes gleamed gold. “My queen.” He bowed with a hand to his brow before shifting it over his heart. 

“Did you sleep well?” His low voice brought to mind memories of whispered words in the dark. 

“Thank you for the gifts. They were perfect.” 

She quirked a slender brow at him, and a corner of his mouth rose. “I have something else for you,” he said. 

He shook his head. She held out her right hand, and he slid a band of muted gold onto its third finger. It was the mate to his. Shahrzad ran her left thumb across the embossed standard of two crossed swords. The reigning al-Rashid standard. Her standard. As the Calipha of Khorasan.

 “Do you mind wearing it? It’s—” 

“The best gift of all.” She looked up to meet his gaze. And he smiled a smile to shame the sun

"The entire palace knows about it.” "The Caliph of Khorasan going into the gardens at dawn alone. And returning with a single rose.” She gestured toward the flower on the stool behind Shahrzad. “I think it’s safe to assume why.”

Shahrzad awoke to the scent of roses. To the scent of home. 

On the silk cushion beside her head was a pale violet rose and a folded piece of parchment. She smiled to herself. Then she lifted the rose and brought it closer. It was perfect. The circle of winding petals was flawless, and the color was the ideal balance of striking and subdued. Inhaling its heady fragrance, she reached for the piece of parchment and shifted onto her stomach. 

I prefer the color blue to any other. The scent of lilacs in your hair is a source of constant torment. I despise figs. Lastly, I will never forget, all the days of my life, the memories of last night— For nothing, not the sun, not the rain, not even the brightest star in the darkest sky, could begin to compare to the wonder of you.

Tonight, all that mattered was this. Their hands threaded above her head. His low whisper in her ear. 

And... standards have been raised yet again 

"I love you,” she said. Khalid lifted his head to hers. She placed a hand against his cheek. “Beyond words.” 

His eyes still fixed on her face, he lowered her onto the cushions. Then he covered her hand with his, brushing his lips across her inner wrist. “My soul sees its equal in you"

He sat on the edge of the bed, and she stood before him. Khalid leaned his brow against her stomach. “I won’t ask for forgiveness, but I am so very sorry,” he said, with the simple brevity she was learning to expect. 

She pressed her lips into his soft, dark hair. “I know.” 

“Shahrzad.” He caught her hand, his features abrupt in their intensity. “Is this really what you want?” 

She stared at him, surprised to see a flicker of vulnerability on his face. The mighty Caliph of Khorasan. The King of Kings. Her beautiful monster.

Shahrzad leaned forward and took his lower lip between hers

When he caught her staring at his mouth, Khalid exhaled slowly. “Shazi—” 

“Be with me tonight,” she breathed. “In all ways. Be mine.”

 His eyes turned to fire. “I’ve always been yours.” He cupped her chin in his palm. “As you’ve always been mine.” 

She bristled and started to protest. “Don’t.” He returned her biting glare.

 “Your possessiveness . . . may present a problem.” She knotted her brows together. 

The corners of his lips curled upward, ever so slightly.

 Shahrzad took Khalid’s hand and led him to the bed

Khalid closed his eyes. She could feel his heart racing. When he was able to meet her gaze again, he slid his hands to her face, brushing his thumb across her cheek with the warm caress of a summer breeze.

 They knelt facing each other in silence. Studying each other. Truly seeing each other

“If there has to be a choice between us, there isn’t one to make, joonam. Not for me.” 

 Shahrzad rose to her knees and braced her palm against his chest. “And you expect me to make this choice?” she demanded.

 She curled her fingers into the front of his qamis. “You honestly expect me to breathe in a world without air?”

 Khalid inhaled sharply as his hands tightened around her arms. “I expect you to be stronger than that.”

 Shahrzad’s features softened. “But . . . there is nothing stronger than this.”

She wound her fingers into his hair. “There is no one I would rather see the sunrise with than you.”

“Get up,” he said quietly. Her chest heaved. “Get up, Shahrzad al-Khayzuran. You kneel before no one. Least of all me.”

“You are ridiculous, Khalid Ibn al-Rashid. I am just one girl. You are the Caliph of Khorasan, and you have a responsibility to a kingdom" 

“If you are just one girl, I am just one boy.” 

