The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Picking up where 'The Wrath and The Dawn' left off, Shahrzad's story continues. She is now far from her beloved, in camp surrounded by men who would like to see him dead. This camp is led by her childhood love, Tarik. Shazi and her sister look after their father, who, even in a coma, refuses to let go of a book, which is kept hugged to his chest. Shazi wants to help her husband in anyway she can, leading her to escaping at night and returning by morning. She uses the magic carpet that was gifted to her by the same man she seeks out for help. The Mage of the Fire Temple leads her to a boy no older than she to help train her in magic. The reader also gets to follow Khalid dealing with Shazi’s absence and rebuilding his city. In addition, the author includes more based on the perspectives of Shazi’s sister, Tarik, and other characters.

This book sent me through an emotional roller coaster. There were moments when I was so happy because events turned out as I predicted and it worked well. There were also moments when I was gasping out of surprise or fear, because I have felt the pain of books ending on a bad note before. What got me the most emotional was the ending. I was crying in my room for a good while and actually had to take a short break to calm myself down before continuing. There were so many plot twists that were so perfectly timed and fit like a puzzle piece. Something I also enjoyed very much is that the author included an epilogue that answered all of the questions that bothered me once I finished the book. I would definitely recommend this to any of my friends that enjoy a good drama, especially if they read the previous novel.

Reviewed by anonymous, Grade 10
Glendale Central Library