Tomorrow my husband and I are off on a holiday to Egypt! We're going to tour from Cairo to Aswan and back again and see EVERYTHING.
Ancient Egypt has always been a fascination of mine. I remember getting one of those Discovery Books about mummies when I was about eight years old and being totally mesmerized by it and everything Egyptian. When we learned about Ancient Egypt in sixth grade, I read the entire textbook and then some. To top it all off, I recently completed my MA in Egyptology.
To celebrate, here are some novels I've read that have to do with Egypt, both ancient, modern, and fantastical.
Nefertiti - Michelle Moran
This book, told from the perspective of Nefertiti's little sister, Mutnodjmet, chronicles the rise of one of Egypt's most famous queens. While I don't love Moran's writing or characterization, she breathes life into Ancient Egypt, vividly describing the beauty and wonder of the civilization and the people. She's also written a book called The Heretic Queen, about Nefertari, the chief wife of Ramesses II.
Mara Daughter of the Nile - Eloise Jarvis McGraw
This book is set in Ancient Egypt, specifically the 18th Dynasty during the reign of Hapshetsut and Thutmose III. Mara is a slave in Egypt. She is one day acquired by a new master with a dangerous proposition: To spy inside the royal palace. Once there, however, she is recruited by the opposing side to spy for them. Mara decides to be a double spy and see where the chips fall, in order to secure the best outcome for herself. What she didn't count on was Sheftu, a handsome Egyptian nobleman who also works as a spy within the palace. Mara is a smart, spunky girl, who takes the cards she's been dealt in life and makes the best of them.
My mother loved this book and gave to me one day to read. I instantly fell in love with it as well and have read it many times since. Along with a thrilling and suspenseful spy plot, it's a story about love and loyalty, and brings to life beautiful ancient Egypt.
The Golden Goblet - Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Another by McGraw, this story is also set in Ancient Egypt, in the 18th Dynasty during the reign of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy (so chronologically after Mara). Ranofer, a young boy, dreams of being a master goldsmith like his deceased father. Unfortunately, he has to live with his half-brother, Gebu, who beats him and treats him as a slave. One day, Ranofer discovers a golden goblet among Gebu's things, with the cartouche of Thutmose III. He realizes that Gebu has been robbing tombs and sets out to catch him in the act. This book beautifully describes life in Ancient Egypt, especially among the common people (so much knowledge we have of Egypt comes from the upper-class), and is filled with tons of information about Ancient Egypt.
Crocodile On The Sandbank (Amelia Peabody series #1) - Elizabeth Peters
Amelia Peabody, a Victorian feminist in her late-twenties with a no-nonsense attitude, has come into come money and decides to travel. Along the way she picks up a travel companion, Evelyn. Together they go to Egypt to fulfill Amelia's love for Egyptology. They meet the Emerson brothers, Walter and Radcliffe, who are doing an excavation in Amarna and join in. Sparks fly between Evelyn and Walter and, well, sharp words and objects fly between Amelia and Radcliffe (who goes by Emerson). But someone from Evelyn's past is out to get her, and won't let anything stand in their way, even murder.
I absolutely love this series, and this first book is one of the best. Amelia's narrating voice is hilarious, as are the situations she finds herself in. The mystery is also really well done, though not the focus of the story. It shows Egypt in the late 1800s, when archaeology was really taking off as a field of study, and is filled with lots of good Egyptological tidbits. (This was also our April 2017 Book Club Selection!)
Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie
I love Agatha Christie novels, and this one is a classic. It is a tale of betrayal and revenge. Beautiful and rich Linnet Ridgeway has everything, but when her best friend Jaquiline brings over her boyfriend Simon, Linnet decides she has to have him too. Flash-forward a few months and Linnet and Simon are on their honeymoon in Egypt, with a jealous and vengeful Jacquiline right behind them. Hercule Poirot is also on the same tour boat, so when Linnet is discovered murdered, it falls to him to solve the crime. As always, Agatha Christie paints a beautiful and vivid picture of Egypt in the 1930s, and delivers an amazing mystery with quirky characters and twists and turns that will keep you guessing.
Reawakened - Coleen Houck
Such a fun read that I stumbled across. The Goodreads description pretty much covers it:
Ancient Egypt has always been a fascination of mine. I remember getting one of those Discovery Books about mummies when I was about eight years old and being totally mesmerized by it and everything Egyptian. When we learned about Ancient Egypt in sixth grade, I read the entire textbook and then some. To top it all off, I recently completed my MA in Egyptology.
To celebrate, here are some novels I've read that have to do with Egypt, both ancient, modern, and fantastical.
