“‘I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.’ In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse – one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces be set on destroying Khalid’s empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to the people she loves. Refusing to be a pawn, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.”
What is the book about?
After being separated from the love her life – the Caliph of Khorasan, Khalid – Shahrzad finds herself feeling alone in a camp full of her old friends and her family. She should feel happy as she has been reunited with the people she loves, but instead she feels more scared and lonely than when she was trapped in the palace with the man she believed would murder her. Now she is not only a metaphorical prisoner, but there is also war brewing and she doesn’t know what to do or who to help. Torn between loyalties, Shahrzad tries to find a way to help all those that she loves before it is too late. With nothing but an old, tattered rug, Shahrzad is able to form a strange new alliance that may hold the secret to how to break the curse that holds her love hostage. But all is not what is seems and more betrayal and lies follow each day and it is impossible to know what is true and what is just built on a foundation of lies. Somehow, Shahrzad must find a way to discover the truth and be able to decide she can actually trust so she can be reunited with her true love and help all she loves.
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
As I had just finished the first book in this duology, of course I was desperate to begin reading The Rose and the Dagger because I wanted to know I was coming next and was very curious and ready to dive in to continue the adventure that I had left in the first book. When I first saw the two books and hadn't read anything about them, I wasn't entirely sure I would like them because they didn’t really look like the books I usually read, especially not The Wrath and the Dawn, but it was incredibly surprising that, as soon as I started reading the first book, I absolutely loved it. As I had adored the first book, I went in thinking that I was definitely going to like the second and final book – The Rose and the Dagger. However, I was a bit concerned that the book wasn’t going to be what I thought as I had some doubts at how the book would end and whether it would completely ruin the whole series as so many final books had done. But, as soon as I started to read, all my doubts disappeared and I disappeared into the world of betrayal, battles and love and when I reached the end I knew that I had been completely wrong to judge a book by its cover.
Who was your favourite character and why?
When I started the book, I had been confident on my decision of who my favourite character would be, but, by the time I reached the end, my mind was conflicted, so in the end I decided on two favourite characters, Irsa and Shahrzad. Shahrzad was one of my favourite characters because of the same reason I loved her in the first book – she had all the qualities that I think make a great person. She carried on surviving and striving to help everyone, even though the danger of her death was still strong. One thing that I loved the best was that Shazi never gave up on Khalid and she knew she had to try because, if not, she would have never been able to live with herself knowing that she hadn’t done all she could to save the man that she loved. I also loved seeing how she was not afraid to tell people her opinion and that she had the courage to stand up for herself, even when she really should have kept quiet. She was also very stubborn, which helped her a lot and it showed me that it's alright to have a strong belief and to not let anyone change that. Once again, I really liked that she was still human and she was still a young girl, who wanted to just get past all the war and suffering and get to love and be herself, but now she had to also take on the role of Calipha of Khorasan. My other favourite character was Irsa, who, unsurprisingly, was a lot like her older sister – Shahrzad – but in a more quiet way. At first she seemed very shy and quiet and she didn’t really want to attract too much attention to herself and kept many of her thoughts to herself, which doesn’t sound at all like Shazi, so I thought that she was a complete contrast to her sister. However, when she was needed, she was strong, brave and courageous and was able to get people’s attention quickly and efficiently. When Shazi needed her, she was there ready to back her up and take her spot as leader. I really liked the character development I saw in Irsa and I loved how I got to see her flourish into a young woman that could say what she wanted and get what she wanted without hesitation.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
Strangely enough right now there is no doubt in my mind that my favourite part was definitely the ending. Now, when I first started the last chapter my heart nearly left my chest and I was screaming and crying inside, that is how dramatic and tense the ending was. At first I was sure that this book had ruined everything for sure, but I continued reading, my heart pounding and my hands gripping the book as if it was all I had. Finally I reached the end of the chapter and all my earlier thoughts disappeared and I nearly fainted from the tension and dramatic turn of events. Luckily, I didn’t faint or else I wouldn’t have been able to read the glorious epilogue that left me with an overpowering sense of closure that not many books leave me with. I can’t say much more, but the ending really was beautiful and I adored it and wish I could read more about the characters that I spent hours reading about.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, I really loved the book and I am happy to say that it was all I had expected and more. Of course, once again I must say that is really annoyed me that there were so many (too many) words that I could not pronounce and, although it made the book really special, I just wished that there was some way to hear how the author intended for them to be said because I am sure that I can’t talk about the book with anyone because I will end up embarrassing myself when I say something wrong. However, I loved the book and found that everything else was flawlessly perfect. One of the things that I loved the most about it was that it was written in the third person, but The Rose and the Dagger was slightly different to The Wrath and the Dawn as it had other people and not just Shahrzad as the focus person. Normally I hate all books that are not written in first person, because I thought it was impossible to truly get into a book unless it was in first person because you wouldn’t be able to feel what the character was feeling, but I knew I was wrong when tears rolled down my cheeks and I felt as heartbroken as the characters. I didn't feel at all limited and I actually found that I was able to get into the story of a lot more than if it had been written in the first person as I was able to spot all sorts of different details that I wouldn’t have been able too if I was only able to see what the character in first person saw. I also really enjoyed how this book kept me on edge the entire time, just like the first book and how there were so many secrets and there was so much mystery, which I loved. One last thing that I loved about the book was the ending, which, although I wish that I could, I cannot really talk about. However what I can say is that it left me with an overpowering sense of closure that not many books leave me with and it really was beautiful. It really completed the whole story and, even though I went in thinking that it was going to end terribly, I loved the ending and everything about the book. As usual, I loved that I read the series but I wish that it hadn’t ended so that I could continue reading about all the characters I grew to love.
Which is your favourite book in The Wrath and the Dawn series? (1 or 2)
Although I loved both books, there was something about the first book that I just cannot forget and the decision I made of The Wrath and the Dawn being my favourite book rather than The Rose and the Dagger was a relatively easy one. Although The Rose and the Dagger had all that I loved about The Wrath and the Dawn as well as a perfect ending, I loved the first book more for one reason and one reason only: the romance. Ever since reading the Folk of the Air trilogy I have had a soft spot for enemies to lovers romance and have not been able to stop thinking about it. Although it seems like the most complicated type of romance in the world, I can't help wishing that I could have something like that because of all the excitement that comes with throwing yourself into a romance that you yourself forbid. It has the element of mystery, drama, adventure and it really completed the whole story. It was clear what was going to happen from the start and, although it was obvious, I loved seeing Shahrzad and Khalid fall in love and the shock that came for both of them when they realised what was happening. I loved The Wrath and the Dawn immensely, and I also loved The Rose and the Dagger quite a lot; together they made the perfect duology and I am glad that I got the chance to read it.
Would you recommend this book?
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a mysterious novel full of romance, betrayal and lies in a land on the brink of war. However, I particularly recommend this book to people over 13 and you definitely need to read the first book first.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A sensational and romantic conclusion to a wonderfully mysterious duology.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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