The Book of a Thousand Days Shannon Hale

Publisher: Bloomsbury (2008). Review date: 27/03/2008

A Flavour of the Book: “Of a sudden, the jaws of a wild animal shot up, growling and snapping at me. A wolf, I think, but enormous, and its mouth was smeared with blood…”

The Authortrek View: This is an exceptional retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fable Maid Maleen, which Shannon Hale has made even more distinctive by setting it in Medieval Mongolia, and by changing some details regarding the plot. Dashti, a Mucker from the Steppes, goes in search of work in the city of Titor’s Garden after her mother has died. She is soon employed as maid to the Lady Saren. Unfortunately, the Lady Saren is shortly due to be locked up in a tower for seven years, after refusing to marry Lord Khasar, and her maid will be incarcerated with her, to look after her. Lady Saren’s previous maid ran away rather than face this fate, however, Dashti has some sympathy for the young woman, as she knows what it’s like to be all alone in the world, and besides, she has pledged an oath to serve the lady. There are some advantages to imprisonment, as Dashti now gets to eat much richer fare than that she is usually used to. However, Lady Saren isn’t much company, as she seems to be too much of a drip - so much so, that it is surprising that she even defied her father in the first place. When Lady Saren’s chosen prince, Khan Tegus, comes along to visit her, the lady even asks Dashti to speak for her… Dashti knows all the important Mucker healing songs, so she even gets to touch the young Khan as she cares for an old wound. Tegus even gives them a cat, which Dashti names ‘My Lord’, which she then sets to killing the rats that have consumed part of their food store. Unfortunately, Tegus has to depart, and then they get a visit from Lord Khasar that leaves Saren so forlorn that she sets about eating their remaining food… Will Dashti and Lady Saren ever escape the tower so that she can wed her beloved Khan?

The Book of a Thousand Days is a truly great fable that will delight all readers. It’s hard to believe that Shannon Hale previously received so many rejections, as she is a writer of great distinction. Her prose is simple and clear, while her narrative skills are superlative. It’s frustrating that Lady Saren is a drip throughout much of the book, almost so that you do wonder how Dashti can bear to put up with her, but Lady Saren’s self effacement is very necessary to the plot. Indeed, Shannon Hale is very skilled in her characterisation – Dashti is a very likeable and compelling narrator. The Book of a Thousand Days is also superbly illustrated by James Noel Smith, and should be destined to be as much as a classic as the fable from which it derives.

You can read a resume of the book on our Amazon store below. To find out more about the editor, please visit our Shannon Hale page.

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