Review: The Wrath and the Dawn

Reviewer: Kristen
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Pages: 388
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Summary (Goodreads, you are the moon of my life): 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?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.
My Thoughts: This is one of those books that when I was done reading, I just had to sit there and bask in the glory that is The Wrath and the Dawn. I was speechless, and it was the best kind of speechless there is. It was a breathtaking story, and easily one of my top 10 books of 2015. The characters are so real and vivid, and the fact that it was inspired by A Thousand and One Nights just makes it even more perfect. 

When Shazi gets the the castle, she thinks she understands what is happening, but as the story progresses, the reader sees that everything might not be as simple as it seems. The relationship between Shazi and the King is tenuous at best when the story begins, but as it progresses, feelings develop (not all good feelings, mind you), and a fantastic tale takes place. I honestly had no idea what I expected to happen, and I still don't know where the story is going to take us, but I'm so excited to find out. I read this book months ago, and I still can't wrap my head around it. You need to read it, because it's incredible. I cannot wait for the next one. 

Just read that description, how could you not immediately pick it up?

Final Thoughts: While I was confused at times, the writing of this novel can be described only as stunning. The world was incredibly immersive and the characters were stunningly brought to life. If you've listened to anything I've ever said, read this book, you won't regret it.