"The Storyteller's Daughter" by Cameron Dokey [5]

After a bitter betrayal, a king vows never to be deceived again.

But the king's plan to protect himself will endanger all of the realm's

young women, unless one of them volunteers to surrender

her life to marry the king.

To everyone's relief and horror, Shahrazad, the daughter

of a legendary storyteller, steps forward. On her wedding night,

Shahrazad begins to weave a tale for the king.

Fascinated, the king lets her live night after night. Just

when Shahrazad dares to believe that she has found a way to keep

her life - and has discovered an unexpected love -

a treacherous plot disrupts her plan. Now Shahrazad must hope that

love is strong enough to save her.

We have all at same stage in our lives either read or saw a movie about the 'Arabian Nights', well this lovely little book is told from the storyteller's daughter and is so fascinating and captivating that before you know it you've finished to book. Shahrazad is such a wonderful character that you truly believe in her gift of storytelling and you just pray that all will work out for her in the end. The stories inside the story are wonderful and magical ... this is a little book that you can read over and over again and not grow tired of it.
So here is a little snippet ...

A story is alive, as you and I are.
It is rounded by muscle and sinew. Rushed with blood.
Layered with skin, both rough and smooth. At it's core lies soft
marrow of hard, white bone. A story beats with the heart of
every person who has ever strained ears to listen. On the
breath of the storyteller, it soars. Until its images and deeds
become so real you can see them in the air, shimmering like
oases on the horizon line.

Everyone at sometime in their lives needs to read this lovely novel and just immerse yourself into the telling of the story. Read it to your children and it will be something they will never forget ... one of the all time classics ...

ONCE UPON A TIME ... is just timeless !

I rate this book 5 stars.