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Dec 28, 2014forbesrachel rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
When King Shahrayar's wife betrays him, he makes an awful proclamation in his devastation. Any woman that he henceforth takes as his wife shall die the next die. Then Shahrazad marries him, and over the course of 1001 nights manages to forestall her fate, thaw his heart, and save a kingdom. This is the basis for the Storyteller's Daughter. The original focused more on the stories than the woman herself, but in this case we get to hear her tale in her own words. Many of the author's own additions make the plot more exciting, but the original elements are where it is strongest. Most of the time we see things from Shahrazad's point of view, but there are moments when we switch to other characters. In this way we learn of their unspoken emotions; the king's rapidly blossoming feelings makes his wound seem shallow. As for the leading lady, the author created such a strong, wise woman, that it is difficult to see her as anything else, even when the author attempts to describe her apprehension. Despite all this, their search for their true inner selves does resonate, and all the stories told build off of this. Although the introduction tries, and fails, to force us into the mood of the engaged listener, the rest succeeds in drawing us in.