The Rose & the Dagger: The Wrath & the Dawn, Book 2
By Carrie R. Wheadon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Satisfying sequel with surprising magical twists.
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What's the Story?
In THE ROSE & THE DAGGER, Shahrzad is whisked away to a desert encampment after the city and palace of Rey are nearly destroyed. She reluctantly leaves behind her husband, the embattled Caliph, to keep his curse from causing more bloodshed. A good reason to flee, but in the encampment, which also houses her jilted ex, Tariq, and bands of fighters preparing to oust the Caliph, she's hardly safe. Not long after she arrives, a mercenary tries to kill her and threatens her sister Irsa. The only thing that keeps Shahrzad there is Irsa and her father, who's nearly comatose after stretching his magic with the use of a powerful book. Watching her father's slow recovery, Shahrzad fears his book will do more harm. She decides to find out more about it, and needs magic of her own to do it. Sneaking out at night, she tries out a small magic carpet and seeks out the magus who gave it to her. She hopes that he will not only help save her father but help her break her husband's horrible curse, as well.
Is It Any Good?
This satisfying sequel is mostly a star-crossed love story with a light sprinkling of flying carpet magic. Relationships get the most attention here, and with such compelling characters as Shahrzad and Khalid, it's a good focus to have. Author Renee Ahdieh goes all in with resolving conflicts between Khalid and Shahrzad's childhood love, Tariq -- this was well done -- and with improving Shahrzad's relationship with her often neglected sister. And complex political relationships, with the twists and turns of palace intrigue, stay intriguing to the end.
But can we get back to the magic carpets for a second? And a flying serpent and a fire guy and his crazy magical aunt in a secluded mountain hideaway? The Rose & the Dagger would have been astounding on all fronts if Ahdieh went all in here, as well, embracing the magical world just as much. Fantasy fans will long for more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the female characters in The Rose & the Dagger and the whole The Wrath & the Dawn series. How do Shahrzad, Irsa, Despina, and Yasmine change? How do they defy the traditional roles set for them? How does each discover her own power?
A few characters greatly desire power. How does it cloud their judgment? Who is hurt by this vice in the end?
Will you read more from this author? Does this series make you more interested in Middle Eastern history?
Book Details
- Author: Renee Ahdieh
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Fairy Tales, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Publication date: April 26, 2016
- Number of pages: 432
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: August 8, 2017
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