August 20, 2015

Book Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

August 20, 2015

The Wrath and the Dawn
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #1
Publication: Putnam's Children on May 12, 2015
Genre: YA Fantasy Retellings
Page Length: 388 pages
Source: Purchased
One Life to One Dawn.

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer.  Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise.  So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid.  But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls.  Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she's falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls.  Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle one and for all.


The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh was yet another book I felt compelled to purchase while on my summer trip.  For months now, I've been hearing the praise, the raves, and the swoons all over the book blogosphere, on Twitter, and beyond.  This is a book that lives up to its hype and manages to enthrall readers both young and old.  If you are one of the few who have yet to read this book, I suggest you hasten on down to the nearest bookstore and get yourself a copy.  You'll thank me later.

Now, I'll be honest with you: The story itself was a bit slow.  AT FIRST.  The book took me a handful of chapters to really grab my attention, but once it did, Renée's writing, her beautifully-crafted storytelling, refused to let go.  I wouldn't say the book started on a high note, but it definitely ended on one.


Author Renée Ahdieh undisputedly excelled in bringing the Middle Eastern Culture to life in these mere 388 pages.  What I especially loved about The Wrath and the Dawn were the intricate, well-written details.  Too often authors put aside the "smaller" aspects of a novel "on the back burner."  Ms. Ahdieh certainly did not.  She jam-packed this novel with descriptive brilliance.  She didn't just take a dip in the Middle Eastern Culture, she fully immersed herself, along with the reader.

I reveled in how she would describe everything, from the practically indescribable breathtaking beauty of the dawn, to the ornate detailing of the architecture, and even to the food Shahrzad and Khalid indulged in, which brings me to the characters.


The characters themselves were intriguing gems that, as Marie Lu said, added to the "intoxicating gem of a story."  Each and every character was interesting.  Captivating.  You wanted to know more about them.  Wanted to know about their life story, their passions, and of course, their secrets.  Our main character, Shahrzad, was a fiery, calculative young woman, who I admired for her resoluteness and focused drive.  She cared so deeply for her late friend who had befallen the horrific fate of becoming one of Khalid's late brides, that she sought out the noble conquest of ending the Caliph's reign.  But of course, there was more to the Caliph and his seemingly cold murders than what met the eye.

Khalid, the Caliph, the boy-king, was perhaps the most intriguing character of all.  He had his own secrets and reasoning behind the cruelty of his murders, and like Shahrzad, the reader was inexplicably drawn into Khalid and his story - we felt the absolute need to uncover the secrets of this young Caliph and his palace.


It was well-written.  That's really all I have to say.  And: You'll love it.



When taken a step back from and fully analyzed, there really isn't a whole lot to the plot in this first installment - just set-up.  However, there is no doubt in my mind that Renée Ahdieh will take these seeds she's planted in The Wrath and the Dawn and use them to craft a sequel that is in full blossom.

I'm more than excited to see where this skilled debut author takes Shahrzad and Khalid's story next in The Rose and the Dagger.



author image

Julia Anne

I'm a teen with a refined taste for good books and great writing, currently living in Honolulu, HI. I'm a reader. A dreamer. And an aspirant writer. One day I have hopes to travel the world, but for now, I'll settle with venturing through the written works I read.

20 comments :

  1. OMG I was squealing when I found this post in my feed. The Wrath and the Dawn is my top book of 2015 so far and nothing has come even close to beating it. Well maybe Queen of Shadows will but let's not forget Renee is a debut author! This review was like a reflection of my review bec we loved the same things-- the culture, the characters, and the beautiful writing! I'm jumping up and down for that sequel because, boy oh boy, I NEED MORE!!! I also love the romance because we still don't know much about the King so it brings that mysterious vibe to the table! Awesome review Julia!! <3 AHHHH FANGIRLING ABOUT THIS BOOK MAKES ME SO HAPPY!

    Alex @ The Book's Buzz

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    1. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed The Wrath and the Dawn so much, Alex!! I know what you mean about NEEDING THAT SEQUEL. Haha. 2016, come sooner! I can't wait to see where Renée takes the story next.

