Books › Two years eight months and twenty-eight nights
Two years eight months and twenty-eight nights
364 pages
A lush, modern fairytale that pits reason against unreason in a playful, magical battle for the soul of the world.
What it feels like
Reading this novel feels like stepping into a lush, modern fairytale where the boundaries between history and mythology dissolve. The atmosphere is steeped in a surreal, enchanting strangeness, balancing the epic scale of imaginary wars with playful, philosophical meditations on human nature. The prose is masterful and spellbinding, carrying the reader through a briskly paced narrative that champions the power of storytelling and the enduring strength of love. It is a whimsical yet deeply thoughtful experience, capturing the chaotic descent into an age of unreason while maintaining a sense of wonder. This book will delight readers who crave literary fiction that marries the boundless imagination of ancient legends with sharp, contemporary reflections on rationality and corruption.
- Mood
- lush
- whimsical
- epic
- surreal
- Tone
- playful
- philosophical
- enchanting
- mythic
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the power of storytelling · reason versus unreason · the enduring nature of love · mythology in the modern world · the battle between good and evil
- The writing
- Lush, playful, and masterful, weaving modern sensibilities with the cadence of timeless folklore.
- The arc
- Moves from a disorienting descent into unreason toward a sweeping, magical reaffirmation of love and rationality.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love literary fiction that blends philosophical debates with the boundless imagination of fairy tales and mythology.
Content notes
- imaginary wars and battles
- corruption
About the book
"From Salman Rushdie, one of the great writers of our time, comes a spellbinding novel that blends history, mythology, and a timeless love story. A lush modern fairytale in which our world has been plunged into an age of unreason, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights is a breathtaking achievement and an enduring testament to the power of storytelling" -- Provided by publisher.
"Once upon a time, in a world just like ours, there came "the time of the strangenesses." Reason receded and the loudest, most illiberal voices reigned. A simple gardener began to levitate, and a powerful djinn -- also known as the Princess of Fairyland -- raised an army composed entirely of her semi-magical great-great-great-grandchildren. A baby was born with the ability to see corruption in the faces of others. The ghosts of two philosophers, long dead, began arguing once more. And a battle for the kingdom of Fairyland was waged throughout our world for 1,001 nights -- or, to be more precise, for two years, eight months, and twenty-eight nights. Two Years, Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights is a masterful, playfully enchanting meditation on the power of love and the importance of rationality, replete with flying carpets and dynastic intrigue" -- Provided by publisher.
Description from Open Library.
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