Shahrzad closed her eyes, unable to hold the fierce light in his gaze. 

“Did you hear what I said, Shahrzad al-Khayzuran?”

 When she refused to respond, she felt his lips brush across her forehead. “Look at me,” Khalid said, so soft and so close that it washed across her skin in warm assurances and cool desperation. 

She opened her eyes. He rested his brow against hers. “Just one boy and one girl.” 

Shahrzad forced a pained smile. “If that is the case, there is little else I would ask of heaven.” Khalid pulled her back against the cushion and wrapped his arms around her. 

She pressed her cheek to his chest. And they held each other in stillness until a silver dawn broke across the horizon

“No. Do not ask what you are about to ask.” His voice was harsh and laced with warning.  

“No. I will not consider it.” He reached for her with both hands, framing her chin between his palms. “There is no situation in which I will consider it.”

“No,” Khalid rasped. He reached out a hand for her. “She stays.”

  Khalid forced opened his screaming eyes and stared up at his uncle. “My wife stays.”

Shahrzad shifted in her sleep and turned toward Khalid, as though drawn by her own inexplicable compulsion. Her hand fell to his chest, and she settled her brow beside his shoulder with a muted sigh. 

Against his better judgment, Khalid opened his burning eyes to look at her one more time. 

This dangerous girl. This captivating beauty. This destroyer of worlds and creator of wonder. 

The urge to touch her now past logic, Khalid’s arm moved to encircle her in an embrace. He buried his nose in her hair, in the same scent of lilacs that taunted him from outside his window. The small, graceful hand on his chest drifted higher, beside his heart

Khalid sat down with care and refrained from looking at her for too long. Touching her was not an option. 

She was a dangerous, dangerous girl. A plague. A Mountain of Adamant who tore the iron from ships, sinking them to their watery graves without a second thought. With a mere smile and a wrinkle of her nose. 

But even knowing this, he surrendered to her pull. Succumbed to the simple need to be by her side. With a slow exhalation of breath, Khalid placed his shamshir on the floor and eased his body next to hers

"You must love her a great deal, Khalid-jan.” 

After a beat, Khalid lowered his sword, his brow marred by pain and consternation. “Love is—a shade of what I feel.”

The letter stopped short there. Shahrzad puzzled over it for the span of a heartbeat.

Then a conversation from their past echoed around her, like a song from a distant memory: 

“And how will you know when you’ve found this elusive someone?” 

“I suspect she will be like air. Like knowing how to breathe" 

a boy-king at his ebony desk writing a letter to a dying girl, with the sun ascending at his shoulder. Of this boy halting in unexpected awareness, with his hand poised over the parchment. Of him racing down the corridors, with his cousin at his heels. Bursting into a courtyard of silver and grey, punctuated by black ink and burning agony— Wondering if he was too late

Your child is not a notion or a whim. Your child is your greatest treasure. And you should never forgive me for what I’ve done. As I will never forgive myself. 

Know that she was not afraid. When she gazed at the face of the monster sanctioning her death, she did not quail. Would that I had half her courage and a quarter of her spirit. 

 Last night, Roya asked for a santur. Her playing drew every guard in the corridor to her door, and I stood in the garden and listened, like the cold, unfeeling bastard I am. It was the most beautiful music I have ever heard in my life. A music that rendered all thereafter dull and colorless in its memory 

How does one begin to apologize for robbing the world of light? Words seem strangely insufficient in such a case, and yet I fall to their uselessness in my own inadequacy. Please know I will never forget Shiva. For the brief moment she stared into the face of a monster, she deigned to smile and forgive. In that smile, I sensed a strength and a depth of understanding I could never hope to fathom. It tore at what professes to be my soul. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. A thousand, thousand times. At your knees, and it will never be enough.

He wrote of staring into frightened faces and tearful eyes, with the abject knowledge he was robbing families of their joy. Stealing their hearts’ blood from them, as though he had the right. As if anyone had the right

“Khalid.” She gripped his shoulders as his lips brushed the delicate skin beneath her chin. Her heart was pounding so loud that she did not at first recognize the noise at the door. 

“Khalid,” she repeated, catching his wrists. 

