Book of a Thousand Days (Hardcover)

by Shannon Hale (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
'Something new and life-affirming' Financial Times 'A completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise' Primary Times 'In a word: amazing! ... As a retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale Maid Maleen, it has all the usual fairytale ingredients heroes and villains, rags to riches, mistaken identities and plenty of magical romance. We love it' Mykindaplace.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.
    As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren’s two suitors—one welcome, and the other decidedly less so—brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.
    With Shannon Hale’s lyrical language, this forgotten but classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise.

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Reading level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (September 18, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 1599900513 ISBN-13: 978-1599900513 Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 1 inches Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (68 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,949 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #38 in  Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Stories

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Customer Reviews

68 Reviews 5 star:  (44) 4 star:  (14) 3 star:  (5) 2 star:  (4) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 4.4 out of 5 stars (68 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 96 of 96 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Destined to be a classic, October 3, 2007 By  R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)       "Book of a Thousand Days" ranks right up with "Briar Rose" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" as one of my all-time favorite books. I honestly can't say whether it's Dashti, the music of Hale's language, or the story itself that kept me reading til 3 AM and now sitting in front of the computer trying to compose a review that's even halfway fitting to the tale within. When you are done with this book, you do want to tell people. In my case, I want to give this book to several lovely young women of my acquaintance to sit along with others that I hope they'll read and be inspired by. I know our local schools are always looking for donations, too. The story is written as entries in Dashti's 'thought book.' It opens with Dashti recounting being sent to her new assignment as a lady's maid. Orphaned at 14, the child of the steppes had walked to the city and given her last horse as payment for a job. When The Mistress learned she could sing the healing songs, she trained her as a lady's maid and sent her to Lady Saren. Before she knows the circumstances, Dashti pledges herself to the 16-year-old Saren. Then, she learns her oath will trap her in a tower with her charge for 7 years because Saren has refused to wed Lord Khasar, the man her father has chosen for her. You'd think a tale of two women stuck in a tower for many days would be boring--it's not. The contrast between Dashti and Saren's reckoning of the situation is riveting. Saren weeps at her misfortune, but Dashti rejoices--she has a place to live and food for seven whole years! And those contrasts are what keep you reading the book long past your bedtime into the night. Next, we see two suitors--one kind and one unthinkably cruel. Dashti is what keeps you reading. Despite whatever misfortunes are dealt her, she works to keep her heart full of song and faith. She believes both in herself and others and that's a powerful message for people of all ages. "Book of a Thousand Days" is one of those stories that's good to find during your own hard times because Dashti's faith and message are inspiring to the reader as well. I strongly recommend that you reserve about 4-5 hours to read this book and perhaps a bit more time just to look back on some of the lovelier passages. I hope if you love this book, you'll be passing it along to others as well. Dashti's is a worthwhile message to spread. 43 of 43 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Dashti's Voice, September 21, 2007 By  K. Coombs (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)       The second I finished this book, I wanted to TELL someone how good it is, so here I am! Main character Dashti's voice is what makes this tale come alive, and in broader terms, Shannon Hale's prose sings. Pun intended--one lovely component of the book are the healing songs Dashti sings to her mistress Lady Saren and others. