Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

★★★★★
Source: galley from Penguin
Publication: May 12, 2015, Putnam

Well, I figure I should write an actual review instead of just lamenting the fact that the book had to end. [note that all quotes are from the uncorrected galley.]

"It would not be a welcome dawn.

Already the sky told this story, with its sad halo of silver beckoning from beyond the horizon."

Now THAT is how you start a book. Don't you just want to eat those delicious sentences? Don't you just want to keep reading? Do it. Keep reading, because this book is just as mesmerizing as its first sentences. It's a wonder of writing and character, of magic and politics, of love and hate. Mesmerizing, luminous, romantic, heartbreaking, lyrical, beautiful, dangerous, funny, feminist (!!!!), endearing, and so many other adjectives that I thought of and then replaced with others when I turned another page. To be honest, I haven't felt this particular way about a book since I first read The Scorpio Races, which is a high compliment indeed. They're not similar at all except in the most important way: how they make you feel. 

Shahrzad is the heroine of heroines. She's fierce, stubborn, and good with a bow & arrow, yes, but she's also sentimental and "girly" and jealous and flawed. She doesn't let anyone think that being a girl means she isn't strong, and she doesn't let being strong stop her from being a girl. Girls have to put up with a lot of crap, and Shahrzad isn't afraid to call the world out on it. 

"Is that kind of disrespect . . . normal?"

Shahrzad lifted a shoulder. "It's not normal. But it's not unexpected. It's the curse of being a woman," she joked in a morose manner. 

Basically Shazi is fantastic and everyone should be more like her.

Khalid. Okay, so here's the thing about Khalid. Somewhere between pages 1 and 115, I kind of fell in love with him and I couldn't put my finger on why. I mean, the dude has killed dozens of women. That is not a thing that usually works for me. But something about him had me swooning harder than I've swooned in a long time. Before Khalid, I wasn't even sure I did swoon anymore, having become accustomed to dreamy male characters, especially of the let-me-hug-you-and-keep-you-happy variety. I've got plenty of characters who hold my happiness inside theirs—if they aren't happy, I can't be either—but not many who are distinctly unhappy and somehow manage to make me happy anyway. That was what Khalid did.
By page 200, I had figured out the secret ingredient that made me love him.
He's a feminist. A raging, vocal feminist who respects women not because they are women, not because they are someone's mother, wife, sister, etc., but because they are people. While he often wants to stand up for Shazi, she can stop him with a single hand on his chest or arm, because he knows that she can fight her own battles. Heck, he knows that she can fight pretty much anyone's battles.

My favorite thing about this, though? His feminism is learned. It is actively achieved; he hasn't always been this way. He was raised by a father who thought of women as property, and I can't tell you what impact that had on Khalid as a husband because it's a major spoiler, but trust me when I say that he had some poor, ingrained behaviors to outgrow. And he did outgrow them. Which is a beautiful thing.

"You are—remarkable. Every day, I think I am going to be surprised by how remarkable you are, but I am not. Because this is what it means to be you. It means knowing no bounds. Being limitless in all that you do."

"Shahrzad al-Khayzuran! You are not weak. You are not indecisive. You are strong. Fierce. Capable beyond measure." 

Naturally with these two awesome characters (who are both supposed to kill each other haha oops), the romance is off-the-charts amazing. It doesn't sneak up on you the way some of my favorites do, but that doesn't mean it isn't well developed and believable. If anyone tries to claim instalove on this one I will personally fight them on it because it was so slow and steady it was almost torturous. You just want to smash their faces together, to be honest.

Oh, and the side characters are great. I love that Shahrzad could have so many enemies in this book, considering her position on both the inside and the outside of two warring systems, but nobody was unnecessarily cruel to her. She made friends tentatively but easily, and Despina was such an asset to both her and the story itself. Jalal was an asset to Khalid. Everybody loves each other and nothing hurts okay some things hurt, but you'll like it. When people were cruel to Shazi, absolutely nobody was having it, least of all Shazi herself. God, I love her so much.

I've provided a few samples of how flawless the writing is, but what you can't tell from those samples is that the entire book is written that way. The whole book is earth-shatteringly stunning, with descriptions and lines and emotional punches that will knock you over repeatedly. Allow me to flip to a random page and find an example: "He smiled a smile to shame the sun." WHAT IS THIS WORD-SORCERY?

