The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

“As I gradually restore Words Like Silver to its archive of reviews written between 2011 and 2024, I'll aim to first and foremost make my reading history explorable by publishing the blurbs and short reflections as books cross my mind, with the goal of eventually transferring and fleshing out the original WLS content. For now, please enjoy this brief spotlight.”

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

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Okay, so I know I'm a little late on this bandwagon. Last year, when I went to BookExpo America, I remember hearing people gushing about this book. Somehow, I just never picked it up.

After reading Rebel of the Sands, I was on this insane Arabian Nights kick. I immediately headed to Barnes & Noble to get a similar title. While there are parallels in atmosphere and vibrancy, it's an entirely different story. 

Shahrzad is a stunning, smart girl with a knack for trouble. Her wild loyalty and unwillingness to bend to the rules made her an expert at navigating the treachery within the palace. What's more, I felt like I really related to the turmoil and emotional landscape that she traversed throughout the course of the book.

2024 Update: Not sure what my teenage self meant by this but I do still absolutely freaking love this book and the romance, so it remains a favorite then and now.

While focusing on plot, The Wrath and the Dawn doesn't sacrifice the powerful complexity of each character and relationship. Renée Ahdieh is terribly talented at raising the stakes: catching her characters between two similarly-weighted choices with vastly different outcomes.

Although the story arc is most definitely enthralling, the best part was the romance. Oh my GOD. Why did nobody warn me? Shahrzad and Khalid were passionate in both their original hatred and the depth of their relationship as it turned more affectionate. There's an electricity there, from both their circumstances and the facets of their personalities. They clash at times, but they also meaningfully connect on levels that made me root for them.

Meanwhile, the entire story is relayed through this gorgeous writing. I got so hungry reading Ahdieh's descriptions of foods, and her imaginative detailings of both settings and personal traits left nothing to be desired. It felt like another world, truly, and it was really rewarding to see that handled so well.

It's devastating and swoonworthy and tantalizing. The romance was spectacular; the plot was thrilling. I loved it.