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libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
I felt a little burned out on the Arabian Nights genre of YA fantasy so I was almost reluctant to read this book when I finally got it from the library. The first few pages were so depressing I shelved it for another time, but when I finally got around to reading it, A Thousand Nights was a pleasant surprise. An FYI if anyone besides me was worried: there is no rape in this book! (You can hear my sigh of relief from a thousand miles away.) Instead of a graphic, depressing slog, A Thousand Nights was an unusual and creative novel.
It seems like the tale of Scheherazade has been overdone at this point, but Johnston's original writing style and characters still makes for an engaging read. I really enjoyed her brand of fantasy, entwined with religion and community. The nameless heroine is a rather extraordinary character in the YA genre. She's pragmatic almost beyond belief, fearful, and yet cool-headed. I found her to be refreshing and interesting to read about. I was also surprised to find that there is zero romance!
Instead, A Thousand Nights focuses the heroine herself and the women in her life as well as the villain and his backstory. There is a huge focus on women's accomplishments, even women's magic, and the way women are constantly overlooked. That theme could get preachy easily, but I found it to be well-done. The ending felt rather easy, but overall I really enjoyed this book. It was creative in a way I didn't expect and quite inventive.
It seems like the tale of Scheherazade has been overdone at this point, but Johnston's original writing style and characters still makes for an engaging read. I really enjoyed her brand of fantasy, entwined with religion and community. The nameless heroine is a rather extraordinary character in the YA genre. She's pragmatic almost beyond belief, fearful, and yet cool-headed. I found her to be refreshing and interesting to read about. I was also surprised to find that there is zero romance!
Instead, A Thousand Nights focuses the heroine herself and the women in her life as well as the villain and his backstory. There is a huge focus on women's accomplishments, even women's magic, and the way women are constantly overlooked. That theme could get preachy easily, but I found it to be well-done. The ending felt rather easy, but overall I really enjoyed this book. It was creative in a way I didn't expect and quite inventive.
xchickadee's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the story. Though I found parts hard to follow at times.
linnlivesinbooks's review against another edition
2.0
i didn’t hate this but it could have been so much better, some passages were entertaining but mostly it was just so boring. like yes today she did bath as-well.
unlike many i don’t hate the no name thing and being anonymous and all that, i get the message it was sending. but why couldn’t she write my great grandfather/grandmother why did she have to write mothers mothers mother???????
and i thought if anyone should have had a name it should have been her sister?
and like i have a sister and i do love her but it was a bit too much, compared to how she treated the rest of her family. and like when we got his perspective i got it but before that who cares that you and your sister used to like fetch water together? if i was a demon possessing a king? how is that fun to listen to?
spoilers and in the end when one of her brothers die and her brothers children this girl does not bat an eye. she’s like they are burying them? hello? people died atleast pretend to be sad?
and zero romance in this brothers. NOT EVEN A KISS IN THE END. give us an epilogue where they are happy!!! not fair.
to summarize the idea was there and it could have been executed sooo well, but it just felt like a bunch of thoughts strung together. i really feel like this could have been amazing.
unlike many i don’t hate the no name thing and being anonymous and all that, i get the message it was sending. but why couldn’t she write my great grandfather/grandmother why did she have to write mothers mothers mother???????
and i thought if anyone should have had a name it should have been her sister?
and like i have a sister and i do love her but it was a bit too much, compared to how she treated the rest of her family. and like when we got his perspective i got it but before that who cares that you and your sister used to like fetch water together? if i was a demon possessing a king? how is that fun to listen to?
spoilers and in the end when one of her brothers die and her brothers children this girl does not bat an eye. she’s like they are burying them? hello? people died atleast pretend to be sad?
and zero romance in this brothers. NOT EVEN A KISS IN THE END. give us an epilogue where they are happy!!! not fair.
to summarize the idea was there and it could have been executed sooo well, but it just felt like a bunch of thoughts strung together. i really feel like this could have been amazing.
judeandolin's review against another edition
1.0
I can count on one 6-fingered hand the number of 1-star ratings I've given (at least of the books I've rated):
- The Magicians by Lev Grossman (although I may need to reread this now that I'm in the intended demographic)
- Of Mice and Men
- Choke by Chuck Palahnuik
- The Maze Runner
- The Fault in Our Stars
- Fifty Shades trilogy (which were mindless, stupid fun to read but awful in general)
And now this. Judging by all of the four and five star ratings from everyone I follow, maybe I missed something vital in the reading of this. It was just incomprehensible for me.