I love this book so much. Good luck finding a copy when it comes out because I'm going to buy all of them.

Now, you say I have to wait HOW LONG for the next one?

OTP Survey

Five ships you’re into right now

01. Rory/Jess "Literati" (Gilmore Girls)

02. Ten/Rose (Doctor Who)

03. Will/Tessa (The Infernal Devices)

04. Veronica/Logan (Veronica Mars)

05. Nick/Jess (New Girl)

Three ships you liked, but don’t anymore.

06. Jem/Tessa (TID)

07. Rory/Dean (GG)

08. Lexie/Avery (Grey's Anatomy) --because I honestly couldn't think of any other one for this... I tend to, um, go down with my ships.

Three ships you never liked.

10. Lorelai/Jason (GG)

11. Clary/Simon (The Mortal Instruments)

12. Lena/Julian (Delirium)

Two ships you’re curious about, but don’t actually ship.

13. The Doctor/River Song (DW)

14. Tim/Tyra (Friday Night Lights)

QUESTIONS

1. Why do you dislike #11 so much?

I don't dislike them, I just never really thought they clicked as a couple. I mean, obviously it was awkward and Clary was just like "Well, I can't have the one I really want because he's my brother, and you say you're in love with me, so..."

2. Who is someone you know that ships #14?

Idk I've seen people ship them on Tumblr. I'm sorry but I favor Tim/Lyla and THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

3. What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?

Oh god. I did not even do this on purpose (obviously, because there is NO IDEAL SCENARIO FOR THEM). I just want them to be together and happy and not have their relationship result from something horrible.

4. Which is your favorite moment for couple #1?

Oh man, there are so many. SO. MANY. My favorite... I have to say, it might be when Jess tells Rory off because she's throwing her life away and Logan is a jerk and YES I LOVE THAT MOMENT.

I also enjoy the moment when they're chasing each other around town and then Jess tells her he loves her and drives away. Yeah that's good stuff. 

5. How long have you been following couple #5?

Er, since the show started. Last September.

6. What’s the story with #8? What made you stop liking them/caring?

I basically stopped caring about the show... at all. Also I like April/Avery because ADORBS

7. You have the power to make one ship non-existent. Choose from #10 or #12

Well, considering #10 is already nonexistant, I'm gonna go with #12. Because Julian SUCKS.

8. Which ship do you prefer, #2 or #4?

Why you do this to me? I prefer BOTH OF THEM. But... I ship Veronica/Logan so hard I can't stand it. Grudgingly, I pick #4.

9. What interests you about #14?

I want to know why they kind of made it seem like they ended up together in the finale. I mean, I like them as friends, and I like that Tyra doesn't stand for Tim's crap, but... Tim wants Lyla and so he deserves Lyla. Also, why would Tim be with his brother's sister-in-law? (says the girl whose grandmother married her brother's brother-in-law)

10. Why did you stop liking #7?

Because Dean got all jealous and annoying and then lost all personality he once had.

11. Did your waning interest in #6 kill your interest in the fandom?

Um, ABSOLUTELY NOT. If anything it increased my interest in the fandom because the reason I lost interest in Jem/Tessa was due to my EXTREMELY HEIGHTENED INTEREST in Will/Tessa.

12. What’s a song that reminds you of #5?

Well that's not fair. I have so many songs for other ships, but none for this one. How about one for #3 instead? Almost Lover- A Fine Frenzy... and Basket Case- Sara Bareilles... and No Light- Florence + the Machine... and Hurricane- The Hush Sound... okay I'll stop now.

13. If you could have any of these two pairings double-date, who would it be?

Oh boy. Veronica/Logan and Rory/Jess. I really want to know if Logan (Echolls, not Huntzberger) and Jess would get along (my guess: no).

14. Have #2 kissed yet?

AHHHH YES well kind of but YES IT WAS GREAT (I say this like it happened to me)

15. Did #4 have a happy ending? If the show hasn’t ended yet, do you think a happy ending is likely?

Er... Not exactly? I mean, it was hinted at, but it wasn't official. Stupid network cancelled the show too soon.

16. What would make you start shipping #13?

I honestly have no idea. I just get all skeeved out at the idea of her being his "wife."

