#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, this lush novel follows a fierce young woman who takes a dangerous gamble . . . to become the bride of a boy-king notorious for executing his wives at dawn.
“Dreamily romantic, deliciously angst-y, addictively thrilling.”—Kirkus Reviews
“An intoxicating gem of a story.”—Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series
One Life to One Dawn.
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?
“Lushly imagined and powerfully characterized, it’s a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance.”
—Publishers Weekly
"Scheherazade is the greatest storyteller of all time, but Renée Ahdieh gave her a run for the crown with her sumptuous
One Thousand and One Nights retelling.”
—Bustle“This inventive young adult retelling of
The Arabian Nights walks a delicate line in its depiction of such a monstrous man, but puts the power in the hands of a courageous heroine who is determined to stop the senseless brutalities inflicted upon so many women.”
—TIME“This book is a fairy tale, a mystery, and . . . promises to become a classic tale of its own.”
—VOYA
“Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and a simmering revolution, this is a carefully constructed narrative of uncertain loyalties, searing romance, and subtle magic in a harsh desert city.”
—Booklist, starred review“The rich, Middle Eastern cultural context adds to the author’s adept world building… a surefire hit with teens.”
—School Library Journal, starred review“Renée Ahdieh's lush debut novel,
The Wrath and the Dawn, is a suspenseful and beautiful reimagining of
The Arabian Nights, with an edge.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review “Dreamily romantic, deliciously angst-y, addictively thrilling.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Sumptuous detail . . . satisfyingly steamy scenes, along with some angsty push and pull moments between the two for optimal romantic tension.”
—BCCB
“Don’t be surprised if the pages melt away and you find yourself racing through warm, golden sands or drinking spiced wine in cool marble courtyards. This is an intoxicating gem of a story. You will fall in love, just as I did.”
—Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series and The Young Elites
“In her absorbing debut, Renée Ahdieh spins a tale as mesmerizing as that of her heroine Shahrzad, filled with lush details and brimming with tension.
The Wrath and the Dawn is truly an exceptional story, beautifully written.”
—Carrie Ryan,New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth
“Ahdieh weaves a world that is lush with detail. You will want to hear, taste, and touch everything. But it's not just the world that is vividly alive. The characters are fascinating too: I loved the friendships, romance, and shifts in feeling. A beautifully written book,
The Wrath and the Dawn is a story I could not put down.”
—Marie Rutkoski, author of The Winner’s trilogy
