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bluelilyleest's review against another edition
3.0
To be honest, I had no idea there were so many issues of (re)translation, retelling, Orientalism, sourcing etc with the stories of Arabian Nights. I’m not quite the expert in Arabian literature unfortunately, but after doing a little research I think that Al-Shaykh’s collection is true to the original stories (in so far that is possible). It is written very accessibly so that lays like myself can easily acquaint themselves with the stories that really make up the mythology and folklore of One Thousand and One Nights. I’m happy to have read what I believe is an authentic rendering of the way these stories would’ve been told and embedded in a night of storytelling.
The first half of the book, I was shocked by the violence and brutality of this ancient society. Arms and heads are cut of at a whim and most of the characters are solely drive by sex and revenge. Still, it makes sense that in an oral setting, characters would have to fall in love quickly -like, marrying after seeing each other for 2 seconds quickly- because a storyteller simply wouldn’t have had the time to develop an intricate romance. As a result, characters are mostly typical and easily interchangeable with a couple of exceptions. Although I didn’t really enjoy most of the stories because of their insistence on gender binaries and cruelty, I did find myself turning page after page. And that’s exactly what the magic of Shaharazad is all about, isn’t it?
The first half of the book, I was shocked by the violence and brutality of this ancient society. Arms and heads are cut of at a whim and most of the characters are solely drive by sex and revenge. Still, it makes sense that in an oral setting, characters would have to fall in love quickly -like, marrying after seeing each other for 2 seconds quickly- because a storyteller simply wouldn’t have had the time to develop an intricate romance. As a result, characters are mostly typical and easily interchangeable with a couple of exceptions. Although I didn’t really enjoy most of the stories because of their insistence on gender binaries and cruelty, I did find myself turning page after page. And that’s exactly what the magic of Shaharazad is all about, isn’t it?
_danrobin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
lindsayb's review against another edition
4.0
It's REALLY difficult to figure out just how to rate this. On one hand, the storytelling is masterful; it's bawdy and action-packed, full of demons and lovers and vengeance. Most of the stories end very poorly for everyone involved, which is kind of awesome. However, even though I've become relatively familiar with many of the Arabian Nights stories over the years and thought myself fairly prepared for any old-fashioned notions couched in these ancient tales, I had an incredibly hard time getting over the abject misogyny of many of the stories...so much so that I wasn't sure if I could continue on. I was so enthralled though, curious to see just how the plot might twist in each individual story. This kept me going. al-Shaykh's phrasing certainly helped make it more accessible, too--I may just have to check out more of her own work.
simply_jxde's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
middleoftown's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent writing, impressively intertwining several stories from the original set. Her point is to emphasize the power of women in a general and balanced sense, and it is well delivered, without being over the top. An adult read, to be certain, but one that I could easily recommend to any adult I know.
knquinn's review against another edition
4.0
While this is a beautifully written, complex book, I am not a fan of the conclusion. I wish that al-Shaykh would've written an end narration from Shaharazad or an epilogue. Other than that, I have no complaints! I read this for school and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.
mandimsadler's review against another edition
3.0
this particular retelling of the arabian nights was really well written. the stories flowed into each other so seamlessly, and I really enjoyed the art used in my particular edition. however, the morality (especially the male rage and how it was justified) really got to me. As my first foray into the arabian nights, I'm not as excited now to read them. :(
kendramb's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
annetjeberg's review against another edition
4.0
What a great re-telling of One Thousand and One Nights! I am not familiar with al-Shaykh, but her name has popped up numerous times, and I am glad that I was finally able to dive into her work. I was unfamiliar with the starting off of the One Thousand and One Nights book, so that initial story was something that was completely new to me (and I immediately shared with my partner, who was equally surprised!).