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Jul 06, 2016samcmar rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I requested A Thousand Nights. I knew it was a retelling of 'A Thousand and One Nights', which is a story I admit, I haven't read too many retellings of. What I loved about this novel was the prose and that is truly what sucked me in from the get go. Everything about E.K Johnston's writing comes across slow, methodical, and precise. No one other than Lo-Melkhiin has a name, There's a real subtle mystery behind that, and yet I was still able to oddly keep track of the various characters in the story. I was intrigued throughout why Johnston did this. I really enjoyed how the narrative was told, especially because we are getting the perspective from a storyteller who is reaccounting her story, and I loved that about this novel. There's always this bit of me that kept asking if the story was true, embellished, or a bit of both, and yet I didn't care at the same time. I wanted to see and know what was happening in this world, and I loved the way in which the narrator paints a lot of the story. There's a lot to keep you guessing in this story. There's various perspective changes on Lo-Melkhiin, there's political intrigue and strife, a war on the verge of outbreak, and family woes that are in need of repair, and it just keeps you going. This book isn't fast-paced in the slightest, and I think people will hold that against it, but I don't think slow and thoughtful books are necessarily a bad thing, especially if they are building to an excellent climax, which A Thousand Nights certain does. Do parts drag a bit? Yes, but again, there's this thoughtful building that just kept me reading. Even if these characters didn't have names, I still felt connected to them. I feel like E.K Johnston's book is going to go under the radar due to another huge 'One Thousand and One Nights' retelling, and I do feel that is unfair. The books couldn't be any more different! But I feel like this one, although a bit more literary in tone, has a lot to offer those who are patience readers and those who love to try and put puzzles together. There's so much mystery and intrigue here, topped with Johnston's gorgeous writing. I definitely recommend A Thousand Nights, but be patient with it, as it doesn't reveal it's hand right away.