I considered giving it two, because it wasn't awful, it was just ridiculously boring, but I really need to start being more harsh in my critiques and not rewarding mediocrity.
Basically, the story is a reimagining of A Thousand and One Nights, and centers around a girl (who is never given a name) who takes her sister's place and weds an evil king. The king marries one bride from each village and they all die, normally after one night. But the girl lives and keeps on living, because she tells beautiful stories to her captor. Inspirational, right? It might have been, except literally this entire story is a slow, drawn out monologue on the boring parts of this character's life, and she never actually got around to telling any of these beautiful, entrancing stories. To summarize, here are some things this character does:
- Weaves things
- Has dreams and visions that come true. Repeatedly. (The novelty of this wore off after the first time.)
- Talks about her village
- Remembers things about her village
- Worries about her sister
- Has her hair done
- Talks about goats
- Does some random, unexplained but super helpful magic (??)
- Weaves some more
And of course, there's some intrigue mixed in to keep you reading: How did Lo-Melkhiin become possessed by this demon? Will he ever be free? How will the girl escape from him? How did she get these magical powers?
Listen, I love me some magical realism. It's my thing. But if that magic isn't ever explained, or if it has a really flimsy explanation, I'm instantly turned off. The girl in this story gets her powers from the prayers of her people, who believe her to have become a smallgod. So when she weaves a tale, the tale comes true. It's an interesting premise, but the execution was so slow and boring that I could not hold my interest for long. It took me like two weeks to finish this, which is ridiculous for a short, easy-to-digest YA book.
The girl is a good heroine, of course. She's brave, she's strong, she's calm in the face of danger and fear, she sacrifices herself to save those she loves. And I think these qualities are some of the reasons this book has so many fans. But is a strong female character really enough to carry a book? I don't think so. If it had been flipped and the protagonist were a young man, I have a feeling this book would have bored a lot of its readers. Simply the presence of a strong female character seems to be enough for some people, but it wasn't for me. I was bored to tears. I still, for the life of me, can't understand why she was kept alive, because she did nothing all that remarkable other than not wincing when Lo-Melkhiin touched her.
I had figured a vast majority of my issues with this book would be explained in the sequel (which I wasn't planning on reading anyway), but apparently the sequel is set generations in the future. So all of those questions I had are probably never going to be answered.
- The Magicians by Lev Grossman (although I may need to reread this now that I'm in the intended demographic)
- Of Mice and Men
- Choke by Chuck Palahnuik
- The Maze Runner
- The Fault in Our Stars
- Fifty Shades trilogy (which were mindless, stupid fun to read but awful in general)
And now this. Judging by all of the four and five star ratings from everyone I follow, maybe I missed something vital in the reading of this. It was just incomprehensible for me.
I considered giving it two, because it wasn't awful, it was just ridiculously boring, but I really need to start being more harsh in my critiques and not rewarding mediocrity.
Basically, the story is a reimagining of A Thousand and One Nights, and centers around a girl (who is never given a name) who takes her sister's place and weds an evil king. The king marries one bride from each village and they all die, normally after one night. But the girl lives and keeps on living, because she tells beautiful stories to her captor. Inspirational, right? It might have been, except literally this entire story is a slow, drawn out monologue on the boring parts of this character's life, and she never actually got around to telling any of these beautiful, entrancing stories. To summarize, here are some things this character does:
- Weaves things
- Has dreams and visions that come true. Repeatedly. (The novelty of this wore off after the first time.)
- Talks about her village
- Remembers things about her village
- Worries about her sister
- Has her hair done
- Talks about goats
- Does some random, unexplained but super helpful magic (??)
- Weaves some more
And of course, there's some intrigue mixed in to keep you reading: How did Lo-Melkhiin become possessed by this demon? Will he ever be free? How will the girl escape from him? How did she get these magical powers?
