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mpop's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of my top Peabody books—the plot is fun. Amelia’s bused attitudes come through really clearly, but it’s still a fun romp.
ergative's review
3.5
This would have been a 4* read, except for the reappearance of fat-shaming as a character device, in two separate instances. One is to represent the decadence of a queen, or perhaps an othering exoticism of a different culture; the other is to represent the downfall of a woman’s physical form to mirror her PPD leading to mental destruction at having been put in an incredibly difficult situation. That last revelation was actually very touching, and would have worked well if it hadn’t been realized through fatness-is-bad.
But aside from this, it was a rollicking tale, back in Egypt, and playing with a novel trope for the series. Now the archaeology is living! A hidden civilization, descended from the ancient Egyptian royalty, unknown to Western eyes—and, indeed, Arabs before them—but not fully hidden, because they did a bit of colonizing themselves and enslaved the Nubians who lived where they settled.
There is, indeed, a bit of an interesting structural thing going on here, with respect to cultural and imperial contacts: the Egyptians destroy the indigenous Nubians, but at the same time are in fear of the encroaching British who threaten their own way of life. Something quite sensible could have been done with this, but in the end I think Peters either didn’t quite see it, or else couldn’t quite make it work. She had written herself into a bit of a corner with the wealth of previous books that use Amelia’s British certainty in her rightness as a bit of a joke of characterization. Now that there’s some complexity to be explored, she can’t really give it full justice in a narrative that purports to be from Amelia’s own perspective from her own diaries.
For example, there are hints throughout that the Nubians are planning an uprising against the oppressive Egyptian royalty. Amelia is all for it (Emerson teases her about her socialist sympathies)—but in the end the main revolutionary figurehead just ends up being one of the heirs to the throne, and Amelia and Emerson’s efforts are pivotal in helping him ascend to the kingship. The white saviors rescue the monarchy, and the monarch has no plans to free the Nubians. The fact that the oppressed slave race actually had no hope of freedom or revolution at all is not even touched upon. Instead, the rightness of the new king’s rule is presented as important because he has knowledge of the West, having travelled outside his hidden kingdom, and he will need this knowledge to help prepare his people for the inevitable time when the white colonizers discover his kingdom. The fact that he takes the throne, in the end, by perverting a ceremony that is supposed to identify through religious ritual the true king, does not go unremarked: Emerson calls him a usurper, in fact, but they both agree that he’s the best king for the job, no matter how corruptly he got it.
I mean, there’s a parallelism here! There’s a commentary to be made about rightness to rule, and whether that rightness descends from ability vs. heredity vs. might, which can be applied equally to this kingship and the British Empire. And in a subtler book I would think it was done subtly and elegantly. But somehow, I feel like in this book it’s more accidental than intentional, because if we look at how things shake out, it really seems like the message is, ‘if you can seize the power and are the smartest person who knows best for your country, then go forth and oppress whoever you want! The modern-ancient Egyptians are doing it to the Nubians, and the West will do it to them.’ If Amelia’s lip service to socialist sympathies was truly meant, she might reflect on this, and ask whether the new king’s victory is really best for all the people; and from there it’s a short step to ask whether British exceptionalism, which she does believe in, is really best for all the Empire. But she doesn’t. She congratulates herself on a job well done, and regrets the inevitable encroaching arrival of the West not so much for human rights reasons, as for the loss of a preserved archaeological specimen.
But let’s end on a more entertaining note. I am enjoying the female gaze, I must say. Amelia is constantly commenting upon men’s musculature, and Emerson never misses a chance to lose or rip open his shirt. Peters never misses a chance to go all the way when she decides on a bit.
But aside from this, it was a rollicking tale, back in Egypt, and playing with a novel trope for the series. Now the archaeology is living! A hidden civilization, descended from the ancient Egyptian royalty, unknown to Western eyes—and, indeed, Arabs before them—but not fully hidden, because they did a bit of colonizing themselves and enslaved the Nubians who lived where they settled.
There is, indeed, a bit of an interesting structural thing going on here, with respect to cultural and imperial contacts: the Egyptians destroy the indigenous Nubians, but at the same time are in fear of the encroaching British who threaten their own way of life. Something quite sensible could have been done with this, but in the end I think Peters either didn’t quite see it, or else couldn’t quite make it work. She had written herself into a bit of a corner with the wealth of previous books that use Amelia’s British certainty in her rightness as a bit of a joke of characterization. Now that there’s some complexity to be explored, she can’t really give it full justice in a narrative that purports to be from Amelia’s own perspective from her own diaries.
