A review by chocolatebooksthunderstorms
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

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!