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wadezone's review
2.0
This is the first book I have read by Elizabeth Peters. I was hoping for this story to be more interesting. I just didn't find anything exciting about the book. I also found it distributing how young or older they made their son within the book with very little time since his birth. The son being a digger and investigator at the young age. The book didn't really cover the timeline of the son aging if he was really 9 or 10 by the end of the book.
ergative's review against another edition
4.0
This was very fun. The colonialism is a little bit less exuberant than in previous books, and Ramses was a joke that I think worked extremely well. The relationship between him and his father (doting and affectionate) compared with him and his mother (austere and critical, except when she goes berserk on people who try to hurt him) was a cute reversal of typical parental gender roles, and his wildly loquacious speech and incredible intelligence and precocity, combined with his parents' perpetual shutting-down of all his contributions that are quite important for the mystery, were hilarious. It was almost like one of those stories for children, in which the smart kid runs circles around the dumb parents who don't recognize how smart the kid is while the kid does all the work solving mysteries--only told from the perspective of the parents. I had a very good time with it.
csw217's review against another edition
1.0
I’m sad to rate this one star, as I absolutely love these characters and the setting. This is the third in the series and I read them in a row. But sadly I found the plot of this one very silly, as it veered into something of a farce, and there was too much physical action for me. The gimmick with Ramses’ speech patterns was also quite annoying. I’m not sure if I’ll continue on with the series one day, but I’m pleased to have made the acquaintance of Amelia and Emerson, and enjoyed spending 3 books’ worth of time with them!
bookchantment's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kmthomas06's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favorite Amelia Peabody mystery but the first one that really showcases Ramses, her scarily brilliant young son who never failed to make me laugh. While I thought the solution to the mystery was a bit trite and unbelievable, still an enjoyable read as always when it comes to Amelia.
celiapowell's review against another edition
3.0
The mystery here was a teensy bit convoluted, but still enjoyable, with Amelia and Emerson's precocious and troublesome son Ramses making his first appearance in Egypt.
janicesierra's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sten1238's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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? No
4.0
gentleladybug's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dmcke013's review against another edition
3.0
The third of Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody (who is a Victorian archaeologist) series of books, this is the first one on which her incredibly precocious son Ramses is old enough to join Amelia and her husband on an expedition to Egypt.
Of course, this then turns into a mystery novel when it transpires that artifacts are being stolen from the digs(no surprise there), and when one of their acquaintances is murdered in Cairo ...
Of course, this then turns into a mystery novel when it transpires that artifacts are being stolen from the digs(no surprise there), and when one of their acquaintances is murdered in Cairo ...