“Recommended by…” is a monthly feature in which an awesome bookish person recommends a book that I just have to read. It’s posted in two parts. Part one is the intro to the recommender and the recommendation. Part two posts later in the month and recaps my thoughts on the book.
Check out part one here.
Thanks so much to the ever-wonderful Ksenia for this month’s recommendation. Check her out on goodreads, too! She always has great book recommendations. This month she recommended Anahita’s Woven Riddle by Meghan Nuttall Sayres.
About the Book:
YALSA’s Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
In this enchanting historical novel, a nomad in nineteenth-century Iran takes fate into her own hands when her father promises her in marriage to a man she dislikes. Anahita convinces her father to let her hold a contest in which potential suitors must correctly answer the riddle she has woven into her wedding carpet. A diplomat, a schoolteacher, a shepherd, and a prince compete in Anahita’s battle of wits for the heart of this extraordinary girl.
Weaving a bit of fairy tale into her rich exploration of Persian life, Meghan Nuttall Sayres has written a debut novel that delights and fascinates.
My Thoughts:
I am so thankful Ksenia recommended this book! I had never heard of it and I don’t think it’s one I would have found on my own. How sad it would have been had I never read this story!
Anahita is a delightful character. I just loved the way she didn’t let the expectations of society define her. She looked at the world around her and questioned the way things were. At the same time, she loves many of the traditions of her people. She isn’t questioning the status quo to be difficult… she just wants to make life better for all members of her tribe. It was really interesting to see the a world and lifestyle I’m not familiar with through her eyes.
Speaking of the world… nineteenth century Iran is not a place I’m familiar with. The author did an amazing job of portraying the setting and climate (political and environmental!) in a way that made the story accessible to me. The lifestyle of the nomadic tribes was so interesting to learn more about. Seeing the ways they moved and the reasons behind when and where they did so had me captivated. By using a few other narrators throughout the story the author really gives the reader multiple perspectives on the story and the outside factors that affect Anahita’s life. These multiple narrations are woven together to make a strong and fascinating story.
If you’re looking for something a little different you should really check out Anahita’s Woven Riddle. It’s a wonderful historical fiction novel that reads as a gorgeous fairy tale.
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