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aeslis's review against another edition
3.0
Not a bad book, though I wasn't blown away by it. It's Shehrazad telling her own story, and it takes several liberties with how quickly the king falls in love with her. While the writing has some evocative moments, much of it is telling instead of showing. A quick read.
wanderlustlover's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved how interwoven this retelling was. I've never been massively fascinated with this tale, but I was engrossed in it the whole time. The ways the stories are over lapped, the history alluded to and slowly revealed, the tales of love and hurt and healing and what makes or breaks a heart or a family.
Definitely advised.
Definitely advised.
alexlcriddle's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
This was a beautiful retelling of The Arabian Nights. The story was compelling and well-paced. The characters were captivating and well-developed—especially for the short length of the novel. I do wish the romance between Shahrazad and Shahrayar had been explored slightly more, though I enjoyed how their character growth and relationship seemed to be depicted through the stories Shahrazad told. Overall, I really liked this novel.
This was a beautiful retelling of The Arabian Nights. The story was compelling and well-paced. The characters were captivating and well-developed—especially for the short length of the novel. I do wish the romance between Shahrazad and Shahrayar had been explored slightly more, though I enjoyed how their character growth and relationship seemed to be depicted through the stories Shahrazad told. Overall, I really liked this novel.
libkatem's review against another edition
3.0
Perhaps slightly simplistic, but it gets the point across. Words are quite often (historically, mythologically, and fictionally) are often the only weapons or tools a woman has. No clearer is this than in the tales of Shahrazad. She of course has a thousand and one stories to keep herself and many other women (a thousand, probably) safe from the wrath of a wronged king.
Dokey does an admirable job of giving a new voice to Shahrazed, and this book is well worth the little time it takes to read it.
Dokey does an admirable job of giving a new voice to Shahrazed, and this book is well worth the little time it takes to read it.
diandra24's review against another edition
5.0
All I have to say is wow.. The way the sotry is told, breaks the figurative fourth wall and truly feels as if there is a storyteller telling the story rather than the reader simply reading it. The characters come to life and their turmoil can truly be felt.
Our protagonist is wise and talented, but still has her flaws and that makes her all the more real.
Overall I just really liked it.
Our protagonist is wise and talented, but still has her flaws and that makes her all the more real.
Overall I just really liked it.
lberestecki's review against another edition
5.0
I am kind of obsessed with the "Once Upon a Time" series, and I think this one is my favorite of all of them.
jfrisbie3's review against another edition
5.0
Okey dokey
Dokey did such an amazing job with this story. I wouldn't ask for a better rendition of this story. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fairytales
Dokey did such an amazing job with this story. I wouldn't ask for a better rendition of this story. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fairytales
booksthatburn's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This has a storybook style with Shahrazad narrating events in her past. There are stories with in the story as well. Some stories are told completely, while one long one is begun and then finished over the course of the novel, but the middle of it is partly summarized since it's the story that is told over many nights.
The story is very character-based, with the worldbuilding kept fairly sparse. Enough cultural details are given to place it generally in the world and even more loosely in time. Shahrayar and his brother, Shazaman, are rulers who are each betrayed by their wives (who are then killed). Shahrayar's wife curses him to never trust again. Shahrayar's reaction to this unfathomable breach is to declare that he will marry a new woman each month and then kill her in the morning, thus ensuring his continued access to marriage without the possibility that any of his sequential brides would get close enough to him to betray him. Shahrazad is the daughter of the storyteller, wife of the vizier, who grows up to be a storyteller herself. When she learns Shahrayar's plan she conspires with her father and sister to become the first of the planned brides and stay alive by telling a long and interesting story. This basic starting point continues in a simple but compelling manner, as Shahrayar and Shahrazad both have to learn to understand themselves.
I like how neither Shahrayar nor Shahrazad is positioned as the hero above the other. They're both essential to this turning out well, and they both have to learn similar lessons in order to fix the ruinous situation. There are additional twists and deceptions, keeping this engaging even though it's slow-paced for such a short book.
The story is very character-based, with the worldbuilding kept fairly sparse. Enough cultural details are given to place it generally in the world and even more loosely in time. Shahrayar and his brother, Shazaman, are rulers who are each betrayed by their wives (who are then killed). Shahrayar's wife curses him to never trust again. Shahrayar's reaction to this unfathomable breach is to declare that he will marry a new woman each month and then kill her in the morning, thus ensuring his continued access to marriage without the possibility that any of his sequential brides would get close enough to him to betray him. Shahrazad is the daughter of the storyteller, wife of the vizier, who grows up to be a storyteller herself. When she learns Shahrayar's plan she conspires with her father and sister to become the first of the planned brides and stay alive by telling a long and interesting story. This basic starting point continues in a simple but compelling manner, as Shahrayar and Shahrazad both have to learn to understand themselves.
I like how neither Shahrayar nor Shahrazad is positioned as the hero above the other. They're both essential to this turning out well, and they both have to learn similar lessons in order to fix the ruinous situation. There are additional twists and deceptions, keeping this engaging even though it's slow-paced for such a short book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Ableism, Sexism, Misogyny, Infidelity, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Blood, Violence, Terminal illness, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Bullying and Infertility