17. If only one could happen, which would you prefer, #1 or #5?

I'm gonna have to go with #1 on this. There is a reason they are #1.

18. You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?

They break up and never see each other again. OH WAIT.

19. Which of these ships do you love the most?

Again, there is a reason #1 is #1.

Book Survey!

One rule: You can't use the same answer twice.
1. What book are you currently reading?
Well, I'm between books. I'm waiting for Pandemonium to get to my house on Tuesday, and I finished The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer yesterday (review to come).
2. What is your favorite book?
The Hunger Games and Catching Fire (I say this not because Mockingjay isn't also my favorite, but because I saved it for a later answer)
3. Who is your favorite character in any book?
Augustus Waters.
4. What character are you most in love with?
Peeta Mellark.
5. What character are you most like in personality?
Katniss Everdeen.
6. What character do you look like?
Tris Prior. Small, with a plain face that competes with blond hair and blue eyes.
7. What character do you wish you were more like?
For some reason I want to say Alaska Young, even though I know she's all tortured and whatnot. It's the self-assured thing.
8. What book do you think is underrated?
Mockingjay. Severely.
9. Favorite bad boy character?
Noah Shaw. Because he actually did earn his reputation.
10. Favorite bad girl character?
Mara Dyer. She crazy. (Those two are such a pair)
11. Favorite English character?
Etienne St. Clair ("But he's not English! He's American! And he lives in France!")
12. Favorite author?
This is such a hard question to answer. Because my favorite books are The Hunger Games books, Suzanne Collins. Because he and his books are both made of awesome, John Green. Because I agree with her on everything and I love her books more than is probably healthy, Stephanie Perkins. Because she talks to her fans more than any author I've seen, and treats them like their questions are worth her time and their theories are valid, Cassandra Clare. And because she's completely crazy, Maureen Johnson.
13. Name a character with a psychological problem that you share (be it serious or not).
Anna Oliphant, obsessive compulsive.
14. Name a character you will/would defend to the ends of the Earth.
Will Herondale.
15. Favorite redheaded character?
Finnick Odair.
16. Favorite love triangle?
Will/Tessa/Jem.
17. Favorite blue-eyed character?
Cricket Bell.
18. Name a character people wouldn't expect you to love, but you do.
Gale Hawthorne.
19. Favorite book you've read this year?
The Fault in Our Stars
20. Favorite villain?
President Snow.
21. Name a book you could/would not finish.
Incarceron.
22. Name a book that made you angry.
Imaginary Girls ...I'm still not over what a waste of time that one was. I want to wring the main character's neck, as well as her sister's, as well as EVERYONE ELSE'S.
23. Name a book that made you happy.
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
24. Name 5 books you're looking forward to.
1. Insurgent, 2. Mara Dyer #2, 3. Promised, 4. Isla and the Happily Ever After, 5. Clockwork Princess
25. A random fact about your book preferences.
I am fascinated by books involving secret societies (especially within schools) or factions, i.e. the Loyal Order of the Bassett Hounds in The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks; the territory wars in Jellicoe Road
26. Favorite childhood book?
Well, I didn't really read that many books as a child. There was the Series of Unfortunate Events, but I was 11 when I started reading those. In 4th grade I read this book Wait Till Helen Comes and I loved it (early sign of my taste for the dark and twisty).
27. Bad book habits?
Lately I have not been timing my book-reading correctly, so I'm left without one to read for a couple days until I get back to my dad's. Also I buy them instead of, like, getting them from a library, so I have a lot of books and not a lot of money. Also I buy them on Amazon instead of from real book stores :/
28. Do you have an e-reader?
No.
29. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One at a time. I feel like I'm cheating on them if I don't do it that way.
30. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
No.
31. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
My comfort zone is pretty expansive, so not often.
32. What is your reading comfort zone?
YA.
33. Can you read on the bus/in the car?
No, unfortunately.
34. Favorite place to read?
Don't have one.
35. Do you ever dog-ear books?
No.
36. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Only school books.
37. What makes you love a book?
Above anything, I have to care about the characters and they have to be interesting. And then the plot has to be interesting. And then the writing has to be awesome, obviously.
38. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
Depends on the person I'm recommending it to.
39. Favorite genre?
Don't really have one, other than YA.
40. Genre you rarely read?
Adult. haha
41. Have you ever read a self-help book?
No
42. Most inspirational book you've read this year?
Considering I already said TFiOS, probablyyy... The Sky is Everywhere
43. Favorite reading snack?
Pretzel M&Ms
44. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I kept expecting it to get better instead of appreciating what I actually did like about it.
45. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don't have exact percentages, but usually I do.
46. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I'll only do it if I really, truly hated the book and want to stop people from wasting their time on it. If I'm lukewarm about it, I'll usually give it 3 stars and try to focus on the things I did like.
47. Most intimidating book you've ever read?
I don't really read intimidating books. Buuuuut I just had to read one about the politics of the Swat Valley for political anthropology, and it was not fun.
48. Books you're most likely to bring on vacation?
Ones I haven't read yet. If it's a beach vacation, summer books. Obviously.
49. The longest you've gone without reading?
Recently? Probably a weekend.
50. What distracts you easily when you're reading?
My FATHER intentionally TALKING TO ME when he can see that I'm REALLY INTO a book.
51. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Water for Elephants. I liked the movie better than the book, I think.
52. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Twilight. Obviously.
53. The most money you've ever spent on books at one time?
Huhuhuhuhhh... about $220.
54. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Well I never just buy a book on a whim. I make sure I'm interested first, either through reviews or reading the first chapter on Amazon.
55. What would cause you to stop reading a book halfway through?
Only boredom can do that.
56. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I like to keep everything organized.
57. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them?
If I liked them, I keep them. If I didn't, I try to sell them.
58. Are there any books you've been avoiding?
That I already own? Yes. That's all I'm willing to say on the matter.
59. A book you didn't expect to like but did?
Birthmarked. I avoided it for a while but got it for Christmas and was surprised by how much I liked it.
60. A book that you expected to like but didn't?
Tiger's Quest, the second in the Tiger's Curse series. It was pretty horrible.
61. Favorite historical fiction book?
The Book Thief
62. Hardcover or paperback?
I don't care. A book is a book.
63. Favorite book nobody has heard of?
Well, I know people have heard of her, but I feel like Deb Caletti is seriously overshadowed by the likes of Sarah Dessen. So anything by her.
64. Favorite classic book?
The Great Gatsby
65. Write something that only people who have read a certain book will understand.
Okay.

