This post discusses the love story in The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh. Make sure you’re all caught up!
Shahrzad and Khalid’s Love Story
The Wrath and the Dawn, written by Renée Ahdieh, is a fantasy novel that revolves around the developing romance of two characters: Shahrzad who has fallen in love with a monster, and Khalid who wants to protect his bride at all costs.
Now that I’ve finished the novel, it is strange to read Shahrzad’s thoughts in the first chapter where she seethes at Khalid thinking, “I will kill you. With my own hands,” to now reading her tell him “I love you. Beyond words.”
What started as a revenge story turned into one of the most unique love stories I know. Let’s dive in!
Shahrzad’s Perspective
Shahrzad starts the story off absolutely loathing Khalid, referring to him as the monster of her nightmares, a murderer, and a boy-king. It makes sense. He is responsible for the death of almost a hundred innocent women after all, including her best friend Shiva.
Shahrzad volunteers herself to be taken as his bride for that exact reason—to get revenge for all the lives he’s taken. That night, she tells him the story of Agib which piques Khalid’s interest just enough to allow her to survive another day.
As soon as Shahrzad wakes up in the palace the next day, she is gathering intel on her new environment. She learns that Khalid is the 2nd best swordsman in all of Rey, and that he has some kind of troubled past.
The following night she tells him more of the story of Agib which buys her more time. The kingdom is in shock that she’s survived so long. Although there are a number of attempts on Shahrzad’s life, Khalid protects her at all costs, officially declaring her as his queen.
This provides her with many opportunities to follow through on her plans to kill him, but she is confused by her small moments of hesitation, or compassion even. It is so unlike what we’ve come to know her as a character. She is strong minded and resilient. She’s a winner, even if it means she needs to spill blood.
Shahrzad’s most notable moment of failing to kill Khalid comes around the midpoint of the story when she constructs a plan to bring him into the marketplace. By late night, she had him secluded in the alleyway with a bow drawn to his chest. Still she couldn’t bring herself to do it. The night ends with them being closer than before.
Everything Changes
Frustrated with her “misbehaving heart”, Shahrzad vows to find out why Khalid killed his brides and vows to avenge them. But at this point she is kidding herself.
Shahrzad is tortured with confusing feelings of desire, intrigue, and jealousy toward other women as she spends more time with Khalid. Although she feels guilty about her feelings for him, she thinks there is more to him than what everyone else sees. Or rather, she hopes there is, so that there is some justification for her developing feelings.
Shazi pushes Khalid for answers and he eventually breaks. He tells her of Ava, and the curse that was put upon him by her father.
Ava was Khalid’s first wife, a kind soul who Khalid only married to avoid having to marry Yasmine. He was so withdrawn from her that he didn’t notice her falling into despair, and she committed suicide. Her father blamed him for Ava’s death and cursed him.
“One hundred lives for the one you took. One life to one dawn. Should you fail but a single morn, I shall take from you your dreams. I shall take from you your city. And I shall take from you these lives, a thousandfold.” -Renée Ahdieh, Page 338
When Khalid initially ignored the curse, the rain stopped, the wells dried up and his people were subjected to starvation and sickness. To return the city back to health, he complied shamefully.
Shahrzad finally saw him as he truly is—an isolated man with a troubled past who was forced to make an impossible decision. He doesn’t kill his brides for his own satisfaction or some twisted conviction. He’s fighting off a curse in the best way he knows how. Shahrzad sympathizes with the man she foolishly called a monster, and declares her love for him, forgetting everything she’s left behind.
Khalid’s Perspective
Shahrzad has impressed, challenged, and changed Khalid in ways he has never known before.
Since the moment he’s met her, he recognized a fire burning in her eyes, full of contempt and condemnation for what he’s done to the innocent women he’s taken as his bride. He admired her for it, because he felt like he deserved it.
It makes perfect sense. Khalid is responsible for killing almost a hundred women after all, including Shahrzad’s best friend Shiva.
Despina revealed to Shahrzad that of all the women he married, that she was the only woman whom he visited the night before what was supposed to be her last day. Why? What made her so special?
He says it all in his personal letter written to her found on pages 386-387. It all started when he wanted answers about the girl who challenged him with fearlessness and hatred in her gaze. Each passing day he became so intrigued by her, that he refused to send her to her death as he did to his other wives.
Shahrzad also possesses traits of Khalid’s mother—Leila. Leila was fierce and headstrong. She also liked to tell Khalid stories, just as Shahrzad does.
Leila was tragically killed by her own husband (Khalid’s father) because she was suspected of having an affair. Even in her death, Khalid clings onto her influence. So it’s no surprise that when he meets Shahrzad in all her familiarity, that he wants to protect her.
