“Hale delivers another winning fantasy…Readers will be riveted as Dashti and Saren escape and flee to the Khan’s realm where, through a series of deceptions, contrivances and a riotously triumphant climax, the tale spins out to a thoroughly satisfying ending.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Description
When Lady Saren defies her father's command to marry the vicious Lord Khasar, she is sealed in a tower with only her serving maid, Dashti, for company. In their cramped, dark space Dashti pours her thoughts into a daily journal while pitiless solitude engulfs them. At first Dashti is optimistic: they have food aplenty, candles for light, and even a visit from Lady Saren's true love, Khan Tegus—though he can only call to them from outside their walls. But Saren is ill of mind, the outside world is changing, and their circumstances soon grow desperate. And even if they do escape, they must still face the eerie malice of Lord Khasar. To survive, Dashti and Saren forge a bond of devotion and deception that will test them to their limits. Once again Shannon Hale, author of the Newbery Honor Book Princess Academy, weaves an enchanting and original fantasy that will catch and hold listeners breathless in its spell.
Praise
“Hale delivers another winning fantasy…Readers will be riveted as Dashti and Saren escape and flee to the Khan’s realm where, through a series of deceptions, contrivances and a riotously triumphant climax, the tale spins out to a thoroughly satisfying ending.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Readers will quickly embrace Dashti, an invincible storybook heroine with a healer’s touch, who accomplishes battlefield heroics while nurturing a powerful, secret love for a lord. Fans of Gail Carson Levin’s Fairest will embrace this similar mix of exotic, fully realized setting; thrilling, enchanted adventure; and heart-melting romance.” Booklist (starred review)
“Hale has created a richly imagined, mythical land something like medieval Mongolia, replete with magical song and touch therapy for spiritual or corporeal ailments, intuitive animals, and a sort of Faustian werewolf. It’s a highly successful romance.” School Library Journal
“The story is perfect for a full-cast reading. All of the actors add layers of meaning, enlivening even the minor characters…Mixon proves especially effective when singing melodic renditions of ‘healing songs.’ An enchanting listening experience.” Booklist, audio review
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Oct 31, 2012 |
| Release Date | November 1, 2012 |
| Release Date Machine | 1351728000 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Children's Books, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Children/YA, Children 8-12, Fiction - All, Fiction - Child |
Author Bio
Shannon Hale is the author of multiple award-winning young adult novels, including Austenland and the New York Times bestselling Princess Academy, which is also a Newbery Honor book. Her first book, The Goose Girl, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and won the Josette Frank Award. In addition to her successful young adult novels, she cowrote two graphic novels with her husband, Rapunzel’s Revenge and Calamity Jack. She received a degree in English from the University of Utah and a master’s in creative writing from the University of Montana.
Narrator Bio
Overview
When Lady Saren defies her father's command to marry the vicious Lord Khasar, she is sealed in a tower with only her serving maid, Dashti, for company. In their cramped, dark space Dashti pours her thoughts into a daily journal while pitiless solitude engulfs them. At first Dashti is optimistic: they have food aplenty, candles for light, and even a visit from Lady Saren's true love, Khan Tegus—though he can only call to them from outside their walls. But Saren is ill of mind, the outside world is changing, and their circumstances soon grow desperate. And even if they do escape, they must still face the eerie malice of Lord Khasar. To survive, Dashti and Saren forge a bond of devotion and deception that will test them to their limits. Once again Shannon Hale, author of the Newbery Honor Book Princess Academy, weaves an enchanting and original fantasy that will catch and hold listeners breathless in its spell.Reviews
Write Your Own Review