He swore softly. Then he reached for the bronze handle. “Yes.” His reply was low and irascible

Chloé

Buddy read this which honestly made it much more enjoyable.

Isabella 

This is a very quick and enjoyable read. I'm not familiar with One Thousand and One Nights, so I didn't know what to expect, however, I wasn't disappointed. It has a very nice storyline, and the writing is beautiful. Whenever Khalid says his lines, I get butterflies <3 My only issue was the pacing of the romance, I found it too quick given the circumstance they are in (view spoiler)[Shahrzad fell too quickly, in a matter of days, given the situation which is something I wasn't a fan of. (hide spoiler)] The slow burn could have been more better. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it. The side characters are also interesting which I love. The ending tho?? I need to buy book 2 asap

Annalissa Powner 

Slow at first but enchanting till the very end.

maryam

4.5 stars. Honestly such an incredibly satisfying book. I don't even know where to begin. I would give it 5 stars, but there are just a few things I could have done without.

I didn't think I was going to love it as much as I did. I love the characters. Shahrzad, Khalid, even Jalal and Despina, were written really well. Female protagonists can be so tricky, and usually YA female protagonists are so annoying and unbearable, but she was really near perfect. We got to see an unforgiving, resolute side of her, but also her very human side. She was a very real character, and I admired her loyalty and commitment to the people she loves. People criticizing her for not having enough resolve/being weak and not wanting to kill the Caliph were not being fair, in my opinion. Khalid could have been like so many brooding, angsty male protagonists that seem to be like in a typical YA book, but he wasn't. I loved him, and I really can't put my finger on why. I know I kept swooning over Khalid, and felt like a piece of trash about it, but extremely satisfied, nonetheless. I loved Jalal's and Shahrzad's relationship, one of the few instances in YA books where there is an actual male/female platonic relationship, and it was really refreshing. I wish there was more!. Despina and Shahrzad were also really great, and their conversations and relationship were very sweet.

I loved the setting too! A lot of it was very familiar but also different. European-esque settings get so repetitive in fantasy novels, so the Persian/bedouin elements of the book were so nice. Although it was fantasy, I was trying to put my finger on what time period this was. The idea of a caliph is more of an Islamic one, so it was interesting that that was incorporated instead of, say, a shah? Though Khorasan was a pre-Islamic/early Islamic term. I loved the combining of a lot of the Near East elements. I loved the use of the language, the description of the places (though I wish there were more!), and the heavy inspiration derived from A Thousand and One Nights, though I do agree with others in that I wish there was more of a twist from the original story. The stories from The Arabian Nights are so clever and intricate, I just wish there was a more unique twist.

I can't express how much I loved the diversity in the book. Like, I swooned from it, that the fact I was reading about characters who weren't white? Like, where is the POC love? All the descriptions had me wanting more and more from that world, because it's so rare that we find that kind of setting and narrative from YA fiction.

I really liked Ahdieh's writing, as well. I had some issues with her descriptions in the beginning of the book, but that really smoothed itself over as the story progressed. I just loved the elements she used to create this story. Lines that should have been cheesy weren't? I was in awe. And I really liked the pacing of the book. It captured my attention from the very beginning, and I liked the buildup. It wasn't abrupt, but it didn't drag either.

I hated that there was a love triangle. God, I hate love triangles. This book would have been really perfect without it. Y'all know my rants against love triangles, and how they drive me insane, but I was really relieved that it was a minor element of the book. But, if I could black it out from the book, I totally would.

I also wasn't the biggest fan of the shifting narrations, and to be honest I would lightly skim over narrations that weren't Shahrzad's, or later, Khalid's. I just didn't care for Tariq's narration? I guess I just didn't like his character, and so his POV was a bit of a nuisance. 

I wish the magical elements were more consistent and came in earlier on in the story, rather than later. And I just wanted more in general! I wish there was more expansion on the story and the setting and just the external settings, because I really liked what I read.

I'm actually kind of upset I read this book, because it left on a cliffhanger, and I can't wait for the sequel to come. I had no idea this wasn't a standalone, so I'm curious to see how Ahdieh proceeds. I have a lot of hope that she executes the sequel with even more precision and eloquence. I want to read this book all over again, just right now. I'm honestly so satisfied right now. I've been on such a hunt trying to find a good YA/fantasy/fairytale-ish book, and this really hit the spot for me. My head is buzzing from how much I enjoyed it, and I'm giving it five stars because I think what I disliked about the book was almost inconsequential to what I love about the book. Though, I really could have done without the love triangle. Really.

