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lilencius's review against another edition
5.0
absolutely delightful!! and once again: how can i not relate to a character whose most prized possession is their diary??
jennyjjs's review against another edition
4.0
I think of all the Shannon Hale books, this was one of my favorites. It definitely pulls you in. Even though I initially got it for my daughter, it turned out to be a fun read for adults too.
rayrayvolver's review against another edition
4.0
Easy, delightful and quick. Loved how the story was written in journal form.
leebee1776's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow wow wow, everytime I read book of a thousand day I always remember hiw f*cking amazing it is. I think since I love Hales series (Princess Academy and Books of Bayern) so much, that I forgot about this perfect stand alone novel of a lesser known fairy tail set in a fantasy world inspired by ancient Mongolia.
This books makes me laugh and cry. And Omg I am in love with Khan Tegus!!!! He is officially #2 in fav Shannon Hale love interests behind my OG man Finn.
I think Shannon’s third person writing in her other books is top tier and is one of the reason why her works are so lyrical and beautiful. But this frist person style was so intimate and moving that it made me rethink the way I judge frist va third person narratives particular in ya fantasy.
This was probably maybe my 4th time reading this book and I’m so glad I picked back up on my Shannon Hale books.
This books makes me laugh and cry. And Omg I am in love with Khan Tegus!!!! He is officially #2 in fav Shannon Hale love interests behind my OG man Finn.
I think Shannon’s third person writing in her other books is top tier and is one of the reason why her works are so lyrical and beautiful. But this frist person style was so intimate and moving that it made me rethink the way I judge frist va third person narratives particular in ya fantasy.
This was probably maybe my 4th time reading this book and I’m so glad I picked back up on my Shannon Hale books.
mariahreadsmore's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Quick read and I liked that it was written in diary form. The romance made me swoon by its cuteness, even though it was very predictable. I really didn’t like Soren and thought her change of heart to come a little out of the blue - although I did like that she found her place by the end of the book.
burningupasun's review against another edition
5.0
Setting/World Building: 5/5
Main Character: 5/5
Other Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Triggering/Issues: 5/5 (None)
AVERAGED TOTAL: 4.6 out of 5, rounded to 5.
I love fairy tales. I love the magic in them, I love the patterns, I love the way they flow... and this book was no exception. It was the retelling of a Grimms Brothers fairy tale, "Maid Maleen", but Shannon Hale twisted it in the retelling, obviously. The largest change I think was that she set it in a world inspired by Mongolia, which was absolutely magical to read.
Dashti, the main character, is just a delight. She's clever and strong and kind and brave and brilliant, and it's been a long time since I adored a character as much as her. Lady Saren, who she is the maid of, is not the most likeable character, but that's done on purpose. There is never any cattiness between them, though, and in the end when you find out why Lady Saren is the way she is, and you see her grow, she becomes much more likeable.
The romance was also really wonderful. As a fairytale, it was a bit easy to guess where it might all end up, but the telling was brilliant and more than made up for that. I loved seeing them fall in love, and seeing them surmount the hurdles that came between them.
All in all a really lovely, wonderful read that I just sped right through!
Main Character: 5/5
Other Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Triggering/Issues: 5/5 (None)
AVERAGED TOTAL: 4.6 out of 5, rounded to 5.
I love fairy tales. I love the magic in them, I love the patterns, I love the way they flow... and this book was no exception. It was the retelling of a Grimms Brothers fairy tale, "Maid Maleen", but Shannon Hale twisted it in the retelling, obviously. The largest change I think was that she set it in a world inspired by Mongolia, which was absolutely magical to read.
Dashti, the main character, is just a delight. She's clever and strong and kind and brave and brilliant, and it's been a long time since I adored a character as much as her. Lady Saren, who she is the maid of, is not the most likeable character, but that's done on purpose. There is never any cattiness between them, though, and in the end when you find out why Lady Saren is the way she is, and you see her grow, she becomes much more likeable.
The romance was also really wonderful. As a fairytale, it was a bit easy to guess where it might all end up, but the telling was brilliant and more than made up for that. I loved seeing them fall in love, and seeing them surmount the hurdles that came between them.
All in all a really lovely, wonderful read that I just sped right through!
mini_margaritta's review against another edition
2.0
If I could have given this book 2 ½ stars I would, but unfortunately I rounded down and not up. I have not read any of Hale’s other books to compare to like many other reviews. “Book of a Thousand Days” is based on the Brothers Grim tale Maid Maleen, which I am also not familiar with. Narrated by Dashti, a hand maiden, and her adventures involving being locked up in a tower with her mistress.
I thought this was a cute novel that I would recommend a 10 year old. That being said it was a little flat for me. Besides a slow development of Dashti I thought the other characters were frustrating and lacking. Being a Grimm tale I should not have been surprised by a little fantasy twist towards the end. Although this was the only part to surprise me, I thought the rest was a very predictable twisted love triangle.
I thought this was a cute novel that I would recommend a 10 year old. That being said it was a little flat for me. Besides a slow development of Dashti I thought the other characters were frustrating and lacking. Being a Grimm tale I should not have been surprised by a little fantasy twist towards the end. Although this was the only part to surprise me, I thought the rest was a very predictable twisted love triangle.
chocolatebooksthunderstorms's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Book of a Thousand Days broke my heart, then gave me a hug & a forehead kiss.
My recent string of “meh, it was okay”/”I didn’t like it” reviews had me wanting to read something easy. So, I turned to Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale — a thrifted MG/YA book I’ve had sitting on my shelf for a long time.
Book of a Thousand Days follows Dashti, a nomadic peasant who becomes a maid to Lady Saren, but is soon locked in a tower with her. The story — written like a diary — follows Dashti and Saren as they work to survive (and eventually escape) their exile. It’s a retelling of “Maid Maleen” (a fairytale I’d never heard of until I read the acknowledgements), set in a Mongolia-inspired world.
One of the important things to know about Dashti is that she (and most of her fellow characters) follow a particular religion that places royalty/nobility high above peasants: if a nobleperson wants something done, a peasant must do it, or they risk angering the gods and losing their place in the afterlife.
I had low expectations for this book. The synopsis felt vague, but the book seemed easy to read and like a nice break for my brain… and it was. The story and writing were easy to follow, but the story went much deeper than I expected.
During and following Dashti and Saren’s exile, Saren struggles with her mental health. This is never labeled, but seems to be depression (something I also struggle with). She fights off nightmares, binge eating, and panic attacks, and struggles to find energy to complete certain tasks. Although Book of a Thousand Days is narrated by Dashti, Saren’s story felt deeply personal, and was one of the highlights of the book for me.
The other highlight was Khan Tegus, Saren’s fiancé. Tegus is a kind, clever, and caring leader with a heart of absolute gold. He made me swoon! (which is probably because he reminds me of my husband 😏)
Book of a Thousand Days is more character-driven than plot-driven, but I don’t want to say too much because there are so many obstacles Dashti, Saren, and Tegus must overcome, and going into them blind feels important.
I give Book of a Thousand Days four stars, and I definitely want to read more of Shannon Hale’s books in the future!