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More copies of this ISBN:Book of a Thousand Daysby Shannon Hale
Powells.com Staff PickIf you haven't heard of Shannon Hale... well, now you have! Try Book of a Thousand Days, which is her newest feminist fairy tale. The very first page will inexorably pull you in with Jungian, gothic images of mad women suffering patriarchal cruelties. Finish this book, and you will be satisfied by Hale's visions of a world that includes true-blue heroines.
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren's refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.
As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren's two suitors — one welcome, and the other decidedly less so — brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows. Review:"Hale (River Secrets) delivers another winning fantasy, this time inventively fleshing out the obscure Grimm tale, Maid Maleen, through the expressive and earthy voice of Dashti, maid to Lady Saren. A plucky and resourceful orphan, Dashti comes from a nomad tribe in a place resembling the Asian Steppes, and is brought to the Lady's house in the midst of a crisis. Lady Saren, having refused to marry the powerful but loathsome Lord her father has chosen, faces seven years' imprisonment in an unlit tower. Initially, Dashti believes her worth is tied to her ability to care for her 'tower-addled' lady until she can join Khan Tegus, to whom she is secretly betrothed. When the gentle Tegus comes to the tower, Dashti must step in for her traumatized lady, speaking to him as Saren through the one tiny metal door. Hale exploits the diary form to convey Dashti's perspective; despite her self-effacing declaration that 'I draw this from memory so it won't be right,' the entries reflect her genuinely spirited inner life. The tension between her unstinting loyalty and patience and burgeoning realization of her own strength and feelings for Tegus feels especially authentic. Readers will be riveted as Dashti and Saren escape and flee to the Khan's realm where, through a series of deceptions, contrivances and a riotously triumphant climax, the tale spins out to a thoroughly satisfying ending. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Review:"Fans of Gail Carson Levin's Fairest will embrace this similar mix of exotic, fully realized setting; thrilling, enchanted adventure; and heart-melting romance." Booklist
Review:"It is a refreshing change from the typical princess story, and a nod to democracy. Smith's illustrations enhance the story, which is well-written and fast-paced, and which will captivate readers." VOYA
Review:"A rousing, even spellbinding tale." Kirkus Reviews About the AuthorShannon Hale is the Newbery Honor-winning author of Princess Academy as well as the highly acclaimed and award-winning Books of Bayern: Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets. She has written a novel for adults, Austenland, and is working on a graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge. She lives with her husband and two young children in Salt Lake City, Utah. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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