Listen, I love me some magical realism. It's my thing. But if that magic isn't ever explained, or if it has a really flimsy explanation, I'm instantly turned off. The girl in this story gets her powers from the prayers of her people, who believe her to have become a smallgod. So when she weaves a tale, the tale comes true. It's an interesting premise, but the execution was so slow and boring that I could not hold my interest for long. It took me like two weeks to finish this, which is ridiculous for a short, easy-to-digest YA book.
The girl is a good heroine, of course. She's brave, she's strong, she's calm in the face of danger and fear, she sacrifices herself to save those she loves. And I think these qualities are some of the reasons this book has so many fans. But is a strong female character really enough to carry a book? I don't think so. If it had been flipped and the protagonist were a young man, I have a feeling this book would have bored a lot of its readers. Simply the presence of a strong female character seems to be enough for some people, but it wasn't for me. I was bored to tears. I still, for the life of me, can't understand why she was kept alive, because she did nothing all that remarkable other than not wincing when Lo-Melkhiin touched her.
I had figured a vast majority of my issues with this book would be explained in the sequel (which I wasn't planning on reading anyway), but apparently the sequel is set generations in the future. So all of those questions I had are probably never going to be answered.
maradf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
letsbebookfriends's review against another edition
3.0
* 3.5 stars*
I felt that this was a decent novel. I liked the feminist and sisterly undertones; however, it seemed like a lot of the world-building details were missing. So much so, that I eventally felt cheated out a really great world full of magic and monsters. Additionally, the ending was lack luster.
I felt that this was a decent novel. I liked the feminist and sisterly undertones; however, it seemed like a lot of the world-building details were missing. So much so, that I eventally felt cheated out a really great world full of magic and monsters. Additionally, the ending was lack luster.
kkoerth613's review against another edition
4.0
It was definitely not what I was expecting. It was kind of slow, the way it was going I thought there would be another book. It was cute and the main character was a badass. Though I found it annoying how all the characters remained unnamed.
teresarosereads's review against another edition
I was planning to push through and give this book a full chance, but I got distracted from reading by school for a month and now all my motivation to finish it is gone😭
I appreciate what this book was trying to do in giving voice to the female characters of a classic like Arabian Nights, but the style just wasn’t for me. It felt like one of those books that is mostly focused on having flowery, beautiful writing but feels like nothing is really happening in terms of plot which I don’t tend to like. I also didn’t like how many things were unexplained (at least not up to the part where I stopped) in terms of how the magic worked which I also don’t like in books. I like to know exactly how the magic works and it’s limitations.
In terms of Arabian Nights retellings, I liked The Wrath and The Dawn much better!
I appreciate what this book was trying to do in giving voice to the female characters of a classic like Arabian Nights, but the style just wasn’t for me. It felt like one of those books that is mostly focused on having flowery, beautiful writing but feels like nothing is really happening in terms of plot which I don’t tend to like. I also didn’t like how many things were unexplained (at least not up to the part where I stopped) in terms of how the magic worked which I also don’t like in books. I like to know exactly how the magic works and it’s limitations.
In terms of Arabian Nights retellings, I liked The Wrath and The Dawn much better!
uruseibaka's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Huge thanks to the Disney Book Group for giving me access to an eARC.
This retelling is uniquely beautiful in a thousand ways. The plot was simple but E.K. Johnston's soothing writing style adds the dash of magic the story needs. It had a slow start but as you read on, it will give you more than what you expect. To the curious readers, this is nothing like The Wrath and the Dawn, they're just based on the same classic and have a few identical basic facts. Otherwise, the authors have re-imagined them with their own distinct voices.
I really recommend this if you're looking for a light fantasy retelling.
Huge thanks to the Disney Book Group for giving me access to an eARC.
This retelling is uniquely beautiful in a thousand ways. The plot was simple but E.K. Johnston's soothing writing style adds the dash of magic the story needs. It had a slow start but as you read on, it will give you more than what you expect. To the curious readers, this is nothing like The Wrath and the Dawn, they're just based on the same classic and have a few identical basic facts. Otherwise, the authors have re-imagined them with their own distinct voices.
