Book of a Thousand days is a young adult fantasy novel written by Shannon Hale. This book from 2007 is based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Maid Maleen.

Dashti, a ‘mucker’ from Titor’s Garden, starts the story off by seeking for a job after her mother dies from an illness. She eventually finds one, becoming a maid to Lady Saren. The father of Lady Saren, Lord of Titor’s Garden, demands that Saren marry Lord Khasar – an evil but powerful older man that rules over the Thoughts of Under. Saren refuses this marriage, claiming that her heart belongs to someone else.

In order to tame his daughter, the Lord of Titor’s Garden locks Lady Saren and her maid Dashti in a tower far outside of the city. Dashti endures Lady Saren’s temper tantrums and mood swings, and eventually become great friends. When Saren begins to show signs of schizophrenia, she demands Dashti play the part of a Lady when Saren’s love interest visits the tower. This causes more problems to unravel within the tower, including Dashti and Saren’s love interest falling in love.

Book of a Thousand Days has won many awards like the Whitney Award and Cybilis Awards.

This has been one of my favorite books for a long time. It has elements for everyone within it. Romance, fantasy and comedy are all neatly wrapped up into a fantastic book. It is a fairly quick read and the pace of the book flows smoothly. There are a few mature themes, but nothing too graphic is included in the book. It is relatively suitable for all ages.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy novels or romantic stories. The plot is wonderful and the ending is such a twist. I give it a 9/10.