But every relationship comes with its problems. Despite how prideful he is of her, Khalid still struggles to open up to Shahrzad about his despairing past, the curse, and his love for her. It’s not until he sees how much it breaks Shahrzad that he decides to tell her everything.
Opening Up
When Khalid tells Shahrzad about the curse, she is in disbelief. She cannot comprehend why he would willingly sacrifice the kingdom just for her. Though it seems illogical for a king to sacrifice his nation for one girl, Khalid is steadfast in his conviction.
There is nothing that can break them apart. That is until he learns the truth of why she’s really here—to ruthlessly kill him with vengeful hands. When we think he’d relinquish his feelings for her, he does the opposite. He gives her a dagger and tells her to finish what she started.
Do what you came here to do…You are not weak. You are not indecisive. You are strong. Fierce. Capable beyond measure. – Renée Ahdieh, Page 350
He is at her knees, proving that he’d give up his whole nation, and himself, just for her.
Shahrzad does not kill him. Instead she tells him that there is nothing stronger than the love she has for him, finally allowing herself to fall all the way in without any regret.
The Tragic Love Triangle
There’s a third person that comes into this love equation, and his name is Tariq al-Khamsa.
Tariq is the family friend and former lover of Shahrzad.
Like anyone else in the city of Rey, he is furious about the innocent lives the king has taken. He’s already lost his cousin Shiva, and he does not want to lose Shahrzad in the same way. He spends his time planning on how to overthrow the government alongside his uncle Reza and loyal friend Rahim.
On his journey, he comes across a wise man named Omar, the sixth sheikh of the Badawi tribe. He is perceptive enough to sense Tariq’s motivation for rising up against the kingdom of Rey, and advises Tariq to move on.
“Some things exist in our lives but for a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky.” – Renée Ahdieh, Page 296
It goes in one ear and out the other. Tariq wants to be Shahrzad’s knight in shining armor. He wants to be her savior.
Tariq continues to pursue Shahrzad while she resides in the palace, cluing her in on his plan to defeat Khalid and his people.
When the time finally comes to execute, he kills the Rajput and attempts to kidnap Shahrzad, but she will not come with him.
He is rightfully confused about her loyalty to Khalid and his family. Is this not the man who killed her best friend Shiva? The man responsible for countless of deaths? She promised him that she’d get revenge on him, but here she is, defending him.
It’s heartbreaking from Tariq’s perspective, because in any other story, he’d be the hero who is rewarded with the affection of his princess. In this case, his princess has fallen in love with the enemy, and she doesn’t have much to say but to trust her.
My Honest Opinion:
I’ve done a bit of snooping around, and I’ve found that while most readers are head over heels for the romance between Shahrzad and Khalid, there are quite a few who are not totally there.
I shamefully admit that I fall into this category of readers…
This crowd questions why Khalid loves Shahrzad so much, but for me, it’s the other way around. I fail to understand what makes Khalid so special that would make Shahzarad forget everything she’s left behind.
It makes sense from Khalid’s perspective why he’d fall for Shahrzad.
He visited Shahrzad the night they were married out of curiosity of the girl who volunteered to be his next victim. He admired her for being able to look him in the eye with the hatred he felt he deserved. He’s prideful in the way she carries herself.
As for Shahrzad, I’m a bit confused on why she’s so drawn to Khalid to the extent she is. Don’t get me wrong, Khalid is great, but she is really leaving a lot behind for him. (Let’s remember that she’s been falling for him even before she knew about the curse). Personally I think it’s an odd premise in general.
But for all of its complexities, there is still much to be applauded. I will admit that Khalid and Shahrzad had many beautiful moments together, especially towards the end.
Also, am I the only one who feels bad for Tariq in all of this?
Tariq is in love with Shazi, and he has the history with her to justify it. He’s put everything on the line to “save” her.
Imagine losing someone of this importance so suddenly and unexpectedly. Least of all, to someone with the reputation of a monster.
What I Hope the Story Explores in the Next Book
So yes, their romance wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, but there are still some things I will look forward to if I so choose to read the next book.
I want to know how the city of Rey will move forward after the attack on their kingdom. And what will be Shahrzad’s role in all of it?
I also want to know more about Khalid’s enemies and why they hate him so much. Why exactly do they want to see him suffer?
How will Khalid and Shahrzad relationship progress? How will Tariq process it? Or her father? Or anyone else who knew Shahrzad before she was the Calipha of Khorasan? As mentioned before, I can really sympathize with that perspective.
And finally, will the curse from Khalid be lifted? And how?
The author has done a great job at ending the book in a satisfying way while leaving much to be unraveled in the next book.
One Comment
Comments are closed.