Book of a Thousand Days is loosely based around the little known Brothers Grimm fairy tale called 'Maid Maleen'. Like the original tale a young girl is locked in a tower for 7 years by her father and when released finds her kingdom gone to marauders. Hale recaptures the essence of the story perfectly, while also doing what she does best; she re-conjures the tale as a story for young girls to read and find strength in.

From the handmaiden Dashti's journal we see the events unfold that not only lead her Lady Saren to the tower, but also Dashti. Determined to keep an accurate recounting of their seven long years in the Tower, Dashti reports vary from the mundane ("My Lady doesn't recall squinting." pg. 24) to the frightening. Each entry is marked by the number of days they have been stuck inside the tower and Hale does an excellent job of communicating both Dashti's hope that things will work out and her despair that they will never see the sky again.

The book is separated into two parts. There is the first part, which speaks of their time in the Tower and the second part, which talks of the after. In the first part Saren does little more than complain, moan and make Dashti's life more difficult then it already is. The moments of peace that descend are too far between and by the end of the second year even Dashti is becoming sick of Saren's whining. The second part Saren becomes slightly less of a burden. She spends much of the first half of the second part still whining and scared, but a gift from Dashti and a job she is good at lifts her spirits a lot. I liked her better for the job, though what she continually asks of Dashti is beyond the pale.

The villain, Khasar, is despicable and terrifying. He sold his soul for a dark power that gives him an advantage, but makes him as inhuman as possible. How Dashti's deals with him is fitting. Saren's beau, Khan Tegus, is both flawed and perfect at the same time. He breaks his promise to Dashti and Saren, but when the true history between him and Saren is revealed is understandable.

The novel has a distinctly asian flair to it--from the pictures that 'Dashti' draws in her journals to the belief system, but it fits quite appropriately. There is a number of ironic twists, but this is basically a story driven by characters. Like every day life not everything that happens to Dashti is 'adventurous' or 'amazing'. We are basically reading her diary and like any other diary there are mundane things that are important to her, but not necessarily life shattering.

Book of a Thousand Days is a wonderful, amusing and thoughtful book that promotes a protagonist who isn't beautiful, but relies on her wits and her inherent good nature to survive. Dashti really epitomizes the old saying 'do good unto others' because proves it daily. ( )

sweet and creative little cinderella story, with a happy ending of course. recommended for those days when there is just too much technostress or bad news in the papers. ( )

It dragged on for a bit when they were in the tower, but it was a exciting, adventurous book! ( )

Rivisitazione di una fiaba poco nota dei fratelli Grimm, La vergine Malvina.
Tra i vari cambiamenti all'opera originale quello che ho apprezzato di più è stata l'ambientazione in una sorta di Mongolia medievale, un setting decisamente originale; anche introdurre il dualismo tra l'ingegnosità ed il coraggio della dama di compagnia e la passività e la fragilità della principessa è stata una bella idea, i momenti più riusciti del romanzo sono proprio quelli in cui viene sviluppato il rapporto tra le due.
Purtoppo il resto invece ricade nei classici stereotipi del genere: l'eroina modesta e ignara dei suoi innumerevoli talenti, il lieto fine telefonato e soprattutto l'immancabile storia d'amore tormentata. Sarebbe stato bello se per una volta un'autrice di young adult avesse deciso di esplorare l'amicizia tra due donne, senza infilarci una romance che non aggiunge nulla alla vicenda ed anzi la banalizza (mi fa sempre sorridere che in questo tipo di romanzi si sia pronti a parlare di amore totalizzante quando i protagonisti si saranno visti 10 volte al massimo).
Non è un brutto libro, anzi è molto scorrevole e la curiosità di arrivare alla fine c'è sempre, però non è capace di uscire dai confini del genere (un fantasy per adolescenti con una generosa dose di romance) e quindi per chi ha qualche primavera in più sulle spalle risulta ingenuo e poco memorabile.
C'è di meglio sia tra i fantasy che tra i retelling. ( )

A retelling of a lesser-known Grimm’s tale, “Maid Maleen,” set in a fantasy world inspired by medieval Mongolia.

When Lady Saren refuses to obey her father and marry the man he betrothed her to, he locks her away in a tower for seven years. Her maid, Dashti, imprisoned along with her, keeps a book of thoughts where she records their harrowing experience, timely escape, and the incredible adventure that follows.

If you love a book with significant character growth, this one’s for you! Dashti starts out as meek and subservient, but slowly learns that she has worth and an identity beyond just being a servant. Saren is difficult to like or understand for most of the book, but she too eventually grows a spine and finds her voice, so they are both able to help each other find their happy endings. There are so many more good things I could say, I highly recommend this one! ( )