Product Description

When a beautiful princess refuses to marry the prince her father has chosen, her father is furious. So furious he locks her in a tower. She has seven long years of solitude to think about her insolence. But the princess is not entirely alone - she can take her maid, Dashti. Petulant and spoilt, the princess eats the food in their meagre store as if she were still at court, and Dashti soon realizes they must either escape or slowly starve. But during their captivity, clever and resourceful Dashti discovers that there is something far more sinister behind her princesses fears of marrying of the prince, and when, finally, they do break free from the tower, they find a land laid to waste and the kingdom destroyed.They were safe in the tower, now they are at the mercy of the evil prince. But this maid is a force to be reckoned with. Thrilling, captivating, and a masterful example of storytelling at its best. The princess' maid is a feisty and thoroughly modern heroine, in this wonderfully timeless story.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #100203 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Review
`In a word: amazing! . . . As a retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale Maid Maleen, it has all the usual fairytale ingredients − heroes and villains, rags to riches, mistaken identities and plenty of magical romance. We love it'
--Mykindaplace.com

Review
'Elegant and wistfully written'

Review
`Something new and life-affirming'

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Shannon Hale's BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS is a riveting read that allows you to see into the soul of a young girl.

Angry at her for not marrying the ruler of a nearby kingdom, Lady Saren's father locks her and her maid in a tower. He plans to leave them there for seven years. It is Dashti, the maid's, responsibility to keep them fed and in good condition, no matter how hot or how cold it may be.

With evil lords, unresponsive guards, and dreamy suitors knocking on their tiny window on a daily basis, they have enough views of outside life to keep living through to the next day. But when all signs of outside human life suddenly vanish, they find themselves in a race against time to save the eight realms and their own lives.

I started and ended this book in a single day (despite having household tasks, homework, and a to-do list longer than it's ever been before). I was caught up in the world of Dashti and her dear Lady Saren. Their tale brought me to tears and made me laugh.

This novel was definitely an enjoyable read that kept me turning pages as fast as I could.

Reviewed by: Jessica Cave

Book of a Thousand Days-GREAT
Hello

If you're about to buy the book of a thousand days - you should. It's a GREAT Book that you will not be able to put down until you read it right through to the last word. I was captured by the maid's strength, willpower to endure the ordeal and survive in the most miserable circumstances. After me being so fascinated by this book, I suggested it to my mum who found it just a excellent as I did.........So why should I take your time by praising this book? Better you just buy it and see for yourself how SUPER this Book is!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A fairy tale with a twist!
I honestly thought I'd hate this book, purely because it's based on a fairy tale (Maid Maleen by The Brothers Grimm). Instead, I really enjoyed it, and ended up reading it in one go. It was very unusual, yet strangely compelling.

I loved the characters, the diary format, the illustrations and the unexpected twist towards the end. Looking back, I can see that there were a few hints to the twist, but none obvious enough to make me guess the ending.

Dashti was a brilliant narrator, and I enjoyed every minute of her recollections. She was brave, loyal, intelligent, and a true heroine in every sense of the word. Lady Saren, on the other hand, took me a while to warm to. I found her whiny and selfish, and couldn't understand Dashti's dedication to her. By the end of the book, I liked Saren, and sympathised with her situation. She redeems herself in the final few pages, and, thanks largely to Dashti, gains confidence and a place in the world. I also loved khan Tegus, the lead male character. He was well written and endearing, and his relationship with Dashti was sweet and honest.

Shannon Hale has a lovely writing style, and it's one that keeps you reading straight through to the end. The illustrations were also a nice touch, and added a fairy tale element to the book.

The Book of a Thousand Days was very different to anything I've read before, and was a nice change. I may read more of Shannon Hale's books in the future, and would like to thank her for getting me over my aversion to fairy tales. They're not as bad as I thought!