All in all, I am extremely impressed that this was Ahdieh's debut novel, and I commend her for such a strong start to her writing career. I want more from her :)

A #1 New York Times bestseller and a sumptuous, epic tale inspired by A Thousand and One Nights. 'A riveting Game of Thrones meets Arabian Nights love story' - US Weekly 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 terrible 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 get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she may be falling in love with a murderer. Shazi discovers that the villainous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. It's up to her to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all. "So you would have me throw Shazi to the wolves?" "Shazi? Honestly, I pity the wolves."

The Wrath and the Dawn Book 1

AHNA

3.5 🌟

I put high expectations to this book before and even though it didn't go the way I thought it would it's still a good reading experience. It's just the first 30% of the book is slow and hard to pick up for me and the insta-love was kinda unbelievable, because Khalid didn't seem to have to do much for Shahrzad to be falling for him. But later, the plot, the twist, and the relationship between the two makes up for most of the inconveniences I have towards the book.

#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 length).*

Zahra

This book stole my breath away. And shattered my heart to tiny little pieces.

I had no expectation when I started it but it came off as a pleasant surprise. The Wrath and the Dawn is a retelling of the Arabic fairytale, A Thousand and One Nights. Despite my Arabic name, I know very little of the tale. The book was like a breath of fresh air to me, it was unique and I haven't read anything like it before. Like I said, it was full of good surprises.

Then there is Shazi and Khalid. Seeing their chemistry slowly built was a pure torture, but so worth it. Their relationship is utterly beautiful and adorable. I transformed into a melted puddle of feels everytime after I read their moment together. I'm still recovering from how purely adorable they are.

Robi Carballo

DNF at 43%
It's super slow and boring.
I'm not fan of the writing style.

I don't wanna be a bitch over a book. It has some parts that I enjoy too, but I just can't force myself to like it.

The struggle is there and I know I'll be wasting my time if I forced myself to finish it.

(I might give one more try for the sake of the 2nd book coz I heard good things about it. Maybe, one day, my curiosity will help me get through it. 🤞🏻

Annika Arguemore

Engaging.
Mysterious.
Unique.

It's a world I wouldn't mind living in for just one more day. The story-telling was vibrant and luscious in a way that it would invigorate the senses and you'd just eat it all up. I love how the main female character depicted a strong, independent woman. I also love how it's all well thought out and well executed. Well done!

nina 

3.5 stars

 “Some things exist in our lives for but a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky.” 

(view spoiler)[
I'm interested to see what the dynamic of the three characters that left together is going to be like in the next book, they aren't really in the best place right now. Rahim and Tariq feel betrayed right now, and I think Shazi will earn their trust back after they learn why she did what she did.

Khalid has lived a lot of pain in his short life, I think very soon he will be happy and start to unpack all of his guilt and grief. He was forced to become this person, his situation was never his fault and he became a victim as well.

While I thought the jump between him and Shazi from enemies to lovers, if you will, was very fast, especially since he is responsible for Shazi's best friend's death, and I very much would have like to seen development instead of it being very instant change in feelings (over some event that I'm not sure what it was that caused them to like each other), I will let this go for the sake of the story.

Also, hot take, I don't think Khalid needed a tragic back story to make us sympathise with him. Even if he grew up in a happy home, and the circumstances ended up the same where he had to do what he did, he still had very little choice in the matter regardless of his back story. I feel like that loveless childhood was put in to make him out to be that character that "become a monster because of his past" when really it could have worked without it. 

I feel like book 2 is going to be more interesting and I'm excited. (hide spoiler)]

kei hiroto

i can't believe i put off reading this book for so long! i was just sobbing my eyes out throughout the last five chapters. the writer has an amazing style for writing and easily pulls you into the world she created. love this book, immediately going to read the next one!

💌

Daymaris Arca

“My soul sees its equal in you” 
AWWWJSUSISI so cute but that ending tho…need the second one now!

