A review by imaginationindex
The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. 

So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.”

This was a reread, though I hadn’t officially rated it the first time, I do remember enjoying it enough to buy my own copy. 


What I loved 
  • Retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. It was clever and doesn’t often get a retelling, I loved it
  • Also the storytelling by Shahrzad. It was a story within a story, descriptive and captivating… it worked.
  • Despina and Jalal acted as a great foils for Shahrzad and Khalid
    yet are too prideful for their own relationship
  • I bookmarked every single romantic and affectionate moment. Out of context some quotes may come across as cheesy, but they made me melt as I read further
  • Few action scenes I forgot about but carried the story forward. Shahrzad wasn’t always the DID (damsel-in-distress), and is an experienced archer in her own right

What I did not love:
  • How indecisive Shazi was (look, I’m not one to talk but… girl, are you going to kill him or not)
  • Tariq. I get she’s your childhood best friend however he always thinks she needs saving. His own agenda irritated me and also….
  • Honestly still a little on the fence about the pace of the love story. With Tariq’s POV, it spaced it out however it was still a matter of days that she caught feelings and things escalated. 
  • TW: I’ve included this last, not because it is least important, but if the things above haven’t turned you away, this one might. Their marriage is consummated very early on and while it’s a fade to black scene, it’s clear Shahrzad is just going through with it and not willing to say no. It’s awkward when she’s at least happy he didn’t try to kiss her.
    And especially when you find out later on that Shahrzad is the only girl who Khalid has done this to… yikes.

Though this was a reread, I haven’t read the 2nd book and it’s next on my list. 
Hinting at Shahrzad’s magic powers… the flying carpet! I’m excited!
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