I can't seem to stop writing this week.

So, this blogging artist, Semini Blocker, has drawn three characters from two of my favorite books, and I am very excited about them. 

Ladies (because let's face it, there are no guys reading my blog. Especially not this one), meet Cricket Bell. The boy next door of Lola and the Boy Next Door, he's the Stephanie Perkins character I love the most. And this is exactly what he should look like (though, of course, I pictured him less cartoony). The pants with the stripe that are too short on him. Fashionable, though not obnoxiously so. Rubber bands on his wrists. Those blue eyes-- "There's something about blue eyes. The kind of blue that startles you every time they're lifted in your direction. The kind of blue that makes you ache for them to look at you again. Not the blue green or blue gray, the blue that's just blue. Cricket has those eyes." And even the star drawn on his hand, except you can't see it with the picture this small. I won't give it away, but the star on his hand is for Lola. And that HAIR, oh my god the hair. I mean, his hair isn't really that prominent in the book, but most definitely ^^ that is what it should look like. Brava, Semini.

These are Tris and Christina from Divergent, and I have to say this is not actually how I pictured them. It's better. For some reason I have never pictured Tris as such a bad*ss before. I knew her hair was blonde and her eyes were blue, but I never pictured them as being so dramatic. I love this version so much more than the one I had in my head-- except I think Tris is probably supposed to be more average-looking. I knew Christina had darker skin, but I never pictured it that dark either. But it doesn't really matter. I like these pictures, even if technically Tris is supposed to be shorter. I love the tattoos on her collarbone, and the fact that they're both (obviously) wearing black for Dauntless, and Christina's looking ready to fight someone, because she's from Candor and you know how scrappy honest people can be. Dear Semini, I want one of Four! And also St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss. And also Will Herondale. And also Alaska Young. Okay, now I'm getting demanding. Sorry, but they are SO GOOD.