Book Review: The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh (The Wrath and the Dawn #2)

The Rose and the Dagger
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #2
Release Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: GP Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Get it Here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Synopsis:

The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.

The saga that began with The Wrath and the Dawn takes its final turn as Shahrzad risks everything to find her way back to her one true love again.

Disclaimer: Will contain slight spoilers for the first book. Because if you haven’t picked up The Wrath and the Dawn yet, what are you doing?

“It was because they were two parts of a whole. He did not belong to her. And she did not belong to him. It was never about belonging to someone.
It was about belonging together.”

I held myself from writing this review for so long because for me, the book was close to perfect. (Which I know many people would disagree with, but I stand by my love for this book) Ahdieh continues on from where we left off in the previous book, with Khalid and Shazi separated. Rest assured that it does not last long, and of course this determined couple ends back together to plan how they will save the city.

The romance in the book was just so sigh-worthy. There are no words to describe how utterly content my heart felt when I got to the end, and how much of an impact all the characters had on me. They were written with such love and life that I couldn’t forget them, even if I tried. (And I tried.*)

Ahdieh writes so beautifully, but sometimes it got a bit too much for me. I would find myself skimming some of the flowery phrases to get to the action and dialogue. So while I enjoyed the heart-pounding descriptions and stirring metaphors, I can also see why some people would get annoyed at them. The character themselves have complexity and hidden depth, which only add to the story.

“But which of these two kings was the true villain of this story?
For a story was only as good as its villain.”

I really can’t say anything else but the fact that readers who enjoyed The Wrath and the Dawn will no doubt be satisfied by this sequel. I’m sorry if this is such an inarticulate review (I really feel as if concluding books that left you satisfied are the hardest to review), but know that this duology will hold a special place in my heart and shelves for a while. Flowery phrases and all.

*No, I didn’t try but I couldn’t help but add that Hamilton reference, hehe.