Synopsis: One Life to One Dawn. 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?
Book Review: I LOVED THIS BOOK. The Wrath and the Dawn is the first installment of Renee Ahdieh’s series. This book is essentially one of the many retellings of One Thousand and One Nights, the story of Shahryar, a king who was known for having his wives executed because of his first wife’s infidelity, and Scheherazade, the Vizier’s daughter who offers herself as the next bride, whose great wisdom spared her from customary execution. The Wrath and the Dawn follows a similar plot with Khalid Ibn al-Rashid as the Caliph of Khorasan and Shahrzad al-Khayzuran as the fearless daughter who harbors hatred in her heart and desires nothing more than revenge for the death of her dear friend.
I loved almost everything about this book. Even if I start reading another, I would not easily forget Shahrzad’s fierceness, her resolve, her struggle, her usual banters with Despina and Jalal, her development, etc. I loved the connection between Shahrzad and her companions – the Rajput, Jalal, and Despina especially. Each of those characters has mastered the art of sarcasm, and I can never love them enough for it. Oh, and did I mention that I love (in the very essence of the word) Khalid? Thank you Renee Ahdieh for presenting to us complex characters to gush about. The writing is gorgeous. Come to think of it, I guess everything I like about this book can well be attributed to Ahdieh’s writing style. Here are some samples: “I wish I possessed your particular brand of optimism,” Rahim grumbled. “And what brand would that be?” “Idiotic.”/// “You were saying?” He was so close, his words were more breath than sound. “How- how dare you say that to me?” she whispered. His eyes glittered with something akin to amusement. “How dare I imply you caused this mess?” “Me? This is not my fault! This is your fault!” “You and your temper, Khalid!” “No. You and your mouth, Shazi.” “Wrong, you wretched lout!” “See? That mouth.” He reached up and grazed his thumb across her lips. “That – magnificent mouth.” (Ahdieh).
Surprisingly, this romance kept me up until the wee hours of the night. I think the romance in The Wrath and the Dawn might have affected me greatly because (and this will sound illogical beyond words) I have not come across such an ideal match in a long time. Throw in the usual forbidden love scenario and their ridiculous chemistry and bam, you are granted access to the perfect ship. Maybe that doesn’t make sense the love right now, but it will if you read this amazing book, I promise. Overall, this book is alluring and will have you feigning for more and more. The pages draw you closer to the harsh mundane sand and the whirling storm of Shazi’s and Khalid’s love.
