A review by vickiireads
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights: Volume 1, by
5.0
When King Shahriyar discovers his wife to be unfaithful, he begins to marry young women, only to behead them in the morning. In order to save the young women of the region, Shahrazad gives herself to the King Shahriyar. She is not expected to survive beyond dawn, but during the night she begins to tell tales, each night ending the story in the middle, leaving the king desperate to learn the ending and allowing Shahrazad to live another day.
And so begins the 1001 nights of storytelling, ranging from morality tales, love stories, fables, and war epics.These tales are simply stunning and so important given how far their influence has spread. This particular volume has some familiar stories (like Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, and the Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Seaman) and unfamiliar ones (like The Ebony Horse and The Hunchback's Tale), with kings and slaves, jinnees and demons, giant birds and dragons. Despite the fantastical nature of the stories, the reader can glean a lot of cultural and social information. Shahrazad chooses her stories well; she slowly educates her husband so he will see fit to remove the executioner's shadow from her life for good.
While 980 pages long, this volume finishes at Night 294. Still a long way to go, but very excited to start the next volume!
And so begins the 1001 nights of storytelling, ranging from morality tales, love stories, fables, and war epics.These tales are simply stunning and so important given how far their influence has spread. This particular volume has some familiar stories (like Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, and the Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Seaman) and unfamiliar ones (like The Ebony Horse and The Hunchback's Tale), with kings and slaves, jinnees and demons, giant birds and dragons. Despite the fantastical nature of the stories, the reader can glean a lot of cultural and social information. Shahrazad chooses her stories well; she slowly educates her husband so he will see fit to remove the executioner's shadow from her life for good.
While 980 pages long, this volume finishes at Night 294. Still a long way to go, but very excited to start the next volume!