Nefertiti - Michelle Moran
This book, told from the perspective of Nefertiti's little sister, Mutnodjmet, chronicles the rise of one of Egypt's most famous queens. While I don't love Moran's writing or characterization, she breathes life into Ancient Egypt, vividly describing the beauty and wonder of the civilization and the people. She's also written a book called The Heretic Queen, about Nefertari, the chief wife of Ramesses II.
Mara Daughter of the Nile - Eloise Jarvis McGraw
This book is set in Ancient Egypt, specifically the 18th Dynasty during the reign of Hapshetsut and Thutmose III. Mara is a slave in Egypt. She is one day acquired by a new master with a dangerous proposition: To spy inside the royal palace. Once there, however, she is recruited by the opposing side to spy for them. Mara decides to be a double spy and see where the chips fall, in order to secure the best outcome for herself. What she didn't count on was Sheftu, a handsome Egyptian nobleman who also works as a spy within the palace. Mara is a smart, spunky girl, who takes the cards she's been dealt in life and makes the best of them.
My mother loved this book and gave to me one day to read. I instantly fell in love with it as well and have read it many times since. Along with a thrilling and suspenseful spy plot, it's a story about love and loyalty, and brings to life beautiful ancient Egypt.
The Golden Goblet - Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Another by McGraw, this story is also set in Ancient Egypt, in the 18th Dynasty during the reign of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy (so chronologically after Mara). Ranofer, a young boy, dreams of being a master goldsmith like his deceased father. Unfortunately, he has to live with his half-brother, Gebu, who beats him and treats him as a slave. One day, Ranofer discovers a golden goblet among Gebu's things, with the cartouche of Thutmose III. He realizes that Gebu has been robbing tombs and sets out to catch him in the act. This book beautifully describes life in Ancient Egypt, especially among the common people (so much knowledge we have of Egypt comes from the upper-class), and is filled with tons of information about Ancient Egypt.
Crocodile On The Sandbank (Amelia Peabody series #1) - Elizabeth Peters
Amelia Peabody, a Victorian feminist in her late-twenties with a no-nonsense attitude, has come into come money and decides to travel. Along the way she picks up a travel companion, Evelyn. Together they go to Egypt to fulfill Amelia's love for Egyptology. They meet the Emerson brothers, Walter and Radcliffe, who are doing an excavation in Amarna and join in. Sparks fly between Evelyn and Walter and, well, sharp words and objects fly between Amelia and Radcliffe (who goes by Emerson). But someone from Evelyn's past is out to get her, and won't let anything stand in their way, even murder.
I absolutely love this series, and this first book is one of the best. Amelia's narrating voice is hilarious, as are the situations she finds herself in. The mystery is also really well done, though not the focus of the story. It shows Egypt in the late 1800s, when archaeology was really taking off as a field of study, and is filled with lots of good Egyptological tidbits. (This was also our April 2017 Book Club Selection!)
Death on the Nile - Agatha Christie
I love Agatha Christie novels, and this one is a classic. It is a tale of betrayal and revenge. Beautiful and rich Linnet Ridgeway has everything, but when her best friend Jaquiline brings over her boyfriend Simon, Linnet decides she has to have him too. Flash-forward a few months and Linnet and Simon are on their honeymoon in Egypt, with a jealous and vengeful Jacquiline right behind them. Hercule Poirot is also on the same tour boat, so when Linnet is discovered murdered, it falls to him to solve the crime. As always, Agatha Christie paints a beautiful and vivid picture of Egypt in the 1930s, and delivers an amazing mystery with quirky characters and twists and turns that will keep you guessing.
Reawakened - Coleen Houck
Such a fun read that I stumbled across. The Goodreads description pretty much covers it:
"When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification. And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind. But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world."
I really enjoyed this book and its fun take on Ancient Egypt.
The Chaos of Stars - Kiersten White
Isadora is the mortal daughter of Egyptian gods, and as a human teenager it's way more than she wants to deal with. She jumps on an opportunity to go to California to stay with her brother and get a break from her crazy deity family. But while she's there she gets caught up in friendships, drama, and even a little bit of romance. A fun, cute book that draws heavily on Egyptian mythology, putting a creative spin on it.
What are some of your favorite books involving Ancient Egypt? I'm always looking for more!!!
The Chaos of Stars - Kiersten White
Isadora is the mortal daughter of Egyptian gods, and as a human teenager it's way more than she wants to deal with. She jumps on an opportunity to go to California to stay with her brother and get a break from her crazy deity family. But while she's there she gets caught up in friendships, drama, and even a little bit of romance. A fun, cute book that draws heavily on Egyptian mythology, putting a creative spin on it.
What are some of your favorite books involving Ancient Egypt? I'm always looking for more!!!
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