I found the prologue of Arabian Nights very interesting and fast-paced. The narrator would tell a part of the story and just as it was getting interesting he would switch directions. I thought that this was a very interesting method of storytelling. It definitely made me want to read more. I am excited to see how Shahrazad stays alive for so many nights. How will she ensure that the king does not get bored? A question that puzzled me was who has the power in this story. Some say the king, others say Sharazad, and yet others say the narrator. I think that this is a very interesting question. The prologue reminds me of the Jewish story of Purium and Queen Ester. In both stories, the queen does something to upset the king. The women of the story, Sharazad and Ester are able to make it so the king listens to them. I want to know more about what the culture was like when the story of the Arabian Nights was written and I am curious how the story has changed as it has been passed down from generation to generation. Something that challenged me was the language that the narrator used when referring to the characters in this story. I look forward to reading more of the book. What will the stories be about? How will Sharazad engage the King?
I can agree with you it was very fast paced and I am also very interested to see if shadrazad stays alive and how that whole situation plays out! great writing.