#1 New York Times Bestseller. A sumptuous, epic 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 terrible 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 get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she may be falling in love with a murderer. Shazi discovers that the villainous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. It's up to her to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all. "So you would have me throw Shazi to the wolves?" "Shazi? Honestly, I pity the wolves."

Winona 

I found it really hard to take this book seriously. I'm not one to bash flowery writing - when done properly its incredible evocative and stirs a number of emotions within me. But here? Well, it was rather clumsy. Lazy too. Virtually almost everything - from the colour of Khalid's eyes - to the light emitted by the lamp is described as being amber, like I get the good sis is trying to convey medieval Persia, but that's like me using jade to constantly describe an East Asian setting. Its lazy, overdone, and rather contrived.

Also, I just wasn't attracted to any of the characters. There wasn't enough time invested in developing their feeling of personhood. They all read as rather two-dimensional, especially Khalid and Tariq. Like what was it about either one of them that attracted Shahrzad to them? Khalid was miserable and broody, but with a sword. Tariq was miserable and broody, but with an arrow. They felt like satellites that just existed to orbit around Shahrzad. 

Speaking of Shahrzad, wasn't she supposed to be intelligent, smart, and strong? Man, I really hate it when a book tells us that this is how a character is supposed to be but shows us something else entirely. She's just like every other YA romance heroine: lacking in resolve, a crybaby, easily swayed, and of course unaware of her earth shattering beauty. Yawns. 

Despina was the best character, but even then she was basically just a sassy best friend. 

Another thing to note, as someone from the MENA region: this book is weirdly orientalist. Not Mills & Boons level of orientalism, but "lets erase the actual religious and cultural significance of the original story and make it about mystical brown people". Khalid's a Caliph - the ruler of the ISLAMIC EMPIRE - and yet not once is Islam ever mentioned in the book. Like, not once. That's not how it was in 1001 Nights -- all the stories are basically Islamic fables (especially Aladdin, who wasn't even part of the original stories narrated by Shahrzad, but I digress). We get lots of uttering of "By Zeus" or "Holy Hera", but not one "Astarfirghullah" or "Be Khoda". Are we really in a caliphate? Maybe I'm picky, but if you're going to try to root your story in an authentic historical setting by going so far to use Farsi within the book, maybe don't erase the very Muslim identity of these literary characters. Its gross.

Also, a Princess would never just randomly belly dance in front of a court of men. That's just something that never happened. lol

Jazelle H

Thank you. Thank you for bringing my favorite story back to life with new breath.

Nessa Luna

3,5 stars.

Really wish I loved this more, but while I really enjoyed the first half of the book, the second half (up until the end) wasn't really my favourite. I did like Shazi as a character and I loved her dynamics with most of the other character, especially Despina. (view spoiler)[I really hope book two doesn't draw out the love triangle because I cannot stand Tariq at all. (hide spoiler)]

But yeah there were just a couple of things that bothered me. The changing of POVs in the middle of a chapter, I hate when books do that. Also, the passage of time confused me a lot - they'd be talking about an event I JUST read about saying that was 'a month' ago and it honestly never felt like so much time had passed.. Maybe it's just me, but I wasn't a fan of it...

Will definitely pick up the sequel because of the way it ended. Also because I own it and it's on my TBR for this month... XD

alexandra

originally posed on twirling pagesthis book is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.

where do i even begin? the writing was so beautiful and fast paced. i was easily lost into the world and could see, hear, and feel everything. the tale was gorgeously spun together and there were dozens of times i physically stopped to admire a paragraph or sentence. the way renée ahdieh executed this magical tale was perfectly fitting for the setting and era. i love it i love it i LOVE IT. even though it was told in third-person, i was easily connected to all the characters and relationships. i flew by the novel in a day because i was entirely caught in rapture.

at first, i found it a little difficult to get into. give it 25 pages, and you'll be fine. there's no introduction to the characters; you're kind of just thrown into it and i was lost for a bit. especially since the names are extremely unique, i found it hard to differentiate characters from each other. there are also references and words to the arabian culture, such as what they eat, how they dress, etc, and at first i wasn't sure what they meant, but it gets much better after a few chapters. (however if you're really confused, there's a glossary at the back of the book explaining it all.) once you become familiar with the setting, everything is smooth.

