Book Review: ‘Every Rising Sun’ By Jamila Ahmed

Scheherezade

Everybody knows the story of Scheherazade and The Thousand and One Nights. Well, maybe not. In Every Rising Sun Jamila Ahmed gives us a new perspective on an old story and opens our eyes to the world it is set in at the same time.

Unlike the Victorian, or Disney, interpretations of the story Ahmed has set her version in an actual historical time period. This isn’t some exotic and mysterious anonymous Middle East, this is a real state, dealing with historical and regional realities. On top of that Scheherazade, the Malik (ruler, king, take your pick) Shahryar of the province of Kirman in 12th century Persia, and everyone else we meet are multi-dimensional characters. No one is a cut and dried hero or villain. 

While the idea of Scheherazade telling a story a night in order to stay alive remains intact, Ahmed has added a variety of twists to the plot. First, it is Scheherazade who catches Shahryar’s wife in the arms of her lover. Up until then the Malik has been a kind and considerate man, treating everyone with love and care. However, when Scheherazade anonymously lets him know what’s going on via a note, he beheads the woman who had up to then been the love of his life.

Twisted and bitter by the betrayal the Malik then proceeds to marry and behead successive wives. Overwhelmed by shame for having set this chain of events in motion Scheherazade volunteers to be the next wife. She hopes there is a way she can bring him back to his old self by reminding him of who he used to be and that he is still loved.

Once Ahmed has placed Scheherazade in the Malik’s chamber after the wedding we begin the story telling. Unlike other versions of the tale the stories in Every Rising Sun build upon each other. They are a real, fantastic tale within a tale and are as spellbinding as the story of the story teller and her husband.

There’s the other major difference in the tale Ahmed is telling. She focuses on the people of the story and real historical events. For the twelfth century was also the time of the Third Crusade, when Richard lll and other European kings attempted to retake Jerusalem from Saladin and his forces.

Shabryar heeds Saladin’s call for assistance in driving off the invaders and travels across the Middle East from Persia to Jerusalem. Scheherazade accompanies her husband on the arduous journey and tries to keep bolstering his self-esteem. Unfortunately she finds herself drawn to one of the Malik’s principle advisors and has to fight off the temptation of committing the same crime her predecessor committed.

Ahmed has taken what most of us have considered a diverting fable and turned it into something far more complicated and interesting. Nothing is straightforward, there are very few black and whites, and there are no easy answers. Instead of it being a tale simply of one person trying to stay alive, it’s more about redemption. Can Scheherazade salvage the Malik and in the process assuage her own guilt? Or will she compound the problem by being yet another person who betrays Malik?

Every Rising Sun is a brilliant retelling of the Thousand and One Nights and a lovely and fascinating novel in its own right. You will be enthralled and amazed.