(Instagram @elle_reads)

BOOK REVIEW
[The Arabian Nights] A vizier's daughter convinces a king to stop marrying and killing woman through the power of storytelling.
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WHAT I LIKED
The set of the frame narrative is by far my favorite part of the story. I love hearing about stubborn and intelligent Shahrazad forcing her father to wed her to the king despite the risk of death. Her stories are full of genies, magic, kings, commoners, and curses. It's so fun to pick out her arguments - not all women are horrible and killing isn't always the answer - from the rich realms she creates with her words. It is a true testament to the power of stories.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
I have to admit: the narrative can become a trudge to the finish line. In reflection, I wish I would have broken apart the text into shorter story arcs to read over time while reading another book. It's important to remember it's not a novelistic piece. I would classify it as a loose prose collection? (There have to be papers out their arguing either way lol) I have such clear imagery from some stories, but little remembered from others. I would recommend diagramming how the stories connect. I had a lot of fun with arrows!
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The Arabian Nights (edited by Muhsin Mahdi, translated by Husain Haddawy) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
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