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mikaela_basile's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5. Took a while for the story to really pick up
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
keimre734's review against another edition
I was only able to get through a couple chapters of this book before I was extremely bored and had to put it down. The strange names of the characters made it difficult to differentiate between everyone in the story. I tried but I could not finish the book. Therefore, I will not be giving this book a rating.
wilkerwyrm's review against another edition
4.0
A rich historical fiction with lots of political intrigue. I was surprised when the epilogue mentioned that Horenheb ends up with Mutny because that doesn’t seem to align with anything written and I wonder why that change was made to the narrative. Otherwise, a good read for anyone interested. Lots of look at regular life as well as politics.
kernowme's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
huntressskyfire's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
goblinhearted's review against another edition
3.0
I am a huge fan of ancient Egypt and was really looking forward to reading an entire novel based there. That said, this book fell flat for me.
The setting was gorgeous. I loved the descriptions of the temples, the nile, the statues and the architecture.
The characterization of both Nefertiti and Akhenaton seemed very one-dimensional. I got tired of reading about them. I wanted their characters to develop, but it seemed like for each of them, they both just became caricatures of what they started as. They both have this unquenchable desire for power. That is the essence of their personalities and it just becomes cranked up to eleven as the novel goes on.
I enjoyed the character of Mutnodjmet, but I was disappointed that basically her entire character, by the end of the novel, boiled down to her just wanting to settle down with her husband and have kids. I understand that she just wanted a “normal life” outside of her sister’s palace, and that is what a normal life looked like to her. I just hate that. Lol.
The book leans very heavily chick-lit; this means a huge majority of the entire novel focuses on the ability to get pregnant or have children. The entire last half of the book is essentially Nefertiti aggressively giving birth to new children. I get it; it’s about royalty, and of course royal blood matters because of lineage and who will take the throne, etc. I just really, really, would rather read about anything else.
I recognize wholeheartedly that me not liking this novel is a “me-problem”. It’s just not the sort of thing I would be into. I suspected it would be like this, going into it. It ultimately made me realize how much I crave a story about ancient Egypt that isn’t about royalty.
The setting was gorgeous. I loved the descriptions of the temples, the nile, the statues and the architecture.
The characterization of both Nefertiti and Akhenaton seemed very one-dimensional. I got tired of reading about them. I wanted their characters to develop, but it seemed like for each of them, they both just became caricatures of what they started as. They both have this unquenchable desire for power. That is the essence of their personalities and it just becomes cranked up to eleven as the novel goes on.
I enjoyed the character of Mutnodjmet, but I was disappointed that basically her entire character, by the end of the novel, boiled down to her just wanting to settle down with her husband and have kids. I understand that she just wanted a “normal life” outside of her sister’s palace, and that is what a normal life looked like to her. I just hate that. Lol.
The book leans very heavily chick-lit; this means a huge majority of the entire novel focuses on the ability to get pregnant or have children. The entire last half of the book is essentially Nefertiti aggressively giving birth to new children. I get it; it’s about royalty, and of course royal blood matters because of lineage and who will take the throne, etc. I just really, really, would rather read about anything else.
I recognize wholeheartedly that me not liking this novel is a “me-problem”. It’s just not the sort of thing I would be into. I suspected it would be like this, going into it. It ultimately made me realize how much I crave a story about ancient Egypt that isn’t about royalty.
bethsandford's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this story about nefertiti and her family. The story is told through the eyes of her sister who later becomes Queen after Nefertiti dies. I have not read much about this time in history. Their beliefs in the different gods and the afterworld was fascinating. It was "compulsively readable" which is the quote from Diana Gabaldon that drew me to the book.
If you enjoy a good historical fiction that is well written then you will enjoy this book.
If you enjoy a good historical fiction that is well written then you will enjoy this book.
erpedraja's review against another edition
3.0
This story is told from the viewpoint of Nefertiti's younger sister, following her rise as Chief Queen, the heretic reign of Aten, and the aftermath.
While I enjoyed the story, I found many similarities from this story to the Other Boleyn Girl in terms of the sisterly relationship. I am not sure which one was published first, but I have read the Other Boleyn Girl first and didn't particularly care for the love hate relationship.
While I am a fan of Michelle Moran, I did not enjoy this as much as her newest novel, Madame Tussaud, or Cleopatra's Daughter. I thought many aspects of this story, as the love story between the younger sister and her General, were rushed. Additionally, the ending lost steam for me.
While I enjoyed the story, I found many similarities from this story to the Other Boleyn Girl in terms of the sisterly relationship. I am not sure which one was published first, but I have read the Other Boleyn Girl first and didn't particularly care for the love hate relationship.
While I am a fan of Michelle Moran, I did not enjoy this as much as her newest novel, Madame Tussaud, or Cleopatra's Daughter. I thought many aspects of this story, as the love story between the younger sister and her General, were rushed. Additionally, the ending lost steam for me.
cdel1313's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this.
I loved it so much that since I read [b:The Heretic Queen|2897258|The Heretic Queen|Michelle Moran|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267353890s/2897258.jpg|2923667]*first*, I now have to go back and reread THAT one. So much of the stories are intertwined. So now I'm on my second reading of The Heretic Queen in less than a month, and my THIRD reading of a Michelle Moran book in a month. My second reading of The Heretice Queen is so much more interesting now that I know the background.
Now I have to read Cleopatra's Daughter.
LOVE these books!
I loved it so much that since I read [b:The Heretic Queen|2897258|The Heretic Queen|Michelle Moran|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267353890s/2897258.jpg|2923667]*first*, I now have to go back and reread THAT one. So much of the stories are intertwined. So now I'm on my second reading of The Heretic Queen in less than a month, and my THIRD reading of a Michelle Moran book in a month. My second reading of The Heretice Queen is so much more interesting now that I know the background.
Now I have to read Cleopatra's Daughter.
LOVE these books!