the characters are extremely complex and entirely their own. shahrzad had a mix of celaena sardothien's fearlessness and june iparis's quick wit. shahrzad was fiercely independent and cared for those she loved. she was also super sassy and i loved her. her mind was entirely awake and we could clearly see shahrzad was wholeheartedly honest with everything she did – even when she was deceiving others. her sharp mouth and quick retorts made the entire book much more lively and enjoyable.

there was kind of a love triangle in this book? but it was more like, these two are bound to be together and there's a guy still pinning for her. (he needs to GO AWAY.) the relationships were between characters are so cute and lovely, and everything truly grows on you. everything was so natural and gahhhh I LOVE IT SO MUCH~

overall, this book was absolutely wonderful. the plotline was really interesting and had me hooked. the writing was engaging and exquisite. the characters and relationships and pacing and EVERYTHING... it was beautiful and wonderful and so good. thank you, renée ahdieh, for creating this amazing masterpiece. i will treasure this story forever and cannot wait for the next installment. please go read it! <33

FULL REVIEW AND DISCUSSION ON THE BLOG~– alexandra
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Julia

I did enjoy this book, but looking back I was a bit too generous in my review. I'm going to read the sequel soon and see how the story continues.

Courtney

I loved this retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights! It followed a plot more focused on Scheherazade rather than the stories that she told and it was wonderful! The atmosphere that the author created felt so authentic and exotic!

Colleen

4.5 Stars but I am rounding up to 5 Stars

This review contains some very minor spoilers.

I have loved the story of One Thousand and One Nights (also known as Arabian Nights) since I first heard it. Not only does it have an exotic setting, but it has the rather rare distinction of featuring a female lead who draws her power from her own intelligence. Rather than relying on looks or her body, she uses her cunning mind. There is a powerful lesson there.

I was thinking recently that I wished there were more stories set along these lines or in this time period. So when I came across The Wrath and the Dawn, I knew I had to read it. Although it is far from perfect, my overall reaction is positive. 

The main character, Shahrzad, is not as ingenious as the character on whom she is based. If I had to describe Shahrzad in one word, it would be tenacious. So while she has gumption, I never felt that her intelligence reached the level of her forerunner. And the storytelling that is such a crucial part of the original tale plays a very minor part in this book. In fact it is hardly more than a tip of the hat to the original story. 

The story starts off very choppy. If I hadn't been familiar with the original story, I would have been a lot more confused. Maybe the author was presuming that most people would be familiar with Arabian Nights. I also felt that some of the characters acted inconsistently. I would have liked them to be a bit more developed and fleshed out. 

Finally, (and I am nitpicking now) the spelling of her name bugged me. I know it's a very old story that has passed through many different cultures so the spelling has been adapted many times. But I am used to seeing it spelled Scheherazade or at least Shahrazad. So even though I know it is indeed a variation of the name, Shahrzad felt like a typo every time I saw it. Eventually I just started correcting it in my head. What can I say? I like consistency. 

It may seem incongruous that given everything I have written above, that I still gave this 5 stars. But despite some critics, I adored this book! I could not put it down. It was a wonderful blend of old and new. It had just the right amount of cheesy romance, of adventure, of tension and thrill. It was the perfect escape from reality.

The only problem is that now I have to wait six months for the sequel. Grrrrrr.

This review fulfills the "Book with a Love Triangle" category of the Popsugar reading challenge. http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-...

Amanda Faith

** spoiler alert **
           I wish I liked this. But I don't.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a negative opinion. But first, the two stars are for the elegant writing, fairly fast pace and decent plot. Mind you, there were still some problems with all of that.

You may stop here if negativity for this excuse of a novel isn't your thing.

A fairly important reason for me disliking this was a mix of retellings. We're all well aware that the foundation of this novel is Arabian Nights, and so, this book is obviously celebrated for all the plotpoints that diverted from Arabian Nights. But something I noticed was that every non-Arabian Nights (AN) plotpoint came from another tale, a tale as old as time: Beauty and the Beast (BATB). 