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly apparent, in an understated way, that the songs really are magic. I like the fact that the words of the small songs both do and do not seem to relate to the pains Dashti heals with them. These fragments of folk song and folk magic, tiny pieces of poetry, evoke images from the life Dashti remembers growing up on the steppes. Which reminds me--what a wonderful and unique setting for this story! Medieval Mongolia with a dash of folk magic makes for a refreshing change of venue in today's crowded fantasy market. Another thing I like about Book of a Thousand Days is that Dashti's evolution as a person who comes to believe she is as valuable as the gentry she reveres is so unforced that it doesn't seem like a device or jar with the culture Hale describes. Plot-wise, the early build-up might seem a little slow, but the oddity of the girls' being locked in a tower for years and the ways in which Dashti handles her imprisonment, not to mention the visitors (good and evil), make the first half of the book compelling in its own right. The legal dilemmas at the end of the story form quite a tangle, but their solution is kindly as well as sensible, giving poor beleaguered Lady Saren a chance to finally come into her own. Saren is a strange character, but an intriguing one. It's nice to see her gradually emerging from her seemingly endless state of terror. Her relationship with Dashti also raises interesting questions about the sometimes uneven nature of friendship. Despite its fairy tale roots, the romance in this story reads with such ordinary happiness that it, too, sings. The growing friendship between Tegus and Dashti is all the more sweet because she is so determined to ignore it (it's inappropriate!) and because their appreciation of each other is refreshingly real. Tegus is appealing because he's a person, not a stereotypical handsome prince. I haven't even touched on how Dashti handles the big villain of the piece, but that's a great subplot, too. One last thing--I love the names of these tiny kingdoms, and the way they allude to a rich religious culture which ends up playing a subtle part in the plot. Shannon Hale got off to a promising with Goose Girl, and she just seems to get better with every book! 35 of 37 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, September 18, 2007 By  TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews Shannon Hale's BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS is a riveting read that allows you to see into the soul of a young girl. Angry at her for not marrying the ruler of a nearby kingdom, Lady Saren's father locks her and her maid in a tower. He plans to leave them there for seven years. It is Dashti, the maid's, responsibility to keep them fed and in good condition, no matter how hot or how cold it may be. With evil lords, unresponsive guards, and dreamy suitors knocking on their tiny window on a daily basis, they have enough views of outside life to keep living through to the next day. But when all signs of outside human life suddenly vanish, they find themselves in a race against time to save the eight realms and their own lives. I started and ended this book in a single day (despite having household tasks, homework, and a to-do list longer than it's ever been before). I was caught up in the world of Dashti and her dear Lady Saren. Their tale brought me to tears and made me laugh. This novel was definitely an enjoyable read that kept me turning pages as fast as I could. Reviewed by: Jessica Cave		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Cute It's an alright book, definitely not my favorite Shannon Hale novel, but it was on sale and I couldn't pass it up. Read more Published 1 month ago by Miss_slytherin 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Ella Enchanted-esque classic Hale's Book of a Thousand Days is an excellent book. Dashti is a wonderful heroine with a charming story. Read more Published 1 month ago by Muirnin 5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Story ! I loved this book. I stayed up very very late to finish it. What a work of art. Published 1 month ago by Francine H 5.0 out of 5 stars An Instant Classic! Normally I'm not one for romances but since this was based on a Grimm Brothers classic I had to read it. I was not disappointed! Read more Published 2 months ago by Shilom 4.0 out of 5 stars A Tale That Will Grip You From Start to Finish Dashti is a mucker maid whose father died, then her brothers ran off, then her mother died. She has been taught the healing songs of her people by her mother, and their calming... Read more Published 2 months ago by Erin Johnson 5.0 out of 5 stars Love it! I loved this book (not as much as the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer, but it's hard to top that)! This book is written in journal-style, with a servant girl documenting her... Read more Published 3 months ago by S. Guffey 5.0 out of 5 stars All Hail Hale!!! I've read almost all of Hale's books. The Goose Girl trilogy, the Princess academy. And I finally hunted down a copy of this book and I LOVE IT!!! Read more Published 4 months ago by Lauren Richards 3.0 out of 5 stars Ehh.... I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. It was a nice little read, but it just seems to be missing something. Read more Published 6 months ago by Emily 5.0 out of 5 stars Review of a Day The book called Book of a Thousand Days is a very exciting book that takes place many years ago. There is a princess named Lady Saren and her mucker maid named Dashti. Read more Published 7 months ago by Mid-Prairie Teen 4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful I was anxious to pick up this book after having read "The Princess Academy" and "The Goose Girl." I really like Shannon Hale's style of writing, sense of humor, characters, and... Read more Published 7 months ago by akb--bookworm Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599900513
• ISBN-13: 978-1599900513
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,949 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #38 in

  Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Stories

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

96 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Destined to be a classic, October 3, 2007

By	R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Book of a Thousand Days" ranks right up with "Briar Rose" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" as one of my all-time favorite books. I honestly can't say whether it's Dashti, the music of Hale's language, or the story itself that kept me reading til 3 AM and now sitting in front of the computer trying to compose a review that's even halfway fitting to the tale within.

When you are done with this book, you do want to tell people. In my case, I want to give this book to several lovely young women of my acquaintance to sit along with others that I hope they'll read and be inspired by. I know our local schools are always looking for donations, too.

The story is written as entries in Dashti's 'thought book.' It opens with Dashti recounting being sent to her new assignment as a lady's maid. Orphaned at 14, the child of the steppes had walked to the city and given her last horse as payment for a job. When The Mistress learned she could sing the healing songs, she trained her as a lady's maid and sent her to Lady Saren.

Before she knows the circumstances, Dashti pledges herself to the 16-year-old Saren. Then, she learns her oath will trap her in a tower with her charge for 7 years because Saren has refused to wed Lord Khasar, the man her father has chosen for her.

You'd think a tale of two women stuck in a tower for many days would be boring--it's not. The contrast between Dashti and Saren's reckoning of the situation is riveting. Saren weeps at her misfortune, but Dashti rejoices--she has a place to live and food for seven whole years!

And those contrasts are what keep you reading the book long past your bedtime into the night. Next, we see two suitors--one kind and one unthinkably cruel.

Dashti is what keeps you reading. Despite whatever misfortunes are dealt her, she works to keep her heart full of song and faith. She believes both in herself and others and that's a powerful message for people of all ages. "Book of a Thousand Days" is one of those stories that's good to find during your own hard times because Dashti's faith and message are inspiring to the reader as well.

I strongly recommend that you reserve about 4-5 hours to read this book and perhaps a bit more time just to look back on some of the lovelier passages. I hope if you love this book, you'll be passing it along to others as well. Dashti's is a worthwhile message to spread.

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dashti's Voice, September 21, 2007

By	K. Coombs (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The second I finished this book, I wanted to TELL someone how good it is, so here I am!

Main character Dashti's voice is what makes this tale come alive, and in broader terms, Shannon Hale's prose sings. Pun intended--one lovely component of the book are the healing songs Dashti sings to her mistress Lady Saren and others. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly apparent, in an understated way, that the songs really are magic. I like the fact that the words of the small songs both do and do not seem to relate to the pains Dashti heals with them. These fragments of folk song and folk magic, tiny pieces of poetry, evoke images from the life Dashti remembers growing up on the steppes.

Which reminds me--what a wonderful and unique setting for this story! Medieval Mongolia with a dash of folk magic makes for a refreshing change of venue in today's crowded fantasy market.

Another thing I like about Book of a Thousand Days is that Dashti's evolution as a person who comes to believe she is as valuable as the gentry she reveres is so unforced that it doesn't seem like a device or jar with the culture Hale describes. Plot-wise, the early build-up might seem a little slow, but the oddity of the girls' being locked in a tower for years and the ways in which Dashti handles her imprisonment, not to mention the visitors (good and evil), make the first half of the book compelling in its own right.

The legal dilemmas at the end of the story form quite a tangle, but their solution is kindly as well as sensible, giving poor beleaguered Lady Saren a chance to finally come into her own. Saren is a strange character, but an intriguing one. It's nice to see her gradually emerging from her seemingly endless state of terror. Her relationship with Dashti also raises interesting questions about the sometimes uneven nature of friendship.

Despite its fairy tale roots, the romance in this story reads with such ordinary happiness that it, too, sings. The growing friendship between Tegus and Dashti is all the more sweet because she is so determined to ignore it (it's inappropriate!) and because their appreciation of each other is refreshingly real. Tegus is appealing because he's a person, not a stereotypical handsome prince.

I haven't even touched on how Dashti handles the big villain of the piece, but that's a great subplot, too. One last thing--I love the names of these tiny kingdoms, and the way they allude to a rich religious culture which ends up playing a subtle part in the plot.

Shannon Hale got off to a promising with Goose Girl, and she just seems to get better with every book!

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, September 18, 2007

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

Shannon Hale's BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS is a riveting read that allows you to see into the soul of a young girl.

Angry at her for not marrying the ruler of a nearby kingdom, Lady Saren's father locks her and her maid in a tower. He plans to leave them there for seven years. It is Dashti, the maid's, responsibility to keep them fed and in good condition, no matter how hot or how cold it may be.

With evil lords, unresponsive guards, and dreamy suitors knocking on their tiny window on a daily basis, they have enough views of outside life to keep living through to the next day. But when all signs of outside human life suddenly vanish, they find themselves in a race against time to save the eight realms and their own lives.

I started and ended this book in a single day (despite having household tasks, homework, and a to-do list longer than it's ever been before). I was caught up in the world of Dashti and her dear Lady Saren. Their tale brought me to tears and made me laugh.

This novel was definitely an enjoyable read that kept me turning pages as fast as I could.

Reviewed by: Jessica Cave