I really recommend this if you're looking for a light fantasy retelling.
dilchh's review against another edition
2.0
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; I love retelling. It is my guilty pleasure, because most often than not, retellings are disappointing to me, but I can never stop when I see one. Just last year, I had the unfortunate chance to read The Wrath and the Dawn and I have to say, I hated it. I hate everything about the book, from the protagonist’s voice, the “hey-let’s-help-the-damsel-in-distress” trope, the “woops-didn’t-plant-to-fall-in-love-with-you-because-I’m-a-strong-independent-woman-but-hey-here-we-are” trope; point is I hated it. That being said, I don’t know I tried really hard to get A Thousand Nights, because let’s get real here, there is a big possibility that I would hate the story much like I hate the oh so predictable trope of The Wrath and the Dawn.
But…. and it’s a bit but, this book has beautiful cover, and I am a sucker for beautiful cover, so I had it in my heart that I should at least give this book a try. Surely, it can’t be as infuriating as The Wrath and the Dawn. Right?
First off the bat, the story is nothing like The Wrath and the Dawn, and that’s why this book got an extra star than the former. I am so beyond thankful we don’t get this disgustingly boring “woops-didn’t-plant-to-fall-in-love-with-you-because-I’m-a-strong-independent-woman-but-hey-here-we-are”, and I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with falling in love, but really though? Your life is on the line and for some odd reason, you had the time to put love in there somewhere? I honestly never in the position of that, but surely I wouldn’t be give a hoot about love when my life is on the line. This book is more realistic, because there was never any mention about love blossoming, because let’s get real here people, if you’re on a constant fear of when you’re gonna die, surely falling in love with your soon to be murderer is the last thing on your mind.
But, this book was still disappointing for me, because it is too slow. So. Very. Slow. I almost gave up the book, only to keep on marching because I was almost to the finish and I am curious to see how it ends. The whole time we read this book, we went back and forth aout Lo-Melkhiin and the girl talk about her sister bla bla bla, and we get into some side story and a little peak on why Lo-Melkhiin killed those girls. It’s like it is all a promise of something big, and then…. poof.
Book ends.
Yeah sure we get a bit of a battle, but after trudging through the entire book full of talks here and there, I would want something a little bit more interesting. And I didn’t quite get it. Oh, and don’t get me started with the ending, I was clearly unhappy and I have so many questions, but I am trying to hold myself back here, because I really don’t want to give out spoilers. Bye.
But…. and it’s a bit but, this book has beautiful cover, and I am a sucker for beautiful cover, so I had it in my heart that I should at least give this book a try. Surely, it can’t be as infuriating as The Wrath and the Dawn. Right?
First off the bat, the story is nothing like The Wrath and the Dawn, and that’s why this book got an extra star than the former. I am so beyond thankful we don’t get this disgustingly boring “woops-didn’t-plant-to-fall-in-love-with-you-because-I’m-a-strong-independent-woman-but-hey-here-we-are”, and I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with falling in love, but really though? Your life is on the line and for some odd reason, you had the time to put love in there somewhere? I honestly never in the position of that, but surely I wouldn’t be give a hoot about love when my life is on the line. This book is more realistic, because there was never any mention about love blossoming, because let’s get real here people, if you’re on a constant fear of when you’re gonna die, surely falling in love with your soon to be murderer is the last thing on your mind.
But, this book was still disappointing for me, because it is too slow. So. Very. Slow. I almost gave up the book, only to keep on marching because I was almost to the finish and I am curious to see how it ends. The whole time we read this book, we went back and forth aout Lo-Melkhiin and the girl talk about her sister bla bla bla, and we get into some side story and a little peak on why Lo-Melkhiin killed those girls. It’s like it is all a promise of something big, and then…. poof.
Book ends.
Yeah sure we get a bit of a battle, but after trudging through the entire book full of talks here and there, I would want something a little bit more interesting. And I didn’t quite get it. Oh, and don’t get me started with the ending, I was clearly unhappy and I have so many questions, but I am trying to hold myself back here, because I really don’t want to give out spoilers. Bye.