If you could sum up Book of a Thousand Days in three words, what would they be?
Exotic original fantasy
What other book might you compare Book of a Thousand Days to and why?
I don't really have a specific book in mind, but I have a type of book. I read a lot, and once of the things I hate most about books is predictability. There's a point where you've read so much that each book is too predictable to be interesting. I may read them anyway, but I find it a bit boring. Something I've come to appreciate is unusual or original characters and story lines. Dashti, the main character of this book, is not a princess. She doesn't have magical powers. She doesn't have overly amazing powers of deduction that allow her to solve all problems in two seconds. I love Dashti because she is actually like a normal person and is, therefore, relatable. There are books I've read before with characters like that, but another fatal flaw for writers is that they rush a plot too quickly and end up ruining the characterization that would make those characters more likable. Shannon Hale did a perfect job with the pacing of the story, and the narrator, Chelsea Mixon, did will in keeping that rhythm in her narration.
What does Chelsea Mixon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I actually read this book many years ago, long before I knew there was an audiobook version or if I would even like to listen to audiobooks. Chelsea actually does a fantastic job portraying Dashti, narrating just like how I imagined Dashti to speak, the rhythm, the tone. All of it is well done. Because of that, Chelsea Mixon brings a new life to Dashti that isn't found by just reading the book.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I actually received the audible badge for listening to a book straight through, so...yes. Haha.
Any additional comments?
This book is more of a young adult novel, but it is appropriate for all ages, I think. There is a darker understanding of the truth of the situation there for adults to pick up, but everything in the book is just mild enough that nothing would scare children too badly or be inappropriate for children to listen to. I highly recommend it.