For example, there are hints throughout that the Nubians are planning an uprising against the oppressive Egyptian royalty. Amelia is all for it (Emerson teases her about her socialist sympathies)—but in the end the main revolutionary figurehead just ends up being one of the heirs to the throne, and Amelia and Emerson’s efforts are pivotal in helping him ascend to the kingship. The white saviors rescue the monarchy, and the monarch has no plans to free the Nubians. The fact that the oppressed slave race actually had no hope of freedom or revolution at all is not even touched upon. Instead, the rightness of the new king’s rule is presented as important because he has knowledge of the West, having travelled outside his hidden kingdom, and he will need this knowledge to help prepare his people for the inevitable time when the white colonizers discover his kingdom. The fact that he takes the throne, in the end, by perverting a ceremony that is supposed to identify through religious ritual the true king, does not go unremarked: Emerson calls him a usurper, in fact, but they both agree that he’s the best king for the job, no matter how corruptly he got it.
I mean, there’s a parallelism here! There’s a commentary to be made about rightness to rule, and whether that rightness descends from ability vs. heredity vs. might, which can be applied equally to this kingship and the British Empire. And in a subtler book I would think it was done subtly and elegantly. But somehow, I feel like in this book it’s more accidental than intentional, because if we look at how things shake out, it really seems like the message is, ‘if you can seize the power and are the smartest person who knows best for your country, then go forth and oppress whoever you want! The modern-ancient Egyptians are doing it to the Nubians, and the West will do it to them.’ If Amelia’s lip service to socialist sympathies was truly meant, she might reflect on this, and ask whether the new king’s victory is really best for all the people; and from there it’s a short step to ask whether British exceptionalism, which she does believe in, is really best for all the Empire. But she doesn’t. She congratulates herself on a job well done, and regrets the inevitable encroaching arrival of the West not so much for human rights reasons, as for the loss of a preserved archaeological specimen.
But let’s end on a more entertaining note. I am enjoying the female gaze, I must say. Amelia is constantly commenting upon men’s musculature, and Emerson never misses a chance to lose or rip open his shirt. Peters never misses a chance to go all the way when she decides on a bit.
celiapowell's review against another edition
4.0
This is rather different from the usual mystery that occurs while Amelia and Emmerson are excavating a delightful little tomb - instead, they set off across the desert of the Sudan in search of a lost nobleman (with their son Ramses in tow) and stumble across a mysterious and hidden pocket of ancient culture. They spend the book alternately being fascinated by the archeological ramifications of what they are observing, and trying to figure out how to leave against the will of their 'hosts'.
I loved it because it's the Peabody-Emmersons on yet another adventure - love the comedic bits, love the tidbits of archeology, love Amelia's narration. Also, the introduction of a new member of the family (I don't think that gives away too much) should be an interesting element in future books.
I loved it because it's the Peabody-Emmersons on yet another adventure - love the comedic bits, love the tidbits of archeology, love Amelia's narration. Also, the introduction of a new member of the family (I don't think that gives away too much) should be an interesting element in future books.
dmcke013's review
3.0
Book number 6 in Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody (think female Victorian Indiana Jones) series, which sees Amelia, her husband Radcliffe and son Ramses back in the dusty climes of Egypt following their adventures in the previous ([b: The Deeds of the Disturber|32139|The Deeds of the Disturber (Amelia Peabody, #5)|Elizabeth Peters|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388887764s/32139.jpg|2176252]).
I have to say, though, that the plot of this one is more-than-slightly reminiscent of [a: H Rider Haggard|4633123|H. Rider Haggard|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1298296700p2/4633123.jpg]'s [b: King Solomon's Mines|108914|In Search of King Solomon's Mines|Tahir Shah|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348655880s/108914.jpg|4188], pretty much just swapping the African setting and characters of that novel for the dusty climes of Egypt - a similarity that Emerson, in a bit of meta-fiction, himself complains about.
Throw in a dash of [b: She|5203|She's Come Undone|Wally Lamb|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408313457s/5203.jpg|1003370] (also by H Rider Haggard) with a soupcon of intrigue and more entertaining byplay between the Emerson's (with Ramses his usual precocious self), and the result is another entertaining read in the series.
I have to say, though, that the plot of this one is more-than-slightly reminiscent of [a: H Rider Haggard|4633123|H. Rider Haggard|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1298296700p2/4633123.jpg]'s [b: King Solomon's Mines|108914|In Search of King Solomon's Mines|Tahir Shah|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348655880s/108914.jpg|4188], pretty much just swapping the African setting and characters of that novel for the dusty climes of Egypt - a similarity that Emerson, in a bit of meta-fiction, himself complains about.
Throw in a dash of [b: She|5203|She's Come Undone|Wally Lamb|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408313457s/5203.jpg|1003370] (also by H Rider Haggard) with a soupcon of intrigue and more entertaining byplay between the Emerson's (with Ramses his usual precocious self), and the result is another entertaining read in the series.
namaste_lh's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
sophronisba's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm not usually one for what you might call a "rollicking read" but I enjoyed this. I highly recommend the audio; the narration really makes the book. I was first introduced to Amelia Peabody in high school and she remains a treat (if one that is best enjoyed sparingly). There is no mystery to speak of. Think of this as more of an adventure thriller.
ksraines217's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jmbz38's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
chaddnolen's review
Held captive in ancient kingdom while looking for missing couple.