Book Review: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Book: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: 2007
Pages: 306

Source: Purchased

Summary: Dashti, a maidservant, comes from hardy stock and needs every skill developed during a rough and nomadic life to keep herself and her lady alive and safe when they are locked in a tower due to Lady Saren’s refusal to marry. Fortunately, Dashti’s skills include cooking, singing songs that heal, and always finding a way toward light even in the darkest situation. She learned her newest skills, writing and sketching, shortly before her imprisonment. Book of a Thousand Days is comprised of her journal entries and drawings describing her adventures.

Thoughts: The New Year was only a few days old and already I felt overwhelmed with goals, resolutions, and projects. I had been reading only nonfiction in support of all of that, but I needed a break. I wanted a book that would be the literary equivalent of homemade applesauce cooked with a cinnamon stick, hot from the pot, and drizzled with just a little earthy dark maple syrup.

My To Be Read stack revealed only one author that would guarantee that experience: Shannon Hale. I got all that and more. Book of a Thousand Days gave me the warm sweetness of applesauce while wrapping me in a soft old quilt and humming a restful melody.

The voice of Dashti in her journal is filled with spirit, resilience, and good will. The world of the book is fantasy, vaguely Eastern in tone rather than the more typical European medieval ambiance. The plot is oddly mesmerizing even when the setting is a small tower. The prisoners receive welcome and unwelcome visitors and their situation changes in good and bad ways while they are there.

Appeal: This is a YA book that works well for adults with some cultural layers that I imagine teens may miss. It’s more for gals than guys. Readers that like richness in character and setting will appreciate the book more than ones who expect non-stop action.

Challenges: Oh, look, I already found a What’s In a Name book — A book with something you’d find on a calendar in the title: Book of a Thousand Days.

Reviews: Book of a Thousand Days has been widely reviewed. The teen review blog 3 Evil Cousins liked it as much as I did: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. The Literate Mother rates it quite mild in all the areas that parents might be concerned about: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. Rhapsody in Books helpfully tells a short version of the fairy tale, Maid Maleen, that Book of a Thousand Days is based on: Sunday Salon – Review of “Book of A Thousand Days” by Shannon Hale.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Comments

Book Review: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale — 8 Comments

Kailana on January 8, 2012 at 10:30 am said:

I read this book back when it came out and rather enjoyed it. I really like Shannon Hale’s books anyway and think she does a great job appealing to both the young and the old.

Also, thanks for the reminder to pay attention to book titles for the What’s in a Name Challenge.

Reply ↓
bermudaonion (Kathy) on January 8, 2012 at 10:37 am said:

I haven’t read the book, but it sounds like one I’d like. Thanks for the review!

Reply ↓
Uniflame on January 8, 2012 at 11:42 am said:

Thank you for this review. I will add this to my wishlist 🙂

Reply ↓
Margot on January 8, 2012 at 2:38 pm said:

This grandmother loved the book too. I listened to the audiobook and then suggested it to my eldest granddaughter. So, great for all ages. I liked Shannon Hale’s writing so much that I’ve added her other works to my list. I just finished Austenland. Next is Princess Acadamy.

Reply ↓
Amy on January 8, 2012 at 5:41 pm said:

I’ve read and enjoyed several of Hale’s books, but not this one. I’m adding it to my list…one thing about reading blogs – for every book I read, I add three or four more to my TBR list!

Reply ↓
Teresa on January 9, 2012 at 11:39 am said:

I hadn’t heard of this one until stumbling upon your blog from the mothereader comment challenge. Way to go on getting your first challenge book done! Had I not read your review I probably would have passed this one by. Now I’ll have to give it a second look! Thanks!

Reply ↓
Petty Witter on January 10, 2012 at 11:52 am said:

Hi Joy, A great choice for the What’s In A Name challenge, I read this last year but didn’t enjoy it – imagine what a boring world it would be if we all liked the same books though. Anyway, nice meeting you, enjoy the rest of the challenge.

Reply ↓
Care on January 11, 2012 at 6:42 am said:

Congrats on discovering a challenge read! Love it when that happens. I like how you link other reviews – quite helpful.

Reply ↓