      Thanks for stopping by the blog & fangirling with me! :-)
      Julia Anne

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  2. It makes me happy you enjoyed this one!! It's one of my favorite releases of this year so far. :D The storytelling is so beautifully done, truly, and it definitely seemed to mostly set the story up to get a little more crazy in book two!! That ending especially emphasizes that. Btw you blog is so pretty!!! I'm super happy I discovered it. :)

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    1. Hi, Alysia! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog. :-) I just checked out yours and I LOVE IT. Glad we found each other! And I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this book, too. Like you said, I think it'll get a little more crazy & exciting come book two. Can't wait!

      Julia Anne

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  3. Completely agree about Khalid, I said pretty much the same thing - he's such an intriguing character and we get to see his true self gradually just as the MC does. Loved it. Agreed that this one is more of a set-up, I can't wait to see what the next book has in store. Great review!

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    1. Agreed, Alise! I'm very excited to see where Renée will take us next in book two, and of course, I'm looking forward to reading more of Khalid and Shazi. Thanks for the comment!

      Julia Anne

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  4. I completely agree about everything you've said here Julia! I didn't quite like it as much as you did (I felt it was missing that little extra something for me), but I agree that the romance and the culture were amazing. Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous review! ♥

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    1. Aw, I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the book all that much, Zoe! I have to say, you're one of the first people I've come across with that view. At first, I actually didn't like the story, but fortunately, I came to enjoy it by the end.

      Thanks for the comment!
      Julia Anne

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  5. I'm so excited to read this, Julia! I hope I would love this too as much as others love it. :)

    Yani @ Paper Boulevard

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    1. I'm sure you will love it, Yani! It may take awhile to get into, but once you're hooked - you're hooked! Tell me what you think when you do get the chance to read it. :-)

      Thanks for the comment!
      Julia Anne

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  6. Yes to all of this!! The Middle Eastern culture and the beautiful writing and story-telling made this one such a hit for me too. The characters are utterly captivating gems, and ohhh that romance was perfection. There are definitely lots of seeds planted, I can't wait to see how Renée develops them in the second book. Lovely review!

    Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books

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  7. Wonderful review, Julia Anne!!!!! I'm actually reading The Wrath and the Dawn as we speak, and I am absolutely LOVING IT. I just started it today and I'm already about 1/3 of the way through, which is pretty good since today has been a pretty crazy day. But anyway, I totally agree that Ahdieh weaves the story wonderfully and the story has such beautiful descriptions and imagery. Unlike you, I was captivated from the very beginning, but that only means that it must get even better as it continues and the story picks up further :D I'm so excited to finish the book now that I've heard the end is even better than the start :) Once again, great review!! :D

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  8. It seems like everyone has read this book except me!! I might have to give it a try!

    Lipstick and Mocha

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  9. I actually have a copy of this book so it is just a matter of me getting around to reading it! The hardcover book in itself is beautiful <3 I love the sound of a romance that is wonderful because I end up fangirling over those the whole time, and I am a HUGE fan of culture in anything so this definitely sounds like one for me!

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  10. I didn't think it was possible, but you just made me even MORE excited to read this book! I desperately want to meet the characters, explore the setting, and find out the ending of what will surely be a thrilling story. And your description of the romance? Sometimes less is more, and you've definitely piqued my interest. Remind me again why i haven't read this book yet?

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  11. I've seen this book around, and I really want to give it a go. Fantasy can be a hit or miss with me, but this seems so thrilling!

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  12. I loved this book so, so much. In retrospect, you ARE right- it was a lot of setup, but I kind of didn't care? It was just done so well, and I am now SO invested in the world and characters that you couldn't stop me from reading The Rose and the Dagger if you tried ;) I am so glad you enjoyed it too, fabulous review!
    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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  13. Lovely review! I have been seeing so many fabulous things about this book already (and that cover is beautiful), so I'd love to own it one day! World-building is really important in this sort of book so it's great to hear that it was executed well in the cultural aspect. Thanks for sharing :)

    Eugenia @ Genie In A Book

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  14. I love this book! I thought that I originally didn't care about the romance but I was wrong! I was in tears by the end of the book! Everything just flowed well <3

    Great review Julia Anne!

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  15. YAY, I am so glad that you loved the book Julia! The Wrath and the Dawn is one of my favourite reads of this year and I loved Renee Ahdieh's writing, descriptions and her characters. AND THE ROMANCE! I shipped these two to death!
    Great review, hun!:)

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