*plot twist*

Maybe the author didn't notice this, but there is an absurd amount of BATB in here.
For example, the curse. 
The idea of a king taking a new bride and killing her the next morning due to something to do with his first wife is from AN.
An old human with magic powers who has been wronged by said king cursing him is from BATB.
Other than that, we see Khalid constantly referred to as a monster. And there's a clear similarity as to how both Khalid and the beast are seen as terrible at first but then the main character gets to know them and there's so much more to them than that.
Oh, and the love triangle. Tariq: a nicer version of Gaston who has known Shazi for long. He believes he will end up with Shazi but enter hot mysterious dude who sweeps Shazi off her feet for whatever reason and he believes she's been brainwashed and vows to kill this guy, rallies up the town and they go after him. 
SOUNDS PRETTY DAMN FAMILIAR.
But BATB is a Disney movie and AN is a classic folk tale.
BATB and AN started the trend of bad-guy-who-is-more-than=meets-the-eye but this book ruined it.
The only thing that differed in The Wrath and the Dawn was the magic that wasn't even explained well.
I'm cancelling this shit.

The romance, well, it wasn't a romance.
As far as I understand, AN has a witty woman who tells captivating stories that save her life from a king and very gradually, they begin to fall in love.
Firstly, what kind of goddamned stories does she tell? She tells him two stories. 
Two. Stories.
And they fall in love in mere days. I can't even make a friend in a few days.

Dear Shazi,
Despite what Snow White may tell you, you can't fall in love with the snap of your bloody fingers. Oh wait, they aren't bloody because YOU DIDN'T FREAKING KILL THE GUY. 
How you managed to choose a boring romance over lifelong friendship, I will never understand. Go find a less fickle heart instead of banging your best friend's murderer, you obnoxious walnut.

Anyway, guess who found a plothole. Or at least some questionable reasoning. 
Khalid was killing the women to protect his kingdom. Very noble of him.
Then he marries this random girl and is so utterly intrigued by her the very first night. The next morning, he needs to kill the girl. But just like that, he's in love. So he decides to put thE ENTIRE POPULATION IN LINE FOR FORSEEABLE DEATH BECAUSE HE'S INFATUATED WITH A DUMB CHIHUAHUA.
I'm alright.

The characters didn't have any freaking personalities. Shazi was celebrated for being a badass, witty and snarky. But give me one goddamn instance where any of this was shown. Khalid is a murderer and I personally don't think he had any redemption yet we're supposed to love the guy at this point. I don't love him. I don't even want to tolerate the guy. I just want him out of the story. Okay, no, I want him to be properly redeemed. He has potential. I'll admit that much. But seriously, there wasn't much development or substance to any of the characters. And Shiva was never explained. We can't want revenge unless we feel love for Shiva ourselves. Nonetheless, she and Vikram were my favourite characters. You know why? Because they were the only characters who didn't open their goddamned mouths. I mean, Shiva didn't talk because she's dead, but I swear, if Vikram's been killed off, something's going to get flung at a wall. Probably the next book.

The dialogue. Does everyone seriously speak in such clipped tones? Are they all trying to be smart or some shit? Again, no personality exists in any of the dialogue because there are no personalities in the first place. Every character talks in the exact same monotone, save for Rahim, who I like to an extent. And Omar. That guy's just weird. And I love him for it.

The descriptions were as long and unnecessary as the longest wedding dress on earth. It's elegant as heck, but someone's going to trip and fall flat on their face, and I hope it's not me. 

The structure of the book: I suppose it was meant to be creative, but it wasn't. The main essence of the story, Shiva's death and Shazi's volunteering, was completely left out. The main character did absolutely nothing over the course of the entire book except question her feelings for no logical reason. At least the magic should have been elaborated on, but the most interesting element of the story was glazed over. There was a major lack of plot and absolutely no climax.

This book was boring, awfully structured, immature in its emotions and slightly cringy because of it.

I'm still reading the next book though.

Faith Kitowski

5 STARS 5 STARS 5 STARS I WISH I COULD GIVE IT MORE. it was so good. right away i was hooked. i loved every minute of it. THE QUOTES?!? no words, i wish i had them. i know i’ll be rereading this. i hate that i didn’t read it sooner but i’m so glad i read it now.

Nouf Fallatah 

Beatrix Haase

4.5/5

Super fun and interesting read. Really loved it!

The Wrath and the Dawn

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