A thousand nights by E.K Johnston - A review

So I finished the book I spent most of 2016 on the hunt for. A Thousand Nights by E.K Johnston. That book. Its hard to describe so this review might be quite short. Thats not to say I didn't enjoy it. The opposite, I loved it. But its hard to sum up. I find reviews hard because although I can remember what happened and what the book was about. Being specific and remembering moments. Thats hard for me. But I will try.
Firstly this book is not like any book I've read before and I know I say that about the Blood For Blood trilogy by Catherine Doyle which is still true I haven't read a book like that. Its for different reasons. The writing in A Thousand Nights was so unlike anything I had read before. It just flowed, the nearest writer similar to the style is Laini Taylor. They both share this magical ability that the words on the page just flow. They flow lyrically and magically. Not like its a story, like its true. It really brings the story to life. The story just comes alive and flows, again, without it feeling contrite or forced. Or sounding corny. Its original. The story is unlike any I have read before. Its premise and the way its written. It took me a while to finish this book because you have to be in the right headspace to read it. Because its something you have to think about. Its told almost like its a myth; thats what it reminds me of. Myths.

So the premise is a girl, whose name we never find out which again adds to myth element. Takes her sisters place when the king of the land comes to choose a bride. King Lo Melkhin went on a desert trek one day and came out a different man, he goes to a different town, different region and takes a bride. But the bride he chooses never lasts long, they die not long after. To save her sister from that fate, she swaps places and becomes Lo Melkhin's wife. But something is different about her. She doesnt die.

Its a completely new idea. I loved how even though the ending was quite concise but it felt like it was completely explained. I'm going to say it again but the story flowed with a mythical aura to it.

When reading though, you have to be in the mood for it. And be prepared because its not how you expect a book to be. The way the story is, its kind of different and can take a bit of getting used to. Especially considering, you never find out peoples names, especially the main characters name, in the whole story. Its slow paced, lyrical, dense but fascinating novel.

The second book was released on Tuesday. It's called  Spindle. Heres the description for the book on goodreads -

The world is made safe by a woman...but it is a very big world.

It has been generations since the Storyteller Queen drove the demon out of her husband and saved her country from fire and blood. Her family has prospered beyond the borders of their village, and two new kingdoms have sprouted on either side of the mountains where the demons are kept prisoner by bright iron, and by the creatures the Storyteller Queen made to keep them contained.

But the prison is crumbling. Through years of careful manipulation, a demon has regained her power. She has made one kingdom strong and brought the other to its knees, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. When a princess is born, the demon is ready with the final blow: a curse that will cost the princess her very soul, or force her to destroy her own people to save her life.

The threads of magic are tightly spun, binding princess and exiled spinners into a desperate plot to break the curse before the demon can become a queen of men. But the web of power is dangerously tangled--and they may not see the true pattern until it is unspooled.

I have actually asked for Spindle for christmas, it shouldn't be as hard to find hopefully as this book was. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book especially if you like a thousand and one nights. Or other retellings. I'm one of those people who if its done right I love retellings but there are some dodgy ones out there. But thats my opinion someone else might disagree.

I rate this book 3.5, obviously on goodreads I rated it 4 because I don't think you can do half stars. Well I don't think you can at least.

But yeah I hope you enjoyed this review. Its weird but I really struggle like I said with reviews I find it hard to remember what happened. I know what happened but to be able to write down and say what happened, its why I struggle with movie reviews as well. So much happens that I don't remember all of it. Then to write the bits around what happened my brain just can't take it! Working on it though.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it.
Sophie